# Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260): specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) (Apple) and Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) (Dell) among laptops. Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) is the cheaper of the two at $699.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) | Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $1099 | $699.99 |
| Brand | Apple | Dell |
| Released | 2026-03 | 2025 |
| Display (in) | 13.6 | 13.4 |
| Resolution | 2560x1664 | 2560x1600 |
| CPU | Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) | Intel Core 5 Processor 320 (6-core, up to 4.6 GHz, Series 3) |
| GPU | Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) | Intel Graphics (integrated) |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 8 |
| Storage (GB) | 512 | 512 |
| Weight (kg) | 1.23 | 1 |
| Battery (Wh) | 53.8 | 52 |
| OS | macOS 26 | Windows 11 |
| Ports | MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C with DisplayPort and power delivery |

## Key differences

- Display (in): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 13.6 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 13.4
- Resolution: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 2560x1664 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 2560x1600
- CPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 (10-core, 4 super + 6 efficiency) vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) Intel Core 5 Processor 320 (6-core, up to 4.6 GHz, Series 3)
- GPU: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) Apple M5 integrated (8-core or 10-core) vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) Intel Graphics (integrated)
- RAM (GB): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 16 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 8
- Weight (kg): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 1.23 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 1
- Battery (Wh): Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) 53.8 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 52
- OS: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) macOS 26 vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) Windows 11

## What reviewers say

**Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)** — Three whitelisted testers lab-reviewed the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) (Tom's Hardware, TechRadar, Tom's Guide); all rate it the best mainstream ultraportable, praising fast M5 performance, roughly 15.5-hour battery life, and the doubled 512GB base storage with a much faster SSD. Shared gripes: a $100 price hike (no longer $999), an incremental update over the M4, and — noted by Tom's Hardware — the fanless chassis throttling under sustained load. (3 sourced reviews.)

**Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260)** — Two whitelisted labs (Tom's Hardware, Notebookcheck) bench-tested this exact Intel Lunar Lake XPS 13 9350. Both praise standout battery life on the LCD panel (17.5 to 20+ tested hours) and the slim, minimalist aluminum design, while flagging weak multi-core/turbo performance and, from Tom's, the polarizing capacitive 'zero-lattice' function row. Notebookcheck additionally notes the aging 2MP webcam and lack of variable refresh rate. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026): https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/specs/ (apple.com, verified 2026-06-15)
- Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260): https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/pdp/spd/xps13dx13260laptop (dell.com, verified 2026-06-23)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/laptops/apple-macbook-air-13-m5-vs-dell-xps-13-dx13260/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) ($1099) vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) ($699.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/laptops/apple-macbook-air-13-m5-vs-dell-xps-13-dx13260/
License: CC BY 4.0.