Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Full Comparison

It's no secret that laptops with screens larger than 15 inches are mobile computing powerhouses. They are utilized for serious work, video editing, and gaming. The Dell XPS 15 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 are two of the finest computers. Which of these two superb laptops is best for you? They both offer terrific performance, exceptional build quality, and excellent input options.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Design

The first choice you need to make is which operating system is best for you. Continue reading if you have no preference. However, if you prefer one to the other, the hardware won't matter because you've already made up your mind. However, if it hasn't, you'll be happy to know that both laptops feature great design and durability. The MacBook Pro 16 is made from a single piece of aluminum, while the XPS 15 uses machined aluminum and either glass fiber (white keyboard deck) or carbon fiber (black keyboard deck). You won't be choosing between the two just on the basis of build quality; both have a tight fit and polish and feel quite rigid in the hand.

The MacBook Pro 16 has a more straightforward aesthetic. Only the black keyboard portion and the black Apple logo on the lid deviate from the overall silver or space gray color scheme. While having a minimalistic design, it oozes quality and is a study in sophisticated elegance. The XPS 15 features a more intricate appearance, with silver or frost aluminum making up the lid and chassis bottom and generating a wonderful contrast with black carbon fiber or white glass keyboard deck. The sides are double-anodized chrome, emphasizing the sleek chassis and adding additional scratch protection. Which laptop is more attractive depends on the person, since they are both attractive.

The Magic Keyboard on the MacBook is sharp, snappy, and responsive despite having only 1mm of travel. It's the #1 laptop keyboard currently on the market. With wider travel and its own precise mechanism, the keyboard on Dell's XPS 15 is likewise excellent. The big keys and generous key spacing on both keyboards, along with the high-quality switches, make them ideal for prolonged periods of typing. The touchpad on the MacBook Pro 16 is likewise superior to that on the XPS 15. The Dell has a good touchpad that is spacious by Windows 11 standards and works with Microsoft Precision touchpad drivers, but it falls short of Apple's enormous Force Touch touchpad in size. Compared to the physical buttons on the XPS 15, the haptic feedback system utilized by the MacBook takes some getting used to. But once you get used to it, it comes naturally. When it comes to the variety of multitouch gestures that MacOS supports, Apple's touchpad continues to be the most responsive.

Windows 11 Hello, which allows for password-free login, is supported by the XPS 15 using a fingerprint scanner and facial recognition. Apple features a fingerprint reader called Touch ID that also enables password-free access. Both are excellent options that perform admirably. There are some significant distinctions between the two ports. On the MacBook Pro 16, Apple has improved connectivity by adding a full-size HDMI port, a full-size SD card reader, three USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, and a 3.5mm audio jack. With only a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 connector, two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4, a 3.5mm audio input, and a full-size SD card reader, Dell offers a less varied selection of connectivity options. The XPS 15 comes with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, which gives it an edge over the MacBook Pro 16's Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Performance

The M1 Pro or M1 Max CPU from Apple is compatible with the MacBook Pro 16. The former provides both a 16-core CPU and a 10-core CPU (eight performance cores and two efficiency cores). The latter has 24 or 32 GPU cores and a 10-core CPU. Both can complete CPU-intensive activities remarkably quickly and breeze through artistic workflows. The MacBook with the M1 Pro chip was examined. The Core i5-12500H, has four performance cores, eight efficient cores, and 16 threads, and the Core i7-12700H, which has six performance cores, eight efficient cores, and 20 threads, and the Core i9-12900HK are all available in the Dell XPS 15. (the same number of cores and threads as the Core i7, but with a maximum turbo frequency of 5.0GHz rather than 4.7GHz).In most of our benchmarks, the range performs better than Intel's 11th-generation CPUs and is competitive with the M1 Pro.

For instance, the XPS 15 kept up with the MacBook Pro 16 in Geekbench 5 when switched to performance mode. It also performed better in our Handbrake test, which encodes a 420MB video as H.265, and in Cinebench R23. The M1 Pro's strength in practical activities was demonstrated by the MacBook Pro 16, which performed significantly better in the Pugetbench Premiere Pro benchmark that runs in a live version of Premiere Pro. Additionally, an M1 Max may be added to the MacBook Pro 16, making it even quicker. Due to its dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti CPU, the XPS 15 will only outperform the MacBook Pro 16 in terms of performance when gaming, but even then, the difference won't be significant. Both laptops are swift enough for artistic tasks, but for demanding designers, the MacBook Pro 16 is the faster choice.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Display

There is only one display option available for the MacBook Pro 16: a Liquid Retina XDR (mini-LED) 16.2-inch 16:10 panel with a 3,456 x 2,234 resolution. It has a broad color spectrum (100 percent sRGB and 90% AdobeRGB), 475 nits of brightness, and unrivaled contrast (475,200:1) for deep blacks. It also has great accuracy, with a DeltaE of 1.04 and a wide color gamut (less than 1.0 is considered excellent). The 15.6-inch 16:10 displays available on the XPS 15 range from non-touch Full HD+ (1,920 x 1,200) panels to touch-enabled UHD+ (3,840 x 2,400) IPS and 3.5K (3,456 x 2,160) OLED panels. When we tested the OLED model, the results were simply amazing. Although somewhat less than the MacBook Pro 16, the brightness was still strong at 391 nits, and the contrast was 381,130:1 with dark blacks. The color gamut was broader than the MacBooks, covering 100% of sRGB and 96% of AdobeRGB, while the accuracy was substantially higher at 0.42. Both displays are fantastic for artists since they have genuine blacks and a wide range of accurate colors. They are excellent for both working productively and watching the media. Call this group "draws."

Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Conclusion

Where the XPS 15 and MacBook Pro 16 diverge most is in this area. Dell offers an XPS 15 configuration with an Intel Core i5-12500H, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, Intel UHD graphics, and a 15.6-inch Full HD+ non-touch display that starts at $1,420. A Core i9-12900HK, 64GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, and a 3.5K OLED display are available for as much as $3,331. Particularly at the low end, the MacBook Pro 16 is a lot more expensive than the average notebook. The starting price for an M1 Pro with 10 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is $2,499. At the very top end, an M1 Max with 10 CPU cores, 32 GPU cores, 64GB of RAM, and an 8TB SSD costs as much as $6,099 (USD).

The MacBook Pro 16 is the best all-around laptop due to its outstanding battery life, higher peak performance, and gorgeous display. For the most demanding creators, it is the best option. However, the Dell XPS 15 is a superior mainstream laptop that costs about half as much as fully configured and has superior performance. Whichever is best for you entirely depends on how much money you have to spend.

Apple MacBook Pro 16 vs. Dell XPS 15: Specs

	Dell XPS 15 9520	Apple MacBook Pro 16
Dimensions	13.56 inches x 9.06 inches x 0.73 inches	14.01 inches x 9.77 inches x 0.66 inches
Weight	4.62 pounds	4.8 pounds
Processor	Intel Core i5-12500H Intel Core i7-12700H Intel Core i9-12900HK	Apple M1 Pro Apple M1 Max
Graphics	Intel UHD graphics Intel Iris Xe Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti	Integrated Apple GPU
RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB (M1 Max)
Display	15.6-inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS non-touch 15.6-inch 16:10 UHD+ (3840 x 2400) IPS touch 15.6-inch 16:10 3.5K (3456 x 2160) OLED touch	16.2-inch 16:10 Liquid Retina XDR (3456 x 2234)
Storage	512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD	512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD 4TB SSD 8TB SSD
Touch	Optional	No
Ports	1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 1 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 1 x SD Card reader	3 x USB-C 4 with Thunderbolt 4 1 x HDMI 2.0 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 1 x SD Card reader
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2	Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0
Webcam	720p	1080p
Operating system	Windows 11	MacOS Monterey
Battery	86 watt-hour	100 watt-hour
Price	$1,420+	$2,499+