We tested the Dell XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro M5 battery life — this is a close one

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Apple finally meets its match

Dell XPS 14 (2026) on a desk.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

I’m a lifelong Windows user, but I’ll be the first to admit that the best laptops running Microsoft’s operating system haven’t had the greatest battery life. That has started to change, first with Snapdragon X Elite laptops, and now with notebooks powered by Intel’s latest Core Ultra Series 3 processor. As I show in my latest video, we’re in a new era!

I recently reviewed the brand-new Dell XPS 14, and it’s more than just a much-needed return to basics. This is one of the best Windows laptops for showcasing Intel’s new “Panther Lake” chip, and the promises Intel made about efficiency (battery life) weren’t empty. As with the other Panther Lake laptops we’ve reviewed, the Dell XPS 14 matches or exceeds the best MacBooks in endurance.

Dell XPS 14 Battery Life Beats MacBook Pro?! - YouTube Dell XPS 14 Battery Life Beats MacBook Pro?! - YouTube
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Using our Tom’s Guide battery life test, which involves continuous web-surfing over Wi-Fi with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the Dell XPS 14 with an OLED panel lasted for close to 12 and a half hours.

That’s not bad, but still below a MacBook’s average of around 14 hours. However, things got really interesting when we tested the non-OLED model with a less demanding Panther Lake chip. In short, this machine has epic, MacBook-like endurance.

I not only compared the Dell XPS 14’s battery life to the 14-inch MacBook Pro M5, but also its Lunar Lake-powered predecessor, the Dell 14 Premium. While this XPS 14 model outlasted both of these laptops, the delta is significantly larger between the previous model, showing that Intel has indeed outdone itself. That said, the MacBook Pro M5 still offers insanely long battery life.

I’m purposely not giving away the final results here. For that, please check out the full video above to see exactly how long the Dell XPS 14 lasted when compared to the MacBook Pro M5 and some of the other long-lasting laptops we’ve tested. Let us know what you think down in the comments!

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Tony Polanco
Tony Polanco
Senior Computing Writer

Tony is a computing writer at Tom’s Guide covering laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending too much time on X/Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Rock/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and various independent gaming sites.

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