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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a high-end laptop with top-notch performance for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is the superior choice with its more powerful processor and higher RAM capacity. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 offers better value for general use and everyday tasks, given its significantly lower price point. But keep in mind, while both laptops have crisp displays, the Dell's OLED screen offers deeper blacks and more vibrant colors, which might be preferable if you prioritize display quality. You also must consider portability and battery life; the Dell is slightly lighter but has a higher battery capacity, hinting at a longer life between charges. Lastly, if touch screen capabilities are important to you, both devices will serve you well, but the Surface Laptop 5 has the advantage of a 3:2 screen ratio which could be beneficial for productivity tasks like document editing and web browsing. 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.4
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use primarily due to its higher RAM capacity, superior screen quality with an OLED display, and better portability due to a lighter weight, despite its similar size. Additionally, the XPS 13 Plus boasts a stronger CPU and more effective heat management, adding to its overall efficiency and user experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out for engineering and design use with its robust CPU, substantial RAM, and high-resolution OLED screen which translate to better performance and visual clarity; however, it is less portable compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" which, despite having less RAM and a lower resolution IPS screen, offers a lighter build and better portability, making it a trade-off between power and convenience. Additionally, while both have good quality keyboards and speakers, the Surface Laptop 5 may be preferable for those sensitive to operating noise, as it has a better heat management system which often translates to quieter operation..
Content Creation
8.3
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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
8.3
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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
8.4
7.2
13.4in
SIZE
13.5in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a sharp, bright display with vibrant colors due to its high resolution and panel quality, making text clear and images vivid, while the Surface Laptop 5 also delivers a bright and clear image, albeit at a slightly lower resolution. In engineering and design, the Dell's wider color gamuts ensure that designers see accurate colors critical for their work, surpassing the Surface Laptop, which has good but less extensive color coverage. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, both laptops fall short as their screens have lower refresh rates which can lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience compared to panels optimized for such activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,849
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a price of $1,849 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.1
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a better gaming and 3D experience as both laptops have similar integrated graphics, but the Dell has more RAM and a higher resolution OLED screen for more vivid colors and contrasts. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has less RAM and an IPS screen which doesn't provide the same depth in color and contrast, making it less suitable for immersive gaming and 3D applications.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.4in
SIZE
13.5in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i7-1255U | |
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 | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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