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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is a premium choice with a high-resolution OLED display, excellent color accuracy, and a sleek design, making it ideal for creative professionals and those who value a superior screen for general use. It's also highly portable due to its compact size and lightweight build. However, it comes with a higher price tag and may not be the best for intensive gaming or engineering tasks due to its integrated GPU. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" offers a larger screen with a high refresh rate, which is beneficial for smoother visuals in general use and light gaming. It's more affordable, has a comfortable keyboard, and includes Windows 11 Pro, which is a plus for business users. While it's not as portable as the Dell, it provides better performance for engineering tasks with its dedicated Intel Arc GPU, though it falls short in gaming and 3D rendering compared to dedicated gaming laptops. Consider the Dell for its outstanding display and portability if your primary focus is on media consumption, content creation, or if you need a high-quality screen for everyday tasks. Opt for the Surface Laptop if you're looking for a balance of performance and price, especially for business or engineering applications, and if you prefer a larger screen with a high refresh rate. 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 build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
- The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.7
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.3
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
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 6 15" 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
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
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 6 15" 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
8.1
13.4in
SIZE
15.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has a better screen for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has very good build quality, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" 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 6 15" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.6
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and Dell XPS 13 Plus 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.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 Plus to be very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" is good.
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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has 9 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 13.4'' x 9.6'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 13.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 9.61" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 15" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2496 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
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
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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."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 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.
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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