Microsoft will advertise that its upcoming Windows laptops with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processor are faster than the MacBook Air with Apple’s latest M3 chip, according to internal documents obtained by The Verge.
“Microsoft is so confident in these new Qualcomm chips that it’s planning a number of demos that will show how these processors will be faster than an M3 MacBook Air for CPU tasks, AI acceleration, and even app emulation,” the report says. Microsoft believes its laptops will offer “faster app emulation” than Apple’s Rosetta 2.
Introduced in October, the Snapdragon X Elite has Arm-based architecture like Apple silicon. Qualcomm last year claimed that the processor achieved 21% faster multi-core CPU performance than the M3 chip, based on the Geekbench 6 benchmark tool.
There are a few caveats here, including that Microsoft and Qualcomm are comparing to Apple’s lower-end M3 chip instead of its higher-end M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. MacBooks with Apple silicon also offer industry-leading performance-per-watt, while the Snapdragon X Elite will likely run hotter and require laptops with fans. Since being updated with the M1 chip in 2020, the MacBook Air has featured a fanless design. Apple can also optimize the performance of MacBooks since it controls both the hardware and macOS software.
Nevertheless, it is clear that Apple’s competitors are making progress with Arm-based laptops. Microsoft plans to announce laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Elite later this year, including the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 on May 20.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
Apple agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models (“batterygate”), and eligible customers can now submit a claim for payment. Apple’s settlement received court approval on March 4, and the claims period began today, according to law firm Rochon Genova LLP. To submit a…
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook this week sold 196,410 shares of the company’s stock, which had a total value of approximately $33.2 million based on the average sale price of the transactions, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. After taxes, Cook netted nearly $16.4 million from the sales. Cook received all of the shares that he sold this week as a performance-based stock…
While rumors have been focused on new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, some Apple customers are wondering when the next iPad mini will be released. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said new iPad mini and entry-level iPad models will be released in late 2024 at the earliest. “The company is also working on new versions of the low-end iPad and iPad mini, but those…
This weekend, Best Buy has a sale on MacBooks, including the previous generation 15-inch MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro. As usual, Best Buy’s sale covers far more than just Apple products, and you’ll also find solid discounts on TVs, video games, and more during the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a…
Following a few notable discounts on MacBooks yesterday, Best Buy today introduced a sale on the 10th generation iPad, including numerous all-time low prices on the tablet. Prices start at $349.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, and include $100 markdowns on both Wi-Fi and cellular devices. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may…
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive have officially teamed up to design an AI-powered personal device and are seeking funding, reports The Information. Little is known about the AI device at this time, but it won’t look like a smartphone. Altman is a major investor in the Humane AI pin, a wearable AI device that does not have a screen, so it’s possible he will create …
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 256GB model is on sale for $849.00 and the 512GB model is available for $1,049.00. These deals beat the previous prices by about $50, and you don’t need to be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to get them.
You can get both models in all four colors: Starlight, Space Gray, Silver, and Midnight. Following the introduction of the M3 MacBook Air, Apple knocked the price of the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air down by $100, and it’s still selling them alongside the M3 model.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
Apple agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models (“batterygate”), and eligible customers can now submit a claim for payment. Apple’s settlement received court approval on March 4, and the claims period began today, according to law firm Rochon Genova LLP. To submit a…
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook this week sold 196,410 shares of the company’s stock, which had a total value of approximately $33.2 million based on the average sale price of the transactions, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. After taxes, Cook netted nearly $16.4 million from the sales. Cook received all of the shares that he sold this week as a performance-based stock…
While rumors have been focused on new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, some Apple customers are wondering when the next iPad mini will be released. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said new iPad mini and entry-level iPad models will be released in late 2024 at the earliest. “The company is also working on new versions of the low-end iPad and iPad mini, but those…
This weekend, Best Buy has a sale on MacBooks, including the previous generation 15-inch MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro. As usual, Best Buy’s sale covers far more than just Apple products, and you’ll also find solid discounts on TVs, video games, and more during the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a…
It has been nearly 18 months since Apple last updated its iPad lineup, and customers are anxiously waiting for new models to be announced. For months, there have been rumors about new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but the estimated timeframe for their release has been repeatedly pushed back from March to April to May. In defense of these rumors, it does sound like Apple has experienced…
Following a few notable discounts on MacBooks yesterday, Best Buy today introduced a sale on the 10th generation iPad, including numerous all-time low prices on the tablet. Prices start at $349.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, and include $100 markdowns on both Wi-Fi and cellular devices. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may…
With the launch of the new Dell XPS 14, a lot of prosumers are going to be looking at the newest addition to the XPS lineup and how well it compares to the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch. This is especially true given that these two are among the best laptops ever made, and the difference between the two is a lot closer than you might think.
The Dell XPS 14 is one of the best Windows laptop models on the market right now, offering outstanding performance, phenomenal style, and fantastic specs for the price.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M3), meanwhile, is a powerhouse on just about every level, including the best battery life you’re going to find anywhere.
So how do these two fan-favorites match up one on one? I have the data and the expertise to help you navigate this major purchase, and I’m here to help you make the right decision for your needs and budget.
XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro 14: Price
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch starts at $1,599/£1,699/AU$2,699, powered by the Apple M3 chip, 8GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD storage. This can scale up all the way to an astounding $6,899/£6,999/AU$11,149 for an M3 Max with 16-core CPU and 40-core GPU, 128GB unified memory, and 8TB storage. This also includes the 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display (3,024 x 1,964p) with variable refresh up to 120Hz, up to 600 nits SDR brightness, a peak brightness of 1,600, and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
The XPS 14, meanwhile, starts cheaper at $1,499/£1,599/AU$2,998.60, which includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with integrated Intel Arc graphics, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and 512GB storage. It packs a 14.5-inch FHD+ display with a peak brightness of 500 nits. It maxes out at $3,399/£3,079/AU$5,999.40 with the Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, 64GB LPDDR5x RAM, 4TB PCIe SSD, and a 14.5 3.2K (3,200 x 2,000p) OLED touch display with 120Hz refresh, Dolby Vision, and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1.
Considering the lower starting price of the XPS 14, while also offering you more memory and a more powerful processor, the XPS 14 does win in the end when it comes to price.
XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro 14: Design
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Design-wise, these two laptops are very close in terms of overall aesthetic.
Both come in attractive finishes and feature a slender profile that makes them very easy to carry with you wherever you go.
The MacBook Pro 14 does come out ahead in terms of ports, but only just barely owing to the dedicated SD card slot and an HDMI out, in addition to three Thunderbolt ports.
The XPS 14, meanwhile, has support for a microSD card, so you can still move photos from a camera to your laptop, you’ll just need an adapter. You don’t get an HDMI out on the XPS 14, but the Thunderbolt ports on it do support DiplayPort video output, so you’re not totally cut off from an external monitor.
The keyboards and trackpads are going to be a matter of taste, but I find the MacBook keyboard to be superior here, while the XPS 14’s keyboard and trackpad are controversial and not the best for accessibility, but if you love the look and feel of the XPS 14’s new keydeck and trackpad, there’s nothing else like it out there.
In terms of displays, the MacBook Pro 14 comes with a Liquid Retina XDR display regardless of your configuration, but the XPS 14’s OLED 3.2K panel is an optional, and pricey, upgrade, with the standard display being a FHD+ (1200p) non-OLED, non-touch panel.
Having used both, the Dell XPS 14’s OLED panel can go toe-to-toe with the Liquid Retina XDR on the MacBook Pro 14, but the standard FHD+ is going to fall well short of what Apple’s offering.
XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro 14: Performance
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The MacBook Pro 14-inch with the new M3-series of processors offer some of the most powerful performance you can find, no matter what you need it for. But the Dell XPS 14 isn’t that far off from where the Apple MacBook Pro 14 lands, especially when compared to the Apple M3 and Apple M3 Pro configurations.
That said, in most instances the Dell XPS 14 is falls short and in a few cases it is simply outclassed by the MacBook Pro 14 across the board.
Among the highlights for the XPS 14 is its ray tracing performance, noted in 3DMark Solar Bay and Solar Bay Unlimited, where it manages to beat out even the M3 Max in the former, and coming in second behind the M3 Max in the latter.
Possibly the strongest category for the XPS 14 was in its gaming performance, where the XPS 14 handily beat came in a close second in three of the games tested, both at 1080p/1200p as well as native resolutions on max settings. Even without the help of DLSS upscaling, the XPS 14 performs better than just about any MacBook Pro 14 configuration on the market, but with DLSS 3 and Frame Generation technology, there are few games where the MacBook Pro 14-inch is going to compete, assuming the game in question is playable at all on a Mac, which most aren’t.
Still, on balance, there’s no getting around the fact that the MacBook Pro 14-inch is the better performer overall, though it’s not as clear a win for Apple’s premiere laptop as most people would likely expect.
XPS 14 vs MacBook Pro 14: Battery life
(Image credit: Future)
There’s no sugarcoating it when it comes to battery life: The MacBook Pro 14-inch wipes the floor with the XPS 14. It’s not close, as the MacBook Pro gets nearly double the battery life of the XPS 14 with OLED display. The non-OLED FHD+ display will get you better battery life, but it still can’t compete with what Apple’s M3-series chips are capable of.
Winner: MacBook Pro 14-inch
Which one should you buy?
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re looking for the best laptop overall, then it’s honestly going to be the MacBook Pro 14-inch. Whether it’s an M3, M3 Pro, or M3 Max configuration, it simply outperforms the Dell XPS 14 in most places where it counts for this kind of laptop.
That said, if you’re a Windows user and you’re here to find some reason to hope that the XPS 14 will give you a MacBook Pro 14-like experience, than you’ll be happy with what you’re getting. There are some shortcomings, like battery life, but overall this is about as close to a MacBook Pro 14 as you are going to get with a Windows laptop.
This weekend, Best Buy has a sale on MacBooks, including the previous generation 15-inch MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro. As usual, Best Buy’s sale covers far more than just Apple products, and you’ll also find solid discounts on TVs, video games, and more during the event.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
15-Inch M2 MacBook Air
Starting with the 15-inch 256GB M2 MacBook Air, you can get this model for $999.00, down from $1,299.00. The 512GB model has hit $1,199.00, down from $1,499.00. Both of these are record low prices on the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air.
M3 MacBook Pro
14-Inch
Starting with the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, there are three total models on sale right now at Best Buy. The cheapest model is the 512GB M3 Pro model at $1,749.00, down from $1,999.00.
Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price.
16-Inch
You’ll find bigger deals on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, particularly on the M3 Max models of the computer. For the M3 Pro models, prices start at $2,249.00 for the 512GB/18GB RAM 16-inch MacBook Pro and increase to $2,649.00 for the 512GB/36GB RAM model, both of which are all-time low prices.
Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price.
More Deals
PS5
Sony’s PlayStation 5 Slim console launched last November and Best Buy and other retailers have been hosting solid deals on the hardware for a few weeks now. At Best Buy, you can get the PS5 Slim (Disc Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle for $449.99, down from its launch price of $499.99.
The PS5 Slim (Digital Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle is available for $399.99, down from $449.99. Sony increased the price of the Digital Edition by $50 at the launch of the new Slim consoles, so this deal effectively brings the price back down to the level of the original PS5 Digital Edition.
Both bundles also include the Spider-Man 2 game as a digital download, which is an extra value worth $69.99 when not on sale. You can also find video game gift cards on sale at Best Buy this week, as well as Nintendo Switch consoles and games.
TVs
A highlight of the TV sale at Best Buy is a new offer that includes a free 65-inch class Samsung 4K TV, and free installation, when you purchase select Samsung TVs. Additionally, My Best Buy Plus/Total members can save $100 on these TVs. You can find the full list of eligible TVs on Best Buy’s website.
Of course, there are many more deals on TVs beyond Samsung, including big savings on LG, TCL, Sony, Hisense, and Insignia. Many of these deals are available to all shoppers, but some do require a My Best Buy Plus/Total membership in order to see the all-time low prices.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Now’s the time to upgrade to a laptop from 2022. Photo: Apple
Sure, it’s nice to get the latest MacBook model when you can, but not everyone needs a mega-powerful M3 chip. And that’s especially true when you can save hundreds on laptops with a merely super-powerful M2 chip. Best Buy is offering M2 MacBook Air models for up to $400 off as well as other deals.
But if you want to spend even less — or if you really want an M3 MacBook — we’ve included a selection of deals below. There are sweet deals on refurbished M1 and M2 MacBook Air models as well as $200 off a selection of M3 MacBook Pro models.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
M2 MacBook Air deals get you up to $400 off
Released in July 2022 to stellar reviews, M2 MacBook Air is still a great laptop. One publication called it “Apple’s near-perfect Mac.”
“The new MacBook Air is a success on virtually every level,” said another review. “It’s got a better screen, thinner and lighter design, better speakers, a much-improved webcam, an excellent keyboard and trackpad, more convenient charging, and excellent build quality.”
But you might still want a newer machine. We included a selection of newer and older models below. They’re all on sale!
Best Buy this week continues to offer all-time low prices on the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, which is available for $300 off right now at the retailer. Anyone can get these deals and you don’t need a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership to see the discounts.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Starting with the 15-inch 256GB M2 MacBook Air, you can get this model for $999.00, down from $1,299.00. The 512GB model has hit $1,199.00, down from $1,499.00. Both of these are record low prices on the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air.
If you’re shopping for the new 15-inch M3 MacBook Air, you can find the first discounts on this computer at Amazon. However, anyone looking to save money should focus on Best Buy’s discounts on the M2 MacBook Air, which is still a solid option for most workflows and everyday tasks.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
A first look at iOS 18’s rumored visionOS-style redesign may have been revealed by a new image of the Camera app. Alleged iOS 18 design resource. MacRumors received the above iPhone frame template from an anonymous source who claims they obtained it from an iOS engineer. It will allegedly be included as part of the Apple Design Resources for iOS 18, which helps developers visually design apps …
Apple is exploring various “personal robotics” projects in an effort to create its “next big thing,” according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Amazon’s Astro robot One of these projects is described as a “mobile robot” that would “follow users around their homes,” while another is said to be an “advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around”:Engineers at Apple have…
Nearly one year after it launched in the U.S., the Apple Card’s high-yield savings account will be receiving its first-ever interest rate decrease. Starting on April 3, the Apple Card savings account’s annual percentage yield (APY) will be lowered to 4.4%, according to data on Apple’s backend discovered by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The account currently has a 4.5% APY. 4.4% will …
Apple has yet to release the first beta of iOS 17.5 for the iPhone, but two changes are already expected with the upcoming software update. iOS 17.5 will likely allow iPhone users in the EU to download apps directly from the websites of eligible developers, and the update might include some changes to how Apple ID recovery contacts work. More details about these potential changes follow. W…
Apple today added a handful of devices to its public-facing vintage and obsolete products list, including some older iPhone and iPad models. Apple now considers the iPhone 6 Plus to be “obsolete” worldwide, meaning that Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers no longer offer repairs or other hardware service for the device. Apple says it considers a product “obsolete” once seven…
Best Buy is discounting a large collection of M3 MacBook Pro computers today, including both the 14-inch and 16-inch versions of the laptop. Every deal in this sale requires you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, although non-members can still get solid second-best prices on these MacBook Pro models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and…
Apple researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system named ReALM (Reference Resolution as Language Modeling) that aims to radically enhance how voice assistants understand and respond to commands. In a research paper (via VentureBeat), Apple outlines a new system for how large language models tackle reference resolution, which involves deciphering ambiguous references to…
The Dell XPS 14 is the newest entrant into an already storied line of laptops, and it is arguably the best laptop of this newest crop of XPS devices thanks to its powerful new processor, stunning OLED display, and a design that looks better than just about any other Windows laptop on the market.
The XPS 14 9440 starts at a somewhat pricey $1,499 / £1,599 / AU$2,998.60, and it lacks the dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and OLED display, so you’ll want to upgrade these two specs in particular, though it will end up costing you much more for the privilege.
To be clear, Dell XPS laptops have never been cheap, but my recommended configuration, the same as the one I reviewed, will set you back nearly $2,400 / £2,650 / AU$4,300. For the hardware packed into such a slim 14-inch form factor, it’s more than worth the investment as this laptop will last for years before it becomes obsolete.
In terms of design, the XPS 14 fully commits to the design changes that the Dell XPS 13 Plus introduced back in 2022, but introduces a couple of quality-of-life improvements on its smaller cousin.
For one, the down-firing speakers have been moved up top alongside the keyboard, producing far better sound in exchange for diminishing the XPS 13 Plus’s infinity edge-style keyboard. This is a much better design choice, ultimately, and you don’t sacrifice much in the way of key space on the deck itself.
The display is what really steals the show here: a gorgeous 3.2K OLED display with super-slim bezels. This latter feature is impressive because Dell has somehow managed to squeeze in a 1080p webcam. There’s no physical privacy shutter, but that’s never really been Dell’s thing, unfortunately.
The Dell XPS 14’s Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the Nvidia RTX 4050 deliver powerful performance across all workloads, and in some cases can even match or exceed what you’d get from a MacBook Pro 14-inch, especially for gaming (though the RTX 4050 isn’t nearly powerful enough to keep up with the best gaming laptops).
Overall, the Dell XPS 14 9440 is a powerful performer for everything from everyday computing use to 1080p gaming to moderate content creation. It’s an expensive investment, but on balance, it’s one of the best Windows laptops you can buy right now.
Dell XPS 14 9440: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
How much does it cost? Starting at $1,499 / £1,599 / AU$2,998.60
When is it out? It’s available right now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia
The Dell XPS 14 9440 is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $1,499 / £1,599 / AU$2,998.60. For that price, you get an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor with integrated Arc graphics, 16GB LPDDR5x memory, 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD storage, and a 14.5-inch full HD+ (1920x1200p) non-touch display.
My review unit, which sells for $900 / £1,050 / AU$1,300 more, upgrades to discrete graphics with an Nvidia RTX 4050 (30W) GPU, 32GB LPDDR5x memory, 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD, and a 14.5-inch 3.2K (3200x2000p) OLED display.
You can max out your configuration with 64GB LPDDR5x RAM and 4TB M.2 PCIe SSD, in addition to the above, for $3,399 / £3,238.99 / AU$5,999.40.
Dell XPS 14 9440: Specs
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Dell XPS 14 9440
Header Cell – Column 0
Base configuration
Review configuration
Max configuration
Price
$1,499 / £1,599 / AU$2,998.60
$2,399 / £2,649 / AU$4,298.80
$3,399 / £3,238.99 / AU$5,999.40
CPU
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
GPU
Intel Arc Graphics
Nvidia RTX 4050 (30W)
Nvidia RTX 4050 (30W)
Memory
16GB LPDDR5x
32GB LPDDR5x
64GB LPDDR5x
Storage
512GB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
4TB PCIe SSD
Display
14.5-inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge, 500-nits
14.5-inch 3.2K 93200 x 2000) OLED Infinity Edge Touch
14.5-inch 3.2K 93200 x 2000) OLED Infinity Edge Touch
Dell XPS 14 9440: Design
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Gorgeous design
OLED display is stunning
Upfiring speakers
The Dell XPS 14 doesn’t shy away from the design choices that the XPS 13 Plus introduced, for better or for worse, but it does make some very important improvements to the previous design iterations.
For one, let’s talk about top-firing speakers. Down-firing speakers are genuinely terrible. They might be necessary, but they’re terrible, and any time we can get top-firing speakers on a laptop, your audio experience is automatically going to improve substantially.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
The exterior finish comes in two colors: Platinum or Graphite. The finish is a CNC machined aluminum with a glass palm rest, and everything about it feels premium. The chasis itself isn’t all that heavy, but it’s not as light as something like the LG Gram or some of the best ultrabooks that prioritize portability over performance.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
For ports, you have three Thunderbolt 4 ports with power delivery and DisplayPort output, a 3.5mm combo jack, and a microSD slot. Given its size, I’m not expecting all that much on the ports front, but it’s good to see the microSD slot included since this at least gives some flexibility for creative professionals or those who might have a device that saves to microSD, like one of the best drone models.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
As for the keyboard, this is one area that’s not so great, since the nearly flat surface of the keys makes it difficult for touch typers who are used to a bit more definition to find their place among the keys. You’ll get used to it, but it’s not the best typing experience I’ve ever had on a keyboard out of the box.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Another major issue is the trackpad, in that it’s invisible. This does give the laptop a bit of a ‘future’ feel to it, but at the cost of accessibility. Likewise, the touchbar along the top is in place of actual function keys. All of these features work fine enough for me, but I can see someone with reduced vision struggling with this keyboard and trackpad.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Next, you have the webcam. Somehow, Dell managed to fit a 1080p webcam into the narrow top bezel of the display panel, and it’s a welcome addition. Too many laptops skip the 1080p webcam in order to retain the thin bezels, and that was fine in the pre-work-from-home era, but nowadays, you need a quality webcam, there’s just no getting around it.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Finally, the air intake on the Dell XPS 14 comes in from the side and bleeds out the back though a vent underneath the display hinge. The heat management is ok, but given its thin form factor, the underside can get hot under load.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
As far as Windows laptops go, this is possibly one of the best-looking laptops going. There are some who won’t love—or even like—the planar-leveled keyboard and lack of physical function keys or clearly defined trackpad, but overall, there is way more to like here than to nitpick, especially if you’re opting for the OLED display.
Dell XPS 14 9440: Performance
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Excellent all-around performance
Surprisingly competitive against the MacBook Pro for creative work
Fantastic productivity and solid gaming performance
Finally we come down to the performance of the Dell XPS 14, and I can definitely say that it is among the best you’re going to get on a laptop right now.
The direct rival of the Dell XPS 14 is the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro, and the XPS 14 holds its own against the best Apple has to offer in terms of general performance, features superior gaming performance, and also manages to battle the MacBook Pro 14 to a draw for some typical creative workloads.
While the MacBook Pro 14-inch ultimately offers better single-core performance and slightly better multicore performance, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU does an admirable job against one of Apple’s best processors.
In terms of overall system performance, the MacBook Pro 14 with M3 Pro (11-core) does manage to score about 23% better in our Crossmark benchmark, as well as scoring about 12% better in Geekbench 6.2’s multicore performance test.
The two laptops are evenly matched for SSD performance, and the MacBook Pro 14-inch scores better in 3DMark’s Wildlife Extreme and Wildlife Extreme Unlimited. The RTX 4050 in the XPS 14, meanwhile, pulls ahead of the M3 Pro’s GPU in Solar Bay and Solar Bay Unlimited, which are ray-tracing workloads, so this shouldn’t be surprising as Nvidia’s hardware can handle ray tracing far better than Apple’s chips right now.
In terms of creative performance, the Nvidia RTX GPU in the XPS 14 will outperform pretty much any comparable Apple device when it comes to 3D modeling, since just about every 3D modeling tool relies on Nvidia’s CUDA instruction set, so Apple, AMD, and Intel will always be at a disadvantage.
When it comes to video encoding, the XPS 14 manages to encode a 4K video into 1080p about 7% faster in Handbrake 1.7, though depending on the app you’re using, Apple’s specialized encoding engine might be determinative. If you’re a creative pro working in film and video, you’ll know which tools play best with Apple and which lean towards Nvidia, so which is better will come down to the tools you’ll ultimately need to use.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Finally, taking the average 1200p gaming performance on Max settings, the Dell XPS 14 does a better job than the MacBook Pro 14 across the board. The XPS 14 does about 62% better with Civilization VI, getting nearly 90 fps at 1200p with performance and memory impact set to max. In Total War: Warhammer III’s battle benchmark, the XPS 14 gets around 40 fps, which is about 25% higher than the MacBook Pro 14-inch’s 32 fps. It’s only in Shadow of the Tomb Raider that the MacBook Pro 14-inch scores a win, getting 48 fps at 1200p on highest settings, while the Dell XPS 14 manages to get 47 fps, but there’s a huge caveat there.
This doesn’t factor in the RTX 4050’s DLSS upscaler, which can push the XPS 14’s fps much higher than that, depending on the settings you select. This is a huge advantage for the XPS 14 that, for right now at least, Apple’s best MacBook struggles to counter since its upscaler, Apple MetalFX, is developer-dependent, and not a lot of games include it as an option.
In the end, then, the Dell XPS 14 manages to go toe-to-toe with the venerable MacBook Pro 14 and comes out with some very important wins in the process.
Dell XPS 14 9440: Battery life
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Intel Evo is back, baby!
Charges to full in less than 90 minutes
Intel chips have not had good battery life for years. Back in 2020, Intel Evo was a big deal, and one of its biggest qualifiers was achieving more than 9 hours of battery life on a standard battery test. With the 12th-gen Intel Alder Lake laptop processors released in 2021, battery life on Intel laptops absolutely tanked, and Intel Evo faded away for a few years as Intel went through Alder Lake, Raptor Lake, and Raptor Lake Refresh, all of which had generally terrible battery life (even on an ultrabook!).
Now, with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Intel seems to have refocused itself on more battery efficiency rather than dumping electrons into maximum performance.
The Dell XPS 14 benefits with a nine-hour 35-minute battery life on our proprietary web surfing test, which is far better than the six or seven hours these laptops were getting just a year or two ago.
Under heavier load, the XPS 14 still struggles to get more than seven hours of battery life on PCMark 10’s Modern Office battery test, and the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test only ran for about one hour 50 minutes before shutting down.
These are a far cry from what Apple is able to pull off with the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro, which lasted about 17 hours 32 minutes in our battery tests, but knowing where Windows laptops have been in the past couple of years, I’ll gladly take a laptop that can last a full workday without a charge.
Should you buy a Dell XPS 14 9440?
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Buy the Dell XPS 14 9440 if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider
Dell XPS 14 9440: Report card
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Value
While it can get very expensive, the Dell XPS 14 starts at a fairly reasonable price and gives you good specs for the investment.
4 / 5
Design
This is easily one of the best looking Windows laptops you can buy, even if some of its design quirks will irk some and will be a deal breaker for a few people.
4.5 / 5
Performance
The XPS 14 goes toe-to-toe with the MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro and manages to walk away with its head held high.
5 / 5
Battery Life
While not nearly as long-lasting as the MacBook Pro 14-inch, the Dell XPS 14 gets decent battery life for a Windows laptop.
4 / 5
Total
The Dell XPS 14 is one of the best laptops I’ve tested this year, and while it’s an investment, it’ll pay dividends for many years to come.
4.38 / 5
First reviewed April 2024
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained – regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it’s on our radar.
We see many, many dual-display computer setups in our coverage, with the vast majority being two screens of the same size, whether they’re oriented differently or not. But that’s not always the case. Today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro and Windows laptop rig sports different-size dual displays that even have different resolutions. But it works for the user, a systems engineer who works for a software developer.
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M1 Pro MacBook Pro drives dual displays of different sizes and resolutions in setup
Systems engineer and Redditor Stephen Horan (u/stephotosthings) showcased the dual-display setup in a post entitled “Finishing Touches.” The setup runs a 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro and an unidentified Windows laptop through an Anker 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 dock to a pair of external displays and other peripherals.
“I work as a system engineer for a software developer, and swap the MacBook out to a Windows laptop with the Thunderbolt dock, Bluetooth accessories [Logitech MX series mouse and mechanical keyboard],” Horan said. “Personal workflows are photo editing, AI generation, media consumption and some gaming.”
Odd-couple dual displays
On Friday we covered Horan’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro connecting through a 5-in-1 Anker Thunderbolt 4 dock to peripherals. On Monday we’ll focus in more detail on the two odd-couple, different-size dual displays displays. They’re not only different sizes, they’re different resolutions.
The pair of displays would seem to suit Horan’s work and play, as well as his Mac and PC laptops. One is a 25-inch Dell U2520D UltraSharp 1440p monitor running at 60Hz refresh rate (Mac-friendly). The other is a 43-inch Gigabyte Aorus FV43u 4K gaming display running at 144Hz (PC friendly).
Dell display specs
25-inch QHD USB-C multi-monitor setup
2560 x 1440p display resolution
60Hz refresh rate
Dell Express Daisy Chaining automatically detects second display (no need to change OSD settings).
Up to 90 watts of power delivery to laptop via USB-C.
Quick-access side ports for connecting and charging devices.
Compact base saves space.
Tilt, swivel, pivot and adjust the height of monitor for comfort.
Gigabyte display specs
43-inch Super Speed VA Display
3840 x 2160p display resolution
NVIDIA G-SYNC compatible
Contrast Ratio : 4000:1
Brightness: 300cd or m²
144Hz refresh rate
High Bit Rate 3 support
1ms response time
KVM Monitor, and 8-bit color plus FRC
98 percent AdobeRGB or 96 percent DCI-P3 and VESA Display HDR1000 technology
Different-size dual displays: Should he go bigger?
But Horan said he wouldn’t rule out upgrading to slightly bigger displays — even though one one of his is already a whopping 43 inches.
“Been working on a cleanish-but-lived-in-feeling setup for a few years,” he said. “I still wonder about going up to a 48-inch monitor and a 27-inch vertical. But if I can get my hands on a cheap LG DualUp in place of the 16:9 vertical monitor then I definitely won’t.”
And if you like the desktop wallpaper on the displays (most clearly on MacBook Pro), Horan said he got it from Basic Apple Guy.
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If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to [email protected]. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches, challenges and plans for new additions.
The 43-inch Gigabyte Aorus display features a 144Hz refresh rate, 3820 x 2160p HBR3 resolution, NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, built-in noise reduction, 1ms response time and HDR 96% DCI-P3 color gamut.
Best Buy is discounting a large collection of M3 MacBook Pro computers today, including both the 14-inch and 16-inch versions of the laptop. Every deal in this sale requires you to have a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership, although non-members can still get solid second-best prices on these MacBook Pro models.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
These deals are part of a larger sitewide sale at Best Buy, which also includes discounts on video games, TVs, tablets, headphones, and more. Another highlight of this event is the PlayStation 5 Slim Bundle with Marvel’s Spider-Man for $449.99, down from $499.99. The PlayStation 5 Slim (Digital Edition) Spider-Man 2 Bundle is available for $399.99, down from $449.99. These are both solid $50 discounts on the rarely discounted console.
14-Inch MacBook Pro
Starting with the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro, there are three total models on sale right now at Best Buy. The cheapest model is the 512GB M3 Pro model at $1,749.00, down from $1,999.00.
Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price.
16-Inch MacBook Pro
You’ll find bigger deals on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, particularly on the M3 Max models of the computer. For the M3 Pro models, prices start at $2,249.00 for the 512GB/18GB RAM 16-inch MacBook Pro and increase to $2,649.00 for the 512GB/26GB RAM model, both of which are all-time low prices.
Note: My Best Buy Plus/Total membership required to see final deal price.
Be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will…
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting “later” in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the “fall…
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple’s AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these…
Apple’s WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company’s next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and…
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical …
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple’s very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple’s native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple’s Vision …
Both the Apple MacBook Air and the Dell XPS 13 are outstandingly good premium laptops – and both are on sale for some of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen currently.
For example, Walmart currently has the Apple MacBook Air M1 for just $699, which isn’t just a record-low price but a whopping $300 cheaper than the original retail price. Granted, it’s an older 2020 model, but this is a superb deal for a machine that’s still more than capable for most users in 2024.
Over at the official Dell store, you can pick up a 2022 XPS 13 for just $599 – which is almost unbelievable considering how premium this Windows laptop is. With super-thin display bezels and a gorgeous aluminum chassis, this model is a great buy right now – just know that it’s the configuration with the 256GB SSD (like the M1 MacBook above).
Two outstanding good laptop deals
But, which is the better deal right now?
(Image credit: Future)
Windows vs MacOS – it’s a battleground that’s been around for as long as computers have been a thing. In 2024, both eco-systems offer incredible app support, superb interfaces, and plenty of headroom for upgrades down the line. So, realistically, it comes down to personal preference in regard to which is best for you.
That said, we’d single out the MacBook Air M1 as an incredible bang-for-the-buck option for most people right now. Apple products haven’t traditionally been known for their value, but this M1 MacBook is barely as expensive as some refurbished and second-hand models right now. It’s quite simply a ton of laptop for the money.
Not only that, but the M1 chipset inside the MacBook Air is incredibly power efficient, which lends not only to excellent battery life but a unique fan-less design that’s almost silent in operation. Performance-wise, there won’t be much between the two laptops, but the Air will provide better battery life overall.
With all that said, both of these laptops are fantastic, powerful, and, above all, cheap. If your budget is around $600 to $700, you can’t go wrong with either choice.
Want to see what else is available this week? Head on over to our laptop deals and MacBook deals pages for more recommendations.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
