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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a higher-resolution, brighter display with touch capabilities and extended battery life while maintaining relatively lightweight and portable form, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is suitable, particularly for general use. It's more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, but it comes at a higher price. However, if your work involves 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software that requires a powerful dedicated GPU, the MSI Creator Z16P would be a better choice. It also offers a larger screen and more storage but lacks the same level of portability due to its increased weight and size, and its battery life is shorter than the Dell's. 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 software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers excellent portability and screen quality with a higher RAM capacity for multitasking, making it very suitable for general use, but its battery life is lower than some other laptops. Conversely, the MSI Creator Z16P provides a powerful CPU and superior graphics performance for creative tasks and comes with a larger storage capacity, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which may not be as convenient for on-the-go users.
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.6
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers good gaming and 3D performance due to its high-resolution OLED display and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, but it lacks a high refresh rate, making the MSI Creator Z16P with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and higher screen refresh rate a superior choice for smooth and visually demanding gaming and 3D tasks. However, the XPS 13 Plus is more portable with its lighter weight and smaller size, while the MSI Creator Z16P offers stronger gaming performance at the expense of increased weight and size.
Software Development
8.3
7.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.3
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 Plus and MSI Creator Z16P screens provide crisp, clear images due to their high resolution and brightness, making everyday tasks and media consumption a visual pleasure. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops offer wide color gamuts, ensuring that professionals who require precise color representation for their work can rely on accurate hues and gradients. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on both the Dell XPS 13 Plus and MSI Creator Z16P may lead to less smooth visuals, which could detract from fast-paced or immersive experiences that benefit from higher refresh rates.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,849
$1,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a price of $1,849 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P and Dell XPS 13 Plus are both very good for engineering and design.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus excels in engineering and design due to its high resolution OLED screen that provides excellent color accuracy and contrast, paired with a capable CPU and ample RAM for multitasking. The MSI Creator Z16P stands out with its powerful i9 processor and superior Nvidia GPU, making it ideal for demanding engineering software and tasks requiring robust graphics processing, albeit at a tradeoff of being heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
8.3
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 Plus to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and MSI Creator Z16P 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 MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
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
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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."
MSI Creator Z16P
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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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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