The Dell XPS 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for engineering and design, though the Dell XPS 14 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
7.0/10
14.5in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
500.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Dell XPS 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Cost
$1,699
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell XPS 14 has a price of $1,699 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 14 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Content Creation
8.1/10
7.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 14 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.8/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 14 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 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
Very Good
Excellent
14.5in
SIZE
13.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 to have excellent portability, while the Dell XPS 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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 14 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 14 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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.
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.
By the numbers
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Laptops evaluated
48,640
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13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.