Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs Dell XPS 16 9640: Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.8 for the Dell XPS 16 9640, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the XPS 16 9640 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (Geekbench multi 14,900 vs 13,400).
- Longer battery: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (18.4h vs 9h web).
- Lighter: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (1.51 kg vs 2.1 kg).
- Display: IPS (Liquid Retina) (Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4)) vs OLED (Dell XPS 16 9640).
- Cheaper: Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) (saves about $1,550 CAD).
MacBook Air 15 (M4) vs XPS 16 9640: Full Breakdown
Performance: the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 14,900 against 13,400 for the Dell XPS 16 9640 — roughly 11% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Dell XPS 16 9640 averaged 78 FPS versus 38 FPS. The Dell XPS 16 9640 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 9 hours. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is also easier to carry at 1.51 kg versus 2.1 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 16 9640 has a 16.3-inch OLED panel (3840 x 2400, 90Hz). 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 Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option in Canada, about $1,550 less than the Dell XPS 16 9640. Weighed against our test scores (8.5 vs 7.8 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 16 9640 review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the MacBook Air 15 (M4) and the XPS 16 9640 feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | MacBook Air 15 (M4) | XPS 16 9640 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.5 ✓ | 7.8 |
| Price (CAD) | $1,649 ✓ | $3,199 |
| CPU | Apple M4 (10-core) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
| GPU | Apple M4 GPU (10-core) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (60W) |
| RAM | 16GB Unified LPDDR5x | 32GB LPDDR5x ✓ |
| Storage | 512GB | 1000GB ✓ |
| Display | 15.3" IPS (Liquid Retina) | 16.3" OLED |
| Brightness | 482 nits ✓ | 408 nits |
| Battery (web) | 18.4 h ✓ | 9 h |
| Weight | 1.51 kg ✓ | 2.1 kg |
| Geekbench multi | 14,900 ✓ | 13,400 |
| Gaming (1080p) | 38 fps | 78 fps ✓ |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (AppleCare+ available) | 1-year limited (onsite available) |
Which Should You Buy?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.8 for the Dell XPS 16 9640, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the XPS 16 9640 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the MacBook Air 15 (M4) or the XPS 16 9640?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) scores 8.5 versus 7.8 for the Dell XPS 16 9640, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the MacBook Air 15 (M4) leads overall, while the XPS 16 9640 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Dell XPS 16 9640 is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Dell XPS 16 9640 is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) is the better choice for travel.
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