Apple
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026)
$1099
Released 2026-03
Best Laptops · head-to-head
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260)
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) is cheaper at $699.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Dell
Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260)
$699.99Cheaper
Released 2025
Which is better: the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) or Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260)?
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) wins 2 of the 3 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 1. The Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) is the cheaper at $699.99. Get the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) for the stronger spec sheet, the Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) to spend less.
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Key specs, head to head
The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| 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 |
| Release | 2026-03 | 2025 |
Sources — Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026): apple.com (verified 2026-06-15). Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260): dell.com (verified 2026-06-23).
What's the difference between the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) and Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260)?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (9 of 10). Matching specs are omitted.
- 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
- Ports: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M5, 2026) MagSafe 3, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack vs Dell XPS 13 (2025, DX13260) 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C with DisplayPort and power delivery
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast M5 performance that handles everyday and heavier creative workloads; All-day battery life (~15.5 hours in web testing); Doubled 512GB base storage plus much faster SSD.
Flagged: $100 price increase over the M4 (no longer starts at $999); Only an incremental upgrade over the M4, especially for M4 owners; Display notch remains and there is still no touchscreen.
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, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Very long real-world battery life on the LCD/IPS panel; Attractive, slim, minimalist all-aluminum design with narrow bezels; More consistent/efficient Lunar Lake performance and improved graphics vs the prior 9340.
Flagged: Weaker multi-core / Turbo Boost performance (vs the prior 9340 per Notebookcheck); Capacitive 'zero-lattice' function row hard to use (esc/delete); OLED panel option roughly halves battery life vs the LCD.