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Updated January 10, 2024· Prices updated 24 hours ago
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is often less expensive than the Dell XPS 13 Plus and offers a longer battery life for general use, but comes with less storage and memory. Consider the Dell if you require high-performance for engineering or 3D applications and prefer Windows, but if you're looking for better battery life and macOS optimization, the MacBook might be your choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13 Plus
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its Apple M1 CPU and 8 GB RAM offers a long battery life and silent operation, suitable for users who prioritize endurance and a quiet environment, but the Dell XPS 13 Plus steps ahead with a more powerful Intel i7 CPU, 32 GB RAM, and a higher-resolution OLED touchscreen, making it a better fit for those who need top-notch performance and display quality, despite its shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out for engineering and design use with its higher RAM and more powerful Intel processor, which can handle complex tasks and multitasking more efficiently than the Apple MacBook Pro 13's Apple M1 processor with less RAM. Additionally, the Dell's OLED screen offers higher resolution and color accuracy which is crucial for design work, whereas the MacBook Pro prioritizes portability with its lighter design and longer battery life, making it more suited for on-the-go usage.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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
7.8
8.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6
8.4
13.3in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 and Dell XPS 13 Plus both feature high-resolution, bright displays with excellent panel types, making them great for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, the Dell stands out slightly more due to a wider color gamut coverage, which is crucial for accurate color work. However, for 3D applications, gaming, or any use case that benefits from smooth motion, both laptops fall short as they do not offer high refresh rates which are essential for these activities.
Battery
20.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,849
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus costs $1,849.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.4
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is good for gaming and 3D because it has Intel's Iris Xe graphics, known for better performance than the integrated graphics in the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) which uses the Apple M1 chip with an 8-core GPU. Both have similar screen refresh rates, but the Dell offers a higher resolution OLED display, contributing to better screen quality for gaming and 3D applications, while many popular games may not be compatible with the MacBook's macOS.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 Plus to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Dell XPS 13 Plus compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) | Dell XPS 13 Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $1,849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3 lbs | 2.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 7.84" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i7-1280P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 20 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 374 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Dell XPS 13 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Dell XPS 13 Plus
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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.
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