Dell has rebuilt the XPS 13 to directly take on Apple's MacBook Neo on price. Here's how the entry-level models compare on specs and value.
Apple's MacBook Neo arrived as the company's most accessible laptop, pairing the A18 Pro chip with a $599 price. Dell has now answered directly with a new XPS 13.
Dell is open about the target. Its announcement names the MacBook Neo and frames the XPS 13 as the more feature-rich option at a similar price.
There is a catch in that pricing, which really matters for this comparison. We are focusing on the entry-level configurations of both machines, where the battle is really being fought.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Specifications
| Specifications | MacBook Neo | Dell XPS 13 (DX13260) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $599 | $599 (students 16+), $699 (everyone else) |
| Chip | Apple A18 Pro (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU) | Intel Core 5 320 (6-core CPU, 2 Xe GPU cores) |
| Neural processor | 16-core Neural Engine | 16 TOPS NPU |
| Memory | 8GB unified | 8GB LPDDR5X (single channel) |
| Storage | 256GB SSD | 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (256GB post-launch) |
| Display | 13.0-inch Liquid Retina LCD, 2408 x 1506, 500 nits | 13.4-inch 2.5K LCD, 2560 x 1600, 500 nits, touch |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 30-120Hz variable |
| Color gamut | sRGB | 100% DCI-P3 |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Keyboard | Magic Keyboard (no backlight on base model) | Backlit chiclet keyboard |
| Biometrics | Touch ID (higher model only) | Windows Hello IR camera |
| Camera | 1080p FaceTime HD | 2MP/1080p HD + IR |
| Speakers | Dual-speaker, Spatial Audio | Quad-speaker, 8W peak, Dolby Atmos |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Ports | 1x USB 3 (USB-C), 1x USB 2 (USB-C), 3.5mm jack | 2x USB-C with DisplayPort 2.1 |
| Battery (streaming) | Up to 16 hours | Targeting up to 17 hours |
| Weight | 2.7 pounds | 2.2 pounds |
| Thickness | 0.50 inch (12.7mm) | 0.50 inch (12.7mm) |
| Operating system | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Colors | Silver, Blush, Citrus, Indigo | Sky, Storm |
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Price and configuration
The elephant in the room is how the models are priced. The headline prices look identical, but they are not.
This is something that is an important part of this discussion that we have to talk about this first, instead of last in other comparison articles we make.
The MacBook Neo costs $599 for anyone, equipped with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. There are no eligibility conditions attached, so anyone who can afford it can get one.
It certainly isn't this clear-cut for Dell's option.
The XPS 13 is only $599 for students aged 16 and up during the back-to-school period. That offer runs until November 2, 2026, and requires Dell Rewards membership and student verification.
For everyone else, the XPS 13 starts at $699, $100 more than the student offer. That is also $100 more than the MacBook Neo for the entry configuration.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13: Dell has come up with a compelling alternative to the MacBook Neo, at a similar price.
The storage picture complicates things further. At its $599 or $699 price, the XPS 13 ships with a 512GB SSD, while the MacBook Neo gives 256GB at $599 and charges extra for 512GB.
Dell's pre-launch marketing also mentions a 256GB capacity available "post launch." However, there is no explanation about what this actually means.
So the value comparison depends entirely on who is buying, and when. A student gets double the storage with the XPS 13 at the Neo's price, while a non-student pays $100 more for the same amount.
Admittedly, the $100-more XPS 13 equals the storage of the MacBook Neo at that price level. The more confusing lower price option is an issue.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Design
Both laptops are thin-and-light machines aimed at portability. They share an identical 12.7mm thickness, making them highly portable devices.
The XPS 13 is the lighter of the two at 2.2 pounds. The MacBook Neo weighs 2.7 pounds, almost half a pound more.
Apple's MacBook Neo has a footprint of 11.71 inches by 8.12 inches, which is quite compact. Dell manages to get its unit to be a tiny bit smaller at 11.69 inches by 7.9 inches.
Dell uses CNC-machined aluminum for the XPS 13 chassis. Apple uses aluminum for the MacBook Neo as well, in keeping with the rest of the Mac line.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13: Side views of the XPS 13
Obviously, both are trying to provide a premium experience in a very budget-friendly package. Build quality at this price level is going to be a challenge for anyone, so seeing aluminum here is great.
You know that corners must be cut to reach this price level. But it's hard to see where those cuts have been made.
The XPS 13 has a larger display at 13.4 inches against the Neo's 13.0 inches. It manages that in a lighter and smaller body, which is a genuine engineering achievement.
Color choices differ in personality. The MacBook Neo comes in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo, while the XPS 13 offers two more restrained options in Sky and Storm.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Display
The display is one of the XPS 13's strongest arguments. It uses a 2.5K panel at 2560 by 1600, against the MacBook Neo's 2408 by 1506.
Both reach 500 nits of brightness. The XPS 13 covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, the standard used in film and photography work.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13: The display in the Dell is marginally bigger, and a touchscreen.
The MacBook Neo covers sRGB, a narrower gamut. For color-accurate creative work, the XPS 13 has a wider range.
Refresh rate is another clear difference. The XPS 13 runs a variable 30-120Hz panel for smoother motion, while the MacBook Neo is fixed at 60Hz.
The XPS 13 display is also a touchscreen. The MacBook Neo has no touch input, in line with Apple's wider Mac approach.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Processing and performance
The two laptops take fundamentally different chip approaches. The MacBook Neo uses Apple's A18 Pro, the same chip generation found in the iPhone 16 Pro.
The XPS 13 uses Intel's Core 5 320, a new Wildcat Lake chip built on the Intel 18A process. It has six cores: two performance and four low-power efficiency cores.
Both chips have a six-core CPU layout. The A18 Pro pairs two performance cores with four efficiency cores, a similar split to the Intel design.
On graphics, the comparison is harder to call from specs alone. The A18 Pro has a five-core GPU with hardware ray tracing, while the Intel chip uses a two-core Intel Graphics setup.
The neural processors are closely matched on paper. The MacBook Neo has a 16-core Neural Engine capable of 35 trillion operations per second (TOPS), and the XPS 13's NPU delivers 16 TOPS for on-device AI.
It is worth noting the platform AI difference. The XPS 13's NPU does not meet Microsoft's 40-TOPS Copilot+ threshold, so it is a standard AI PC rather than a Copilot+ PC.
From a benchmark perspective, we can compare the MacBook Neo against the same chip used in the XPS in existing Geekbench listings for an approximation.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS compared: Geekbench single-core results
For single-core performance, while the MacBook Neo scores around 3,560, the Intel Core 5 320 is shown managing a much lower score around 2,500.
On the multi-core side, the Neo gets to a quite admirable 8,640 and thereabouts, whereas the Intel is more around 7,780.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS: Geekbench multi-core results
Obviously, there's a performance difference, but ultimately, either will be capable of handling everyday computing tasks like web surfing without too many issues.
If you're looking at either to get as much performance as possible, you're barking up the wrong tree entirely.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Keyboard, camera, and audio
Dell includes a backlit keyboard as standard across the range. This is not the case for the MacBook Neo's Magic Keyboard.
The Dell keyboard seems a little underwhelming, but you can't expect everything from a budget notebook. Just like the Neo, you want a keyboard that works decently enough, not necessarily a premium typing tool.
When it comes to trackpads, neither uses particularly stellar versions. Apple and Dell have avoided using haptics that could've made the experience better, though Dell does still provide touchscreen control.
Initial hands-on from Computex had reviewers complaining about the unevenness of the Dell trackpad. Those were early production samples, so that issue may or may not be fixed in time for the full release, time will tell.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13: The XPS 13's keyboard and trackpad.
Both have 1080p webcams built in. The XPS 13 adds an infrared camera for Windows Hello face login, which the entry MacBook Neo cannot match without Touch ID.
You can get biometric security for the MacBook Neo, but you will have to pay for the upgrade to get Touch ID.
Audio is a clear XPS 13 win on paper. It has a quad-speaker array with 8W peak output and Dolby Atmos, against the MacBook Neo's dual-speaker system.
The MacBook Neo counters with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The XPS 13 has no headphone jack, relying on its two USB-C ports and Bluetooth.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Connectivity
The XPS 13 uses Wi-Fi 7, the latest standard, while the MacBook Neo uses Wi-Fi 6E.
In practice, the Wi-Fi 7 advantage depends on having a compatible router and supporting network.
Both use Bluetooth 6, which will help with connecting to accessories like a wireless mouse.
Wired connectivity is closer than it looks. The XPS 13 has two USB-C ports with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery.
The MacBook Neo also has two USB-C ports, but they are not equal. One is USB 3 at up to 10Gb/s, while the other is only USB 2 at up to 480Mb/s.
The XPS 13's pair of faster USB-C ports is the more flexible setup. Neither laptop includes Thunderbolt on these entry chips.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Battery
Battery claims are close between the two. The MacBook Neo is rated up to 16 hours of video streaming.
Dell, meanwhile, is targeting up to 17 hours of streaming for the XPS 13, tested by streaming from Netflix.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13: Two colorways for the Dell.
Apple includes a 20W USB-C power adapter in the box, though you can easily acquire more powerful versions from Amazon. Dell ships a 65W USB-C adapter with the XPS 13.
Real-world battery life will depend on configuration and use. Independent testing will settle which holds up better away from the lab, but that will take time.
MacBook Neo vs Dell XPS 13 - Which to buy
The two notebooks are more evenly matched than the price tags suggest. On raw features, the XPS 13 leads in several areas.
It has a higher-resolution touch display, a wider color gamut, a variable refresh rate, Wi-Fi 7, quad speakers, double the base storage, and a lighter body with a bigger screen. Dell has clearly built this machine to win the spec sheet against the MacBook Neo.
For students aged 16 and up, the XPS 13 is a strong contender, but only during the back-to-school window. At $599 with 512GB of storage and that feature set, it undercuts what the MacBook Neo offers for the same money.
For everyone else, the calculation is closer. The XPS 13 costs $100 more at $699, and for that upgrade, you'd get Touch ID and additional storage for the MacBook Neo.
The decision will still come down to the platform more than the hardware. Buyers who want macOS, Apple Intelligence, and iPhone Continuity will choose the MacBook Neo regardless of the spec gap.
That goes the same for the Mac-curious. Much like how the Mac mini was a gateway to the Mac ecosystem for desktops, the MacBook Neo is poised to do the same in a more portable fashion.
Buyers who want Windows, a touchscreen, and the most features for the money will obviously find the XPS 13 the better-equipped machine. The student price makes it especially compelling for its target audience.
Dell is certainly gunning for the budget MacBook and has done everything it can to match it in both specifications and price.
It may have done enough to make Windows users happy with their purchases. It won't have the same pull for switchers from macOS like the Neo has for Windows users.
Where to buy Apple's MacBook Neo and Dell XPS 13
Apple's budget-friendly MacBook Neo is available now, with discounted prices starting at $589 at press time.
You can compare the latest deals and availability across retailers in our MacBook Neo Price Guide, which is updated throughout the day.
Dell's 2026 XPS 13 with an Intel Core processor, meanwhile, is coming soon, with exclusive student pricing starting at $599.
