Dell XPS 15 vs. Apple MacBook Pro 15 Specs: Which Is the Laptop to Buy?
The Dell XPS 15 and the MacBook Pro 15 represent the best of what Dell and Apple can offer in the laptop computing department, but which one is the king?
These two laptops have become some sort of rivals and rightly so, as they possess specifications and features that give each other a run for their money.
One of the biggest factors in deciding which laptop to get has to be the design. As one would expect, both look sleek and premium although the Dell XPS 15 has an extra tint of style to it because of the smaller bezels around the display.
Speaking of which, the screen of the MacBook Pro 15 boasts a 2,880 x 1,600 pixel resolution while the Dell XPS 15 has 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, making it the denser of the two.
In terms of the looks of the keyboard, the Dell XPS 15 clearly goes the traditional route while the MacBook Pro 15 introduces butterfly mechanism.
This technology promises "more stable, responsive key that takes up less vertical space" and makes sure there is no wobbling, which tends to happen in keyboards using the scissor mechanism.
Of course, those who want to try the new tech out could go for the MacBook Pro 15, but users who like to keep it traditional can go for the Dell XPS 15. They would want to keep in mind that the keyboard feels smaller than it should be, at least according to PC World.
As for the trackpad, media outlets were expecting that the MacBook Pro 15 will win this round going in, but the Dell XPS 15 appears to have proven itself as a match to the laptop in this department as well.
With regard to the hardware, the MacBook Pro 15 and the Dell XPS 15 are both equipped with the necessary tools to handle heavy workload. However, those who plan to do a lot of gaming would want to make the Dell laptop their next purchase.
As per PC World, the MacBook Pro 15 did poorly on a test using "Tomb Raider" and "Shadows of Mordor." For the former, Apple's offering churned 47 frames per second at best at a 16 x 10 resolution. Setting it higher would mean more compromise.
As for the Dell XPS 15, it managed to run the game at 137 fps. It might even be able to handle a 19 x 10 resolution without much to sacrifice.
The "Shadows of Mordor" test further proved that the MacBook Pro 15 is not for gaming. As for the Dell XPS 15, the game looks acceptable at 48 fps with a 19 X 10 resolution setting.
With regard to the battery life, the MacBook Pro 15 bounced back, lasting up to nine hours after nonstop 4K video playback. The Dell XPS 15 was only able to keep the lights on for five-and-a-half hours.
Probably the biggest factor to break or make the laptops is the pricing. A MacBook Pro 15 with a quad-core Core i7-6700HQ processor, a Radeon Pro 450 graphics processing unit (GPU), 16 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD is priced $2,399.
The Dell XPS 15 is more budget friendly. It will only cost users $2,350 to get one with a quad-core Core i7-7700HQ chipset, GeForce GTX 1050, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and a 4K touchscreen.