The Dell XPS 13 is highly regarded for its superior build quality, compact form factor, and powerful performance for professionals on the go. It's a top choice if you're looking for something lightweight and stylish with good battery life. However, it generally comes with a higher price tag. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is known for offering solid performance at a more affordable price, with a larger screen that's beneficial for multitasking and media consumption. It might be less portable due to its size and might have a shorter battery life compared to the Dell XPS 13. If your priority is high-end performance and portability for business travel or frequent commuting, the Dell XPS 13 stands out, but if you're looking for value and a larger display for work and leisure, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" may 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 XPS 13
Good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13.
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2/10
6.5/10
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
341.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Dell XPS 13 offers a higher resolution and superior brightness, delivering sharp and vibrant visuals for browsing, office work, and media consumption, which are adequate for general use and detailed enough for most engineering tasks that require precision. For engineering and design, it includes a wider color gamut ensuring that colors are accurately represented, essential for professional photo editing and graphic design. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and rapid screen updates are needed to enhance the experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.6/10
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$690
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" costs $690.
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are well-suited for general use due to their high-quality CPUs and ample RAM ensuring smooth multitasking and quick application performance; the XPS 13 is more portable with its smaller size and lighter weight, whereas the IdeaPad gains an edge with slightly longer battery life. Both feature quality IPS screens with good color coverage and high resolution to provide clear and vibrant visuals, but the XPS 13's higher brightness and color accuracy may appeal more to those prioritizing display quality, while the IdeaPad's larger screen offers more real estate for productivity tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
7.2/10
6.7/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 provides a higher RAM capacity and superior integrated graphics, which is crucial for demanding engineering and design software; additionally, it offers a screen with higher brightness and color coverage, enhancing visual work. In comparison, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" falls short in these areas, and despite its larger screen size, it has lower screen quality, which may impact detailed design work, although it does have a slightly longer battery life and a full-size keyboard, which could be beneficial for extended typing tasks.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.3/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
7.5/10
7.3/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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 Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.