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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Latitude 5330 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", consider how you value cost, performance, and features. The Dell is significantly less expensive and offers a good balance of performance for general use, thanks in part to its solid processor and ample memory. However, its screen is smaller, and it has a lesser resolution compared to the Surface Laptop, which might matter if you prefer sharper visuals for tasks like photo editing. The Surface Laptop, while more pricey, has a higher resolution and a slightly larger display, which can be great for productivity and media consumption. It packs a more powerful processor, potentially making it a better fit for more demanding applications, such as engineering software or light gaming. It also has a sleeker design and is slightly lighter, which could be important if you're often on the move. One downside is the Surface's battery is smaller, which could mean it won't last as long as the Dell between charges. Ultimately, if your priorities lean towards saving money while still getting solid performance for everyday tasks, the Dell may suit you well. If you're willing to invest more for higher performance, a better display, and a more premium design, then the Surface Laptop could be the better 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 Dell Latitude 5330
- The Dell Latitude 5330 has no clear advantages over the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13".
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.3
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
286.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5330 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell Latitude 5330's screen might not be as sharp or vibrant due to its moderate resolution and brightness, which suits general use but lacks the vividness required for engineering tasks that benefit from wider color gamuts. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a higher resolution and better brightness, resulting in a sharper and more vibrant display for both general use and color-critical work like engineering and design, featuring superior color reproduction. Both laptops, however, fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to lower refresh rates, which means motion might not appear as smooth as on panels designed with higher refresh rates specifically for those purposes.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell Latitude 5330 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Cost
$849
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell Latitude 5330 has a price of $849 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
286.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Latitude 5330 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Dell Latitude 5330 is favored for general use due to its combination of processing power with an Intel i5 CPU, satisfactory RAM for multitasking, and a long battery life, all presented with a screen that offers decent quality and brightness, while the machine remains fairly light and portable. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" also suits general use very well with its higher-performance Intel i7 CPU, ample RAM, a sharper and brighter screen with a more convenient aspect ratio for productivity tasks, and a very good build quality, although it has a shorter battery life and its design does include a limited port selection.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Latitude 5330 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Latitude 5330 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are considered fair for gaming and 3D because both have integrated Iris Xe graphics, which provide modest gaming performance, and screens with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, not the higher rates preferred for fast-paced gaming. The Dell's Intel i5 and the Surface's i7 CPUs are capable for general use but may struggle with more demanding gaming or 3D workloads, and while both laptops have good quality IPS displays, neither has the high refresh rates or resolution that dedicated gaming laptops offer.
Engineering and Design
6.9
7.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5330 is only fair.
The Dell Latitude 5330 is equipped with a high-quality screen and solid CPU performance for engineering and design applications; however, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a higher resolution display and a more powerful CPU, enhancing its suitability for detail-oriented and computationally demanding tasks in these fields.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Dell Latitude 5330 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
7.3
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Latitude 5330 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.5in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" to have excellent portability, while the Dell Latitude 5330 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Dell Latitude 5330 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell Latitude 5330 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Latitude 5330 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$849 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.2'' x 0.73'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.04" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.17" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1245U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 286 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Dell Latitude 5330 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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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
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.
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