The Dell XPS 13 is often significantly less expensive than the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, making it a more budget-friendly option. If you're interested in a laptop that's better for general use with good portability, the Dell XPS 13 could be your choice; it's lightweight and easy to carry. However, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers more powerful performance for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, due to its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics card, at the cost of being pricier and heavier, which impacts portability. The Lenovo also has a larger screen with a higher refresh rate, which is better for fast-paced gaming but may contribute to shorter battery life compared to the Dell. Give Feedback
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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 Slim 7 15.6"
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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
7.2/10
7.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Dell XPS 13 are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" is somewhat better.
The Dell XPS 13, with its Intel i7 incorporated graphics, offers a lighter and more compact design ideal for mobility and has a high screen resolution and brightness for detailed design work, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 7, with its AMD Ryzen processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, caters to heavier engineering tasks requiring more graphics processing power but is heavier and less portable. Both laptops have similar RAM, but the Legion Slim 7 has a higher refresh rate display, which is beneficial for some engineering applications like simulations that benefit from smoother visuals.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
7.7/10
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13's screen boasts high resolution and brightness, making texts and images sharp and comfortable to view for general tasks, while Lenovo Legion Slim's similar attributes provide a comparable visual experience. However, for engineering and design, both models may display colors precisely, with potentially extensive color gamut coverage, allowing professionals to work with color-critical applications effectively. Although adequate for general tasks and professional work, these laptops' lower refresh rates make them less optimal for gaming and 3D work, where smoother motion and faster screen responses are crucial for an immersive experience.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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 Legion Slim 7 15.6" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" costs $1,200.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" and Dell XPS 13 are both good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 excels in portability, superior screen quality, and longer battery life, making it ideal for general use on the go, especially for tasks that benefit from a high-resolution touch display and a light design. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers better performance with a more powerful CPU and is more suited for demanding applications, but with this comes a heavier build and potentially shorter battery life, which might not be as convenient for constant travel.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.7/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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
7.5/10
7.5/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has 9 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.
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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6" 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 Slim 7 is a slim Legion notebook that is just as excellent with Nvidia & Intel. However, the Legion Slim 7i slightly sullied by lacklustre battery life. You get a slim aluminium chassis, great input devices, decent port selection, fast high-quality WQXGA display and great performance. Supporting Thunderbolt 4 is one advantage of the Intel/Nvidia model tested in this review. Moreover, this variant has slightly higher CPU performance as well as better GPU performance in certain applications (e.g. CUDA-based apps). The Lenovo Legion S7i is thin, premium and performant – but less efficient than its AMD counterpart."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 15.6"
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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