Head to head
MacBook Pro 14" (M4) vs Dell XPS 14 (2024)
They split the 10 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: MacBook Pro 14" (M4) costs $100 less.
Catalog as of September 1, 2026
Why, in numbers
Swap
Compare a different laptop
Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition$999MacBook Air 13" (M3)$1,099MacBook Air 15" (M3)$1,299Dell XPS 13 (2024)$1,299Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (15")$1,499ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)$1,599HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)$1,699Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16$1,799Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12$1,849Framework Laptop 16$1,999MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Pro)$1,999Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition$1,999Dell XPS 16 (2024)$2,199ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)$2,299MacBook Pro 16" (2024)$2,499Razer Blade 16 (2024)$2,999MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,499Swap
Compare a different laptop
Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition$999MacBook Air 13" (M3)$1,099MacBook Air 15" (M3)$1,299Dell XPS 13 (2024)$1,299Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (15")$1,499ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)$1,599HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)$1,699Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16$1,799Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12$1,849Framework Laptop 16$1,999MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Pro)$1,999Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition$1,999Dell XPS 16 (2024)$2,199ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)$2,299MacBook Pro 16" (2024)$2,499Razer Blade 16 (2024)$2,999MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,499Buying for
Your devices
Straight answer
Overall: 5 to 5
Tied overall. MacBook Pro 14" (M4) is cheaper.
- The 10 rankable overall specs split 5 to 5.
- Saves $100 at list price.
Deal-breakers
tick what would make you walk away
- Trips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · NoClear:Dell XPS 14 · Yes (on OLED configuration)
- Trips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · No (soldered unified memory)Trips:Dell XPS 14 · No (soldered)
- Clear:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · 1× HDMITrips:Dell XPS 14 · No (via included USB-C to HDMI adapter)
- Trips:MacBook Pro 14" (M4) · macOS SequoiaClear:Dell XPS 14 · Windows 11 Home
At a glance
The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.
Panel≠
Apple
Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)
Dell
3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS)
Processor≠
Apple
Apple M4 (10-core CPU: 4 performance + 6 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)
Dell
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost)
Memory
Apple
16 GB unified memory
Dell
32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s)
Claimed battery life
Apple
Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours wireless web
Dell
Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED)
True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)
MacBook Pro 14" (M4)
Dell XPS 14
The 90-Day Owner Regret Check
Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.
Apple: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Dell: What to watch for
- Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Display
leads 3-1| Size | 14.2 inches | 14.5 inches (wins this row: higher) |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional) | 3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS) |
| Resolution | 3024 × 1964 (254 ppi) | 3200 × 2000 (3.2K) (wins this row: higher) |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz (ProMotion) | 120 Hz (variable VRR) |
| BrightnessNot on the official sheet | 1000 nits SDR, 1600 nits peak HDR (wins this row: higher) | 400 nits OLED / 500 nits IPS |
| Color | P3 wide color | 100% DCI-P3 |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes (on OLED configuration) (wins this row: has it) |
Performance
leads 2-0| Processor | Apple M4 (10-core CPU: 4 performance + 6 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine) | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost) |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics | Integrated 10-core Apple GPU with hardware ray tracing | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (30W TGP) |
| Memory | 16 GB unified memory | 32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s) (wins this row: higher) |
| RAM upgradable | No (soldered unified memory) | No (soldered) |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Storage upgradable | No (soldered SSD) | Yes (1× M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 slot) (wins this row: has it) |
Build & input
leads 2-0| Weight | 3.4 lb (1.55 kg) (wins this row: lower) | 3.70 lb (1.68 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 15.5 mm (0.61 inches) (wins this row: lower) | 18.0 mm (0.71 inches) |
| Materials | 100% recycled aluminum unibody | CNC machined aluminum and Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Keyboard | Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and full-height function row | Zero-lattice backlit keyboard with capacitive touch function row |
| Trackpad | Force Touch trackpad | Seamless glass haptic precision touchpad |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View | 1080p FHD RGB-IR camera with Windows Hello |
| Speakers | High-fidelity six-speaker sound system with force-cancelling woofers and Spatial Audio | Quad-speaker design (2W woofer + 2W tweeter, 8W total with Waves MaxxAudio) |
Ports
leads 1-0| Thunderbolt / USB-C | 3× Thunderbolt 4 ports (up to 40 Gb/s) | 3× Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort and Power Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI | 1× HDMI (up to 8K 60Hz or 4K 240Hz) | No (via included USB-C to HDMI adapter) |
| SD card | 1× SDXC card slot | 1× MicroSD v6.0 card slot |
| MagSafe | Yes (MagSafe 3) (wins this row: has it) | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes (3.5 mm with high-impedance support) | Yes (3.5 mm headphone/microphone combo) |
| Charger | 70W USB-C Power Adapter | 60W / 100W Type-C AC Adapter |
Battery
leads 1-0| Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet | Up to 24 hours video streaming / 16 hours wireless web (wins this row: higher) | Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED) |
|---|
Software
2 differences| Operating system | macOS Sequoia | Windows 11 Home |
|---|---|---|
| Repairability | Low (integrated SoC design) | Moderate (M.2 SSD and Wi-Fi replaceable) |
Which one should you buy
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
Pick this one if
Dell XPS 14 (2024)
14.5-inch creative laptop with CNC aluminum chassis, optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics, 3.2K 120Hz OLED touch display, and seamless glass haptic touchpad.
- Dedicated NVIDIA RTX 4050 GPU in a compact 14.5-inch footprint
- Vibrant 3.2K 120Hz InfinityEdge OLED touch display
- High-quality quad-speaker array with deep bass response
What you give up
- Heavier than typical 14-inch ultrabooks at 3.7 lb (1.68 kg)
- Capacitive touch function row instead of physical keys
Best for each use
Travel
For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 14" (M4).
Heavy work
Too close to call on heavy work from the spec sheets. Only memory is rankable here.
Longevity
Too close to call on longevity from the spec sheets. Only storage upgradable is rankable here.
Done deciding?
Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.
Manufacturer pages: MacBook Pro 14" (M4) ↗ · Dell XPS 14 (2024) ↗
Common questions
Which is cheaper, the MacBook Pro 14" (M4) or the Dell XPS 14?
MacBook Pro 14" (M4) costs $100 less at list price.
What is the biggest catch with the MacBook Pro 14" (M4) or Dell XPS 14?
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 MacBook Pro 14" (M4) or the Dell XPS 14?
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 Up to 12 hours
What cannot be compared from spec sheets?
Of the 29 specs tracked here, 19 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.