If you prioritize a premium build and higher performance for tasks such as video editing or design software, the Apple MacBook Pro might justify its higher price. However, if you seek a balance between cost and functionality, particularly for office work or general use, the Dell Latitude offers a reasonable compromise, often at a more accessible price. The MacBook Pro typically offers better display quality and longer battery life, making it ideal for those who value visual work and less frequent charging. The Dell, on the other hand, could provide more connectivity options with its ports, which can be essential for business users. The tradeoff with the MacBook Pro is its weight and the potential need for adapters due to fewer types of ports. The Dell Latitude might offer better serviceability and a wider range of configuration options at the point of purchase, potentially making it more customizable to your specific needs if they are less demanding in terms of processing power. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Latitude 14 7490
The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its M2 processor offers highly-rated performance for general tasks, and superior battery life combined with its lightweight form factor, making it exceptionally portable; additionally, it has an outstanding screen quality for vivid and sharp visuals.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
5.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is deemed better for engineering and design primarily due to its superior CPU and GPU, the Apple M2 with a 10-core GPU, which delivers efficient performance in computationally intensive tasks and high-resolution screen quality for detailed designs.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.3/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
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
7.8/10
7.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
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
7.6/10
6.7/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 14 7490 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13's display offers high resolution and brightness coupled with a wide color gamut, making it excellent for general use and engineering tasks where visual clarity and color accuracy are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate limits its effectiveness for 3D applications where smoother visuals are essential. The Dell Latitude 14 7490, with its adequate resolution and decent color coverage, is suitable for general use and satisfactory for engineering and design work, but like the MacBook, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less capable refresh rate.
Battery
20.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 14 7490 has 9.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Dell Latitude 14 7490 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Dell Latitude 14 7490 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,219
$300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 and the Dell Latitude 14 7490 costs $300.
"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."
"The Dell Latitude 7490's got the speed you need (and then some), a keyboard that's comfortable enough for writing all day long and a battery that supports a full 8-hour workday. If only the display were brighter and it managed heat better. If you need every minute of battery life you can get, the extended-battery version of the Lenovo ThinkPad T480 lasts 8 hours longer than the Latitude 7490, but its display is much less colorful."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) or the Dell Latitude 14 7490
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
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Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
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Recommendations made
22,338
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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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