Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Which is the Better XPS Laptop?

Do you want to get either a Dell XPS 13 or 15 laptop but you don’t know which one? This Dell XPS 13 vs 15 comparison will be your guide.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: At First Glance

Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 are incredibly exquisite and are two of Dell’s leading products. These two laptops leave the impression that Dell makes laptops that are nearly perfect.

Since they are made by the same manufacturer, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 share many obvious similarities. For instance, they both sport thin and appealing designs, as well as new InfinityEdge displays with practically no bezels for maximum immersion.

While both laptops may share some similarities, they also have a lot of differences. For instance, compared to XPS 15 7590, XPS 13 7390 is the more portable laptop.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 7590 is bigger and offers more configuration options than the Dell XPS 13 7390. In fact, the Dell XPS 15 7590 looks like the more powerful laptop judging from both laptops’ spec sheets.

Furthermore, although both laptops offer impressive features, your purchasing decision will ultimately depend on the purpose for which you want to get the laptop. Moreover, both laptops have pros and cons that make them better suited to certain users.

Let’s take a closer look at what the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 have to offer so we can help you make an informed purchasing decision.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Design, Dimension & Weight

In the past few years, Dell has constantly narrowed down the significant changes made to its XPS laptops’ design. After all, their awesome blend of aluminum and carbon fiber has been the winning formula for their XPS laptops. 

They’ve made this combination so nearly perfect that I’ve been somehow convinced that aluminum and carbon fiber are a match made in “tech’s heaven”. 

Anyone with a special liking for a modern stylish laptop design will find it impossible to not fall in love with the combination. Moreover, the aluminum and carbon fiber has helped Dell build an identity with which its XPS series compete with Apple’s MacBooks.

The XPS series has been a testament to intuitive and continuous design. Even up till now, it is a bit difficult to entirely differentiate the XPS laptops from their predecessors. 

Being members of the XPS family, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590’s designs have seen very few changes. One could almost say Dell took the ”if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”’ approach. 

However, it is obvious that the users’ complaints about the bottom bezel camera have filled Dell’s ears. They have now fixed the XPS’s most obvious design flaw by repositioning the camera in its rightful place which is above the display.

Unlike the classic platinum-silver and dark grey color combination on the Dell XPS 15 7590, the XPS 13 7390 offers another option. You can also buy the Dell XPS 13 7390 that sports the winter white color theme.

This model is the one we are considering for our comparison. It has an elegant Frost White lid with an anodized aluminum finish that feels cool to the touch.

Despite how undeniably gorgeous it looks, I find it hard to admit that anything can beat the classic platinum-silver and dark grey combination in laptop designs. Moreover, this color combination is what has given Dell the ability to maintain the XPS’ identity as both professional and fashionable.

Moving on to the other design elements of these laptops, on the center of both laptops’ lids, you’ll see the shiny Dell logo that adds just the right touch of sparkles to the laptops. However, there’s a slight difference between the logos on both though.

While the Dell XPS 13 7390 sports a silver plate Dell logo, the Dell XPS 15 7590 features a dark grey Dell logo.

In my opinion, the color difference is the right design choice. After all, both logos beautifully contrast the colors of the lids that house them.

The Dell XPS 15 7590 even looks cooler when you notice that the dark grey color on the logo also runs around the edges of the laptop.

Unlike the Dell XPS 15 7590, you will be welcomed by the same color theme you observed on the XPS 13 7390’s exterior. While the Dell XPS 13 7390 serves more of its winter white scheme, the Dell XPS 15 7590 features a black carbon-fiber keyboard deck.

The Dell XPS 13 7390’s keyboard is housed by an incredibly beautiful Arctic White glass-fibre weave. It felt like ASMR – for the hands – when I ran my fingers across the textured surface.

What’s even more impressive is that the glass-fibre weave is claimed to be stain-proof.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 7590’s carbon-fiber deck not only adds a touch of style to the laptop but also adds a feeling of rigidity. Though it makes the laptop feel rigid, the sensual pleasure this deck still offers is incredible.

Unfortunately, it has the tendency to easily retain grease and oil stains.

Moving on to the keyboard itself, the Dell XPS 13 7390 and the Dell XPS 15 7590 feature different stylings. While the Dell XPS 13 7390 features an edge-to-edge keyboard, the Dell XPS 15 7590 comes with an island-style keyboard.

The Dell XPS 13 7390’s edge-to-edge keyboard features larger keycaps than the Dell XPS 15 7590’s island-style keyboard. They are about 10% bigger to be exact.

Despite their big sizes, the keys on the Dell XPS 13 7390 are well spaced. Similarly, the keys on the Dell XPS 15 7590 have enough spacing between them.

In general, typing on both keyboards was incredibly comfortable. Despite the Dell XPS 15 7590’s 1.1 mm shallow key travel, I still had a wonderful typing experience.

In addition, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and the Dell XPS 15 7590’s keyboards have backlight features. I was able to type out this comparison article on the Dell XPS 13 7390 in a dark room thanks to its backlighting.

Furthermore, I carried out a typing test on both laptops – 10fastfingers typing test. With the Dell XPS 15 7590, I was able to hit my 68 words per minute average. 

When I carried out the same test on the Dell XPS 13 7390, I was able to type 70 words per minute which is slightly above my 68 words per minute average.

Below both laptops’ keyboards, there are generously large touchpads. However, the sizes of the touchpad on both laptops differ by a little.

For reference purposes, the Dell XPS 13 7390’s touchpad is 17% larger than its predecessors’ touchpads. Even the Dell XPS 15 7590’s 4.1 x 3.1-inch isn’t as large as the Dell XPS 13 7390’s 4.4 x 2.6 inches touchpad.

Dimensions aside, both touchpads are large enough for a comfortable web navigation experience. Moreover, they are very responsive to the touch.

Performing Windows 10 gestures such as pinch-zoom and three-finger swipe were buttery smooth on both laptops. I also found the bottom corners of both touchpads to be clicky and firm enough. 

As their name suggests, one of the biggest differences between the Dell XPS 13 7390 and the Dell XPS 15 7590 is their size. The Dell XPS 13 7390 has an insanely small size for a 13-inch notebook. 

I bet you wouldn’t believe it if I told you it has a form factor that is similar to Apple’s old 11-inch MacBook Air. It measures 302 x 199 x 15.8 mm and weighs 1230 g.

The Dell XPS 15 7590 also has a smaller, lighter, and thinner form than the average 15-inch laptop. In fact, its form factor is more like a 14-inch notebook. 

It measures 357 x 235 x 11-17 mm and its weight ranges from 1800 g – 2000 g.

In general, both laptops have smaller sizes than their display size indicates. Though they are both relatively slim and lightweight, the XPS 13 is more portable.

Despite their slim and lightweight builds, both laptops are incredibly sturdy and resistant to flex. Both laptops barely budged when I applied slight pressure on their lids and keyboard decks.

Likewise, the twin-coil hinge on the Dell XPS 13 7390 and the single hinge on the Dell XPS 15 7590 are very sturdy. 

If you are not amazed by both laptop’s sturdiness, just wait until you find out about the constituents of their packaging trays. According to Dell, 25% of their packaging trays are built with ocean plastics, while the remaining 75% are recycled from other plastics.

Thanks to Dell’s InfinityEdge design, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 feature nearly invisible bezels displays. 

Turn both laptops upside down and you will get a better view of their bottom-firing speakers. Despite the positioning of their speakers, both laptops still offered loud and clear audio.

Moving on to ports, the port selection of both laptops is quite different. The Dell XPS 13 7390 offers you one USB-C 3.1 port, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a microSD card reader. 

Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 15 7590 offers more ports. It offers you 2 USB 3.1 ports, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 Thunderbolt 3 port, and a full-sized SD card reader.

Both laptops come with 3.5mm headphone jacks, and also include a USB-C to USB-A adapter in the box.

In conclusion, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 have stunning designs. Though I find the Dell XPS 15 7590 to be more elegant and premium, the XPS 13 7390’s design is not bad either.

Besides, If you are someone who prefers a very portable laptop, the XPS 13 7390 will be the most ideal option between the two laptops. Hence, both laptops score a nine in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 design comparison for their excellent builds.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Processor (CPU) Performance

Both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 offer some rare processor types. While the Dell XPS 13 7390 offers only one processor configuration option, the Dell XPS 15 7590 offers a range of configuration options.

As for the Dell XPS 13 7390, you get a quad-core Intel Core i7-10510U processor. This processor has a base frequency of 1.8 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.9 GHz.

The Dell XPS 15 7590 on the other hand, offers three configurations for its processor. You can buy the laptop with either a 4-core Intel Core i5-9300H, a 6-core Intel Core i7-9750H, or an 8-core Intel Core i9-9980HK processor.

The Core i5-9300H processor has a base frequency of 2.40 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.10 GHz. Meanwhile, the Intel Core i7-9750H has a base frequency of 2.6 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.5 GHz.

In addition, the Core i9-9980HK processor has a base frequency of 2.40 GHz and a boost frequency of 5.0 GHz. For this comparison, we will be looking at a Dell XPS 15 7590 model that comes with Intel Core i9-9980HK.

That being said, lets go into the details of the processor performance of both laptops. 

In general, both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 rock the show like heavyweights. You will be amazed to find out just how powerful these laptops are despite their lightweight.

Both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 seamlessly carried out the basic computing operations I performed on them. Document editing, sending of emails, and web surfing was all light work for both laptops.

I ran a series of benchmark and real-world tests to ascertain the performance power of both laptops. In my tests, I noticed that both Dell laptops were unable to maintain high Turbo Boost clock rates for long durations. 

At intervals, there were noticeable performance drops of about 15 percent to 20 percent in the Dell XPS 15 7590. The Dell XPS 13 7390 also has a short-lived Turbo Boost. 

In order to keep its thermals in check, the performance of the Dell XPS 13 7390 falters over time. 

Since both laptops’ high Turbo Boost clock rates are short-lived, they are at their best when a short burst of CPU power is required instead of performance sustainability.

In the single-core aspect of the Cinebench R15 test I carried out, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scored 180 points. In the multi-core aspect, the laptop scored 1051 points.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 7590 displayed a better performance. In the single-core aspect of the test, the laptop scored 201 points.

Meanwhile, it scored 1600 points in the multi-core aspect.

Though both laptops displayed great performances, the XPS 15 continued to surpass the XPS 13 in every other benchmark test I carried out. On the Geekbench 4.3 overall performance test, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scored 19,053 points.

Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 15 7590 achieved an impressive 28,882 score, completely surpassing the Dell XPS 13 7390. 

In addition, the Dell XPS 13 7390 also trailed behind in a more advanced Geekbench test. On the Geekbench 5 test, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scored 4,847 points while the Dell XPS 15 7590 scored 4,847 points.

Furthermore, it took the Dell XPS 13 7390 15 minutes and 10 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p, surpassing the 19:40 average. The XPS 15, on the other hand, took just 8 minutes to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. 

These tests were carried out on HandBrake synthetic benchmark.

Overall, both laptops offer excellent processing power. They both can easily crunch processor-intensive tasks without any issue. 

However, the Dell XPS 15 7590 is obviously the better one here in terms of processing power. After all, it surpassed the Dell XPS 13 7390 in every synthetic benchmark test I carried out.

As a result, the Dell XPS 15 7590 scores an eight in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 processor comparison. Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scores a seven for its equally impressive processor power.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Memory (RAM) Performance

Both the Dell XPS 13 7390 and the Dell XPS 15 7590 offer a range of options for their RAM configurations. They also offer different memory types.

While the Dell XPS 13 7390 offers an LPDDR3 RAM type, the Dell XPS 15 7590 offers a DDR4 RAM type.

The number of RAM slots on the laptops also differs. Unlike the Dell XPS 15 7590 that comes with two RAM slots, the Dell XPS 13 7390 only has one RAM slot.

As a result, the RAM on the Dell XPS 13 7390 is not upgradable. Besides, the RAM on the Dell XPS 13 7390 is also non-removable.

Before we dive into the details of both laptops’ RAM performance, let’s take a moment to discover their RAM configuration options. 

In the case of the Dell XPS 13 7390, you can buy the laptop with either 16 GB or 8 GB RAM. The maximum RAM size it supports is 16 GB.

As for the Dell XPS 15 7590, you can buy the laptop with either an 8 GB (2 x 4 GB), 16 GB (2 x 8 GB), 32 GB (2 x 16 GB), or 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) RAM. The maximum RAM size it supports is 64 GB.

From the specifications alone, the Dell XPS 15 7590 looks ready to win the hearts of many users again. After all, its configuration options are undeniably enticing.

Without further delay, let’s go into the RAM performance aspect of the laptops. As usual, the tests will involve both real-life and benchmark tests.

For reference purposes, the Dell XPS 13 7390 model we got for this comparison article came with 16 GB RAM. Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 15 7590 model came with 32 GB RAM.

On my real-world test, I streamed an episode of Ozark on Netflix while I ran 25 Google Chrome tabs in the background. About two of the Google Chrome tabs were streaming YouTube videos while the rest were running Twitter and opening heavy websites.

Throughout this process, I didn’t notice any stutter nor lags on the two laptops. They both handled the task with an incredible amount of ease.

Even while I switched between the tabs and multitasked between different background programs, they both didn’t stutter. However, the Dell XPS 13 7390 quickly showed little signs of being stressed because its temperature and fan noise increased slightly after a short time.

That aside, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scored 9160 points in the essential aspect of the PCMark 10 benchmark test I carried out. It fell behind the Dell XPS 15 7590 that scored 9701 points in the same aspect.

The Dell XPS 13 7390 even fell further behind the Dell XPS 15 7590 in the productivity aspect. Its 5816 score was way below the XPS 15 7590’s 7494 score.

Similarly, the digital content creation results of the two laptops were widely far apart. The Dell XPS 13 7390 scored a meager 3671 points compared to the Dell XPS 15 7590’s 6110 points.

In conclusion, the Dell XPS 15 7590 displayed much better performance in the RAM benchmark tests. Though both laptops performed well in the real-world test, the benchmark tests showed that the Dell XPS 15 7590 was superior in terms of RAM performance.

Hence, the Dell XPS 15 7590 scores a nine in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 RAM comparison. The Dell XPS 13 7390, on the other hand, scores an eight for good performance as well.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Storage Options & Performance

The Dell XPS 13 7390 and Dell XPS 15 7590 share quite a lot in common when it comes to storage. When you buy either of the two laptops, you get a 1 TB maximum storage capacity.

Also, both laptops offer 1 microSD card reader for storage expansion. 

However, their storage types differ. While Dell offers only one drive type for the Dell XPS 13 7390, they offer a range of drive types for the Dell XPS 15 7590’s storage.

The Dell XPS 13 7390 features a PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD. Meanwhile, you can buy the Dell XPS 15 7590 with an M.2, Gen 3 PCIe x4, NVMe, SSD along with or a 2.5-inch SATA HDD.

Both laptops being compared feature 1TB m.2 NVMe PCIe SSDs. On a file transfer test, the XPS 13 7390 copied a 4.97GB multimedia file in 11 seconds at a transfer rate of 509 megabytes per second.

Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 15 7590 took 8 seconds to copy the same file at a transfer rate of 611 megabytes per second.

On a CrystalDiskMark 5.2 test, the Dell XPS 13 7390 recorded a sequential read speed of 707 MBps. The laptop also recorded a sequential write speed of 1874 MBps.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 15 7590 recorded sequential read and write speeds of 1861 MBps and 1729 MBps respectively.

Though both laptops’ SSDs are notably fast, the Dell XPS 15 7590’s storage is slightly faster. Therefore, the Dell XPS 15 7590 scores a nine in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 storage comparison.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scores an eight.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Graphics Card Performance

In terms of graphics cards, Dell offers different configurations for the Dell XPS 15 7590’s GPU. You can buy the laptop with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 or a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. 

Though the Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU doesn’t come with a dedicated VRAM, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 comes with a 4 GB dedicated VRAM.

The Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU has a base frequency of 350 MHz and a boost frequency of 1250 MHz. Meanwhile, the GeForce GTX 1650 has a base frequency of 1410 MHz and a boost frequency of 1590 MHz.

On the other hand, the Dell XPS 13 7390 comes with just one graphics card which is an integrated Intel UHD Graphics. It has a base frequency of 300 MHz and a boost frequency of 1150 MHz.

The Dell XPS 15 7590 model used in this article features the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card.

On a 3DMark 11 test, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scored way below the Dell XPS 15 7590. The Dell XPS 13 7390’s 2228 points were awfully low next to the Dell XPS 15 7590’s 12340 points.

Real-world gaming performance tests paint a similar picture to the benchmark test results. Though you can still play games on both laptops, the Dell XPS 15 7590 offers better frame rates.

The Dell XPS 15 7590 was able to play The Witcher 3 at 342 FPS on low settings. Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 13 7390 offered a poor 19.7 FPS.

At 342.5 FPS, playing BioShock Infinite on the Dell XPS 15 7590 was also enjoyable. Fortunately, the Dell XPS 13 7390 was able to play the game at 85.3 FPS.

I tested the two laptops further with Shadow of the Tomb Raider. While the Dell XPS 15 7590 played the game at a smooth 111 FPS, the Dell XPS 13 7390 was barely able to run the game at 15 FPS.

Overall, the Dell XPS 15 7590 proved to be the better laptop yet again. In terms of their graphics performance, the Dell XPS 13 7390 can barely keep up with the Dell XPS 15 7590.

Hence, the Dell XPS 15 7590 scores an eight in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 graphics card comparison. Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scores a six for its unimpressive graphics card performance.

Dell XPS 13 vs 15: Battery Life And Performance

This is one aspect where there are barely any similarities between both laptops. While Dell equipped the Dell XPS 13 7390 with an integrated 4-Cell, 52 WHr, it equipped the Dell XPS 15 7590 with a 6-Cell 97 Whr battery.

From the battery sizes, it feels like we should expect another superior performance from the Dell XPS 15 7590. However, this is not really the case.

Due to its high powered gorgeous OLED screen, the Dell XPS 15 7590 was only able to last for 8 hours and 7 minutes on our battery test. The battery test involved continuous web surfing over WI-Fi.

Similarly, the Dell XPS 13 7390’s 4k version, was only able to last for 8 hours and 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, the 1080p version of the Dell XPS 13 7390 was able to last longer on our continuous web surfing test. It lasted for 12 hours and 43 minutes.

On the upside, the Dell XPS 15 7590’s non-OLED model endured our continuous web surfing for a longer period. It lasted for 8 hours 50 minutes.

Overall, battery life is pretty much the same with one of the laptops’ screen models. Nonetheless, the Dell XPS 13 7390 has an edge over the Dell XPS 15 7590 in this aspect.

It offers a way longer battery life with one of its display models. Therefore, the Dell XPS 13 7390 scores an eight in this Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590 battery comparison.

Meanwhile, the Dell XPS 15 7590 scores a seven.

Our Rating Summary

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Overall, you won’t be making a wrong decision if you buy any of the two XPS laptops compared in this article. Both laptops offer powerful processors, gorgeous displays, and builds that are equally fashionable and functional.

Of course, the final decision will be yours. However, we would still like to offer you our expert opinion and make the decision easy for you.

In its entirety, choosing between the two laptops will largely depend on your needs.

If you prefer a compact and powerful laptop that can get basic work done, the Dell XPS 13 7390 is an excellent choice. It packs a lot of power in its thin design. 

Moreover, its battery life for the 1080p configuration is relatively long.

On the other hand, if you require immense processing power, the XPS 15 is the better option. Additionally, the laptop’s larger screen will help you get major computing work done with ease. 

Also, its optional dedicated graphics card makes it fit for video editing and gaming.

Based on our comprehensive review and comparison of Dell XPS 13 7390 vs Dell XPS 15 7590, we recommend:

Although we recommend Dell XPS 15 7590, if you prefer a more portable laptop with good processing power, the Dell XPS 13 7390 is a good option.

We hope we provided you with all the information you need to decide which of these two models to get. Let us know how you found this article by responding to the “Was this page helpful?” question below.

Finally, for more laptop comparison reviews, visit our Laptop Comparison Reviews page. You may also find our Laptop Specs page very helpful.