The Asus ZenBook thirteen UX333FA ($849) is one of the few premium 13-inch laptops that may not put a hole in your pocket. But how does Asus’ low-cost stunner stack up towards our favorite average pc, the Dell XPS thirteen ($899; $2,449 as tested)?
It can also appear like an uphill struggle for the ZenBook, specifically whilst the XPS thirteen packs more potent additives and features a higher-first-class show. However, you will be surprised at how a lot the ZenBook 13 gives at its low rate.
Here’s how the 2 laptops stack up.
ZenBook 13 vs. XPS 13: Specs Compared
| Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA | Dell XPS 13 (2019) | |
| Starting Price (as configured) | $849 | $899 ($2,249) |
| Display | 13.3 inches, 1920 x 1080 glossy (anti-glare available) | 13.3 inches, 3840 x 2160 touch screen (1920 x 1080 non-touch available) |
| CPU | Core i5-8265U | Core i7-8565U (Core i3 and Core i5 available) |
| RAM | 8GB | 16GB (4GB and 8GB available) |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 620 (GeForce MX150 GPU available) | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| SSD | 256GB SSD (128GB, 512GB and 1TB available) | 1TB SSD (128GB, 256GB and 512GB available) |
| Ports | One USB 3.1, one USB Type-C, one USB 2.0, HDMI 1.4, microSD, headphone jack | Two Thunderbolt 3, one USB Type-C, microSD, headphone jack |
| Colors | Royal Blue (Icicle Silver available) | Rose Gold (Frost Silver and Arctic White available) |
| Size | 11.89 x 7.44 x 0.67 inches | 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.3-0.46 inches |
| Weight | 2.69 pounds | 2.69 pounds |
Design
The ZenBook 13 and XPS 13 rank among the sexiest 13-inch laptops due to their premium aluminum chassis. The ZenBook 13’s lid is lathered in a mesmerizing Royal Blue trimmed with gold, but the chassis does attract fingerprints. Meanwhile, the XPS 13’s Rose Gold hood is sleek, compact, and soft to the touch — and it doesn’t attract fingerprints. Although the ZenBook 13 will come in another color, Icicle Silver, in February, the XPS 13 already offers an additional two colors: Frost Silver and Arctic White.
On the inside, the ZenBook 13 is a clear winner due to the stylish gold band above the keyboard and the slick keyboard font accompanied by strong backlighting. The XPS 13’s interior is painted plain white (or black) and wrapped in a glass-fiber weave, but it comes off as slightly more plain than premium. Not to mention that this machine’s keyboard backlighting is pretty weak.
Dell XPS 13 (2019) On Dell
These 13-inch laptops weigh the same amount, at 2.69 pounds. The ZenBook 13 measures at 11.89 x 7.44 x 0.67 inches, which is slim, but the XPS 13 offers a thinner body with a slightly longer deck, at 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.3~0.46 inches.
Dell XPS 13 (2019) On Dell
Ports
The selection of ports on the ZenBook 13 and XPS 13 have their positives and negatives. The ZenBook 13 holds the room for one USB 3.1 port, one USB Type-C port, one USB 2.0 port, an HDMI 1.4 port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. The XPS 13 features two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one USB Type-C port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack.
While the ZenBook 13 doesn’t have Thunderbolt 3 ports, it does have Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and USB Type-C ports. Meanwhile, you’ll need a dongle or USB-C dock to connect most devices to the XPS 13, and this makes the ZenBook more versatile on its own.
Display
The ZenBook 13 and XPS 13 both rock 13.3-inch panels. But the XPS 13 we tested has a higher resolution, at 3840 x 2160, and comes touch-enabled, while the ZenBook 13 has a glossy, 1080p, non-touch display. The ZenBook comes with an optional anti-glare panel, and the XPS actually starts with a 1080p non-touchscreen, but we haven’t tested that configuration.
