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Updated January 10, 2024·
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is more expensive but offers better performance and a more vivid OLED display, making it well-suited for tasks that benefit from a high-quality screen. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is less expensive and still provides capable performance for most tasks, making it a good value choice. The ThinkPad also is a premium business laptop, which means it has features tailored for professional use. Both laptops are similarly portable with a good battery life, have touchscreens, and are recommended for intensive gaming. The decision between the two will depend on your budget and whether you value a higher-quality display and slightly better performance over cost savings and a business-focused design. 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 for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a higher resolution OLED screen and double the RAM, resulting in exceptional screen quality and multitasking capabilities, with a highly portable design and a robust CPU; meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while also featuring good portability and screen quality, prioritizes a solid CPU and RAM for reliability, but doesn't match the XPS 13 Plus in terms of high-resolution display and RAM which translates to slightly less raw performance and multitasking capacity.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and higher-resolution OLED screen, which enhances detailed work with better color accuracy and contrasts. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while still capable for engineering and design with its AMD CPU and GPU, has less RAM and a lower resolution screen, but it may offer a slight edge in portability and keyboard quality due to its ThinkPad heritage.
Content Creation
8.3
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
8.3
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
8.4
7.0
13.4in
SIZE
13.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus offers exceptional clarity and vividness due to its high resolution and brightness, ensuring comfortable viewing of documents and media. During engineering and design work, its screen excels by displaying a wide range of colors accurately, critical for precise visual tasks. However, the limited refresh rate of the Dell makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, which require smooth motion to enhance the user experience, a feature where higher refresh rates are favored.
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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.3
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
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 13 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.4in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Dell XPS 13 Plus both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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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How the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 13.3" | |
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 | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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.
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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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About the laptop team
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