Club Benefits
There was a time when a budget laptop meant cheap but with the release of the MacBook Neo, those days are thankfully over. Here at Computex 2026, I’ve been able to see firsthand how PC makers are responding and so far, Dell’s new XPS 13 is the most impressive MacBook Neo alternative yet.
After briefly discontinuing its iconic XPS brand, Dell brought it back at the beginning of this year. Now, alongside the new XPS 13, the company is also releasing a more powerful XPS 14 alongside its new XPS 16. While I also got to go hands-on with both of those more powerful and premium laptops, just like with the Neo, the XPS 13 feels like a breath of fresh air when it comes to the best laptops for students.
With a starting price of $699, it is slightly more expensive than the MacBook Neo. However, to make up for this, Dell is throwing in a few extras that Apple’s more affordable MacBook lacks like a backlit keyboard, a touchscreen and two full-featured USB-C ports (with one on either side).
Here’s why I think the XPS 13 could be the ideal MacBook Neo alternative for Windows users who aren’t ready to switch to macOS and one of the best budget laptops, especially if you prefer to travel light.
Dell XPS 13 vs Macbook Neo: Specs
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Dell XPS 13 | MacBook Neo |
|---|---|---|
Price | $699 starting ($599 for students) | $599 (256GB) / $699 (512GB) ($499 for students) |
Display | 13.4-inch InfinityEdge Touch (120Hz, 500 nits) | 13.0-inch Liquid Retina (60Hz, 500 nits) |
Processor | Intel Core 5 / Ultra 7 Series 3 | Apple A18 Pro (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU) |
Memory | 8GB LPDDR5x (Up to 32GB) | 8GB Unified Memory |
Storage | 512GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (Up to 1TB) | 256GB / 512GB SSD |
Ports | 2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4) | 2 x USB-C (One port limited to USB 2.0) |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6 |
Dimensions | 11.69 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches | 11.71 x 8.12 x 0.5 inches |
Weight | 2.2 Pounds | 2.7 Pounds |
Dell’s take on the Neo
Although we brought our own MacBook Neo on this trip, Dell did too to make comparisons between these two budget laptops even easier. Side by side, they’re both technically 13-inch laptops, even though the XPS 13 actually has a slightly larger 13.4-inch screen.
In addition to having a touchscreen, the XPS 13 also sports a faster, 120 Hz display. However, it features a variable refresh rate that can go all the way down to 30 Hz to help conserve battery life during less intensive tasks. They both top out at 500 nits of brightness.
While I had both laptops side by side, I was quite impressed with the XPS 13’s screen even though the Neo’s appeared to pop a bit more. Personally, I think this comes down to Apple equipping the Neo’s display with a more glossy finish.
Though you can’t see it here since our own Paul Antill has a retro-style skin on his personal MacBook Neo, both laptops have aluminum shells. However, while Apple went with anodized aluminum for the Neo, Dell used CNC-machined aluminum chassis for the XPS 13. This makes the XPS 13’s case feel smoother overall while the Neo’s is more textured.
With direct side to side comparisons out of the way, it was time to open up the XPS 13 and take it for a spin.
XPS for the rest of us
Historically, Dell’s Extreme Performance System or XPS line was reserved for its premium laptops and the first XPS 13 heralded the arrival of ultrabooks. Now though, the company’s giving everyone a chance to experience XPS at a much lower price point.
Right off the bat, I really like how XPS is front and center on the back of the XPS 13’s lid. To find the Dell logo, you need to flip it over. Just like with the Neo, the aluminum case gives this new laptop a more premium feel.
When you open the XPS 13 up, you can see where Dell had to cut a few corners to hit that $699 price point. While the XPS 14 and 16 come equipped with Dell’s zero-lattice keyboards, the XPS 13 has a chiclet-style one.
Honestly, I didn’t mind this at all. In fact, when I switched between typing on the XPS 13 and the Neo, I actually preferred Dell’s chiclet keyboard over Apple’s. The keys felt more satisfying to press down and there wasn’t nearly as much wiggle.
The XPS 13 and the Neo have similarly sized trackpads but what stuck out to me immediately was the differences between their notches. While the Neo has that same smaller notch you find on the rest of the best MacBooks, the one on the XPS 13 stretches across the width of its trackpad. It’s also not nearly as deep.
One thing you won’t find on the XPS 13’s keyboard is a fingerprint reader. However, instead of charging $100 extra for one (and some additional storage) like Apple does, Dell equipped this laptop with Windows Hello for quick logins.
In the picture above, you can barely see it though thanks to Dell’s InfinityEdge design. The XPS 13 has incredibly thin bezels all around and they make the Neo’s look massive when you see them next to each other.
Light but not lacking
It wasn’t until I was holding the two laptops in either hand that I realized just how light the XPS 13 was. At 2.2 pounds, it’s half a pound lighter than the Neo despite sporting nearly identical dimensions and this all comes down to cooling.
The MacBook Neo has a fanless design while the XPS 13 features two active fans. Of course, we’ll have to get one into our lab for testing to see whether or not they ramp up to the point of being distracting under load. However, in my time with the XPS 13, I didn’t notice them at all.
The other more important difference between the two is upgradeability. Now I don’t mean long-term as you’re not going to open either of these devices up like you would with a Framework Laptop. Instead, if you want configuration options, Dell has plenty.From RAM to storage, you can pay more to turn this student-focused laptop into quite a powerful machine. For instance, you could outfit the XPS 13 with 32GB of LPDDR5X, a 1TB SSD and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor.
Don’t get me wrong, the MacBook Neo is a fantastic laptop but it won’t be for everyone. With its new XPS 13, Dell has given the Windows diehards among us an excellent alternative.
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