The Dell XPS 13 (9360, 9370 and 9380 models) is an amazing laptop. No doubt about that. But it isn’t cheap. If you are looking for cheaper and better alternatives to Dell XPS 13 then you have come to the right place.
Two weeks ago, my 5-year-old laptop died on me. R.I.P. trusted old friend.
I was scouring the web to find an easily portable laptop that I can carry around with me that packs enough power to run photo and video editing software and the latest video games.
While most of the laptops I found were just good enough, one stood out and was recommended over and over. It had one of the best reviews possible. It was the Dell XPS 13.
Ask any computer geek for laptop recommendations and you are bound to hear about the Dell XPS series again and again.
I have known about the XPS series for a long time and have only heard great things about it.
BUT ..
.. I wanted to see if there are any other, dare I say, cheaper and better Dell XPS 13 alternatives out there ⇣.
It took me a lot of time to research but here I present the best alternatives to Dell XPS 13.
Now, don’t get me wrong it is a great laptop as you will soon find out. But I wanted to weigh all my options.
Best 13-inch laptop of 2020 – Dell XPS 13
Dell XPS 13 is one of the latest in Dell’s XPS series of laptops. Since the launch of Dell’s first in the series, XPS 8500, Dell has gained a reputation for offering one of the best laptops in the market. The latest 13-inch XPS offers a cross in portability and power.
What is the Dell XPS 13?
The latest Dell XPS 13 is a laptop that’s built for just about everyone. Whether you are a freelance designer traveling the world 4-Hour-Workweek-style or a college student, this laptop offers everything you will ever need.
It comes with 8 gigabytes of RAM, which is enough to run just about everything smoothly. It also offers an 8th Gen Intel i5 or i7 Processor, which is more than enough for a portable laptop.
The best part about this laptop is the display. This laptop comes with a 13.3-inch screen that supports touch and offers a 4k display resolution. It is rare to find a budget laptop with a 4k resolution that also supports touch.
It also comes with a 256 GB SSD drive, so you can easily carry all your work out of office and work from wherever you like.
This laptop is one of the thinnest you can find in the market in its price range. If you are someone who likes to travel or needs to go to places for work, this is one of the best budget laptops you can find.
Specs at a glance:
- 8th Gen Intel Core Processor (i5, i7 or i9).
- 256 GB SSD (up to 512 GB SSD on the latest model).
- 8 GB Memory / RAM (up to 16 GB on the latest model).
- Intel UHD Graphics 620.
- Windows 10 Home or Pro Edition.
- 13.3-inch screen with a 4k display.
- Touch display.
Quick FAQ:
- How big is the Dell XPS 13? The Dell XPS 13 weights 2.7 pounds (1.23kg). Its size (W x D x H) is 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.3-0.46 inches (3.02 x 1.99 x 0.78-1.16 centimeters)
- What graphics card does the Dell XPS 13 have? The i5 models come with Intel HD Graphics 520, whereas the Core i7 models have a faster Intel Iris Graphics 540.
- What ports does the Dell XPS 13 have? The Dell XPS 13 comes with 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 1 x USB-C 3.1, micro SD card reader and a headset jack.
Dell XPS 13 Models
Dell has released a new model each year since the release of Dell XPS 13 laptop. All the newer versions offer more features and improvement on the original model. Since the release, there are now 3 different models to choose from. Here’s what each of them offers:
Dell XPS 13 9360 (the 2017 model)
The 9360 is the first XPS 13 model Dell released. Now, just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s not as good as the others. On this model Dell couldn’t put the webcam on the top of the screen, so it was moved to the bottom-left side. Another difference between this and the latest version of this laptop is that it only offers a 1080p resolution. The latest, 9380 model, offers a 4k resolution display.
Dell XPS 13 9370 (the 2018 model – Recommended)
The Dell XPS 13 9370 offers almost all the goodness that comes with the latest 9380 model. It comes with an i5 or i7 processor and offers a touchscreen display with a 1080p resolution.
Dell XPS 13 9380 (the latest 2019 model – Recommended if you can afford it)
The 2019 model of the Dell XPS 13 comes with an UltraSharp 4k display with a 3840×2160 resolution. This version packs the most power but is also the most expensive.
Which Dell XPS Should You Buy?
All three of the laptop models offer a touch screen display. 9360 and 9370 both offer a 1080p resolution display unlike the latest 9380 which offers a 4k resolution display.
If you are on a budget and can’t squeeze a penny, then go with the oldest model, 9360. It is not only the oldest but also the cheapest Dell XPS 13 model.
If you want the best display experience, then go with the 9380 model as it offers an UltraSharp 4k display with a 3840×2160 resolution. It comes with an Intel 8th Gen i7 Processor. It is also the most expensive.
If you are a little low on budget and can’t get the latest version, then go with the 9370. It offers almost everything the latest version offers. The biggest difference between the two is the processor. The 9370 only offers i5 whereas the 9380 offers an i7.
Dell XPS 13 vs 15?
There are a few big differences between the XPS 13 and XPS 15. First, Dell XPS 15 offers a 15.6-inch display as the name suggests.
It also comes with a 9th Gen i7 Processor whereas the XPS 13’s latest version only offers an 8th Gen i7 Processor. Another big difference is that XPS 15 also offers a dedicated 4 GB 1650 graphics card.
The XPS 13 offers lesser features than XPS 15 but it also makes XPS 13 the most portable of the two. It weighs less than half what XPS 15 does and is smaller in size. If you want a bigger screen, better graphics, a better processor, and a laptop for gaming then go with the XPS 15.
It lacks the portability of XPS 13 but makes up for it in power and performance. If you are on a budget, go with the XPS 13. It offers everything you will need in a laptop for all types of work and is portable enough that you can carry it around with you wherever you go.
Why Dell XPS 13 Is Considered The Best 13-inch Laptop/Ultrabook
Dell XPS 13 series is considered one of the best in the laptop market. The Dell XPS 13 from the same series is considered one of the very best in the portable laptops market.
If you are looking for a portable laptop to carry around that doesn’t weigh much and can be bought without breaking the bank, then XPS 13 is the best choice.
It comes with a 13.3-inch UltraSharp Touch display and offers a 4k resolution. It is also a very thin laptop that weighs less than a pound. Most light-weight laptops
It is very rare to find a laptop that is both portable and packs a ton of power. Dell XPS 13 is one of the best 13-inch portable laptops you can find. It is the laptop we recommend to anyone who is looking for a cross between portability and performance.
However there are alternatives out there, some will give the XPS a run for its money, and features, and performance. And some are better than the XPS in some areas and are best suited for certain types of individuals.
Best Dell XPS 13 alternatives
Before you go with XPS 13, here are some competitor laptops you need to consider:
HP Spectre x360 (the “portable” alternative)
HP Spectre x360 is a laptop built for the creatives on the go. If you are someone who needs or likes to take their work with them wherever they go, then this is the laptop for you. Unlike Dell XPS 13, this laptop is built for portability.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Dell XPS 13 is a highly portable laptop but this laptop is better in terms of portability.
It is as thin as the Dell XPS 13 and offers a touch display. It comes with a 13-inch display with a 4k resolution. The touch display can be turned to the back of the laptop and used as a tablet. Thus the name, Spectre x360.
This laptop comes with two Type-C ports and one USB 3 Type-A port. It offers 8 GB of RAM and comes with an 8th Gen Intel i7 Processor, which is enough processing power to run just about anything.
It offers up to 22 hours of battery life, which is better than most laptops on the market.
If you are in the market for a laptop you can carry around with you and work on wherever you go, this is the one for you.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel i7 8th Gen Processor.
- 8 GB DDR4 RAM.
- Up to 1 TB Hard Drive Space.
- Windows 10 Pro.
- Intel UHD Graphics 620.
- Up to 22 hours of battery life.
Dell XPS 13 vs HP Spectre x360: Why HP Spectre x360 is a good alternative?
Dell XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360 have a lot of similarities. Both offer similar specs at similar price points. But if you want a laptop that can help you take your work with you, HP Spectre x360 is the best choice. It offers up to 22 hours of battery life and is very thin.
Huawei MateBook X Pro (the “better designed” alternative)
MateBook X Pro is Huawei’s attempt at creating something similar in style and class to Macbook that runs windows and doesn’t cost as much. It looks almost exactly like a Macbook but runs Windows. It comes with a 3k display resolution and a 10-point touchscreen display.
It is a portable laptop as it is very thin and weighs only 1.4kg. You can take your work wherever you like with this laptop. It comes with an 8th Gen i7 Processor and a dedicated 2 GB MX150 Graphics Card.
It offers up to 12 hours of battery life, which is great considering that it comes with a dedicated graphics card.
Specs at a glance:
- 8th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor.
- 8 GB RAM.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- Windows 10 Home.
- Nvidia GeForce MX150 Graphics Card.
- Up to 12 hours of battery life.
Dell XPS 13 vs Huawei MateBook X Pro: why Huawei MateBook X Pro is a good alternative?
If you want a laptop that packs looks stylish and packs a lot of power, then go with Huawei MateBook X Pro. It sports a great design and, unlike Dell XPS 13, comes with a dedicated graphics card.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (the “better security” alternative”)
ThinkPad X1 Carbon is an ultrabook by Lenovo. It comes with a 14-inch screen and is built to be portable. It weighs less than 2.5 pounds and comes with 15 hours of battery life. It comes with a Full HD Touchscreen display.
This laptop offers 8 gigabytes of RAM and an i7 8th Gen processor, which is enough for almost all types of users. It also offers a 256 GB SSD drive.
Specs at a glance:
- 8th Gen Intel i7 Processor.
- 8 GB RAM.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- Up to 15 hours of battery life.
- Intel UHD Graphics 620.
- Windows 10 Home.
- Rapid Charge Technology.
Dell XPS 13 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: why Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a good alternative?
If you want a laptop that offers a lot of security features like Face Identity Online, Touch Fingerprint Reader, and Think Shutter, go with ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It is built for people who need a secure laptop that is easy to carry around.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 (the “stylish” alternative)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is a budget laptop that is built for business-people on the go. If you run an online business or work remotely, this is the laptop for you. It is built so that you can take your work with you wherever you go.
This laptop is portable but packs a lot of power. It comes with 8 GB RAM, Intel i7 Processor, and Intel UHD 620 Graphics. According to Microsoft, it is thinner and faster than Macbook Pro. It offers up to 14.5 hours of battery life.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel Core i7 Processor.
- 8 GB RAM.
- 128 GB SSD Drive.
- Intel UHD 620 Graphics.
- Thinner and faster than Macbook Pro.
- Touchscreen display.
- Windows 10 Home.
Dell XPS 13 vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 2: why Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is a good alternative?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 sports a stylish design and comes with almost everything you need to get your work done from anywhere you go. It is lighter than most other laptops on the market.
Lenovo Yoga C930 (the “2-in-1 laptop tablet” alternative)
Lenovo Yoga C930 is a portable laptop built for the creatives among us. It offers an ultra HD touchscreen display. It comes with an 8th Gen Intel i7 Processor and 16 GB RAM.
This laptop can run almost any application and game you throw at it as it comes with Intel UHD 620 Graphics and 16 GB of RAM.
The laptop weighs only 1.4 kg and offers up to 9 hours of battery life, which is pretty low when compared to a lot of other laptops on the market.
Specs at a glance:
- 8th Gen Intel i7 Processor.
- 16 GB RAM.
- Intel UHD 620 Graphics.
- 512 GB SSD.
- Ultra HD Touchscreen display.
- Windows 10 Home.
- Up to 9 hours of battery life.
Dell XPS 13 vs Lenovo Yoga C930: why Lenovo Yoga C930 is a good alternative?
Unlike Dell XPS 13, the Lenovo Yoga C930 offers allows you to turn the screen around and use the device as a tablet. It also offers a much more stylish design.
Samsung Notebook 9 (the “cheaper” alternative)
Samsung Notebook 9 looks a lot like Apple’s Macbook. It comes with a 15-inch screen that offers a 1080p resolution.
The laptop comes with a 256 GB SSD Drive, an Intel i7 Processor, and This is a portable laptop that is lightweight and easy to carry around with you. It offers up to 12 hours of battery life.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel i7 Processor.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- 8 GB RAM.
- Intel UHD Graphics 520.
- Windows 10 Home.
- Up to 12-hour battery life.
Dell XPS 13 vs Samsung Notebook 9: why Samsung Notebook 9 is a good alternative?
The Samsung Notebook 9 is much more portable than the Dell XPS 13 laptop and is a bit cheaper.
Huawei Matebook 13 (the “Apple Macbook” alternative)
Huawei Matebook 13 offers a design that is similar to Apple’s Macbook but runs on Windows 10. It offers a cross between great design and performance. It comes with a 13-inch screen with slim 4.4mm bezels.
The screen offers a resolution of 2160 x 1440 and supports touch. It comes with a 2GB Nvidia GeForce MX150 Graphics Card and an Intel 8th Gen i7 Processor. It also comes wiht a 256 GB SSD Drive.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel 8th Gen i7 Processor.
- 8 GB RAM.
- Nvidia GeForce MX150 Graphics Card.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- Up to 10 hours of video playback.
Dell XPS 13 vs Huawei Matebook 13: why Huawei Matebook 13 is a good alternative?
If you are looking for a laptop that can offer some serious performance, then Huawei’s Matebook 13 is the way to go. Unlike the Dell XPS 13, it offers a dedicated 2GB Graphics Card.
LG Gram 13Z980 (The “ultralight” alternative)
LG Gram 13Z980 is an “ultra-lightweight” laptop series, as LG likes to put it. It weighs only 2.1 pounds and comes with a 13.3-inch screen.
This laptop comes with an Intel 8th Gen i7 Processor and 8 GB DDR3 RAM, which will offer enough power to run even the most resource-intensive software like Photoshop.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel 8th Gen i7 Processor.
- 8 GB RAM.
- Intel UHD Graphics 620.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- Weighs only 2.1 pounds.
Dell XPS 13 vs LG gram 13Z980: why LG gram 13Z980 is a good alternative?
LG Gram 13Z980 is built to be a portable device and is marketed as an ultra-lightweight laptop. It weighs only 2.1 pounds.
Acer Swift 7 (the “most lightweight” alternative)
Acer Swift 7 is one of the lightest laptops on the market. It weighs only 890 grams (less than 2 pounds) and is only 9.95 mm thin. But just because it’s a light-weight laptop doesn’t mean it won’t perform well. It comes with an Intel i7 processor and 8 GB RAM.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel i7 Processor.
- 256 GB SSD Drive.
- Intel Graphics UHD 615.
- Windows 10.
- Weighs only 890 grams.
Dell XPS 13 vs Acer Swift 7: why Acer Swift 7 is a good alternative?
If you are looking for a lightweight laptop that you can carry with you, then Acer Swift 7 is one of the best options on the market. It is lighter and thinner than Dell XPS 13.
Asus ZenBook 3 (the “cheapest” alternative)
Asus ZenBook 3 is one of the most popular laptops in the thin, portable laptop market. It is one of the slimmest laptops on the market and weighs only 910 grams. It is truly a laptop that you can take anywhere you go.
It offers one of the best designs on the market. This laptop looks stylish and packs a lot of performance power under the slim, sleek packaging. It comes with 16 gigabytes of RAM and an Intel i7 Processor.
Specs at a glance:
- Intel i7 Processor.
- 512 GB SSD Drive.
- Windows 10 Pro.
- Weighs only 910 grams.
- Fingerprint Reader.
Dell XPS 13 vs Asus ZenBook 3: why Asus ZenBook 3 is a good alternative?
If you are looking for a laptop that looks great and can be carried with you wherever you go, then ZenBook 3 is the best choice. It is one of the slimmest and lightest laptops on the market. It weighs only 910 grams and is 11.9 mm thin.
Best Dell XPS 13 Alternatives: Summary
If you still can’t decide which laptop to go with, let me make it a bit easier for you:
If you need a laptop that looks great, is lightweight, and slim, then go with Asus ZenBook 3 or Acer Swift 7. Both weigh less than a kilogram and look great.
If you are looking for a laptop that packs a dedicated graphics card, you have two options to choose from. You can go with either Huawei Matebook X Pro, or Huawei Matebook 13. All of them offer a dedicated graphics card and can run the heaviest games and applications out there.
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