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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a higher price tag yet provides a brighter screen with higher resolution and better color accuracy; it’s more suited for professionals needing a top-tier display and performance for creative work. Its battery life is superior, making it a better option for extended use without charging. The MacBook is also lighter, enhancing its portability. Conversely, the Dell XPS 15 is slightly heavier and offers a smaller battery life but compensates with larger RAM, which is better for multitasking and complex software operations. The XPS 15 also supports gaming with dedicated hardware ray tracing and DLSS, something the MacBook does not offer. Both laptops are premium and support general use, engineering, and machine learning tasks, but the MacBook excels in display quality while the Dell XPS edges forward in gaming and has a more budget-friendly price. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Dell XPS 15
- The Dell XPS 15 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
Screen Quality
9.2
7.4
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 15 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has an exceptional screen that offers high resolution and brightness, along with a wide color gamut, making it perfect for general use and color-critical engineering and design tasks. However, its standard refresh rate is less ideal for 3D tasks which require higher refresh rates for smoother visuals. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 also offers a high-quality display with good resolution and color accuracy for general use and professional design work but similarly falls short for gaming and 3D due to its lower refresh rate.
Battery
17.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 15 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Dell XPS 15 has 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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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.2
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
606.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its lightweight design and long battery life, offers excellent portability and a Mini LED screen for high screen quality, making it suitable for general use despite its lower RAM than the Dell XPS 15 which has twice the RAM and a high-powered Intel processor that delivers better performance for multitasking and more demanding tasks, along with superior speaker quality, although it's somewhat less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.8
2.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
7.6
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
8.2
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for content creation.
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
8.0
8.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very 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.
Cost
$1,449
$1,425
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,449 and the Dell XPS 15 costs $1,425.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Dell XPS 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) | Dell XPS 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,449 | $1,425 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.21 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | Intel i7-13700H | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | M3 (10C) | Arc A370M (50 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 606 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | White | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Dell XPS 15
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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