The Dell XPS 13 offers portability and better battery life, making it suitable for general use, and comes at a lower price. However, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while more expensive and less portable due to its larger size and weight, boasts superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering tasks due to its high-end processor and dedicated graphics card. The Lenovo also features a better screen quality, with higher refresh rates and resolution, which is crucial for gaming and engineering use but consumes more battery. Choose the Dell if you prioritize mobility and battery life for everyday tasks or the Lenovo if you need high performance for specialized tasks. 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 Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 is limited in gaming and 3D performance due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are less powerful than dedicated GPUs, and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which delivers less fluid visuals compared to higher rates.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13, with its Intel i7-1250U CPU and Iris Xe GPU, offers solid performance and a high-quality, bright screen, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks while maintaining excellent portability due to its light weight and compact size.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
8.1/10
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Dell XPS 13, with its high resolution and brightness, is great for general activities like browsing and video streaming, while its wide color gamut supports precise color work needed in engineering and design. However, because of its standard refresh rate, it's not the best for gaming or 3D tasks that benefit from smoother motion. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i also offers sharp display and bright screen ideal for everyday use and professional design work, but its standard refresh rate doesn't fully cater to the fluid visuals expected in high-end gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Fair
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $1,000.
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 offers great portability, with its lightweight design and longer battery life, combined with a high-quality screen, making it ideal for general use and on-the-go tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, provides a more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics, which are excellent for demanding applications, but this comes at the expense of reduced battery life.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.6/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.5/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Dell XPS 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.
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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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Laptops Expert
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