The ASUS Vivobook 16X offers a strong performance for intensive engineering tasks, 3D work, and machine learning, with a dedicated graphics card suitable for gaming. However, it is heavier and less portable than the Dell XPS 13. If portability and battery life are your top priorities, the Dell XPS 13 is lighter with a longer battery life, making it excellent for general use. The XPS 13 is less expensive but doesn't match the Vivobook's performance for more demanding applications. Choose the ASUS Vivobook 16X for better performance at a higher price, or the Dell XPS 13 for portability and savings. 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 16X
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
6.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
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
8.2/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for gaming and AI.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook 16X and the Dell XPS 13 offer crisp visuals and comfortable brightness, making activities like browsing and video streaming pleasant on their high-resolution displays. In engineering and design, both laptops provide wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction critical for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, their lower refresh rates lead to less smooth visuals, which is less ideal for fast-paced or highly dynamic content requiring quick screen updates.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has a price of $1,200 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $1,399.
The Dell XPS 13 and ASUS Vivobook 16X are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.7/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook 16X and Dell XPS 13 are both good for content creation.
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
7.4/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 and ASUS Vivobook 16X are both 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 16X and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
"I think the ASUS Vivobook 16X is fantastic. Great performance, decent battery life, good keyboard and trackpad, and a massive screen – just that the screen quality itself is kinda subpar. If you’re okay with the screen, then I think this is an okay laptop. However, I’d like to see a price drop."
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 16X or the Dell XPS 13
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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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
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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