MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max vs Dell XPS 15
MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max (#1, best overall) vs Dell XPS 15 (#3): in our Graphic Design Laptops scoring the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max totals 9.4/10 and the Dell XPS 15 8.9/10, the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max leading on Performance and Display Quality and the Dell XPS 15 on Portability and Value.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max | Dell XPS 15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3499 | $1799 |
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Apple M3 Max | Intel Core i7-13700H |
| RAM | 36GB - 128GB | 16GB - 64GB |
| Storage | 512GB - 8TB SSD | 512GB - 1TB SSD |
| GPU | Apple M3 Max (up to 40-core) | NVIDIA RTX 4070 |
| Display | 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR 3456x2234 | 15.6" OLED 3.5K 3456x2160 |
| Weight | 4.8 lbs | 4.2 lbs |
| Battery | Up to 22 hours | Up to 13 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 MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max and the Dell XPS 15 made our Top 5 Graphic Design Laptops, at #1 (best overall) and #3. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is still the strongest all-around creative workstation in this data set thanks to its XDR display, quiet sustained performance, battery life, and broad creative-app support. 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.
We score graphic design laptops on Display Quality (35%), Performance (30%), Build Quality (15%), Portability (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max totals 9.4 out of 10 and the Dell XPS 15 8.9. The widest gap is Performance, where the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max scores 10 against 8.5 for the Dell XPS 15 — cPU, GPU, RAM. Display Quality also separates them: 10 for the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus 9.5 for the Dell XPS 15. The Dell XPS 15 claws back ground on Portability and Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Operating System — macOS on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus Windows 11 on the Dell XPS 15; CPU — Apple M3 Max on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus Intel Core i7-13700H on the Dell XPS 15; RAM — 36GB - 128GB on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus 16GB - 64GB on the Dell XPS 15; Storage — 512GB - 8TB SSD on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus 512GB - 1TB SSD on the Dell XPS 15; GPU — Apple M3 Max (up to 40-core) on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus NVIDIA RTX 4070 on the Dell XPS 15; Display — 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR 3456x2234 on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus 15.6" OLED 3.5K 3456x2160 on the Dell XPS 15.
Pricing as of July 5, 2026: $3,499 for the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max and $1,799 for the Dell XPS 15, a $1,700 difference in the Dell XPS 15's favor. Owners praise the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max for best laptop display and incredible M3 Max performance; the most common complaint is very expensive. Owners praise the Dell XPS 15 for gorgeous OLED display and powerful Intel/NVIDIA specs; the most common complaint is webcam placement.
MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max
- Best laptop display
- Incredible M3 Max performance
- All-day battery
- Best speakers
- Very expensive
- Heavy
- macOS only
Dell XPS 15
- Gorgeous OLED display
- Powerful Intel/NVIDIA specs
- Premium build quality
- Great keyboard
- Webcam placement
- Can run hot
- Expensive
Which should you buy?
The MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max is the better fit for professional creatives and video editors — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Performance and Display Quality. The Dell XPS 15 is the better fit for windows creators and photographers, and the stronger choice if Portability and Value matter more to you than the overall score. If the $1,700 saving matters more than Performance, the Dell XPS 15 is the better value. The MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max is a poor fit for budget shoppers; the Dell XPS 15 is a poor fit for budget shoppers.
Choose the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max if
- Professional creatives
- Video editors
- 3D artists
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- Windows users
Choose the Dell XPS 15 if
- Windows creators
- Photographers
- Video editors
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- Heavy gamers
Common questions
Is the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max better than the Dell XPS 15?
In our Graphic Design Laptops ranking the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max scores higher overall, 9.4 to 8.9, with the biggest advantage in Performance. The Dell XPS 15 is stronger on Portability and Value, so it is the better pick if those matter most to you.
How much more does the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max cost than the Dell XPS 15?
$1,700 more as of July 5, 2026: $3,499 for the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max against $1,799 for the Dell XPS 15. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Performance — 10 versus 8.5 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max and the Dell XPS 15?
The headline spec difference is Operating System: macOS on the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max versus Windows 11 on the Dell XPS 15. In use, the gap that matters most is Performance (10 vs 8.5 in our scoring): cPU, GPU, RAM.