The 2026 Dell XPS 13 is a serious Windows alternative to Apple’s MacBook Neo, but the $699 starting configurations are not identical value propositions. Dell’s US comparison page lists both at $699, yet the XPS base model has 8GB of RAM, while Dell offers higher-memory versions. The XPS is the better fit if you want Windows, a touchscreen or upgrade options; the Neo led in Tom’s Guide’s CPU and graphics tests. Which is better depends on the configuration and the work you do.
Price and configuration: compare the actual machines
Dell’s US comparison page lists a $699 starting price for each laptop, and $599 student starting prices for each. Those are Dell’s stated US prices, not a guarantee of current retailer pricing or stock. Dell’s announcement dates US availability of its Core Series 3 XPS 13 to June 16, 2026. Check the live configuration and price before buying, and confirm any student eligibility requirements with Dell. Dell’s US comparison page and availability announcement provide the company’s figures.
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| Detail | Dell XPS 13 (2026) | Apple MacBook Neo |
|---|---|---|
| US starting price listed by Dell | $699 | $699 |
| US student starting price listed by Dell | $599 | $599 |
| Memory options listed by Dell | Up to 16GB with Intel Core; up to 32GB with Intel Core Ultra | 8GB fixed |
| Processor listed by Dell | Intel Core or Intel Core Ultra | Apple A18 Pro |
| Storage on the reviewed unit | 512GB | Not stated in Tom’s Guide’s tested-unit details |
| Weight listed by Dell | 2.2 pounds | 2.7 pounds |
These are not equivalent $699 machines just because their starting prices match. Tom’s Guide reviewed an XPS 13 with an Intel Core 5 320 processor, 8GB RAM and 512GB storage. Dell’s broader XPS memory options depend on the processor configuration, so compare the price of the specific 16GB or 32GB XPS you can buy with the Neo’s fixed 8GB before deciding on value. Dell’s figures and specifications are on its US comparison page; Tom’s Guide’s tested configuration is documented in its review.
Memory is the most important XPS configuration decision
The base XPS’s 8GB RAM is the clearest reason not to treat its entry price as the whole story. WIRED reports that Windows 11 background activity and ordinary browser multitasking pushed its 8GB review machine toward memory saturation, and calls the 16GB version a much better option. Tom’s Guide, by contrast, found its own 8GB test configuration adequate for everyday work. These are different reviewers’ experiences, not a contradiction that can be settled with a universal threshold: the number of open tabs, apps and background tasks matters.
#1 Best Overall
- PREMIUM ULTRA-PORTABLE DESIGN – The Dell XPS 13 9350 designed for users who value performance, mobility, and premium craftsmanship. With its ultra-slim, lightweight design and refined finish, it delivers a high-end portable experience for work and daily use. Built for all-day productivity, up to 26 hours battery life keeps you powered without interruption
- INTUITIVE CONTROL & PREMIUM INTERACTION – Engineered for modern workflows, it features a precision haptic glass touchpad with smooth, responsive feedback and a streamlined touch function row for effortless control between media and function keys. Combined with its minimalist design, it delivers a clean, premium, and distraction-free experience for everyday productivity. Backlit keyboard ensures comfortable typing in low-light environments
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE - Powered by Intel Ultra 7 256V Processor (8 cores, up to 4.8 GHz) and Intel Arc Graphics, this PC delivers efficient performance for multitasking, data analysis, and content creation. Equipped with 16GB DDR5 and 1TB PCIe SSD, it ensures swift application loading and ample storage for professional workloads
- IMMERSIVE DISPLAY - Features a 13.4-inch WUXGA (1920x1200) display with narrow borders, 500-nit brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals and reduced eye strain. Supports up to 2 external displays via Thunderbolt 4, with up to 4K@60Hz output. The FHD RGB camera with dual-array microphones delivers clear video calls
- ADVANCED CONNECTIVITY - With 2x Thunderbolt 4, you can easily connect external displays, storage devices and essential peripherals. Stay fast and reliable on the go with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, perfect for video calls, cloud work, and wireless devices without lag
If your typical day means a browser, documents and light tasks, the reviewed 8GB XPS may be enough. If you regularly keep many browser tabs and apps open, or want more headroom over the laptop’s life, price a 16GB configuration rather than assuming the base model will suit you. The Neo also has 8GB, but Dell lists no memory upgrade for it. Read the configuration-specific assessments from WIRED and Tom’s Guide.
Windows choice versus macOS, touch and portability
Operating system preference may settle the comparison before benchmark scores do. The XPS runs Windows 11; the Neo runs macOS. Choose based on the software, services and devices you already depend on, not on a claim that one ecosystem is universally superior.
Rank #2
- ULTIMATE AI MOBILITY - Meet the first XPS CoPilot+ PC - the Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 with revolutionary on-device AI for lightning-fast performance. Enjoy desktop-class power without needing a charger, thanks to its industry-leading 27-hour battery life. Our thinnest, lightest XPS yet delivers instant AI acceleration, making professional-grade content creation possible anywhere
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE - Powered by a Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core Dual-Core Boost up to 4GHz, NPU up to 45 TOPS) X1E-80-100 Processor for superior efficiency and speed, 32GB of 8448MT/s DDR5 RAM for seamless multitasking, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD for fast storage and reduced load times, ensuring smooth and responsive performance for all your tasks
- CRISP DISPLAY & PRIVACY - Features a FHD IR webcam for crystal-clear video calls and enhanced security, while the 13.4" 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 400nits Anti-reflective touchscreen display with Qualcomm Adreno graphics delivers crisp visuals, supported by the ability to connect 2 external monitors via Type-C ports at 4K (3840x2160) @60Hz (without docking station)
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY - Features a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for enhanced productivity. Equipped with 2 x USB4 40Gbps USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery for versatile connectivity. Includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for fast, reliable wireless performance
- OPERATING SYSTEM - Preinstalled with Windows 11 Pro 64-bit and AI-powered Copilot, including enterprise features such as BitLocker encryption, Remote Desktop, Hyper-V virtualization, and Group Policy management. It enhances productivity with intelligent assistance for tasks such as document creation, data analysis, email drafting, and virtual meetings
Dell lists a touchscreen, backlit keyboard and Wi-Fi 7 for the XPS, while its comparison page lists the Neo without touch and with Wi-Fi 6E. If you annotate, tap through interfaces or simply prefer touch, the XPS has a practical hardware advantage. Dell also lists the XPS at 2.2 pounds versus 2.7 pounds for the Neo, a difference that may matter if you carry a laptop every day. Those are manufacturer specifications, not independent measurements; see Dell’s comparison.
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Performance: the Neo leads some tests; the XPS leads another
Tom’s Guide’s 2026 lab tests do not produce a single winner. The MacBook Neo scored higher in Geekbench 6 CPU testing and 3DMark graphics, while the XPS was substantially faster in the publication’s Blackmagic SSD test. These results apply to the units and methods Tom’s Guide tested; they do not establish that one laptop will be faster in every app or configuration.
Rank #3
- 13.4 inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Anti-Glare 30-120Hz 500-nits InfinityEdge Eye Safe Non-Touch Display
- Snapdragon X Elite, X1E-80-100 (12 cores up to 3.4 GHz Dual-Core Boost up to 4.0 GHz, NPU Upto 45 TOPS)
- 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
- Qualcomm Adreno GPU | Two USB4 40 Gbps USB Type-C ports with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
- Windows 11 PRO | Fingerprint Reader
| Tom’s Guide test (2026) | XPS 13 tested unit | MacBook Neo tested unit |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 single-core | 2,684 | 3,535 |
| Geekbench 6 multi-core | 7,952 | 8,920 |
| HandBrake 4K-to-1080p transcode | 10:38 | 9:57 |
| Blackmagic SSD write/read | 3,714 / 5,026 | 1,440 / 1,585 |
| 3DMark Wildlife Extreme score / frame rate | 2,455 / 14 fps | 3,661 / 21 fps |
For CPU-heavy work and graphics represented by those tests, the Neo had the higher scores; for the measured SSD test, the XPS did. The HandBrake transcode was also quicker on the Neo in Tom’s Guide’s test. Treat these as comparative review results, not promised times for your own projects. Full methodology and configuration details appear in Tom’s Guide’s review.
Battery life: separate lab results from advertised estimates
In Tom’s Guide’s continuous Wi-Fi web-surfing test at 150 nits, the XPS 13 lasted 14 hours 26 minutes and the MacBook Neo lasted 13 hours 26 minutes. That is a one-hour XPS lead under that publication’s specific test conditions, not a prediction for every brightness level or workload.
Rank #4
- ULTIMATE AI MOBILITY - Meet the first XPS CoPilot+ PC - the Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 with revolutionary on-device AI for lightning-fast performance. Enjoy desktop-class power without needing a charger, thanks to its industry-leading 27-hour battery life. Our thinnest, lightest XPS yet delivers instant AI acceleration, making professional-grade content creation possible anywhere
- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE - Powered by a Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core Dual-Core Boost up to 4GHz, NPU up to 45 TOPS) X1E-80-100 Processor for superior efficiency and speed, 32GB of 8448MT/s LPDDR5x RAM for seamless multitasking, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD for fast storage and reduced load times, ensuring smooth and responsive performance for all your tasks
- CRISP DISPLAY & PRIVACY - Features a FHD RGB webcam for crystal-clear video calls, while the 13.4" FHD+ (1920x1200) 500nits Anti-reflective display with Qualcomm Adreno graphics delivers crisp visuals, supported by the ability to connect 2 external monitors via Type-C ports at 4K (3840x2160) @60Hz (without docking station)
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY - Features a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for enhanced productivity. Equipped with 2 x USB4 40Gbps USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery for versatile connectivity. Includes Wi-Fi 7(802.11be) and Bluetooth 5.4 for fast, reliable wireless performance
- COPILOT+ PC AI POWERHOUSE - The dedicated NPU delivers 45 TOPS for local AI processing without relying on the cloud. Enables Recall (instant content retrieval), Cocreate (AI image tools), Windows Studio Effects (auto-framing/background blur for video calls), and Live Captions (real-time translation). Redefines productivity and creativity with seamless, offline AI acceleration
Dell separately advertises up to 17 hours of XPS streaming and up to 16 hours of Neo video streaming. These are manufacturer estimates for streaming, not the same test as Tom’s Guide’s Wi-Fi browsing run. Use the review result when comparing those particular lab-tested units and methods; use Dell’s estimates as the company’s claims, not as independently verified battery life. Sources: Tom’s Guide and Dell.
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Display, ports and webcam: practical trade-offs
Touchscreen and measured brightness
The reviewed XPS has a 13.4-inch 2.5K touchscreen. Tom’s Guide measured it at 398 nits SDR and 420 nits HDR; its MacBook Neo sample measured 452 nits SDR and 480 nits HDR. In that review, the Neo’s measured display was brighter, while the XPS offers touch. Brightness figures are measurements of the tested units, not guarantees for every panel or viewing condition. Tom’s Guide’s review gives the test results.
Best Value
- STUNNING 3K OLED TOUCH DISPLAY – Experience incredible detail and vibrant color on the 13.4-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED InfinityEdge touchscreen. With deep blacks, sharp contrast, and touch functionality, it's ideal for productivity, streaming, and creative work.
- SNAPDRAGON X ELITE X1E-80-100 PROCESSOR – Features a 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU with boost speeds up to 4.0GHz, 42MB total cache, integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics, and a dedicated 45 TOPS NPU for accelerated AI workloads, multitasking, content creation, and everyday productivity.
- COPILOT+ AI PC EXPERIENCE – Built with a dedicated NPU capable of up to 45 TOPS, enabling advanced AI-powered features, faster on-device processing, enhanced video conferencing effects, and next-generation Windows Copilot+ experiences.
- FAST MEMORY & STORAGE – Equipped with 16GB LPDDR5X memory for seamless multitasking and a 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD that provides fast boot times, quick application launches, and ample room for files, photos, and software.
- PREMIUM ULTRAPORTABLE DESIGN – Crafted from premium materials in Graphite, the XPS 13 combines a compact, lightweight form factor with modern connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth, making it an excellent companion for work, travel, and everyday use.
Two USB-C ports and no headphone jack
Tom’s Guide lists two USB-C ports and no 3.5mm headphone jack on its tested XPS. If your desk setup needs several wired devices, display connections or wired headphones, check the exact adapter or hub you will need before purchase; the two-port arrangement can make charging and connecting accessories a trade-off. The port details refer to Tom’s Guide’s reviewed machine, as described in its review.
Webcam quality
Tom’s Guide found the built-in 1080p webcam blurry and washed out. If you rely on frequent video calls, that review’s finding is a reason to evaluate camera quality in person or consider a separate webcam. No particular external model was tested in the cited review.
Which laptop should you choose?
- Choose the XPS 13 if you need Windows, want a touchscreen, value the lighter listed weight, or want the option of buying more than 8GB RAM. For substantial multitasking, compare the price of the 16GB configuration rather than judging value from the 8GB starting model alone.
- Choose the MacBook Neo if macOS suits your software and workflow, 8GB fixed memory is adequate for your use, or the Neo’s stronger results in Tom’s Guide’s CPU and graphics tests matter more to you than touch or the XPS’s SSD result.
- Look beyond both base configurations if your work is consistently memory-intensive or depends on ports, graphics performance or a strong built-in webcam. Confirm the configuration and connections you need rather than relying on a starting price or a single benchmark.
At the listed US starting price of $699, the XPS is a credible Windows rival, not an automatic bargain or a universal Neo replacement. The $699 XPS reviewed by Tom’s Guide had 8GB RAM and 512GB storage; its value changes if you choose a higher-memory model. Dell’s prices and availability can change, and other regions may have different configurations.
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