Dell this week introduced a new version of the XPS 13, a laptop that it said is "contending with the MacBook Neo on price, and exceeding it on features."
In the U.S., the XPS 13 starts at $699 for the general public and at $599 for eligible students, which is $100 more than the MacBook Neo on both fronts. However, Dell said the XPS 13 offers the following six features "you won't find on a MacBook Neo."
- A touch screen
- A backlit keyboard
- A faster second USB-C port (10 GB/s vs. 480 MB/s)
- Wi-Fi 7 (vs. Wi-Fi 6E)
- Windows Hello to unlock laptop via facial recognition (MacBook Neo does offer Touch ID at the same $699 price point)
- Four speakers (vs. two)
"Apple's MacBook Neo is a capable machine, and its arrival confirms that there's real appetite for premium quality at accessible prices," said Dell. "Where Dell differs is what we think premium means at this price point and what we were willing to build to deliver it."
While not mentioned in Dell's list above, the XPS 13's display offers up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut, whereas the MacBook Neo has a 60Hz refresh rate and sRGB coverage only. And with a 13-inch display and a resolution of 2,560×1,600 pixels, the XPS 13 offers Retina-like quality.
Like the MacBook Neo, the XPS 13 base model is equipped with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage inside a thin aluminum enclosure. The base model is powered by Intel's new Core Series 3 processor, with higher-priced configurations offering Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processors, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.
Apple silicon offers industry-leading performance per watt, allowing for the MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip to have a fanless design. In the XPS 13, there are two fans.
Dell said the XPS 13 is the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop it has ever made. It measures 12.7mm thin, matching the MacBook Neo, but its advertised weight of 2.2 pounds comes in half a pound below the MacBook Neo.
The XPS 13 base model with a Core Series 3 processor is arriving "soon" in the U.S., according to Dell. The laptop will come in two finishes, Sky and Storm, with the latter color not available until "later this summer."
Windows vs. macOS remains an important factor, but increased competition is good for all customers, as it helps to lower prices across the board.
"A few months ago at CES, we made a commitment: compete at every price point in the consumer market and build products worthy of the XPS name," said Dell. "Even though memory shortages have pushed component costs higher across virtually every industry, we are delivering on that commitment."
Without the MacBook Neo, which was rumored since June 2025, we might not be in this situation.
