Surface Laptop 5 vs Dell XPS 13: Battle of the flagship laptops

Looking for a great Windows 11-powered laptop in 2022? There are a lot of options for you. However, if you want a Windows 11-powered laptop with touch, then there are two great options for you. There’s the Surface Laptop 5 from Microsoft, which brings a few refreshes to the Surface Laptop line, and then the standard XPS 13 from Dell, which recently got a fresh redesign just like its sibling, the XPS 13 Plus. Both of these new laptops also pack in great performance and incredible looks that should suit the needs of most people.


But, naturally, since these are flagship laptops from two different companies, you might be wondering how they compare. As we’ve done with some of the best laptops, we’re here to compare them for you.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

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The Surface Laptop 5 features a sleek design, runs Windows 11, and has a touchscreen. For the money, it’s one of the best laptops around right now, and for the 15-inch model, it’s one of the lightest.

Dell XPS 13 9315

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The new Dell XPS 13 comes with a complete redesign, coming in Sky and Umber colors. It’s also the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop ever.

Surface Laptop 5 vs Dell XPS 13: Price and availability

Both of these laptops are within the same price range. The Surface Laptop 5 starts at $999.99 for the 13.5-inch model and $1,299.99 for the 15-inch variant, while the Dell XPS 13 starts at $999. However, it’s easier for the Surface Laptop 5 to surpass that starting price.

You see, the cheapest $999 Surface Laptop 5 13-inch models come with a fabric Alcantara material on the keyboard deck. If you want a Surface Laptop 5 13-inch with an aluminum keyboard deck, you’d have to pay an additional $300, bringing the price up to $1,300. On the XPS 13, you’d get an all-aluminum device regardless of price. Both go up in price with different peripheral options. The XPS 13 can reach $1,659, while the Surface Laptop 5 can go up to $1,799.99.

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As we said, the Surface Laptop 5 has a 15-inch option. The Dell XPS 13 only comes, as you would expect, with a 13-inch display. If you want a 15-inch laptop from Dell, you’ll have to buy an XPS 15, which starts at $1,449.

Finally, there are colors. If you want a laptop that doesn’t look too boring, then the Surface Laptop 5 should be your choice. It comes in Platinum, Sage, Black, and Sandstone. The XPS 13 only comes in two colors, Sky, or Umber.

Both laptops are available on their respective brand websites and on major third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Surface Laptop 5 vs Dell XPS 13: Specs

Performance: It’s 15-watt versus 9-watt Intel CPUs

There’s one big difference between the Surface Laptop 5 and the Dell XPS 13, and it has to do with the CPUs. While both devices are powered by 12th-generation Intel U-series CPUs, the Surface Laptop 5 has a higher wattage CPU than the Dell XPS 13. It runs at 15 watts, whereas the XPS 13 runs at 9 watts. Though Dell can boost the CPUs on the XPS 13 to 12 watts to help with performance, it’s still not as good as what you can get with the Surface Laptop 5. Those who like getting the most performance out of a laptop for tasks like content creation will prefer the Surface Laptop 5 because the higher wattage CPU will result in better long-term power for higher-end tasks like photo or video editing.

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Otherwise, the CPUs are similar. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop 5 have the option for the Intel Core i5-1235U CPU or the Intel Core i7-1255U CPU. Over on the XPS 13, you can get either the Intel Core i5-1230U or Intel Core i7-1250U. As hybrid processors, all of these chips across both laptops have 10 cores, with two performance and eight efficiency cores.

You can see that from our benchmarks with both products, the Surface Laptop 5 excels slightly ahead of the XPS 13 when it comes to tests like Geekbench or Cinebench that use the multicores and tax the CPU more. We had to use the “optimized” mode in the My Dell app to get the most out of the XPS 13, whereas the Surface Laptop 5 performed the best without any tweaks. With all that in mind, the Surface Laptop 5 definitely has more power than the XPS 13, so it wins out in this category.

However, Dell using a slower-wattage CPU does have one benefit: battery life. In our tests, we hit just under 8 hours on the XPS 13. We reviewed the 15-inch Surface Laptop 5, which uses more battery power because of the bigger screen and more powerful CPU, and we hit close to six hours and 50 minutes. So if battery life is what you want, then the XPS wins.

Display: The Surface has a higher resolution and a 15-inch option

Of course, the display on any laptop is important, and while both are great, the Surface Laptop 5 has a higher resolution panel and supports pen input. You don’t get either of that on the XPS 13, but you do get slimmer bezels with Dell’s “Infinity Edge,” so you feel more immersed in what’s on your screen.

Let’s start with the resolution here. For the Surface Laptop 5, you get 2256 x 1504 on the 13.5-inch model and 2496 x 1664 on the 15-inch one. They’re also both tuned to the 3:-2 aspect ratio, which is tall, but with thicker bezels at all four corners of the screen. Over on the XPS 13, you only get a 13.4-inch option with 1920 x 1200 resolution and a 16:-10 aspect ratio, with slim bezels all the way around. Touch is optional on the XPS, and is a $100 upgrade, but it’s standard on the Surface Laptop 5.

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On paper, there isn’t much to differentiate the 3:-2 vs. 16:-10 aspect ratio on these devices. Both of these ratios are great for productivity. The 3:-2 ratio is taller, which gives you more room for scrolling through webpages, and the 16:-10 is more square, which makes multimedia and gaming look better.

It’s tough for us not to suggest the Surface Laptop 5’s higher resolution display. Yes, it does have thicker bezels when you compare it to the XPS 13, but the higher resolution means you can fit more on the screen. The 15-inch option of the Surface Laptop 5 is nice to have, too; the XPS 13 only has one screen size, and you’d need to buy an XPS 15 if you want a bigger screen.

The Surface Laptop 5 also has stylus support with the Surface Pen, so you can draw on the screen and annotate documents. You don’t get that on the XPS, even though it has touch support. If drawing and screen resolution are important, then the Surface is a must.

Finally, there are the webcams. Both devices only have a 720 webcam, which is below what we look for in a 2022 laptop. Most of the best laptops from HP and even Asus and Acer have a 1080p sensor, but Dell and Microsoft still haven’t moved beyond 720p. Both the cameras, though, are Windows Hello compatible, so you can sign in to your PC with your face. The XPS has the added benefit of a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard as well.

Design: Both are touch, clamshell laptops

Both the Surface Laptop 5 and the Dell XPS 13 are clamshell laptops. You can’t detach the screen on any of these devices. The difference between the two comes down to the weight and dimensions, as well as the colors and materials the laptops are made from. Oh, and that 15-inch option for the Surface Laptop 5.

The Dell XPS 13’s physical design has changed significantly between generations. The new model doesn’t have the signature carbon fiber interior it had in the past. It’s now made of CNC-machined aluminum. The keyboard has also been redesigned to be much more shallow and sturdy. On the Microsoft side, the Surface Laptop 5 keeps the same exact design as the Surface Laptop 4. For that reason, many might find the XPS 13 has a more exciting design.

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The Dell XPS 13 is also a more portable machine than the Surface Laptop 5. The XPS 13 comes in at 11.63 x 7.86 x 0.55 inches and weighs 2.59 pounds, while the Surface Laptop 5 13-inch model measures at 12.1 x 8.8 x 0.57 inches and weighs 2.86 pounds. You probably won’t feel the difference, but the XPS 13 is definitely more compact, even against the 15-inch Surface Laptop 5, which comes in at 13.4 x 9.6 x 0.58 inches and 3.44 pounds.

Ports: Surface Laptop 5 has a headphone jack and USB-A

If you plan on connecting your new laptop to different accessories, then it’s no contest: The Surface Laptop 5 is better, with a wider selection of ports. It includes a Surface Connect port for charging, a USB 3.1 Type-A port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port. The proprietary Surface Connect charging ports free up the Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port for a display. Then, it has a USB-A port for connecting classic accessories like USB drives.

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The XPS 13 isn’t that well-connected, with only two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, but Dell includes two dongles in the box for a USB-A port and a 3.5mm port.

We also want to mention connectivity, too. The XPS 13 has faster Wi-Fi 6E, while the Surface Laptop 5 still has Wi-Fi 6. The XPS 13 also has faster Bluetooth 5.2, and the Surface Laptop 5 only has Bluetooth 5.1. The differences are minimal, but depending on your router or internet plan, it might be worth considering.

Surface Laptop 5 vs Dell XPS 13: Which should you buy?

In comparing the Surface Laptop 5 to the XPS 13, we really think the Surface Laptop 5 is better. It might have thicker bezels around the screen when compared to the XPS 13, but the overall CPU power, port selection, and screen resolution make it worth getting. It also comes in more colors. However, if you plan on engaging with more multimedia, games, or like the look of the Dell XPS 13, you’ll still have a great experience.

If you want to check out the Surface Laptop 5 and feel like it’s one of the best Surface PCs of 2022, you can buy one with the link below. We also have a link to buy the XPS 13, too.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

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The Surface Laptop 5 is the newest Surface from Microsoft featuring new color options, as well as Intel’s 12t generation mobile CPUs.

Dell XPS 13 9315

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The new Dell XPS 13 comes with a complete redesign, coming in Sky and Umber colors. It’s also the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop ever.