Surface Laptop (8th Edition) vs Dell XPS 13 (2026)
The 2026 Dell XPS 13 is now a lighter, cheaper Intel Core 5 320 laptop with a 2.5K 120Hz touchscreen, but reviewers say its 8GB base model slows down when multitasking. The Surface Laptop uses Snapdragon X2 chips, has a USB-A port and headphone jack, and comes in three sizes.
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Quick answer
Choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) (from $1,199.99) if you want USB-A and a headphone jack or you want a 13.8- or 15-inch screen. Choose Dell XPS 13 (2026) (from $799.99) if you want the lightest, cheapest option, you mostly browse, write and stream or you want a 2.5K 120Hz touchscreen under $1,000.
Last updated Prices checked Oct 2026
Check Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) price (opens in a new tab)Check Dell XPS 13 (2026) price (opens in a new tab)
Key facts at a glance
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) | Dell XPS 13 (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1,199.99 | $799.99 (8GB) |
| Chip | Snapdragon X2 Plus (6-core) | Intel Core 5 320 (6-core) |
| Display | 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen LCD, 1920 x 1280, 60Hz | 13.4-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) touch, 30–120Hz, 500 nits |
| Ports | 2x USB-C/USB 3.2, USB-A 3.2, headphone jack | 2x USB-C 3.2 (10Gbps) on Core 5 models; no headphone jack |
| Wireless | — | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
Pick the Surface Laptop if you want more ports (USB-A and a headphone jack), a choice of 13-, 13.8- or 15-inch screens, or Snapdragon X2 Elite performance in the larger sizes. The 13-inch starts at $1,199.99. Pick the Dell XPS 13 for a lighter, cheaper Windows laptop with a 2.5K 120Hz touchscreen. Dell lists it at $799.99 with 8GB or $999.99 with 16GB, and reviewers recommend the 16GB version.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) vs Dell XPS 13 (2026): side-by-side
| Surface Laptop 13-inch | Dell XPS 13 (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1,199.99 | $799.99 (8GB) |
| Chip | Snapdragon X2 Plus (6-core) | Intel Core 5 320 (6-core) |
| Display | 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen LCD, 1920 x 1280, 60Hz | 13.4-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) touch, 30–120Hz, 500 nits |
| Ports | 2x USB-C/USB 3.2, USB-A 3.2, headphone jack | 2x USB-C 3.2 (10Gbps) on Core 5 models; no headphone jack |
| Wireless | — | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
| Weight | 2.7 lb | 2.2 lb |
| Battery (maker’s claim) | Up to 22.5 hours video playback | Up to 17 hours |
| Battery (review tests) | — | Over 14 hours (Tom’s Hardware) |
| Larger sizes | 13.8-inch and 15-inch | XPS 14 and XPS 16 |
How much do they cost?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 13-inch | $1,199.99 | Snapdragon X2 Plus (6-core); 60Hz |
| 13.8-inch | $1,499.00 | X2 Plus or X2 Elite; 120Hz |
| 15-inch | $1,699.99 | X2 Plus or X2 Elite; 120Hz |
Dell XPS 13 (2026) plans
| Option | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Core 5 320, 8GB, 512GB | $799.99 | Student pricing from $699 |
| Core 5 320, 16GB, 512GB | $999.99 | Tom’s Hardware listed $899 at launch |
| Core Ultra 7 355 | $1,699.99 | — |
What are the pros and cons?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition): pros
- USB-A port and headphone jack
- Three screen sizes
- Up to 22.5 hours video playback (Microsoft, 13-inch)
- First-class keyboard and trackpad (The Guardian, 13.8-inch model)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition): cons
- 13-inch starts at $1,199.99
- 13-inch screen is 60Hz
- Some games with anti-cheat may not run on Arm (The Guardian)
Dell XPS 13 (2026): pros
- Cheaper, from $799.99
- 2.2 lb, the lightest XPS yet (Dell)
- 2.5K 120Hz touchscreen with P3 colors (Notebookcheck)
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6
Dell XPS 13 (2026): cons
- 8GB model gets laggy when multitasking (Tom’s Hardware)
- Weak GPU performance (Tom’s Hardware)
- No headphone jack
- Chassis feels more fragile than older XPS 13s (Notebookcheck)
Which should you choose: Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) or Dell XPS 13 (2026)?
The two laptops now target different budgets. The 2026 XPS 13 is a light, good-looking machine for browsing, documents and media, and Tom’s Hardware[3] calls it an excellent option for students and mainstream users. Engadget[5] and Notebookcheck[4] both recommend paying for 16GB of memory. The Surface Laptop costs more but adds USB-A, a headphone jack and larger 120Hz screens. Its 13.8- and 15-inch models also offer the Snapdragon X2 Elite for heavier work.
Choose Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition) if…
- You want USB-A and a headphone jack
- You want a 13.8- or 15-inch screen
- You need more performance than a Core 5 320
Choose Dell XPS 13 (2026) if…
- You want the lightest, cheapest option
- You mostly browse, write and stream
- You want a 2.5K 120Hz touchscreen under $1,000
Pricing compared
Microsoft lists the Surface Laptop 8th Edition at $1,199.99 (13-inch), $1,499.00 (13.8-inch) and $1,699.99 (15-inch). Dell lists the XPS 13 at $799.99 with an Intel Core 5 320, 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage, and at $999.99 with 16GB. It also shows student pricing from $699. Tom’s Hardware[3] reported launch prices of $699 (8GB) and $899 (16GB).
Performance and memory
Tom’s Hardware[3] says the XPS 13’s Wildcat Lake CPU is limited, its GPU is weak, and the 8GB model gets laggy fast when multitasking. In Engadget’s[5] PCMark 10 tests, the 16GB XPS 13 scored about 30 percent higher than the 8GB model and lasted more than an hour and a half longer on battery. The Guardian[6] found the Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 Elite very snappy, but notes that emulated apps can be a bit slow.
Design and ports
Dell lists the XPS 13 at 2.2 lb and 0.5 inches thick. The 13-inch Surface Laptop weighs 2.7 lb. Notebookcheck[4] says Core 5 versions of the XPS 13 have two 10Gbps USB-C 3.2 ports, while Core Ultra versions get Thunderbolt 4. Tom’s Hardware[3] notes there’s no headphone jack. The 13-inch Surface has two USB-C/USB 3.2 ports, USB-A 3.2 and a headphone jack.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 8GB Dell XPS 13 enough?
Does the Dell XPS 13 have a headphone jack?
Which runs more Windows apps?
Sources
Pricing and plan details were checked on the official pages below as of Oct 2026. Vendors change prices, credits and plan names often, and some show regional pricing at checkout, so confirm on the vendor’s site before you buy.
- Microsoft: Surface Laptop (8th Edition) (checked October 2026) (microsoft.com)
- Dell: XPS 13 laptop (checked October 2026) (dell.com)
- Tom’s Hardware: Dell XPS 13 (2026) review (tomshardware.com)
- Notebookcheck: Dell XPS 13 Wildcat Lake review (notebookcheck.net)
- Engadget: The midrange Dell XPS 13 is the one you actually want (engadget.com)
- The Guardian: Microsoft Surface Laptop 8 review (theguardian.com)
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