ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) vs Dell XPS 16 (9640)
ASUS VivoBook S 15 delivers exceptional value with its cutting-edge Snapdragon X Elite processor, stunning 2880x1620 120Hz OLED display, and remarkable 18-hour battery life in a featherweight 1.42kg chassis. Dell XPS 16 commands premium pricing for a larger 16.3-inch display, but offers only 1920x1200 IPS resolution at 60Hz—a significant downgrade visually. While Dell includes Thunderbolt 3 and expandable storage, the ASUS matches RAM at 16GB and surpasses in processor efficiency. Battery endurance heavily favors ASUS (18 vs 13 hours). At $600 less, VivoBook S 15 provides superior portable performance for creators and professionals who prioritize display quality and mobility. Dell caters to those needing larger screen real estate and expandable storage, but the value proposition strongly favors ASUS unless you specifically need the XPS's extra inch and modularity.
Full Specifications
| Spec | ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) | Dell XPS 16 (9640) |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home (ARM) | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.42 kg | 2.13 kg |
| Material | Aluminum | CNC aluminum and carbon fiber |
| Dimensions | 352.6 x 225.9 x 14.7 mm | 358.1 x 240.1 x 18.7 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | — |
| USB-A ports | 2 | — |
| USB-C ports | 2 | — |
| SD card | ||
| Thunderbolt ports | 0 | 3 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours | Up to 13 hours mixed use |
| Capacity | 70 Wh | 99.5 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 15.6 inches | 16.3 inches |
| Type | OLED, 16:9 | InfinityEdge IPS non-touch |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1620 | 1920 x 1200 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 60Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 600 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe | 512 GB NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5X | 16 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 12 cores | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite)
Pros
- Excellent 3K 120Hz OLED display
- All-day battery life thanks to ARM efficiency
- Powerful 45 TOPS NPU for Copilot+ AI features
- Lightweight for a 15.6-inch laptop
- Fanless-quiet operation under typical loads
Cons
- ARM compatibility issues with some x86 apps
- No Thunderbolt support
- Soldered RAM not upgradeable
- No SD card reader
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
Related Comparisons
- Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Gen 9
- ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) vs Acer Aspire 5 (2024)
- Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs Acer Aspire 5 (2024)
- ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) vs Acer Nitro V 15
- Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs Acer Nitro V 15
- ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) vs ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024)
Explore more in laptops, see all ASUS products or all Dell products. View full details for the ASUS VivoBook S 15 (S5507, Snapdragon X Elite) or the Dell XPS 16 (9640).