Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 vs Dell XPS 15 (2024)
Apple's M3 MacBook Air excels as an ultraportable workhorse with exceptional battery life (18 hours), weighing just 1.24kg and delivering snappy performance for everyday tasks. Dell's XPS 15 counters with a larger 15.6" OLED touchscreen (3456x2160), superior processing power via Intel Core Ultra 7 with 16 cores, and double the RAM (32GB vs 8GB), making it better for creative professionals. However, the XPS weighs 1.86kg and manages only 13 hours of battery life. Storage defaults favor Dell with 512GB versus Apple's 256GB. For students and everyday users prioritizing portability and battery life, the MacBook Air M3 offers outstanding value at $1,099. Professionals needing raw performance, larger display, and expandable storage should invest in the XPS 15, though its $1,499 price tag reflects those upgrades. The MacBook Air wins for mobility; Dell wins for capability.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13" M3 | Dell XPS 15 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.24 kg | 1.86 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | CNC machined aluminum |
| Dimensions | 304.1 x 215.0 x 11.3 mm | 344.4 x 230.1 x 18.0 mm |
| Ports | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 2 |
| HDMI | — | 1 |
| USB-A ports | — | 1 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours wireless web | Up to 13 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 52.6 Wh | 86 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.6 inches | 15.6 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS LED | OLED touch |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1664 | 3456 x 2160 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 8 GB unified | 32 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Apple M3 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 13" M3
Pros
- Light and portable at 1.24 kg
- Excellent fanless M3 efficiency
- Bright 500-nit Liquid Retina display
- Up to 18 hours of battery life
- Supports two external displays with lid closed
Cons
- 8 GB base RAM increasingly limiting
- Only two Thunderbolt ports
- 256 GB SSD uses single NAND chip with slower speeds
- No high-refresh display
- Limited port selection
Dell XPS 15 (2024)
Pros
- Gorgeous 3.5K OLED touchscreen with vivid colors
- 32 GB RAM standard at this price tier
- Premium CNC aluminum chassis
- Includes USB-A and HDMI alongside Thunderbolt
- Upgradeable SSD and memory
Cons
- OLED display can exhibit burn-in over time
- Base model ships with integrated Iris Xe graphics only
- Battery drains faster with OLED on
- Runs warm under sustained load
- Fan noise noticeable during CPU-heavy tasks
Related Comparisons
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