Compare · Updated 1 Nov 2026
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) vs Dell XPS 13 (2026)
Get the MacBook Air. Far faster, 16GB and 512GB from the start, and longer battery. The Dell XPS 13 is lighter, touch, and a lot cheaper, but built for study and office work only.
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Which one is for you?
MacBook Air 13 (M5)
Get the Air if this sounds like you: five years or more of use, photo or video editing, an iPhone.
Is the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5) worth it?Dell XPS 13
Windows, study or office work, a tight budget? The XPS 13.
Is the Dell XPS 13 (2026) worth it?Key differences
MacBook Air 13 (M5)Dell XPS 13
Performance
Much faster, handles photo and video✓
Fine for study and office work
Memory
16GB✓
8GB or 16GB
Battery in tests
About 15 hours
About 14½ to 15 hours
Touchscreen
No
Yes✓
Weight
1.23kg
About 1kg✓
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: TechRadar, Expert Reviews, TechRadar: MacBook Pro 14, Expert Reviews: MacBook Pro 16, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 1 Nov 2026How we decide