The battle of the leading 15-inch laptops

• 

  Dell XPS 15 (2023)

  The Dell XPS 15 (2023) brings some modest improvements over the previous generation. It has options for the latest 13th Gen Intel processors and the latest Nvidia RTX 40 graphics cards. It’s all bundled into the same sleek and light package with the option of an OLED screen.

  Positives

  • Latest Intel CPUs
  • Option for Nvidia GPU
  • OLED screen option

  cons

  • heavier
  • Worse battery life

• 

  Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

  The Surface Laptop 5 sports a sleek design, runs Windows 11, and has a touch screen. For the money, it’s one of the best laptops out there right now, and for a 15-inch model, it’s one of the lightest.

  Positives

  • Supports pen input
  • Comes in multiple colors and sizes
  • Longer battery life

When it comes to great laptops, there are two main ones you’ll want to consider. There’s the flagship Dell XPS 15 (2023), which sports options for an OLED screen and Nvidia RTX graphics. Next up is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, which has support for the Surface Pen and an impressive 3:2 aspect ratio screen.

This is just the beginning of all the differences. Once you start looking under the hood, along with the overall design and dimensions, you’ll see that there are more than two 15-inch laptops out there. So if you are in the mood to buy either, we are here to help you choose between the best Dell laptop and the best Microsoft laptop.

Dell XPS 15 (2023) vs. Surface Laptop 5: Pricing and availability

Both mobile devices are now available for purchase. Surface Laptop 5 comes in two sizes. There’s the 13.5-inch size that comes in either an Alcantara cloth or metallic finish, and the 15-inch size, which competes closer with the XPS 15. We’ll focus on that 15-inch model here, which starts at $1,300, but the two options have a lot of similarities. .

The XPS 15, meanwhile, starts at nearly twice the price at $2,250. However, more affordable configurations of the XPS 15 will soon be available. You can purchase the Surface Laptop 5 through Microsoft, Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers. The XPS 15 (2023) is currently only at Dell.com, but if you want the older 2022 model, you’ll find it at other retailers. No word yet on when we can expect the 2023 model at other retailers.

• 	Microsoft Surface Laptop 5	Dell XPS 15 (2023)
  Brand	Microsoft	Dale
  color	Platinum	Platinum silver
  storage	512 GB	512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB PCIe 4.x SSD
  CPU	12th Generation Intel Core i5-1235U or Intel Core i7-1255U	13th Generation Intel Core i7-13700H, Core i9-13900H, and Core i5-13500H Coming After Launch
  memory	5-13″ model: 8GB or 16GB LPDDR5X, 15″ model: 8GB, 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5x	8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB DDR5
  OS	Windows 11 Home operating system	Windows 11 operating system
  battery	unannounced	86Wh battery
  ports	1 Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB Type A, 1 Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio	2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 x full-size SD card reader, 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x wedge-shaped lock slot
  camera	720p webcam, Windows Hello camera	720P Windows Hello IR Webcam
  screen (size, resolution)	13.5-inch model: 2256 x 1504 resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio, pen and touch support 15-inch model: 2496 x 1664 resolution, 3:2 aspect ratio, pen and touch support	15-inch 3.5K resolution 3456 x 2160 touch OLED, or FHD+ resolution 2930 x 1200 non-touch
  Weight	13.5-inch cloth model: 2.80 pounds, 13.5-inch metal model: 2.86 pounds, 15-inch model: 3.44 pounds.	4.21 pounds for the FHD model + 4.23 pounds for the OLED model
  GPU	Intel Iris Xe	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GDDR6 or RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 and RTX 4050 or Intel Arc A370M Graphics Coming After Launch
  The dimension	13.5″ model: 12.1″ x 8.8″ x 57″ 15″ model: 13.4″ x 9.6″ x .58″	13.57 x 9.06 x 0.71 in
  network	Wi-Fi 6: Compatible with 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.1	Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 1675 (AX211) 2×2 with Bluetooth 5.2
  Amplifiers	Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos and dual-field far-field studio microphones	Quad-speaker design with 2.5W tweeters x 2 and 1.5W tweeters x 2
  price	Starting at $1,000	Starting at $2,249
  finish	Aluminum or Alcantara on the 13.5-inch model, and aluminum on the 15-inch model	black interior

Design: Same size, different weights

The design of the XPS 15 (2023) and Surface Laptop 5 is nearly identical. Both are clamshell laptops, as you can’t flip or detach the screen. However, they come in different colors and weights. The XPS 15 is a bit heavier than a laptop, coming in at a hefty 4.23 pounds, which is gigantic compared to the Surface Laptop 5’s 3.44 pounds. It’s also slightly thicker at 0.71 inches compared to the Surface’s 0.58 inches. This extra size is due to the graphics processing unit (GPU), which the Surface Laptop 5 lacks.

In product colors, the XPS 15 comes in Platinum with a black interior. Meanwhile, the 15-inch Surface Laptop 5 has two options: Platinum or Black.

Performance: You can’t beat the XPS 15’s latest CPU and GPU

The performance of these laptops is where things contrast the most, and the XPS 15 is undoubtedly a more powerful machine. Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 5 uses previous, 12th-generation Intel CPUs and is better suited as a productivity laptop. At the same time, the Dell XPS 15 (2023) has the latest 13th Gen Intel processors, along with the latest Nvidia GPUs, making it a powerful laptop for casual gaming as well as video editing.

While Intel’s new 13th Gen CPUs still churn out performance and efficiency cores, they don’t make a huge jump in performance. Intel reported a 10% productivity increase between generations. There’s still something important to note: In the XPS 15, Dell is using 45W H-series CPUs, which are pretty powerful. You’ll see options for Intel Core i7-13700H and Intel Core i9-13900H CPUs, and an Intel Core i5-13500H CPU option will become available in the future for those who are budget conscious. The models available now, particularly the Core i9 and Core i7 CPU options, have a whopping 14 cores. That’s a big strength for this form factor.

You can also configure your XPS 15 with GeForce RTX 40-series graphics options. There are currently two options, either the RTX 4060 or RTX 4070, and soon Intel Arc and additional 40-series GPUs. These GPUs have the power of the new Nvidia Ada Lovelace architecture and DLSS3 ray tracing support that’s twice as fast as previous generations. This makes it great for people who work in video editing and content creation, but it’s important to keep in mind that a power-hungry CPU isn’t the best for battery life.

Elsewhere, the XPS 15 comes with up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. This is more than enough RAM for memory intensive applications and for storing large media files such as movies and photos.

Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop 5 has U-series CPUs. These are indeed hybrid CPUs just like you’ll find in the XPS 15, but they’re nowhere near as powerful. The high-end chip in Surface Laptop 5 runs at just 15W and comes with just 10 cores. There’s also no GPU option, either, which can help with heavy tasks. This means that this laptop is better suited for things like web browsing and office work.

In terms of storage and RAM, the Surface Laptop 5 is a bit limited. It maxes out at 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. For a productivity laptop, 32GB of RAM is a bit of overkill, but the storage is just the right size, and you can upgrade it later if you need to.

If you are wondering about performance, check out the results. We recently completed our review of the XPS 15 (2023), which is one beast of a laptop. In all tests that need extra CPU power like Cinebench and PCMark 10, the XPS outperforms and outperforms the Surface Laptop 5. That goes to show how much more powerful a 45W CPU is than 15W.

Display: 16:10, 3:2, OLED display, or higher pixel arithmetic

Despite both being 15-inch laptops, the display options are very different. Surface Laptop 5 has one display option. You will find the device with a resolution of 2496 x 1664 with an aspect ratio of 3:2. It supports the Surface Pen, which allows you to draw and ink on the screen. Microsoft calls the display a “Pixel Sense” display. Like we said in our Surface Laptop 5 review, we love the screen, but we don’t like how it’s only 60Hz. However, it has a large pixel density, and the 3:2 aspect ratio is quite tall. It ends up giving you more headroom than the 16:10 XPS display, but keep in mind that the device has very thick bottom and top bezels.

However, the XPS 15 still has a better screen. While it’s set in a 16:10 aspect ratio that’s not much taller than the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio or the Surface Laptop 5’s 3:2 ratio, there’s a trick up to it that Dell has. All corners of the screen have ultra-thin bezels, where there seems to be no border. This helps make the content on screen very immersive when you want to stack things side by side and get work done.

There are also two display resolutions you can choose from. The standard resolution of 1920 x 1200 is lower than what you’ll get on the Surface Laptop 5, but the secondary resolution of 3456 x 2160 is higher than what the Surface Laptop 5 offers. The screen at this resolution is also an OLED panel, which can output better, more accurate colors, and deeper contrast ratios , and a more vibrant picture than the PixelSense display on the Surface Laptop 5. However, there is no stylus support.

Both laptops have a 720p Windows Hello webcam on top of their displays. However, it’s not the best webcam by 2023. 1080p is the new standard, so you won’t look your best while conferencing on any laptop.

Ports and connectivity: The XPS 15 has even more ports

The ports on these laptops are great, but the Surface Laptop 5 may be better for those who need USB-A. Surface Laptop 5 packs in a Surface Connect charging port, USB-A port, Thunderbolt 4 port, and a headphone jack. The XPS 15, meanwhile, has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-C port, a headphone jack, and an SD card slot. Dell includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter and an HDMI 2.0 adapter in the laptop case for you. The XPS 15’s options are generally better, but the Surface has a USB-A feature if you need it.

Why the XPS 15 (2023) is for you

Undoubtedly, the XPS 15 (2023) is the best laptop for most people. Although it’s almost twice as expensive as the Surface Laptop 5, it’s better in a few critical areas. There are more ways to customize your screen with an HD panel or an OLED panel. The laptop is better for video editing and other CPU and GPU intensive tasks. Finally, it also has a better port selection, with a dongle included in the box.

Dell XPS 15 (2023)

The best flagship laptop

The Dell XPS 15 (2023) brings some modest improvements over the previous generation. It has options for the latest 13th Gen Intel processors and the latest Nvidia RTX 40 graphics cards. It’s all bundled into the same sleek and light package with the option of an OLED display.

This is not to say that the Surface Laptop 5 is a bad laptop. If you don’t need a laptop for things like video editing or gaming and content creation, the Surface Laptop 5 will meet your needs. It has the advantage of Surface Pen support, and it has better battery life thanks to a lower-powered CPU. It’s a productivity laptop you shouldn’t miss.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

Great laptop

The Surface Laptop 5 sports a sleek design, runs Windows 11, and has a touch screen. For the money, it’s one of the best laptops out there right now, and for a 15-inch model, it’s one of the lightest.