If you prioritize a lightweight and fanless design with better battery life, go for the Apple MacBook Air; it's excellent for general use and offers a high-resolution display in a very portable form factor. However, if you need a laptop with a larger screen, more storage, higher RAM, and better performance for more demanding tasks such as 3D work, machine learning, or engineering, the Dell XPS 15 is the better choice, albeit heavier and with a shorter battery life. Keep in mind, the XPS 15 also comes with additional ports which could be beneficial for connectivity. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is equipped with an efficient Apple M2 processor and integrated GPU that balance performance with battery life, making it ideal for engineering and design tasks that require portability and lesser operating noise, complemented by a high-quality screen and keyboard. In comparison, the Dell XPS 15 offers a more powerful Intel CPU and separate Intel Arc GPU, more RAM, and a larger screen favoring performance-intensive applications, but at the expense of increased weight and reduced battery life, still maintaining excellence in keyboard and screen quality.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Dell XPS 15 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 15 has a better screen for software development.
The MacBook Air's high-resolution display and brightness deliver a crisp and clear experience beneficial for general use, and its wide color gamut supports precise color work necessary for engineering and design. The Dell XPS 15 offers a similar high-resolution and bright display for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for professional design work. However, both laptops have lower refresh rates, making them less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion and faster screen responses are important.
Battery
15.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$849
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $849 and the Dell XPS 15 costs $1,000.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 15 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 15 with its capable Intel Arc A370M GPU and Windows 11 Home operating system offers good performance for gaming and 3D applications, while the Apple MacBook Air's less powerful M2 integrated graphics and macOS make it fair for 3D tasks but not as competitive for popular games, which often aren't supported on Macs. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the choice between them hinges on the better gaming-capable GPU of the Dell and the broader software compatibility of Windows.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 15 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.0/10
8.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both very good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Dell XPS 15
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.