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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is more affordable and offers better portability due to its lighter weight, making it suitable for on-the-go use. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, while more expensive and heavier, boasts a more powerful graphics card and a higher refresh-rate display, which is better for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming. The higher RAM and storage of the Surface Laptop Studio 2 also make it more suited for demanding engineering tasks. Both laptops have high-quality screens, but the Dell's OLED display provides superior color coverage and contrast for general use and media consumption. 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
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.7
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.4
7.9
13.4in
SIZE
14.4in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When considering general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have displays with high resolution and brightness levels, which make for clear and vibrant viewing experiences. For engineering and design, these laptops offer wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation which is essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D, their screens fall short as they lack high refresh rates, reducing the fluidity and responsiveness necessary for an optimal gaming experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 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
Good
13.4in
SIZE
14.4in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,849
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a price of $1,849 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.3
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a vibrant OLED display that excels in color accuracy, making it suitable for general use where screen quality is a priority, and with its advanced CPU and ample RAM, it ensures smooth multitasking and responsiveness. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 combines a high-performance CPU with a discrete GPU, which enhances both creative tasks and general productivity, and its larger, high-resolution touchscreen with a flexible hinge adds versatility, although it’s heavier and has slightly less battery life than the Dell.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Dell XPS 13 Plus are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.3
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 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 | 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 Studio 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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