Which is better for a student carrying a laptop all day?

The XPS 13. At 2.2 lb with a 13.4-inch screen it is far easier to carry, and the brighter QHD+ touch panel is better for reading and notes.

Which has the better screen?

The XPS 13. Its 2560x1600 touch panel is sharper and supports touch; the Dell 15 is 1920x1080 at 250 nits, which is dimmer and less crisp.

Is 8GB of RAM enough on the Dell 15?

For browsing, email and documents, yes. For many browser tabs plus heavier apps, no. The Dell 15's memory is socketed, so it can be upgraded; the XPS 13's 16GB is soldered and fixed.

Both use 512GB NVMe SSDs and have similar core counts. The XPS 13 has more headroom because of its 16GB of memory; the Dell 15 can be kept going by upgrading its RAM, and it includes a year of onsite service.

Do I need the numeric keypad?

Only if you enter numbers often. The Dell 15 has one; the XPS 13 does not, trading it for a backlit keyboard in a smaller chassis.

Is the XPS 13 worth stepping up to?

Yes for most people. The sharper touch screen, double the memory, Wi-Fi 7 and much lower weight make it the stronger long-term laptop; the Dell 15 only wins on screen size and upgradability.

Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U vs Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)

The XPS 13 is the better laptop: a 13.4-inch QHD+ touch screen, 16GB of faster memory, Wi-Fi 7, a backlit keyboard and a 2.2 lb chassis. The Dell 15 is a plain 15.6-inch workhorse with a bigger screen, a numeric keypad layout and easier serviceability, but 8GB of slow DDR4 and a 250-nit panel hold it back. Buy the XPS 13 for portability and screen quality; buy the Dell 15 only if you want the larger display and a lower outlay.

Choose the Dell 15 if you want a big 15.6-inch screen for desk work, documents and spreadsheets, and you do not need to carry it far.
Choose the Dell XPS 13 if you want a light, compact laptop with a sharp touch screen, more memory and modern wireless.

Prices

Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U: $429.98 at eBay (last seen Nov 4)
Dell XPS 13 (DX13260): $699.00 at UCLA Store (last seen Nov 8)
Difference: the Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U is $269.02 cheaper than the Dell XPS 13 (DX13260) at the latest prices (Nov 4 and Nov 8)

	Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U	Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)
Screen	15.6-inch FHD, 250 nits, anti-glare, 120Hz	13.4-inch QHD+ 2560x1600 touch, 120Hz
Memory	8GB DDR4 at 2666MHz, single stick	16GB LPDDR5X at 7467 MT/s
Portability	Standard 15-inch chassis, heavier and bulkier	2.2 lb, thin and light
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth	Wi-Fi 7
Keyboard	Non-backlit, includes numeric keypad	Backlit, no numeric keypad
Processor	Intel Core 3 100U, 6 cores up to 4.7 GHz	Intel Core 5 320, 6 cores, listed up to 4.6 GHz turbo
Upgradability	Socketed DDR4 SO-DIMM, easy to open and service	Soldered LPDDR5X, fixed memory
Warranty	1 year basic onsite service	Standard Dell consumer warranty

Spec	Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U	Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)
Processor	Intel(R) Core(TM) 3 100U (6 cores, up to 4.7 GH…	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
Operating system	Windows11 Home	Windows OS
Memory	8GB, 1x8GB, DDR4, 2666MHz	8GB
Screen size	15.6 inch	13.4
Refresh rate	120Hz	120Hz
Bluetooth	Bluetooth(R) wireless card	Bluetooth 5.4
Resolution	1920 x 1080	2560 x 1600
Processor Brand	Intel CPU	Intel CPU
Drive Type	Solid State Drive	Solid State Drive
Color	Carbon Black	Gray
Drive Capacity	512 GB drive	512 GB drive
Installed Memory	8 GB RAM	8 GB RAM

Spec	Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U	Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)
Number Of Cores	Hexa Core	Hexa Core
Language	English / North America	English / North America
Storage	512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive	—
Screen resolution	FHD (1920 x 1080)	—
Brightness	250 nits	—
Panel type	WVA Anti-Glare	—
Wireless	Realtek Wi-Fi 6 RTL8852BE, 2x2, 802.11ax, MU-MI…	—
Graphics	Intel(R) UHD Graphics	—
With No-Glare Screen	Yes	—

Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U vs Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)

Prices

Dell 15 Laptop Core 3 100U vs Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)

Prices

Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)

What separates them

Price history

Prices at every store