Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs HP Victus 16
The Verdict
Dell's XPS 16 targets professionals seeking premium build quality and productivity performance, while HP's Victus 16 aims at budget-conscious gamers prioritizing refresh rates. The XPS 16 excels with its 500-nit display, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with 16 cores, and superior 13-hour battery life versus the Victus's 7 hours. Its CNC aluminum and carbon fiber chassis feels substantially more durable than plastic construction. However, the Victus 16 delivers a 144Hz display ideal for gaming and multimedia, compared to the XPS's 60Hz panel, and costs $1,100 less. For workloads involving video editing, coding, or content creation, the XPS 16's newer chipset, brighter screen (500 vs 300 nits), and LPDDR5x RAM provide real advantages. The Victus suits casual gaming and everyday tasks admirably within budget constraints. Performance-wise, the Core Ultra 7 155H outpaces the older i5-13500H in single-threaded work. If you need a workhorse laptop with exceptional battery life and display quality, the XPS 16 justifies its investment. For gaming and value prioritization, the Victus 16 remains compelling despite inferior battery endurance and build materials.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Dell XPS 16 (9640) if…
- →Premium CNC aluminum chassis with edge-to-edge keyboard
- →Optional 4K OLED touch display available
- →Powerful Core Ultra and RTX 4050-4070 GPU options
Buy the HP Victus 16 if…
- →RTX 4050 Laptop GPU handles 1080p gaming at high settings
- →144Hz display is smooth for competitive gaming
- →70 Wh battery is larger than most gaming laptops at this price
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
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
HP Victus 16
Pros
- RTX 4050 Laptop GPU handles 1080p gaming at high settings
- 144Hz display is smooth for competitive gaming
- 70 Wh battery is larger than most gaming laptops at this price
- Expandable storage with a second M.2 slot
- Understated design doesn't scream 'gaming laptop'
Cons
- FHD resolution on a 16-inch screen looks soft up close
- Heavy at 5.09 lbs with a bulky charger
- 300-nit display is dim for daytime use
- Plastic build feels budget compared to Legion or ROG rivals
Full Specifications
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | HP Victus 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 2.13 kg | 5.09 lbs (2.31 kg) |
| Material | CNC aluminum and carbon fiber | Plastic |
| Dimensions | 358.1 x 240.1 x 18.7 mm | 14.09 x 10.2 x 0.92 inches |
| Ports | ||
| SD card | ||
| Thunderbolt ports | 3 | — |
| HDMI | — | |
| USB-A ports | — | 2 |
| USB-C ports | — | 1 |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 13 hours mixed use | Up to 7 hours |
| Capacity | 99.5 Wh | 70 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 16.3 inches | 16.1 inches |
| Type | InfinityEdge IPS non-touch | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 144Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 300 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5x | 16 GB DDR5 |
| Cores | 16-core (6P+8E+2LPE) | 12 cores (4P + 8E) |
| Chipset | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Intel Core i5-13500H |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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