A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 Plus, being lighter and slightly smaller, is more portable but has higher performance for general use and a better display quality, making it ideal for tasks like photo editing, where color accuracy and display quality are crucial. However, it is more costly than the Dell XPS 15, which offers competitive performance with better capabilities for 3D and engineering applications, thanks to a dedicated graphics card. The XPS 15's larger screen and additional ports might suit those needing more screen real estate and connectivity options for peripherals, but it is heavier, which could be a drawback if you frequently carry your laptop around. Both have similar battery life and are not designed for intensive gaming. 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 Plus
- Very good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
- The Dell XPS 15 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.4
7.4
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Dell XPS 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
When considering general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out with a sharper and brighter display, which offers crisp visuals and comfortable use in various lighting conditions, while the XPS 15 provides a balanced experience but may not be as vivid. For engineering and design, the XPS 13 Plus has a wider color gamut coverage, crucial for professionals needing accurate color representation, but the XPS 15 also delivers good color support, making it a viable alternative for less color-critical tasks. Gamers and 3D artists, however, will find both models lacking due to their lower refresh rates, influencing fluid motion and responsiveness, although their decent resolution and panel quality ensure clear images for less refresh-rate-sensitive applications.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,849
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a price of $1,849 and the Dell XPS 15 costs $1,000.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.2
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell XPS 15 are both very good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a balance of power and portability with a high-resolution OLED screen, making it ideal for general use where screen quality and battery life are prioritized. In contrast, the Dell XPS 15, with its larger screen and dedicated graphics card, provides more robust performance for multimedia creation at the cost of reduced portability.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.8
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Dell XPS 13 Plus are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus, with its Iris Xe graphics, offers strong graphics performance for its size, which makes it suitable for gaming and 3D applications, although its smaller 13.4-inch screen and 60Hz refresh rate may limit the immersive experience some gamers seek. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 steps up with a discrete Intel Arc A370M GPU, which provides enhanced gaming and 3D graphics capabilities, but it also means the laptop is larger and heavier, potentially affecting portability.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell XPS 15 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out for design and engineering tasks with its higher RAM capacity and OLED screen offering higher resolution and better color reproduction, essential for detail-oriented work. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 offers a balance between performance, with its capable CPU and dedicated GPU, and a larger screen size which may be beneficial for multitasking and larger project vistas, albeit with lower screen resolution and color accuracy compared to the 13 Plus.
Content Creation
8.3
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 and Dell XPS 13 Plus are both very 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
8.3
8.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell XPS 15 are both very 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
10.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 has 10 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Dell XPS 15 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Dell XPS 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 4.21 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 13.57" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 606 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 13 Plus
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
Dell XPS 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Dell XPS 15
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
