When choosing between the ASUS Vivobook 14 and the Dell XPS 15, consider the following tradeoffs: the ASUS Vivobook 14 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it more portable, but it has less storage, memory, and a less powerful processor and graphics unit compared to the Dell XPS 15. The Dell XPS 15, being pricier, offers significantly more power suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering and engineering work, a larger and slightly better-quality screen, as well as a longer battery life. However, it's heavier, which could be less convenient for frequent travel. Use cases like general office work, web browsing, and media consumption would be comfortably handled by the ASUS, while the Dell is better suited for heavy multitasking, creative tasks, or any work requiring a robust performance. 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 ASUS Vivobook 14
Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 boasts a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and superior screen quality with a higher brightness and wider color coverage compared to the ASUS Vivobook 14, making it very good for general use. Additionally, while the XPS 15 has a larger battery capacity, contributing to better battery life, it is also heavier, which affects portability slightly more than the lighter Vivobook 14, which has a lower battery capacity and is considered fair for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and ASUS Vivobook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell XPS 15 is somewhat better.
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
6.3/10
8.1/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
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 ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 offers better performance for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and superior discrete GPU compared to the ASUS Vivobook 14, along with a higher quality screen which features increased brightness and color accuracy. While the Vivobook is lighter and more portable, the XPS 15’s advantages in core engineering specifications make it a preferable option despite being heavier and likely having a higher price point.
Content Creation
6.9/10
8.3/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
6.8/10
8.1/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
6.3/10
7.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has decent resolution and brightness, making it suitable for daily activities and some professional tasks, but its limited color gamut can hold back those needing high color accuracy for engineering and design. The Dell XPS 15 offers a higher resolution and brightness that enhances general and professional use, alongside a wider color gamut that benefits precision-driven engineering and design work. However, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates which are not ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smooth motion is key.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has 7 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has very good portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$421
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has a price of $421 and the Dell XPS 15 costs $1,000.
"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 ASUS Vivobook 14 or the Dell XPS 15
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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