Apple MacBook Air 15" M4 vs Dell XPS 14 (9440)
Apple's MacBook Air M4 15" offers exceptional value at $1299, delivering a larger 15.3" Liquid Retina display with superior 2880x1864 resolution and remarkable 18-hour battery life. Its M4 chip with 10-core CPU/GPU handles everyday tasks smoothly, while the lightweight 3.3 lb design excels for portability. However, Dell's XPS 14 ($1699) counters with a more powerful 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, superior port selection including SD card and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, and 512GB base storage versus Apple's 256GB. The XPS targets power users needing robust performance for content creation, though its 12-hour battery and smaller 14.5" display work against it. For most users prioritizing battery life, display quality, and affordability, the MacBook Air M4 is the compelling choice. Choose the XPS 14 only if professional workflows demand Intel's raw computational power and expanded connectivity.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 15" M4 | Dell XPS 14 (9440) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.51 kg) | 1.74 kg |
| Material | Recycled aluminum | CNC aluminum and carbon fiber |
| Dimensions | 13.4 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches | 320.0 x 215.5 x 18.0 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-C ports | 2 | — |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 3 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 12 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 66.5 Wh | 69.5 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.3 inches | 14.5 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina IPS | InfinityEdge IPS non-touch |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1864 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 256 GB (configurable to 2 TB) | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Apple M4 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple MacBook Air 15" M4
Pros
- M4 chip delivers massive performance leap over M3 with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- 16 GB RAM standard — no more $200 upgrade from 8 GB
- 18-hour battery life is genuinely all-day
- Fanless design is completely silent under all workloads
- Gorgeous 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display for content consumption
Cons
- Still limited to 60Hz display — no ProMotion
- Only two Thunderbolt ports — both on the left side
- Base 256 GB storage is tight for a $1,299 laptop
- No HDMI or SD card slot — dongles still required
Dell XPS 14 (9440)
Pros
- Striking minimalist CNC aluminum design
- Optional 3.2K OLED touch display
- Optional discrete RTX 4050 GPU
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus microSD
- Excellent quad speaker setup
Cons
- No USB-A or HDMI ports
- Capacitive function row lacks tactile feedback
- Seamless haptic touchpad has no visible borders
- Battery life below class-leading ultrabooks
- Premium price for the base configuration
Related Comparisons
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