Today’s Mac Pro and smart TV setup is a rare find for two reasons. First, Mac Pro costs so much that we rarely see it in the wild. Second, while big smart TVs used as computer displays continue to gain popularity, we don’t often hear users saying they’re one of the best they’ve ever had. But that’s the case with this LG C2 smart TV setup, used by a photographer and musician.
In it, a powerful cheese-grater Mac Pro drives a gargantuan 42-inch smart TV as an external display.
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42-inch LG C2 smart TV works beautifully in Mac Pro setup
Photographer and Redditor johnnyphotog showcased the impressive setup in a post entitled, “Mac Pro Creation Station.” John’s Mac Pro (96GB memory, 2TB plus 16GB fast internal storage, dual 6900XT graphics with afterburner) drives a massive 42-inch LG C2 Series OLED smart TV.
On Friday, we focused on the setup’s killer Mac Pro. On Monday we look a bit more closely at that display.
Giant LG C2 smart TV as Mac Pro display
Commenters showed as much or more curiosity about the big display as they did about the Mac Pro.
“Do you find any weird issues with lag/latency when using the TV as a monitor?” asked a commenter. “That was something I read that deterred me from going this route, but I kinda wish I gave it another look.”
“Nope, in fact, the LG C2 42-inch works better than most monitors I’ve used in the past!” John replied.
He even posted a video review he taped about using the smart TV as a monitor (see above). He pointed out that MacBook Pro users got HDMI 2.1 recently, meaning they can view 120Hz 4K and take great advantage of smart TVs like the C2, with its 120Hz refresh rate and 3820 x 2160p ultra HD resolution.
And of course an OLED panel like this one achieves astonishingly high contrast, with a 1 million to 1 contrast ratio and remarkably deep-black tones. The TV also incorporates Cinema HDR technology with 100% color accuracy (1 billion colors in a wide gamut). For gaming, it features a low-latency mode, Nvidia GeForce Now and a less-than 1ms response time. It’s also HomeKit and AirPlay 2 compatible. See all C2 specs here.
John explained to another post commenter that he rests the big keyboard on a stand with sliders so he can tuck it under his desk.
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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.
Recent Android 14 betas have been a treasure trove of information about possible features coming to Android 15. We learned not too long ago that the operating system may introduce Private Space for securing sensitive information on a smartphone. Now new details are emerging on future changes that could alter how users interact with their mobile devices.
News site Android Authority unearthed these details inside the Android 14 QPR2 patch from early March. Several lines of code reference something called “Bluetooth Auto-On”. According to the publication, it will automatically activate Bluetooth connectivity if it’s turned off. They state that if someone turns it off, a toggle option will appear to give the phone the ability to turn on Bluetooth the following day. Android 15 reportedly will include text reminding users that enabling the connection is important for certain features; namely Quick Share and Find My Device.
Of course, this is all optional. You’ll still be able to deactivate Bluetooth any time you want for as long as you want without having to toggle anything.
Insight into Bluetooth Auto-On doesn’t stop there as more information was dug up from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) by industry insider Mishaal Rahman. Rahman states only system apps work with the tool. It’s not going to be compatible with third-party software. Also, it may not be exclusive to Android 15. There’s a chance the update could come to older OS versions; however, it won’t work on all devices.
Adapative screens
The second feature is “Adaptive Timeout” which was discovered within a developer preview for Android 15. Very little is known as the lines of code don’t reveal much.
But they do say it will automatically turn off your “screen early if you’re not using your device.” On the surface, this may seem like Screen Timeout although Rahman states it’s something totally different. Judging by its description, it operates similarly to Attention Aware on iPhone.
Adaptive Timeout would utilize some sort of metric, either by detecting your face through the camera or taking collecting input through sensors, to know if you’re directly interacting with the smartphone. If you stop using the device, the feature will turn off the display. Screen Timeout, by comparison, is just a timer. The screen will stay on until the timer runs out even if you’re not interacting with the phone. An argument could also be made that, due to its proactive nature, the tool can extend a device’s battery life and protect your data from prying eyes.
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What’s interesting about Adaptive Timeout is it may be an exclusive update for Google Pixel. Rahman says he found evidence of the tool referencing a Google namespace, suggesting it won’t be available on the “open-source version of Android”.
As always, take everything you see here with a grain of salt. Things can always change. And be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Android phones if you’re looking to upgrade.
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 claim, visit the settlement website, select “Submit a Claim” in the top menu, and follow the steps. A serial number for an eligible iPhone is required. The deadline to submit a claim is September 2.
Each affected customer will receive a payment of between $17.50 (CAD) and $150 (CAD) from Apple per valid claim submitted, with the exact payout amount to be dependent on the total number of claims submitted.
To be eligible, you must be a current or former resident of Canada (excluding Québec) who owns or owned an iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and/or iPhone SE with iOS 10.2.1 or later installed or downloaded, and/or an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with iOS 11.2 or later installed or downloaded, before December 21, 2017.
Apple has denied all of the allegations as described in the lawsuit, and the settlement does not represent an admission of fault. The settlement allows for Apple to avoid the additional time and costs involved with continued litigation.
Apple was sued in multiple Canadian provinces over iPhone battery throttling in 2018, including Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. The cases were filed shortly after Apple revealed that it had started throttling the maximum performance of some iPhone models with “chemically aged” batteries, when necessary, to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. Apple introduced this power management system in iOS 10.2.1, but it initially failed to mention the change in that update’s release notes, leading to public outcry. Apple eventually apologized about its lack of transparency, and temporarily lowered the price of iPhone battery replacements to $35 (CAD) until the end of 2018.
April 5, 2006: Apple introduces the public beta of Boot Camp, software that allows users with an Intel-based Mac to run Windows XP on their machines.
Boot Camp will officially arrive in Mac OS X Leopard, which debuts at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference a few months later.
Apple’s Boot Camp lets Windows run on Macs
As noted in yesterday’s “Today in Apple history,” the legal battles between Microsoft and Apple over similarities between the Windows and Mac operating systems ran throughout the late 1980s and 1990s.
Ultimately, Microsoft did not wipe out Apple as many expected early on. However, it became pretty clear to everyone that Microsoft emerged as the victor in terms of mainstream operating systems. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said so himself in Fortune magazine in 1996, around the time he returned to Cupertino.
“The PC wars are over,” Jobs said. “Done. Microsoft won a long time ago.”
By 2006, however, things were changing, and Boot Camp illustrated Apple’s — and the Mac’s — growing popularity. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had stopped running the company half a decade earlier. Microsoft got stuck in a relative slump after hitting its peak valuation at the height of the dot-com bubble.
Apple, on the other hand, found a way to rebound. Just a few years after releasing the iPod in 2001, the MP3 player made up the bulk of Apple’s revenue, moving the Mac to second place. The “halo effect” of the iPod, however, helped bring Macs to a whole new audience. (A series of innovative Mac hardware designs didn’t hurt, either.)
“Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple’s superior hardware now that we use Intel processors,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said at the time. “We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch.”
Boot Camp simplified Windows installation on an Intel-based Mac by providing a simple, step-by-step graphical assistant application. It made it easy to create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, burn a CD with all necessary Windows drivers, and install Microsoft’s operating system from a Windows XP installation CD.
After installing the software, users could choose to run either Mac OS X or Windows when they restarted their computers.
Boot Camp did not mark the end of hostilities between Apple and Microsoft, though. Anyone who thought this was Apple acknowledging that Windows also had something valuable to offer would soon be disabused of that notion — when Apple debuted its “Get a Mac” ads talking trash about Windows PCs.
Apple silicon signals twilight for Boot Camp
In 2020, Apple began switching the Mac lineup from Intel processors to its own custom chips. One side effect is that Boot Camp does not run on Apple silicon. Users with Macs powered by Apple’s M1, M2 and M3 chips must rely on virtualization software like Parallels or VMWare Fusion if they want to run Windows.
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 been exploring a mobile robot that can follow users around their homes, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the skunk-works project is private. The iPhone maker also has developed an advanced table-top home device that uses robotics to move a display around, they said.
Apple is investigating the use of AI algorithms that would help robots “navigate cluttered spaces within people’s homes,” the report says. Apple has apparently wanted to create robots that can “handle chores, like cleaning dishes in a sink,” but Gurman said this feat is unlikely this decade due to “extraordinarily difficult engineering challenges.”
Apple’s home robot could compete with the likes of Amazon’s Astro, which serves as a mobile virtual assistant and provides home security monitoring.
As for the table-top device, Gurman said one idea was for its display to “mimic the head movements” of a person on a FaceTime video call. However, he said Apple has faced technical challenges related to “balancing the weight of a robotic motor on a small stand,” and some Apple executives have apparently debated whether to develop such a device.
The robotics projects are said to be in the very early stages of research, and it is unclear if any will ever be released. For now, they are just moonshot ideas, but they are fascinating ones for sure.
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 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…
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 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…
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…
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’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…
Apple today released the first beta of iOS 17.5 to developers, and as expected, the update introduces support for downloading apps from developer websites in the European Union.
In iOS 17.4, Apple began allowing developers to offer their apps through alternative app marketplaces in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple initially intended for apps to only be available through these marketplaces, but in March, Apple said that it would in fact be adding support for downloading apps directly from websites.
To offer an app for download from a website in the European Union, developers need to meet specific criteria. Developers need to be a member of the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more and must have an app with more than one million first installs on iOS in the European Union in the prior year. Other requirements include submitting to Apple’s notarization process and publishing transparent data collection policies.
Apple will provide authorized developers with an API that allows them to offer their apps for download via the web. Apps downloaded this way will be able to be backed up, restored, updated, and more.
This is the first time that Apple has sanctioned downloading an app directly from a website. Support for this feature will allow apps like Spotify, Fortnite, and others to be downloaded directly on iPhones should the developers behind those apps opt in to Apple’s terms.
Apps offered through the web do not have to pay any commission to Apple, but they are subject to the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee.
As with alternative app marketplaces, app downloads from the web are available in the European Union only under the terms of the DMA. Note that apps can only be downloaded this way on the iPhone as the changes do not apply to the iPad.
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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)
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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.
Many versions of Linux may be vulnerable to a flaw that allowed hackers to steal passwords, or change the contents of their clipboard.
The vulnerability, however, comes with a major caveat that makes exploitations somewhat unlikely (or at least heavily limited).
Cybersecurity researcher Skyler Ferrante recently discovered an “improper neutralization of escape sequences in wall” vulnerability, a flaw impacting the “wall” command. This command is usually used to broadcast messages to the terminals of all users logged to the same system.
WallEscape
With escape sequences not being properly filtered when processing input through command line arguments, a threat actor could, theoretically, launch a prompt to all connected users and have them type in their administrator password. Escape sequences could also be used to change the clipboard of a target user, although this method may not work with all terminal emulators.
The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2024-28085, and dubbed WallEscape. It was fixed in Linux version 2.40, released in March 2024, but that means it has been present in Linux versions for the past 11 years.
While a proof-of-concept (PoC) for the vulnerability exists, and a practical application could occur, multiple factors need to align, first. For example, the attacker needs to have physical access to a Linux server, to which multiple other potential victims are already connected through the terminal. If you’re still worried about your Linux server being targeted, there is a solution. Linux released an upgrade to linux-utils v.2.40, which patches the vulnerability.
Usually, these updates are available through the LInux distribution’s standard update channel, so keep an eye out. Furthermore, system administrators can fix the issue by removing the setgid permission from the “wall” command, or by disabling the message broadcast functionality using the “mesg” command to set its flag to “n”.
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Python Package Index (PyPI), the largest repository of Python packages, has once again been forced to suspend new account and new project registrations.
Cybersecurity experts from both Checkmarx and Check Point observed a large-scale cyberattack in which threat actors tried to upload hundreds of malicious packages to the platform, in an attempt to compromise software developers and mount supply chain attacks.
The packages mimic legitimate ones already uploaded to PyPI, an attack usually called “typosquatting”. It relies on developers being reckless and picking up the malicious version of the package, instead of the legitimate one.
While Checkmarx says the attackers tried to upload some 365 packages, Check Point claims at least 500. Regardless of the total number, the attack’s goal is to get the victims to install an infostealer with persistence capabilities. This infostealer grabs, among other things, passwords stored in browsers, cookies, and cryptocurrency wallet-related information.
Registrations reopened
PyPi seems to have addressed the issue in the meantime, as at the time of writing, registrations were reopened.
PyPI is the world’s biggest repository for open-source Python packages, and as such, is facing a constant barrage of cyberattacks.
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In an announcement posted on the PyPI status page, the organization said: “The volume of malicious users and malicious projects being created on the index in the past week has outpaced our ability to respond to it in a timely fashion, especially with multiple PyPI administrators on leave.”
It took the company the entire weekend to lift the suspension.
April 5, 2006: Apple introduces the public beta of Boot Camp, software that allows users with an Intel-based Mac to run Windows XP on their machines.
Amazon’s Astro robot
