If you prioritize a lower cost and portability, the Dell XPS 13 is a solid choice, especially if your tasks primarily involve general use, like browsing, office applications, and media consumption. Its lighter weight and smaller footprint make it easier to carry around. However, if you require more power for gaming, 3D design, or machine learning tasks, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" offers a higher-performing graphics card and a larger, higher-resolution screen, which will be better suited for those activities. Keep in mind that the Lenovo has a higher price tag and is bulkier, which impacts its portability. 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 Slim 7 16"
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
8.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" is very good for gaming and 3D because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 240, which provide smooth and detailed visuals during high-speed gaming. In comparison, the Dell XPS 13, suitable for casual gaming, is equipped with a less capable Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60, which may not deliver the same level of gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.6/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 is suitable for engineering and design due to its capable processor and graphics, high screen resolution, and lighter build for better portability. The Lenovo Legion Slim 7, with a more powerful dedicated graphics card and a faster, higher resolution screen, makes it very suitable for more visually demanding engineering and design tasks, albeit at the expense of being heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.7/10
8.3/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" is very good for content creation, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
8.7/10
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Dell XPS 13's display offers a combination of resolution and brightness that make it a solid choice for everyday tasks, though it lacks the wider color gamuts preferred in engineering and design, and it has a lower refresh rate not ideal for 3D applications. The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" delivers a high-resolution display with excellent color accuracy and range, meeting the demands of both general users and professionals in engineering and design, but like the Dell, it lacks the higher refresh rate sought after by gamers and those into 3D rendering. In essence, these laptops are better suited for productivity and professional work rather than gaming or 3D-based activities where refresh rate becomes a critical factor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 has 7 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
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" 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 16" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,344
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" costs $1,344.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" to be very good for general use, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 is a lighter and more portable device with an excellent build, great keyboard, and longer battery life, making it appealing for users who prioritize mobility and general use without heavy graphics requirements. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7 offers a more powerful CPU and GPU, a larger and higher resolution screen, and superior speaker quality, better suiting users who need higher performance for more demanding tasks even if it means trading off some portability and battery life.
Software Development
7.5/10
8.0/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16" to be very good for software development, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
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 Slim 7 16" 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 16"
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 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
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