Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) vs Dell XPS 16 (2026)
66.2Performance58.1
74.3Display38.4
77.1Battery60
53Portability67.5
7 spec wins — Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)2 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (2026)
InnoReviews verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) wins this laptop face-off, 68.2 to 55.3, pulling ahead mainly in display (+36) and battery (+17). Dell XPS 16 (2026) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max)
- Stronger performance score: 66 vs 58
- Stronger display score: 74 vs 38
- Stronger battery score: 77 vs 60
- 220% higher Peak brightness: 1,600 nits vs 500 nits
- 43% higher capacity: 100 Wh vs 70 Wh
Reasons to pick the Dell XPS 16 (2026)
- Stronger portability score: 68 vs 53
- 19% lower weight: 1.74 kg vs 2.16 kg
- Lower launch price: $2,200 vs $3,499
Display
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.2 ″+1% | 16 ″ |
| Panel type | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR) | IPS LCD (3.2K tandem OLED touchscreen optional) |
| Resolution | 3456x2234 | 1920x1200 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1,600 nits+220% | 500 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 Max (14-core) | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H |
| Graphics | Apple M3 Max 30-core GPU | Intel Arc B390 |
| RAM | 36 GB+13% | 32 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5 (unified) | LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,120+7%Top 15% | 2,903Top 32% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 20,200+19%Top 12% | 16,943Top 28% |
Battery
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+43% | 70 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | 13 h | — |
| Charging | 140 W+40% | 100 W |
Design
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.16 kg | 1.74 kg+19% |
| Thickness | 16.8 mm | 15.4 mm+8% |
| Material | Aluminum | CNC machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass 3 palm rest |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, 3.5mm | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C, DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery), 3.5mm audio jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 6.0 |
| Webcam | 1080p FaceTime HD | 8MP (1440p video) + IR camera |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | IR face (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max) | Dell XPS 16 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS Sonoma | Windows 11 Home |
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