Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 3 have been among the best-reviewed laptops ever since their launch in the global market. Though they differ essentially in many main aspects, they also possess some similarities which may have projected them as close competitors otherwise. One defining difference is the Touch Feature – Surface 3 offers it, but Dell XPS 13 does not.
Dell XPS 13 vs Surface Laptop 3
The main difference between Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 3 is that Dell XPS 13 has a Non-Touch Display whereas Surface Laptop 3 has a Touch Display in both of its variants, namely 13.5” and 15”. Both laptops differ in some key features, but they’re close competitors.
Dell XPS 13 is a laptop with an exceptional battery life of 8 to 14 hours. Having broken the boundaries of stereotyped performances of thin, light, sleek and stylish laptops, it reigns in the market by offering an 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor.
Surface Laptop 3 is another exceptional product that had gained immense popularity even before its formal launch. Microsoft offers the laptop in two main variants, namely 13.5” and 15”. Because they only possess a slight difference in their features, both variants have garnered immense praise from tech experts all over the world.
Comparison Table Between Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 3
| Parameters of Comparison | Dell XPS 13 | Surface Laptop 3 |
| Screen Size | 13.5 inches | 15 inches |
| Memory | 8GB LPDDR4x 4267MHz Memory Onboard | 8GB or 16GB DDR4 RAM |
| Processor | 11th Generation i5-1135G7 Processor by intel with up to 8MB Cache and up to 4.2 GHz clock speed | AMD Ryzen™ 7 3780U/5 3580U Mobile Processor with Radeon™ Vega 9/ 11 |
| Display type | 13.4″ FHD+ InfinityEdge (1920 x 1200) Anti-Glare Non-Touch 500-Nit Display | 15 inches PixelSense™ Display with the resolution of 2496 x 1664 or 201ppi |
| Video Card | Iris Xe Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Vega 9/ RX |
| Battery Life | 8 – 14 hours | Up to 11.5 hours |
What is Dell XPS 13?
Dell XPS 13 is a refined Ultrabook, delivering high performance and convenience to the user by being light in weight. Its compact design, powerful, and long-lasting battery life have been major contributors in establishing it as one of the best-reviewed laptops over several years. Its 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor guarantees an efficient performance to users who are required to work on the laptop 24/7 in a professional capacity.
The 8 to 14-hour battery life is certainly an additional perk to help users boost their professional performance. A Memory of 8GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x Onboard poses no challenges but only offers convenience by eradicating the need to manage storage regularly. Though the display is Non-Touch, its specifications are 13.4 inches full hd+ display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 with an InfinityEdge Anti-Glare 500-Nit Display. It ensure a seamless visual experience by providing us with colors that were never used on SDR PC displays. The Intel® Iris Xe Video Card only adds up to the total charm of the product.
The design very clearly attains the goal of delivering essentials to the user in an elevated way, because all elements like touchpad, keys, and mainly, the display, are larger for an optimized and smooth user experience.
What is Surface Laptop 3?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is among the recent additions to the Surface Range’s Star List. Armed with an (approximately) 11.5-hour battery life, the product has been showered with rave reviews ever since its launch. In a rare occurrence, it is a product that has garnered equal praise for both of its variants – the 13.5” and 15”.
Both variants possess very minor yet significant differences in terms of their technical specifications, which is why getting to know the whole story excited tech experts all across the globe, and had made it a sensation quite before and during the timeline of its launch. Surface Laptop 3 has a memory of 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x/ DDR4 RAM and an Aspect Ratio of 3:2. The product satisfies the currently popular and most-wanted feature of being Surface Pen Enabled and makes working with it easier by having the perk of a 10 point multi-touch.
While the 13.5” variant has the Intel® Iris™ Plus Graphics Video Card, the 15” variant has an AMD Radeon™ Vega 9/ RX Vega 11 Graphics Card. Both variants offer 2 different processors. While the 13.5” offers 10th Gen Quad-core Intel Core™ i5-1035G7 or i7-1065G7 Processors, the 15” has AMD Ryzen™ 7 3780U/5 3580U Mobile Processor with Radeon™ Vega 9/ 11 (respectively).
Main Differences Between Dell XPS 13 and Surface Laptop 3
- Dell XPS 13 has a Memory of 8GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x Onboard, Surface Laptop 3 has a Memory of 16GB LPDDR4x
- The Dell XPS 13 has an 11th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor, whereas Surface Laptop 3 comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 3780U/5 3580U Mobile Processor with Radeon™ Vega 11/9.
- Dell XPS 13 has an exceptional battery life of 8 to 14 hours, while Surface Laptop 3 works efficiently until 11.5 hours upon typical usage.
- Dell XPS 13 has a 13.4″ FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Non-Touch InfinityEdge Anti-Glare 500-Nit Display whereas Surface Laptop 3 has a built-in touch feature.
- Dell XPS 13 has an Intel® Iris Xe Graphics card, whereas Surface Laptop 3 has AMD Radeon™ Vega 9/ RX Vega 11 Graphics Card.
Conclusion
Concluding through the aforementioned analysis between the details and specifications of the two products, it is clear that while they differ in key aspects of their functionalities, they also share close similarities. Both, the Dell XPS 13 and Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 3 are quite similar in their sleek and stylish designs, which make them all the more elegant, but they still differ in the main aspect of their display screen having the Touch feature.
Dell XPS 13 does not have this functionality, but both variants of the Surface Laptop 3 do, and also offer the additional feature of the Surface Pen being enabled. The laptops differ in their Memory Components, Processors, and Battery Life, but still, emerge as great products to buy for full-time professional use.
References
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8999266/
- https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJISE.2020.105291