Head to head

Dell XPS 16 (2024) vs MacBook Pro 14" (M4)

MacBook Pro 14" (M4) leads 6 to 5 on the 11 rankable specs and costs $600 less, which makes it the straightforward pick.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Panel: Dell XPS 16 lists OLED touch (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 14" (M4) lists Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Processor: Dell XPS 16 lists Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 14" (M4) lists Apple M4 (10-core CPU: 4 performance + 6 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Memory: Dell XPS 16 lists 32GB LPDDR5x (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 14" (M4) lists 16 GB unified memory (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).
Claimed battery life: Dell XPS 16 lists ~8–12 hours mixed use (other published figure, not on maker sheet); MacBook Pro 14" (M4) lists Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours wireless web (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
Size: Dell XPS 16 lists 16.3 inches (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02); MacBook Pro 14" (M4) lists 14.2 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02).

Manufacturer list price, not a live offer. Confirm current pricing before you buy.

Dell XPS 16 (2024)

$2,1995 spec wins

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Compare a different laptop

Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition$999 MacBook Air 13" (M3)$1,099 MacBook Air 15" (M3)$1,299 Dell XPS 13 (2024)$1,299 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (15")$1,499 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)$1,599 HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)$1,699 Dell XPS 14 (2024)$1,699 Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16$1,799 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12$1,849 Framework Laptop 16$1,999 MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Pro)$1,999 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition$1,999 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)$2,299 MacBook Pro 16" (2024)$2,499 Razer Blade 16 (2024)$2,999 MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,499

MacBook Pro 14" (M4)

$1,5996 spec wins

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Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your laptop.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 5 to 6

Buy the MacBook Pro 14" (M4).

Leads 6 of 11 rankable overall specs; Dell XPS 16 takes 5.
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours… vs ~8–12 hours mixed use
Refresh rate: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz
It is also $600 cheaper.

Check first: the MacBook Pro 14" (M4) has no touchscreen. the MacBook Pro 14" (M4) has macOS, not Windows. Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

5 Dell XPS 1611 rankable of 29 specsMacBook Pro 14" (M4) 6

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No touchscreenrow
No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.
Clear:Dell XPS 16 · YesTrips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · No
RAM cannot be upgradedrow
The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.
Trips:Dell XPS 16 · No (soldered)Trips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · No (soldered unified memory)
No HDMI portrow
Projectors and meeting-room TVs need a dongle.
Trips:Dell XPS 16 · No native HDMIClear:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · 1× HDMI
macOS, not Windowsrow
Windows-only software such as some CAD, games and corporate VPN clients needs a workaround.
Clear:Dell XPS 16 · Windows 11Trips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · macOS Sequoia
Over 4 lb (1.8 kg)row
Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.
Trips:Dell XPS 16 · 4.5 lbClear:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · 3.4 lb
60 Hz displayrow
Scrolling and games look less smooth than on a 120 Hz panel.
Trips:Dell XPS 16 · 60 Hz (OLED config)Clear:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · 120 Hz

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

4 of 4 differ

Panel≠

Dell

OLED touch

Apple

Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)

Processor≠

Dell

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H

Apple

Apple M4 (10-core CPU: 4 performance + 6 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)

Memory

Dell

32GB LPDDR5x

Apple

16 GB unified memory

Claimed battery life

Dell

~8–12 hours mixed use

Apple

Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours wireless web

Commuter Portability & Lap Comfort Check

Real-world travel weight including chargers, bag fit, and lap thermals.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

Backpack Sleeve Compatibility

Dell

Requires dedicated 16" laptop bag compartment

Apple

Standard laptop bag sleeve

Lap Ergonomics & Vent Placement

Bottom intake vents can choke and heat up your lap when used on beds or couches.

Dell

Vapor chamber exhausts rear; heavy GPU workload warms lap

Apple

Standard hinge exhaust

Total Travel Weight (Chassis + Charger)

Always factor in the power adapter when calculating commuter bag weight.

Dell

4.70 lb laptop + 130W brick = ~5.8 lb total carry

Apple

Standard carry weight

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Dell: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Apple: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Dell XPS 16$2,1995 wins

MacBook Pro 14" (M4)$1,5996 wins

Display Performance Build & input Ports Battery Software

29 of 29 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Display

leads 3-2

Display specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Size	16.3 inches (wins this row: higher)	14.2 inches
Panel	OLED touch	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)
Resolution	3840 × 2400 (3.2K) (wins this row: higher)	3024 × 1964 (254 ppi)
Refresh rate	60 Hz (OLED config)	120 Hz (ProMotion) (wins this row: higher)
BrightnessNot on the official sheet	~400–500 nits typical OLED	1000 nits SDR, 1600 nits peak HDR (wins this row: higher)
Color	DCI-P3, touch + pen support	P3 wide color
Touchscreen	Yes (wins this row: has it)	No

Performance

leads 2-0

Performance specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H	Apple M4 (10-core CPU: 4 performance + 6 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics	Intel Arc + optional NVIDIA RTX	Integrated 10-core Apple GPU with hardware ray tracing
Memory	32GB LPDDR5x (wins this row: higher)	16 GB unified memory
RAM upgradable	No (soldered)	No (soldered unified memory)
Storage	1TB SSD	512 GB SSD
Storage upgradable	Yes (replaceable SSD) (wins this row: has it)	No (soldered SSD)

Build & input

leads 2-0

Build & input specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Weight	4.5 lb (2.04 kg)	3.4 lb (1.55 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Thickness	18.5 mm	15.5 mm (0.61 inches) (wins this row: lower)
Materials	Aluminum + carbon fiber	100% recycled aluminum unibody
Keyboard	Backlit chiclet	Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and full-height function row
Trackpad	Large haptic/precision glass	Force Touch trackpad
Webcam	FHD IR (Windows Hello)	12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View
Speakers	Quad speakers, Dolby Atmos	High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers and Spatial Audio

Ports

leads 1-0

Ports specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Thunderbolt / USB-C	2× Thunderbolt 4 + USB-C	3× Thunderbolt 4 ports (up to 40 Gb/s)
HDMI	No native HDMI (dongle)	1× HDMI (up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz)
SD card	microSD	1× SDXC card slot
MagSafe	No	Yes (MagSafe 3) (wins this row: has it)
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm)	Yes (3.5 mm with high-impedance support)
Charger	100W USB-C	70W USB-C Power Adapter

Battery

leads 1-0

Battery specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet	~8–12 hours mixed use	Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours wireless web (wins this row: higher)

Software

2 differences

Software specifications. Middle column is Dell XPS 16 (2024), right column is MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Operating system	Windows 11	macOS Sequoia
Repairability	Medium (SSD swappable; RAM not)	Low (integrated SoC design)

Most rows are from the official spec sheet. Marked rows are other published figures or our summary, not lab tests we ran.

Dell XPS 16 (2024) source MacBook Pro 14" (M4) source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Dell XPS 16 (2024)

Premium 16-inch Windows laptop with OLED touchscreen and Intel Core Ultra 9.

3.2K OLED touchscreen
Windows software and game compatibility
Carbon-fiber / aluminum build

What you give up

Battery life trails the MacBook
Can get warm under load
No MagSafe-style magnetic charge by default

Full Dell XPS 16 (2024) specs →

Pick this one if

MacBook Pro 14" (M4)

14.2-inch MacBook Pro powered by Apple M4 chip, Liquid Retina XDR display, 16GB unified memory standard, and 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports.

16GB RAM standard base configuration at $1,599
Class-leading battery life (up to 24 hours)
Liquid Retina XDR 120Hz ProMotion display with 1,000 nits SDR brightness

What you give up

Base M4 limited to 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports (Thunderbolt 5 requires M4 Pro/Max)
No touchscreen support

Full MacBook Pro 14" (M4) specs →

Best for each use

Travel

In a bag every day: weight, battery, a screen you can read on a train

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 14" (M4).

Leads 4 of 4 rankable travel specs.
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours… vs ~8–12 hours mixed use
Weight: 3.4 lb vs 4.5 lb
It is also $600 cheaper.

Heavy work

Video, 3D, compiles or games: CPU, GPU, memory and panel quality

Tied on heavy work. MacBook Pro 14" (M4) is cheaper.

The 2 rankable heavy work specs split 1 to 1.
Saves $600 at list price.

Longevity

Keep it five years: upgradable parts, repairability, ports without dongles

Too close to call on longevity from the spec sheets. Only storage upgradable is rankable here.

RAM upgradable: No vs No
Repairability: Medium vs Low

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Dell XPS 16 (2024) spec sheet MacBook Pro 14" (M4) spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Dell XPS 16 (2024) ↗ · MacBook Pro 14" (M4) ↗

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the Dell XPS 16 or the MacBook Pro 14" (M4)?

MacBook Pro 14" (M4) costs $600 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the Dell XPS 16 or MacBook Pro 14" (M4)?

MacBook Pro 14" (M4) has this deal-breaker: no touchscreen. No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.

Which is better for travel, the Dell XPS 16 or the MacBook Pro 14" (M4)?

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 14" (M4). Leads 4 of 4 rankable travel specs. Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours… vs ~8–12 hours mixed use

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 29 specs tracked here, 18 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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MacBook Air 13" (M3) vs Dell XPS 14 (2024)