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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and a longer battery life for general use like web browsing and office applications and prefer to spend less, the Dell XPS 13 is suitable. However, for high-end gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering work, the MSI Raider GE78 is better equipped with superior performance capabilities, a larger screen, and dedicated graphics, but this comes at a higher price, increased weight, and reduced battery life. The XPS 13 is more portable but less suited for intensive tasks, while the Raider GE78 is built for demanding applications but isn't as travel-friendly. 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
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
442.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
While the Dell XPS 13 offers a balance of portability and battery life making it well-suited for everyday tasks, the MSI Raider GE78, with its superior CPU, RAM, and screen quality, excels in demanding applications but sacrifices portability and battery life due to its increased power consumption and larger size. The Raider GE78 is ideal for those who prioritize performance for intensive tasks over the ease of carrying the device around and longer battery life, which are the strengths of the Dell XPS 13.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.5
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
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
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 has an integrated Iris Xe graphics card and a basic screen refresh rate, making it only fair for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a high-end Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card and a much higher screen refresh rate, providing an optimal experience for these intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.2
9.4
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13, while suitable for engineering and design due to its capable CPU and sufficient RAM, falls short in GPU performance compared to the MSI Raider GE78 which boasts a top-tier CPU and GPU, and has double the RAM and a higher resolution display for more demanding tasks. However, the portability and quieter operation of the Dell XPS 13 may appeal to users who need to move frequently or work in noise-sensitive environments, unlike the heavier MSI Raider GE78 which trades off these conveniences for higher performance.
Content Creation
7.7
8.8
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Software Development
7.5
8.5
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is 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.
Screen Quality
7.2
8.6
13.4in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 offers a sharp, bright display with good color accuracy, which makes browsing the web and watching videos a pleasant experience. Engineers and designers would appreciate the XPS 13's color fidelity and resolution for precision work, but it doesn't offer wide color gamuts needed for high-end color work. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78's display has stronger color performance, hence better for engineering and design, but its lower refresh rate makes fast-paced 3D games less smooth compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
13.4in
SIZE
17.3in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$850
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 and MSI Raider GE78 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell XPS 13 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.59 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1250U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 442 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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 Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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