Head to head

MacBook Pro 16 vs Dell XPS 16

They split the 10 rankable specs evenly, so cost decides it: Dell XPS 16 (2024) costs $300 less.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

Panel: MacBook Pro 16" lists Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 16 lists OLED touch (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Processor: MacBook Pro 16" lists Apple M3 Max (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 16 lists Intel Core Ultra 9 185H (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Memory: MacBook Pro 16" lists 36GB unified (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 16 lists 32GB LPDDR5x (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).
Claimed battery life: MacBook Pro 16" lists Up to 22 hours video (other published figure, not on maker sheet); Dell XPS 16 lists ~8–12 hours mixed use (other published figure, not on maker sheet).
Size: MacBook Pro 16" lists 16.2 inches (Apple sheet, 2026-09-02); Dell XPS 16 lists 16.3 inches (Dell sheet, 2026-09-02).

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

MacBook Pro 16" (2024)

$2,4995 spec wins

Swap

Compare a different laptop

Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition$999 MacBook Air 13" (M3)$1,099 MacBook Air 15" (M3)$1,299 Dell XPS 13 (2024)$1,299 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (15")$1,499 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)$1,599 MacBook Pro 14" (M4)$1,599 HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)$1,699 Dell XPS 14 (2024)$1,699 Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16$1,799 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12$1,849 Framework Laptop 16$1,999 MacBook Pro 14" (M4 Pro)$1,999 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition$1,999 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)$2,299 Razer Blade 16 (2024)$2,999 MacBook Pro 16" (M4 Max)$3,499

Dell XPS 16 (2024)

$2,1995 spec wins

Swap

Compare a different laptop

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your laptop.

Your devices

Select your ecosystem to flag non-functional features or platform lock-in.

Straight answer

Overall: 5 to 5

Tied overall. Dell XPS 16 is cheaper.

The 10 rankable overall specs split 5 to 5.
Saves $300 at list price.

Check first: the Dell XPS 16 has no HDMI port. the Dell XPS 16 has a 60 Hz display.

5 MacBook Pro 16"10 rankable of 29 specsDell XPS 16 5

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

No touchscreenrow
No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · NoClear:Dell XPS 16 · Yes
RAM cannot be upgradedrow
The memory you buy today is the memory you keep.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · No (soldered)Trips:Dell XPS 16 · No (soldered)
No HDMI portrow
Projectors and meeting-room TVs need a dongle.
Clear:MacBook Pro 16" · HDMI 2.1Trips:Dell XPS 16 · No native HDMI
macOS, not Windowsrow
Windows-only software such as some CAD, games and corporate VPN clients needs a workaround.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · macOSClear:Dell XPS 16 · Windows 11
Over 4 lb (1.8 kg)row
Heavy in a backpack on a daily commute.
Trips:MacBook Pro 16" · 4.7 lbTrips:Dell XPS 16 · 4.5 lb
60 Hz displayrow
Scrolling and games look less smooth than on a 120 Hz panel.
Clear:MacBook Pro 16" · 120 Hz ProMotionTrips:Dell XPS 16 · 60 Hz (OLED config)

At a glance

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

4 of 4 differ

Panel≠

Apple

Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED

Dell

OLED touch

Processor≠

Apple

Apple M3 Max

Dell

Intel Core Ultra 9 185H

Memory

Apple

36GB unified

Dell

32GB LPDDR5x

Claimed battery life

Apple

Up to 22 hours video

Dell

~8–12 hours mixed use

Commuter Portability & Lap Comfort Check

Real-world travel weight including chargers, bag fit, and lap thermals.

Ergonomic & Spatial Check

Backpack Sleeve Compatibility

Apple

Standard laptop bag sleeve

Dell

Requires dedicated 16" laptop bag compartment

Lap Ergonomics & Vent Placement

Bottom intake vents can choke and heat up your lap when used on beds or couches.

Apple

Standard hinge exhaust

Dell

Vapor chamber exhausts rear; heavy GPU workload warms lap

Total Travel Weight (Chassis + Charger)

Always factor in the power adapter when calculating commuter bag weight.

Apple

Standard carry weight

Dell

4.70 lb laptop + 130W brick = ~5.8 lb total carry

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

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

Post-Purchase Truths

Apple: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Dell: What to watch for

Maintenance
Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.
Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

MacBook Pro 16"$2,4995 wins

Dell XPS 16$2,1995 wins

Display Performance Build & input Ports Battery Software

26 of 29 attributes differ. Identical rows are dimmed.

Display

leads 3-2

Display specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Size	16.2 inches	16.3 inches (wins this row: higher)
Panel	Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED	OLED touch
Resolution	3456 × 2234	3840 × 2400 (3.2K) (wins this row: higher)
Refresh rate	120 Hz ProMotion (wins this row: higher)	60 Hz (OLED config)
BrightnessNot on the official sheet	1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR peak (wins this row: higher)	~400–500 nits typical OLED
Color	P3, True Tone	DCI-P3, touch + pen support
Touchscreen	No	Yes (wins this row: has it)

Performance

4 differences

Performance specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Processor	Apple M3 Max	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
Graphics	Up to 40-core Apple GPU (unified)	Intel Arc + optional NVIDIA RTX
Memory	36GB unified (wins this row: higher)	32GB LPDDR5x
RAM upgradable	No (soldered)	No (soldered)
Storage	1TB SSD	1TB SSD
Storage upgradable	No (soldered)	Yes (replaceable SSD) (wins this row: has it)

Build & input

7 differences

Build & input specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Weight	4.7 lb (2.14 kg)	4.5 lb (2.04 kg) (wins this row: lower)
Thickness	16.8 mm (wins this row: lower)	18.5 mm
Materials	Aluminum unibody	Aluminum + carbon fiber
Keyboard	Magic Keyboard with Touch ID	Backlit chiclet
Trackpad	Force Touch, large	Large haptic/precision glass
Webcam	1080p Center Stage	FHD IR (Windows Hello)
Speakers	Six-speaker Spatial Audio	Quad speakers, Dolby Atmos

Ports

5 differences

Ports specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Thunderbolt / USB-C	3× Thunderbolt 4	2× Thunderbolt 4 + USB-C
HDMI	HDMI 2.1	No native HDMI (dongle)
SD card	SDXC	microSD
MagSafe	MagSafe 3	No
Headphone jack	Yes (3.5 mm)	Yes (3.5 mm)
Charger	140W USB-C + MagSafe 3	100W USB-C

Battery

leads 1-0

Battery specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Claimed battery lifeNot on the official sheet	Up to 22 hours video (wins this row: higher)	~8–12 hours mixed use

Software

2 differences

Software specifications. Middle column is MacBook Pro 16" (2024), right column is Dell XPS 16 (2024).
Operating system	macOS	Windows 11
Repairability	Low (soldered memory/storage)	Medium (SSD swappable; RAM not)

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

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) source Dell XPS 16 (2024) source

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

MacBook Pro 16" (2024)

16-inch creative workstation with M3 Max, mini-LED XDR display, and all-day battery.

M3 Max sustained performance
Mini-LED XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion
18+ hour video playback battery

What you give up

No touchscreen
Soldered RAM and SSD
macOS-only software

Full MacBook Pro 16" (2024) specs →

Pick this one if

Dell XPS 16 (2024)

Premium 16-inch Windows laptop with OLED touchscreen and Intel Core Ultra 9.

3.2K OLED touchscreen
Windows software and game compatibility
Carbon-fiber / aluminum build

What you give up

Battery life trails the MacBook
Can get warm under load
No MagSafe-style magnetic charge by default

Full Dell XPS 16 (2024) specs →

Best for each use

Travel

In a bag every day: weight, battery, a screen you can read on a train

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16".

Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; Dell XPS 16 takes 1.
Claimed battery life: Up to 22 hours video vs ~8–12 hours mixed use
Thickness: 16.8 mm vs 18.5 mm
Dell XPS 16 is $300 cheaper. Pay the difference only if claimed battery life matters to you.

Heavy work

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

For heavy work, buy the MacBook Pro 16".

Leads 2 of 2 rankable heavy work specs.
Memory: 36GB unified vs 32GB LPDDR5x
Refresh rate: 120 Hz ProMotion vs 60 Hz
Dell XPS 16 is $300 cheaper. Pay the difference only if memory matters to you.

Longevity

Keep it five years: upgradable parts, repairability, ports without dongles

Too close to call on longevity from the spec sheets. Only storage upgradable is rankable here.

Repairability: Low vs Medium
Thunderbolt / USB-C: 3× Thunderbolt 4 vs 2× Thunderbolt 4 + USB-C

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

MacBook Pro 16" (2024) spec sheet Dell XPS 16 (2024) spec sheet

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

Common questions

Which is cheaper, the MacBook Pro 16" or the Dell XPS 16?

Dell XPS 16 costs $300 less at list price.

What is the biggest catch with the MacBook Pro 16" or Dell XPS 16?

MacBook Pro 16" has this deal-breaker: no touchscreen. No pen or touch input for marking up PDFs or sketching.

Which is better for travel, the MacBook Pro 16" or the Dell XPS 16?

For travel, buy the MacBook Pro 16". Leads 3 of 4 rankable travel specs; Dell XPS 16 takes 1. Claimed battery life: Up to 22 hours video vs ~8–12 hours mixed use

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 29 specs tracked here, 19 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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