Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Dell XPS 13 9350: Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
Both are excellent ultraportables. The MacBook Air 15 wins on battery life, performance, and screen size, while the XPS 13 is more compact and runs Windows. Choose the Air for endurance and a bigger screen; choose the XPS for a smaller Windows laptop.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,900 vs 14,100).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (18.4h vs 15.2h web).
- Lighter: Dell XPS 13 9350 (1.19 kg vs 1.51 kg).
- Display: IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)) vs IPS (Dell XPS 13 9350).
- Cheaper: Dell XPS 13 9350 (saves about $150 CAD).
MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs XPS 13 9350: Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,900 against 14,100 for the Dell XPS 13 9350 — roughly 6% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) averaged 38 FPS versus 18 FPS. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) lasts longer away from a charger, running 18.4 hours in our web-browsing test versus 15.2 hours. The Dell XPS 13 9350 is also easier to carry at 1.19 kg versus 1.51 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) uses a 15.3-inch IPS (Liquid Retina) panel (2880 x 1864, 60Hz), while the Dell XPS 13 9350 has a 13.4-inch IPS panel (1920 x 1200, 60Hz). The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) measured brighter at 482 nits, and covered 96% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Dell XPS 13 9350 is the cheaper option in Canada, about $150 less than the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4). Weighed against our test scores (8.5 vs 8.0 overall), the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) offers the better value for the money, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) review and Dell XPS 13 9350 review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the MacBook Air 15 (M4) and the XPS 13 9350 feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air 15 (M4) | XPS 13 9350 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 ✓ | 8.0 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,649 | $1,499 ✓ |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite |
| GPU | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) | Qualcomm Adreno (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x | 16GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 512GB | 512GB |
| Display | 15.3" IPS (Liquid Retina) | 13.4" IPS |
| Brightness | 482 nits ✓ | 478 nits |
| Battery (web) | 18.4 h ✓ | 15.2 h |
| Weight | 1.51 kg | 1.19 kg ✓ |
| Geekbench multi | 14,900 ✓ | 14,100 |
| Gaming (1080p) | 38 fps ✓ | 18 fps |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) | 1-year limited (onsite available) |
Which Should You Buy?
Both are excellent ultraportables. The MacBook Air 15 wins on battery life, performance, and screen size, while the XPS 13 is more compact and runs Windows. Choose the Air for endurance and a bigger screen; choose the XPS for a smaller Windows laptop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the MacBook Air 15 (M4) or the XPS 13 9350?
Both are excellent ultraportables. The MacBook Air 15 wins on battery life, performance, and screen size, while the XPS 13 is more compact and runs Windows. Choose the Air for endurance and a bigger screen; choose the XPS for a smaller Windows laptop.
Which is better for battery life?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for battery life.
Which is better for portability?
The Dell XPS 13 9350 is the better choice for portability.
Which is better for performance?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for performance.
Which is better for windows software?
The Dell XPS 13 9350 is the better choice for windows software.
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