Dell XPS 16 (2026) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
58.1Performance44
38.4Display41.6
60Battery71
67.5Portability76.6
6 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (2026)2 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Dell XPS 16 (2026) scores 55.3 against 55.2 for Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition). Pick by the categories that matter to you — Dell XPS 16 (2026) edges ahead in performance, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Dell XPS 16 (2026)
- Stronger performance score: 58 vs 44
- 100% higher RAM: 32 GB vs 16 GB
- 100% higher storage: 1,024 GB vs 512 GB
- 54% higher charging: 100 W vs 65 W
- 30% higher capacity: 70 Wh vs 54 Wh
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)
- Stronger display score: 42 vs 38
- Stronger battery score: 71 vs 60
- Stronger portability score: 77 vs 68
- 23% lower weight: 1.34 kg vs 1.74 kg
- 20% higher Peak brightness: 600 nits vs 500 nits
- Lower launch price: $1,400 vs $2,200
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″+16% | 13.8 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD (3.2K tandem OLED touchscreen optional) | HDR PixelSense LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 | 2304x1536 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 600 nits+20% |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or Snapdragon X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Graphics | Intel Arc B390 | Qualcomm Adreno |
| RAM | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 1,024 GB+100% | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | Gen 4 SSD (removable, M.2 2230) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,903Top 32% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,943Top 28% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 70 Wh+30% | 54 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 16 h |
| Charging | 100 W+54% | 65 W |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.74 kg | 1.34 kg+23% |
| Thickness | 15.4 mm+12% | 17.5 mm |
| Material | CNC machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass 3 palm rest | Aluminum (100% recycled) |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C, DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery), 3.5mm audio jack | 2x USB-C/USB4, USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 8MP (1440p video) + IR camera | 1080p Full HD (Windows Studio Effects) |
| Biometrics | IR face (Windows Hello) | Facial recognition (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
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