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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 offers slightly better portability and general use performance, making it a good fit for everyday tasks and travel. However, the MSI Prestige 14 provides a larger screen and marginally better performance for engineering applications or more intensive computing work, though it is a bit heavier. Both laptops have similar battery life, but the Dell XPS 13 has a higher price-to-performance ratio, which may be important if your budget is tight. Neither is ideal for intensive gaming, but they can handle less demanding games. Your choice should depend on whether you prioritize portability and cost savings or a larger display and slightly improved 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- The MSI Prestige 14 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13.
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
6.9
13.4in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a vivid and sharp display for everyday tasks like browsing or watching videos, both the Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 will serve you well due to their high resolution and brightness. For professionals in engineering and design fields, each laptop's ability to represent a wide range of colors makes them suitable choices for work that demands color accuracy. However, if you're into gaming or working with 3D applications, you might find these laptops lacking, because they don't have the high refresh rates that help make fast-moving visuals look smooth.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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
Very Good
13.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,040
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
442.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13's higher-resolution screen and lighter weight make it an excellent choice for general use that demands portability and crisp visuals, while its counterpart, the MSI Prestige 14, offers a slightly larger screen and better heat management which may appeal to users who balance general use with occasional intensive tasks. Both laptops share the same amount of RAM and similar CPU capabilities, ensuring responsive performance for everyday tasks, and they have high-quality IPS displays, although the XPS 13 has a superior screen brightness, enhancing visibility in different lighting conditions.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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 MSI Prestige 14 and Dell XPS 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 are fair options for gaming and 3D tasks because they both have integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which provide decent performance but are less capable than dedicated gaming GPUs. Both laptops also have screens with a standard refresh rate which is adequate for casual gaming but may not be as smooth for fast-paced games, with the XPS 13 having a slightly better screen pixel density for sharper images.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.1
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Dell XPS 13 is geared for engineering and design with a powerful CPU, ample RAM for multitasking, and an integrated GPU that supports moderate graphical workloads, accompanied by a high-quality screen with a sharper resolution and wider aspect ratio for more vertical space.
Content Creation
7.7
7.5
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 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
7.3
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Prestige 14 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 MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.59 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1250U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 442 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 13
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"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."
MSI Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the MSI Prestige 14
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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