MacBook Air M3 vs Dell XPS 13: Which Ultraportable Laptop Should You Buy?

How we put this comparison together

This comparison is built from Apple’s and Dell’s published specs and from lab tests by Notebookcheck, IT Pro, LaptopMedia, PCWorld and Tom’s Guide, listed at the end. Every measured number is credited to the outlet that measured it, and where we compare results side by side, they come from the same outlet’s test so they’re fair. Our scores are an editorial judgement of that evidence. We focus on the 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 and the Dell XPS 13 9340 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, the two most popular premium ultraportables of 2024.

Before you buy: both have newer versions

Both laptops have been replaced, which is why they now turn up at good prices. Apple discontinued the M3 MacBook Air in March 2025 (MacRumors). Its successor, the M5 MacBook Air, launched in March 2026 at $1,099 and rose to $1,299 in June when Apple raised prices because of memory costs (Forbes). Dell replaced the XPS 13 9340 in 2024 and released a new XPS 13 in June 2026 from $699 (Windows Central).

That makes this MacBook Air M3 vs Dell XPS 13 comparison a deal question. The M3 Air sold for $799 at Amazon in June 2026 (Wccftech). If you see either at a big discount, the results below tell you which one is worth it.

Battery life

This is the Air’s clearest win. In IT Pro’s video rundown, the MacBook Air M3 lasted 14 hours 33 minutes, against 12 hours 15 minutes for the XPS 13. LaptopMedia’s web-browsing test at 120 nits gave the Air “around 20 hours” and the XPS 16 hours 40 minutes. The XPS still lasts a full working day; the Air just goes further, and it doesn’t slow down on battery (Notebookcheck). The XPS loses about 43% of its multi-core speed when unplugged, according to Notebookcheck.

Performance

The two trade wins. The XPS 13’s 16-core Intel chip is faster at work that uses every core. Notebookcheck measured 13,511 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core against 10,074 for the Air, and the XPS rendered Blender’s BMW scene in 243 seconds against 558. The Air is faster per core (1,900 vs 1,685 in Cinebench R23 single-core), which is what most everyday apps rely on, and it leads Geekbench 6 single-core by a wide margin.

Under long, heavy loads both slow down. Notebookcheck found the Air settles about 19% below its peak with no fan noise at all. The XPS drops from 45W to about 24W after five minutes, roughly 40% less performance, and IT Pro measured its fans at 37 dBA with a “high-pitched whine”. For writing, browsing and photo editing, neither will hold you back. For video exports and code builds, the XPS finishes sooner but louder.

Display

On the standard screens, the Air’s is brighter and more colourful. Notebookcheck measured 525 nits and 98.4% of DCI-P3 on the Air against 429 nits and 69.4% on the base 1920 x 1200 XPS panel. The XPS screen does run at 120Hz, so scrolling looks smoother than on the Air’s 60Hz display.

Dell also sold a QHD+ 120Hz touch screen and a 2.8K OLED option with deep blacks and full DCI-P3 colour. We couldn’t find an independent test of the OLED version, so we can’t compare it directly.

Keyboard, trackpad and ports

Reviewers prefer the Air’s keyboard and trackpad (IT Pro, Notebookcheck). The XPS has an edge-to-edge keyboard with no gaps and a touch-sensitive function row with no physical Esc key, which Notebookcheck, IT Pro and PCWorld all found hard to use by feel. PCWorld did praise the XPS trackpad and its fast Windows Hello face login.

Ports favour the Air: MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports and a headphone jack. The XPS has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and nothing else, so you’ll want a dongle. In return, the XPS has Wi-Fi 7 and a user-replaceable SSD.

Which should you buy?

Buy the MacBook Air M3 if you want long battery life, silence and the better keyboard, and you’re happy on macOS. Buy the Dell XPS 13 if you need Windows, want a 120Hz or OLED screen, or do heavy multi-core work while plugged in. Pay attention to price: at $799, the Air is excellent value; at full launch price, the newer models are a better buy.

Not sure which matters most to you? Our free tech buying checklist walks through the questions to ask, and the Tech Buying Decision Kit lets you score laptops side by side. Looking at phones too? See our iPhone Duo vs Galaxy Z Fold8 comparison.

Sources

• Apple: MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024) specs
• Dell: XPS 13 9340 owner’s manual specs
• Notebookcheck: MacBook Air 13 M3 review and Dell XPS 13 9340 review
• IT Pro: MacBook Air 13 M3 review and Dell XPS 13 9340 review
• LaptopMedia: MacBook Air 13 M3 review and Dell XPS 13 9340 review
• PCWorld: Dell XPS 13 (2024) review
• Tom’s Guide: MacBook Air 13 M3 review
• MacRumors: M3 MacBook Air discontinued; Apple: MacBook Air with M5; Forbes: Apple price rise
• Windows Central: new XPS 13 from $699; Wccftech: M3 Air at $799