The Dell XPS 13 is a more portable and slightly less expensive option with a smaller, high-quality screen suited for general productivity and travel, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is targeted toward gaming and more intensive engineering tasks with its dedicated graphics card and larger, higher-resolution display but is heavier and less portable. Battery life might favor the Dell for light tasks, but if gaming or intensive tasks are your priority, the extra cost for the Lenovo could be justified. Consider the Dell for everyday use and mobility, and the Lenovo if performance in demanding applications is a priority. 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
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 is equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card, which is typically less powerful for gaming and 3D applications than the dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card found in the Lenovo Legion 5, making the Legion a better choice for such demanding tasks. Additionally, the higher screen refresh rate of the Lenovo Legion 5 enhances gaming experiences by providing smoother motion, which is significantly more favorable for gaming compared to the Dell XPS 13's lower refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.2/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" stands out for engineering and design work primarily due to its superior dedicated Nvidia graphics card and higher resolution screen, providing better performance and visual clarity for resource-intensive tasks compared to the Dell XPS 13, which relies on integrated graphics. However, the Dell XPS 13 offers greater portability and a higher-quality screen in terms of brightness and color coverage, which might be preferred for design tasks that require accurate color representation, but it falls short in handling demanding engineering applications.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 15" for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13's screen provides a pleasant visual experience with its high-resolution display, while the Lenovo Legion 5's very good screen stems from its balance of resolution and brightness, which enhances everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. When it comes to engineering and design, the Dell's color accuracy is suitable for most tasks, but the Lenovo's wider color gamut coverage may better satisfy professionals who need more precise color representation for critical work. However, gamers and those involved in 3D work may find both laptops lacking due to their lower refresh rates, even though their resolution and panel types are adequate for moderate gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 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
Fair
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair 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 Legion 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
$999
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 is great for general use due to its light weight and long battery life, making it highly portable, alongside a quality screen and solid performance with its Intel CPU and ample RAM, ideal for tasks such as browsing and productivity applications. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" also offers good performance with its AMD CPU and higher-end GPU suited for more graphics-intensive applications, combined with a larger, higher resolution screen and effective heat management, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it better for stationary use where power is readily available.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 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
8.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 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.
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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo Legion 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 Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the Lenovo Legion 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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