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Updated January 10, 2024·
For someone prioritizing high performance for tasks such as engineering or creative software, the Dell XPS 13 Plus with its powerful processor and ample memory is an excellent choice, but it is priced higher. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while also capable and with a pro version of the operating system, has less memory, which could limit performance in complex tasks but comes at a lower price point. The Dell has an OLED screen which offers vibrant colors and contrast, beneficial for those involved in visual media, whereas the Lenovo has an IPS screen, which is adequate for general use. Both are highly portable, though the Dell is slightly lighter, offering a bit more ease in transportation. If you often rely on various peripherals, the Lenovo has more varied port input options, which might save you from carrying extra adapters. 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has no clear advantages over the Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus with its higher RAM and a more powerful processor excels in engineering and design tasks that demand substantial computing resources, while its OLED screen ensures excellent visual quality. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while it has a good processor and enough RAM for many tasks, falls short in GPU and screen quality compared to the Dell, making it less ideal for the most intensive engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.3
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 ThinkBook 13s 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
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
13.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a vibrant and sharp display for tasks like browsing and video streaming, the Dell XPS 13 Plus, with its high resolution and brightness, will offer a more satisfying experience than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, although both are suitable for daily activities. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is critical, the Dell's better color gamut coverage ensures more precise and true-to-life colors, giving it an edge over the Lenovo. However, if your main focus is on gaming or working with 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion compared to screens designed specifically for these purposes.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.6
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has very good build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,849
$1,000
$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 ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.4
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its superior GPU, which handles graphics more effectively, and a higher-quality OLED screen that displays more vibrant colors and deeper blacks as it has better color space coverage. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while still equipped with a capable integrated GPU and an IPS display with decent color coverage, won't match the Dell's gaming-centric capabilities due to lesser graphical and screen color performance.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
13.4in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
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'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i7-1260P | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 13 Plus or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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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