Head to head

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

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) leads 7 to 3 on the 10 rankable specs, but Dell XPS 14 (2024) costs $1,800 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Panel: MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Processor: MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Memory: MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists 36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB) (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s) (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Claimed battery life: MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web (other published figure, not on maker sheet); Dell XPS 14 lists Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED) (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
Size: MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) lists 16.2 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 14 lists 14.5 inches (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

$3,4997 spec wins

Swap

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 MacBook Pro 14" (M4)$1,599 HP Spectre x360 16 (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 Dell XPS 16 (2024)$2,199 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)$2,299 MacBook Pro 16" (2024)$2,499 Razer Blade 16 (2024)$2,999

Dell XPS 14 (2024)

$1,6993 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: 7 to 3

Buy the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max).

Leads 7 of 10 rankable overall specs; Dell XPS 14 takes 3.
Memory: 36 GB unified memory vs 32 GB LPDDR5x
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours… vs Up to 12 hours
Dell XPS 14 is $1,800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if memory matters to you.

Check first: the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) has no touchscreen. the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) has macOS, not Windows. the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) weighs over 4 lb (1.8 kg). Tick them under deal-breakers if that rules it out.

7 MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)10 rankable of 29 specsDell XPS 14 3

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No touchscreenrow
No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · NoClear:Dell XPS 14 · Yes (on OLED configuration)
RAM cannot be upgradedrow
The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · No (soldered unified memory)Trips:Dell XPS 14 · No (soldered)
No HDMI portrow
Projectors and meeting-room TVs need a dongle.
Clear:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · 1× HDMI 2.1Trips:Dell XPS 14 · No (via included USB-C to HDMI adapter)
macOS, not Windowsrow
Windows-only software such as some CAD, games and corporate VPN clients needs a workaround.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · macOS SequoiaClear:Dell XPS 14 · Windows 11 Home
Over 4 lb (1.8 kg)row
Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) · 4.7 lbClear:Dell XPS 14 · 3.70 lb

At a glance

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

4 of 4 differ

Panel≠

Apple

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

Dell

3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS)

Processor≠

Apple

Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)

Dell

Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost)

Memory

Apple

36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB)

Dell

32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s)

Claimed battery life

Apple

Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web

Dell

Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED)

True 3-Year Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Upfront price + 3 years of consumables, fees & essential add-ons

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

Upfront list price$3,499

3-Year Estimated Total$3,499

Dell XPS 14

Upfront list price$1,699

Essential add-ons (USB-A / HDMI adapter dongle)+$30

3-Year Estimated Total$1,729

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

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: 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.

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,4997 wins

Dell XPS 14$1,6993 wins

Display Performance Build & input Ports Battery Software

29 of 29 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Display

leads 3-1

Display specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Size	16.2 inches (wins this row: higher)	14.5 inches
Panel	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (nano-texture optional)	3.2K OLED InfinityEdge touch (or FHD+ IPS)
Resolution	3456 × 2234 (254 ppi) (wins this row: higher)	3200 × 2000 (3.2K)
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

6 differences

Performance specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Processor	Apple M4 Max (16-core CPU: 12 performance + 4 efficiency, 16-core Neural Engine)	Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 cores: 6P + 8E + 2 Low Power E, Intel AI Boost)
Graphics	Integrated 40-core Apple GPU with hardware ray tracing	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU (30W TGP)
Memory	36 GB unified memory (configurable up to 128 GB) (wins this row: higher)	32 GB LPDDR5x (7467 MT/s)
RAM upgradable	No (soldered unified memory)	No (soldered)
Storage	1 TB PCIe 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

7 differences

Build & input specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Weight	4.7 lb (2.14 kg)	3.70 lb (1.68 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Thickness	16.8 mm (0.66 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

Ports specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Thunderbolt / USB-C	3× Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s)	3× Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
HDMI	1× HDMI 2.1 (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	140W USB-C Power Adapter (fast-charge capable)	60W / 100W Type-C AC Adapter

Battery

leads 1-0

Battery specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet	Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours wireless web (wins this row: higher)	Up to 12 hours (IPS) / ~8-9 hours (OLED)

Software

2 differences

Software specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max), right column is Dell XPS 14 (2024).
Operating system	macOS Sequoia	Windows 11 Home
Repairability	Low (integrated SoC design)	Moderate (M.2 SSD and Wi-Fi replaceable)

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

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

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)

16.2-inch professional powerhouse with Apple M4 Max chip, Liquid Retina XDR with nano-texture option, Thunderbolt 5, and up to 24 hours battery life.

Unrivaled M4 Max CPU/GPU sustained performance
Liquid Retina XDR with up to 1,600 nits HDR and optional nano-texture glass
Three high-speed Thunderbolt 5 ports (up to 120 Gb/s)

What you give up

Heavy at 4.7 lb (2.14 kg)
Expensive high-end configuration

Full MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) specs →

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

Full Dell XPS 14 (2024) 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 16" (M4 Max).

Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; Dell XPS 14 takes 1.
Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 hours… vs Up to 12 hours
Thickness: 16.8 mm vs 18.0 mm
Dell XPS 14 is $1,800 cheaper. Pay the difference only if claimed battery life matters to you.

Heavy work

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

Too close to call on heavy work from the spec sheets. Only memory is rankable here.

Processor: Apple M4 Max vs Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Graphics: Integrated 40-core Apple GPU with hardware… vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU

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: Low vs Moderate

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.

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

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

Common questions

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

Dell XPS 14 costs $1,800 less at list price.

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

MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max) 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 16" (M4 Max) or the Dell XPS 14?

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max). Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; Dell XPS 14 takes 1. Claimed battery life: Up to 24 hours video streaming / 17 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.

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