Many producers are switching to 14-inch laptops, however that doesn’t imply the 13-inch laptop goes away anytime quickly. Dell has its wonderful XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo not too long ago launched the ThinkPad Z13, proving that 13-inch machines nonetheless have their place.
It’s a powerful competitors between these two wonderful laptops, each of which characterize upgraded and/or diverging designs. One has to win, although, so learn on to seek out out which is the higher diminutive laptop computer.
Specs and configurations
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 | Dell XPS 13 Plus | |
| Dimensions | 11.6 inches x 7.9 inches x 0.55 inches | 11.63 inches by 7.84 inches by 0.60 inches |
| Weight | 2.76 kilos | 2.71 kilos |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6860U |
Intel Core i5-1240P Intel Core i7-1260P Intel Core i7-1280P |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon graphics | Intel Iris Xe graphics |
| RAM | 16GB 32GB |
8GB 16GB 32GB |
| Show | 13.3-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1,920 x 1,200) 13.3-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1,920 x 1,200) contact 13.3-inch 16:10 OLED 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800) toch |
13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1,920 x 1,200) non-touch 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ contact 13.4-inch 16:10 OLED 3.5K (3,456 x 2,160) contact 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS UHD+ (3,840 x 2,400) contact |
| Storage | 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD |
512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2GB SSD |
| Contact | Optionally available | Optionally available |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 3.5mm Audio Jack |
2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 |
| Wi-fi | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 Optionally available 4G LTE |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Webcam | 1080p, Home windows Good day IR webcam | 720p, Home windows Good day IR webcam |
| Working system | Home windows 11 | Home windows 11 Residence or Professional |
| Battery | 70 watt-hours | 55 watt-hours |
| Worth | $1,175+ | $1,299+ |
| Ranking | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
Lenovo’s pricing adjustments continually because it introduces on-line gross sales costs, however as of proper now, the least costly mannequin is $1,175 for an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a Full HD+ non-touch IPS show. Probably the most you’ll spend is $1,780 for an AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6868Z CPU, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 2.8K OLED show.
Dell additionally varies its pricing, with each gross sales and adjustments to its record costs. As of proper now, the least costly XPS 13 Plus runs $1,299 for a Core i5-1240P, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a Full HD+ non-touch IPS show. On the excessive finish, the laptop computer prices $2,399 for a Core i7-1280P, 32GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and both a 3.5K OLED or a 4K+ IPS show.
Not less than so far as pricing at this specific second, the ThinkPad Z13 is the inexpensive laptop computer, however it can also’t be configured with as a lot storage because the XPS 13 Plus.
Design
- 1.
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 - 2.
Dell XPS 13 Plus
Each laptops characterize vital departures from their traces, with the XPS 13 Plus dropping the carbon or glass fiber palm remainder of the earlier era and the ThinkPad Z13 representing a whole overhaul from the standard black-on-black ThinkPad design.
The XPS 13 Plus is now all-aluminum, with the identical modern traces with the lid closed, however a completely fashionable design inside. The palm relaxation is now all glass, with a hidden haptic touchpad, and the edge-to-edge keyboard has flat keys edge-to-edge keys. The row of LED operate buttons alongside the highest add to the fashionable look, however they’re performance is questionable.
The ThinkPad Z13 can be aluminum, with an non-obligatory faux-leather overlaying on the lid that’s heat and alluring. From the skin, the laptop computer seems much more just like the XPS 13 Plus than any conventional ThinkPad, with the identical sort of modern traces. It differentiates itself most with the “Communication Bar” that runs throughout the highest of the lid as a reverse notch. Open up the lid, and also you’ll discover a black palm relaxation, the standard pink TrackPoint nubbin, and a haptic touchpad barely seen on the palm relaxation. Each laptops are enticing, fashionable, and provide up a brand new look.
You’ll discover no fault with the construct high quality of both laptop computer. They’re each inflexible and strong, with no bending, flexing, or twisting. That’s to be anticipated from each corporations’ premium machines.
Each keyboards are comfy to make use of, albeit completely different of their bodily structure, given the Dell’s flat keycaps. We’ll name it a draw. The haptic touchpads favor the Dell, which supplied a extra responsive and pure really feel throughout our testing. The ThinkPad Z13 has its TrackPoint for ThinkPad followers, which implies a part of its touchpad is dedicated to the TrackPoint’s digital buttons. Total, although, each laptops present wonderful enter.
Connectivity is comparable, with each sporting twin Thunderbolt 4 ports, however the ThinkPad Z13 features a 3.5mm audio jack missing on the XPS 13 Plus. We expect that provides the ThinkPad a leg up. Wi-fi connectivity is up-to-date on each, whereas the ThinkPad Z13 additionally provides non-obligatory 4G LTE WWAN for always-connected web.
The ThinkPad Z13 has a higher-resolution 1080p webcam, which is significantly better than the XPS 13 Plus’s 720p model, whereas each have infrared cameras supporting Home windows 11 passwordless login through facial recognition. Each even have responsive fingerprint readers as properly. Dell’s is embedded within the energy button, which is the place we choose to see it.
Efficiency
The ThinkPad Z13 we reviewed was outfitted with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850 U, a 15- to 28-watt CPU with eight cores and 16 threads. That compares to the XPS 13 Plus with its 28-watt Intel Core i7-1280P, with 14 cores (six Efficiency and eight Environment friendly) and 20 threads.
The ThinkPad had a slight benefit in multi-core purposes like our Handbrake take a look at that encodes a 420MB video as H.265 and Cinebench R23, and it was a lot quicker within the PCMark 10 Full take a look at that runs via a mixture of productiveness, media consumption, and creativity duties. The XPS 13 Plus needed to run in its efficiency mode to maintain up.
Each are very quick productiveness machines, however the ThinkPad Z13 has a slight benefit. Neither are legit gaming methods given their built-in graphics.
| Geekbench (single / multi) |
Handbrake (seconds) |
Cinebench R23 (single / multi) |
PCMark 10 Full |
|
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 (Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U) |
Bal: 1,428 / 8,208 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 97 Perf: 89 |
Bal: 1,410 / 7,865 Perf: N/A |
5,812 |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) |
Bal: 1,316 / 8,207 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 170 Perf: 94 |
Bal: 1,311 / 6,308 Perf: 1,650 / 7,530 |
4.309 |
Show
We examined the ThinkPad Z13 with its Full HD+ IPS panel, and it was a superb premium show with loads of brightness, wonderful distinction for IPS, common coloration width, and wonderful coloration accuracy. It couldn’t maintain a candle to the three.5K OLED show that we examined on the XPS 13 Plus. The Dell’s show wasn’t as fast or vivid, however supplied extremely vast and correct colours and deep distinction with inky blacks.
The ThinkPad Z13’s show is ok for productiveness work, however creators and media shoppers will a lot choose the XPS 13 Plus’s OLED show. In fact, you may at all times improve the ThinkPad Z13 to OLED, though it’s not fairly as high-resolution as Dell’s providing.
| Brightness (nits) |
Distinction | sRGB gamut | AdobeRGB gamut | Accuracy DeltaE (decrease is healthier) |
|
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 (IPS) |
415 | 1,220:1 | 99% | 80% | 0.84 |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus (OLED) |
386 | 386,030:1 | 100% | 99% | 0.83 |
Portability
The ThinkPad Z13 and XPS 13 Plus are nearly identically sized, with the ThinkPad being only a tiny bit thinner. Each are skinny and light-weight and simple to hold round.
Battery life, although, gave an enormous win to the ThinkPad Z13. It lasted twice so long as the XPS 13 Plus in our web-browsing take a look at and nearly twice as lengthy in our video take a look at. That’s due to each a bigger battery and the extra environment friendly Ryzen CPU. If battery life issues to you, then the ThinkPad Z13 is the one to decide on.
| Internet looking | Video | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 (Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U) |
16 hours, 34 minutes | 17 hours, 50 minutes |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) |
8 hours, 0 minutes | 9 hours, 20 minutes |
Wonderful laptops, however the ThinkPad Z13 wins out due to its longevity
The ThinkPad Z13 and XPS 13 Plus are each wonderful 13-inch laptops that may meet the wants of probably the most demanding productiveness customers. They’re each enticing, well-built, and provide quick efficiency.
The ThinkPad Z13 wins out in its value, which proper now could be a whole bunch decrease than the XPS 13 Plus, and in its wonderful battery life. These are sufficient to make it the higher laptop computer.
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