Yes, if you’re one of the many people who are pissed at the new Apple MacBook Pro for whatever reason and you think that Apple is trying to short change you with something that’s compromised then I have a suggestion for you. Forget the MacBook Pro for once and instead look towards a laptop that’s based on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. There are some great laptops out there which are running Windows 10 and most of them offer a great bang for your buck. The best one is the Dell XPS 13. It blends the best of what you used to get with the older MacBook Airs, with the firepower of what Apple is providing in its latest device with the practicality that some of these machines used to provide. The Dell XPS 13 to me is the best Windows laptop out there in the market and it has everything that you’d want from a high performance portable machine. So here I am making my case
Not only does the Dell XPS 13 have a sharper 3,200x1,800 pixels display, it also has a touch screen, which can come in handy. Now, the MacBook Pro 13-inch has a plenty sharp 2,560x1,600 pixels display which shouldn’t present any usability issues, but the lack of a touch screen can be an issue for a lot of people. More than this, there are literally no bezels surrounding the XPS 13 panel which looks super cool and ensures that the overall footprint of the notebook is slimmer.
Ports ports and ports
Some tech writers have literally written sonnets about how Apple has abandoned the pro users with the omission of the standard USB 2.0 jack and the microSD card slot. Well, in this case the Dell XPS 13 indeed does come to you rescue because it not only has a USB Type C thunderbolt connector, but also twin standard USB ports, a SD card reader, a headphone jack and a Kensington lock. The Dell XPS 13 has all your connector needs covered.
Great keyboard and trackpad
In these new MacBooks, Apple has shifted to butterfly switches which they first introduced on the retina MacBook last year. Many people complained about the lack of tactile feedback on the first-generation keys and people who have played around with the new MacBook Pro models have claimed that the keyboard isn’t a massive improvement. On the flipside, Dell’s keyboard is a delight to type on. In fact, this article has been typed on this very machine. It is tactile, clicky, spacious and basically provides one of the most satisfying typing experiences I have experienced on a notebook. The touchpad too is very good. It isn’t as good as what one is used to on a Mac, but it is easily one of the best on a Windows laptop and is almost on-par with the Mac.
Fast and furious
Despite being older than the MacBook Pro, this laptop is trotting similar hardware. In fact, you get the same Intel Skylake core i7 ultra voltage processor dual core processor and it is paired with 8GB of RAM. Our test unit of the XPS 13 comes with even 256GB of storage, which is plenty for most people considering users can hook it up with an external drive with a lot of ease. Yes, the MacBook Pros do have one of the fastest SSDs around but that for most people this will be a better bet
Roadrunner
The Dell XPS 13 is also lighter than the new MacBook Pro which weighs in at 3 pounds. The XPS 13 is slightly lighter at 2.93 pounds and yet it matches its battery life. In regular usage, I found that the XPS 13 would give around 8-9 hours which is within striking distance of the 10 hour battery life Apple claims with the new 13-inch MacBook Pro. It is also worth mentioning that all this happens despite the XPS 13 also having a thicker and heavier quad HD touchscreen. The variants that don’t have the touch panel are lighter at 2.7 pounds, and theoretically they should provide even better battery life.
Built to last
From the outside, it looks like any other Dell machine. This means it is well built, but it wouldn’t turn heads like Apple’s fashionista. However, on closer inspection one can’t help marvelling the engineering behind this wedge shaped machine and the gorgeous bezel-less screen which really puts the MacBook Pro to shame. The keyboard area is also rubberised giving the machine a more pro-grade look and it feels very comfortable to work on. This one is all about ergonomics
Affordable
While these are pertinent reasons for opting for the XPS 13 over the MacBook Pro, one should also factor in the price. At Rs 129,990 it isn’t cheap for the core i7 model, but then Apple outdoes Dell on that front. Apple is offering the base Core i5 model with just 2 USB Type C ports for Rs 129,900. If you want the high-end model that will set you back by another Rs 25,000 as it costs Rs 155,900. This means that the XPS 13 isn’t only a more functional notebook than the new MacBook Pro, but it is also more affordable. Who can argue with that combination?
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