Dell XPS 15 vs MacBook Air M4
Dell XPS 15 (#3) vs MacBook Air M4 (#5, best value): in our Graphic Design Laptops scoring the Dell XPS 15 totals 8.9/10 and the MacBook Air M4 8.3/10, the Dell XPS 15 leading on Display Quality and Performance and the MacBook Air M4 on Portability and Value.
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Side by side
| Dell XPS 15 | MacBook Air M4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1799 | $1099 |
| OS | Windows 11 | macOS |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-13700H | Apple M4 (10-core CPU) |
| RAM | 16GB - 64GB | 16GB - 32GB |
| Storage | 512GB - 1TB SSD | 256GB - 2TB SSD |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4070 | Apple M4 (8 or 10-core) |
| Display | 15.6" OLED 3.5K 3456x2160 | 13.6" Liquid Retina 2560x1664 |
| Weight | 4.2 lbs | 2.7 lbs |
| Battery | Up to 13 hours | Up to 18 hours |
How they differ in real use
Built from our graphic design laptops scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Dell XPS 15 and the MacBook Air M4 made our Top 5 Graphic Design Laptops, at #3 and #5 (best value). The XPS 15 remains a polished Windows creator laptop with a strong OLED option and premium chassis, though its older platform keeps it behind the ProArt for demanding workloads. The MacBook Air M4 replaces the dead HP Envy listing as the lightweight value pick for Figma, Illustrator, Photoshop, and light creative work; it is not the right choice for heavy video or 3D.
We score graphic design laptops on Display Quality (35%), Performance (30%), Build Quality (15%), Portability (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Dell XPS 15 totals 8.9 out of 10 and the MacBook Air M4 8.3. The widest gap is Display Quality, where the Dell XPS 15 scores 9.5 against 8 for the MacBook Air M4 — color accuracy, brightness. Portability also separates them: 9.5 for the MacBook Air M4 versus 8 for the Dell XPS 15. The MacBook Air M4 claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Operating System — Windows 11 on the Dell XPS 15 versus macOS on the MacBook Air M4; CPU — Intel Core i7-13700H on the Dell XPS 15 versus Apple M4 (10-core CPU) on the MacBook Air M4; RAM — 16GB - 64GB on the Dell XPS 15 versus 16GB - 32GB on the MacBook Air M4; Storage — 512GB - 1TB SSD on the Dell XPS 15 versus 256GB - 2TB SSD on the MacBook Air M4; GPU — NVIDIA RTX 4070 on the Dell XPS 15 versus Apple M4 (8 or 10-core) on the MacBook Air M4; Display — 15.6" OLED 3.5K 3456x2160 on the Dell XPS 15 versus 13.6" Liquid Retina 2560x1664 on the MacBook Air M4.
Pricing as of July 5, 2026: $1,799 for the Dell XPS 15 and $1,099 for the MacBook Air M4, a $700 difference in the MacBook Air M4's favor. Owners praise the Dell XPS 15 for gorgeous OLED display and powerful Intel/NVIDIA specs; the most common complaint is webcam placement. Owners praise the MacBook Air M4 for exceptional battery life (up to 18 hours) and silent fanless design; the most common complaint is only 2 Thunderbolt ports.
Dell XPS 15
- Gorgeous OLED display
- Powerful Intel/NVIDIA specs
- Premium build quality
- Great keyboard
- Webcam placement
- Can run hot
- Expensive
MacBook Air M4
- Exceptional battery life (up to 18 hours)
- Silent fanless design
- 16GB RAM now standard
- M4 chip with 10-core CPU
- Only 2 Thunderbolt ports
- No ProMotion display (60Hz)
- Expensive for students
Which should you buy?
The Dell XPS 15 is the better fit for windows creators and photographers — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Display Quality and Performance. The MacBook Air M4 is the better fit for students wanting premium and macOS users, and the stronger choice if Portability and Value matter more to you than the overall score. If the $700 saving matters more than Display Quality, the MacBook Air M4 is the better value. The Dell XPS 15 is a poor fit for budget shoppers; the MacBook Air M4 is a poor fit for budget students.
Choose the Dell XPS 15 if
- Windows creators
- Photographers
- Video editors
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- Heavy gamers
Choose the MacBook Air M4 if
- Students wanting premium
- macOS users
- Long lecture days
Skip it if
- Budget students
- Windows users
Common questions
Is the Dell XPS 15 better than the MacBook Air M4?
In our Graphic Design Laptops ranking the Dell XPS 15 scores higher overall, 8.9 to 8.3, with the biggest advantage in Display Quality. The MacBook Air M4 is stronger on Portability and Value, so it is the better pick if those matter most to you.
How much more does the Dell XPS 15 cost than the MacBook Air M4?
$700 more as of July 5, 2026: $1,799 for the Dell XPS 15 against $1,099 for the MacBook Air M4. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Display Quality — 9.5 versus 8 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Dell XPS 15 and the MacBook Air M4?
The headline spec difference is Operating System: Windows 11 on the Dell XPS 15 versus macOS on the MacBook Air M4. In use, the gap that matters most is Display Quality (9.5 vs 8 in our scoring): color accuracy, brightness.