Apple MacBook Pro 14" M4 vs Dell XPS 16 (9640)
Apple's M4 MacBook Pro 14" delivers exceptional performance with its unified architecture, commanding a 24-hour battery life claim and stunning 1600-nit Liquid Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion that makes creative work fluid. Dell's XPS 16 counters with a larger 16.3" screen, more CPU cores (16 vs 10), expandable storage, and slightly higher battery capacity at 99.5Wh, though its 500-nit IPS panel and 13-hour real-world battery life lag considerably. For creative professionals prioritizing display quality and sustained battery performance, the MacBook Pro M4 is the superior choice despite the $300 premium. The XPS 16 suits Windows-dependent users needing larger screen real estate and upgradeable components, but the performance gap and battery disparity favor Apple's offering for most mobile professionals.
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 14" M4 | Dell XPS 16 (9640) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.55 kg | 2.13 kg |
| Material | Aluminum unibody | CNC aluminum and carbon fiber |
| Dimensions | 312.6 x 221.2 x 15.5 mm | 358.1 x 240.1 x 18.7 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | — |
| SD card | ||
| MagSafe | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | 3 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 24 hours wireless web | Up to 13 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 72.4 Wh | 99.5 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14.2 inches | 16.3 inches |
| Type | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED | InfinityEdge IPS non-touch |
| Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz ProMotion | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1600 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB unified | 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 Pro 14" M4
Pros
- 16 GB base RAM at no extra cost
- Excellent battery life up to 24 hours
- Mini-LED ProMotion display in entry MacBook Pro
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports plus HDMI and SD
- Quiet, efficient operation under typical load
Cons
- M4 lacks the GPU power of Pro/Max chips
- Storage upgrades remain expensive
- Only two external displays supported on M4
- Design unchanged from previous generation
Dell XPS 16 (9640)
Pros
- Premium CNC aluminum chassis with edge-to-edge keyboard
- Optional 4K OLED touch display available
- Powerful Core Ultra and RTX 4050-4070 GPU options
- Large 99.5 Wh battery
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports
Cons
- No USB-A, HDMI, or SD card slot
- Capacitive touch function row is divisive
- Invisible haptic trackpad takes adjustment
- Heavy and runs hot under load
- Mediocre battery life with discrete GPU
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