Dell XPS 16 (9640) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)
42.4Performance44
38.4Display41.6
99.3Battery68
51.3Portability65.9
3 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (9640)3 spec wins — Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)
InnoReviews verdict
Dell XPS 16 (9640) wins this laptop face-off, 55.5 to 52.6, pulling ahead mainly in battery (+31). Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th 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 (9640)
- Stronger battery score: 99 vs 68
- 100% higher charging: 130 W vs 65 W
- 51% higher capacity: 100 Wh vs 66 Wh
Reasons to pick the Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)
- Stronger display score: 42 vs 38
- Stronger portability score: 66 vs 51
- 22% lower weight: 1.66 kg vs 2.13 kg
- 20% higher Peak brightness: 600 nits vs 500 nits
- Lower launch price: $1,550 vs $1,899
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16.3 ″+9% | 15 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (4K OLED touch optional) | HDR PixelSense LCD (touchscreen) |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 | 3270x2180 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 600 nits+20% |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or Snapdragon X2 Elite (12-core) |
| Graphics | Intel Arc (RTX 4050/4060/4070 optional) | Qualcomm Adreno |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-6400 (soldered) | LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | Gen 4 SSD (removable, M.2 2230) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,418Bottom 22% | — |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 13,656Top 47% | — |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 Wh+51% | 66 Wh |
| Web browsing endurance | — | 14 h |
| Charging | 130 W+100% | 65 W |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.13 kg | 1.66 kg+22% |
| Thickness | 18.7 mm | 18.3 mm+2% |
| Material | CNC aluminum | Aluminum (100% recycled) |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, microSD, 3.5mm | 2x USB-C/USB4, USB-A 3.2, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect, microSD |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Webcam | 1080p + IR | 1080p Full HD (Windows Studio Effects) |
| Biometrics | Fingerprint reader (power button), IR face (Windows Hello) | Facial recognition (Windows Hello) |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (9640) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home (Arm) |
Related comparisons
Dell XPS 16 (9640)vs ASUS TUF Gaming 16 (2026)VSDell XPS 16 (9640)vs Dell XPS 13 (9350)VSDell XPS 16 (9640)vs Dell XPS 16 (2026)VSDell XPS 16 (9640)vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)vs Alienware 16 Aurora (AC16250)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)vs Razer Blade 14 (2025)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)vs COLORFIRE MEOW X16 Pro (2026)VSMicrosoft Surface Laptop 15-inch (8th Edition)vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14VS