Dell XPS 16 (2026) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
58.1Performance35.5
38.4Display27.3
60Battery69.5
67.5Portability82.8
10 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (2026)1 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
Dell XPS 16 (2026) wins this laptop face-off, 55.3 to 49.5, pulling ahead mainly in performance (+23) and display (+11). Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Dell XPS 16 (2026)
- Stronger performance score: 58 vs 36
- Stronger display score: 38 vs 27
- 300% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 256 GB
- 122% higher charging: 100 W vs 45 W
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition)
- Stronger battery score: 70 vs 60
- Stronger portability score: 83 vs 68
- 30% lower weight: 1.22 kg vs 1.74 kg
- Lower launch price: $900 vs $2,200
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+23% | 13 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD (3.2K tandem OLED touchscreen optional) | PixelSense IPS LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 | 1920x1280 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz+100% | 60 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits+18% | 425 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) |
| Graphics | Intel Arc B390 | Qualcomm Adreno X1-45 |
| RAM | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+300% | 256 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | UFS 4.0 (removable) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,903+27%Top 32% | 2,287Bottom 7% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,943+52%Top 28% | 11,125Bottom 18% |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 70 Wh+40% | 50 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 16 h |
| Charging | 100 W+122% | 45 W |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.74 kg | 1.22 kg+30% |
| Thickness | 15.4 mm+1% | 15.6 mm |
| Material | CNC machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass 3 palm rest | Aluminum |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C, DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery), 3.5mm audio jack | 2x USB-C (USB 3.2, DisplayPort 1.4a), USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 8MP (1440p video) + IR camera | 1080p Full HD |
| Biometrics | IR face (Windows Hello) | Fingerprint (Windows Hello, in power button) |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (1st Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
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