It’s not often that we have the chance to compare two laptops that are essentially identical except for the chipset. That’s exactly the case with the Dell XPS 13, a top-tier 13-inch laptop offered in both Intel-powered (9340) and Qualcomm-powered (9345) versions. While the chassis design, aesthetics, keyboard, touchpad, display, and more are identical, the real difference lies within. Surprisingly, the performance gap isn’t as significant as you might expect.
Both laptops start at $1,299, but the Qualcomm version comes with more features. It boasts a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 13.4-inch FHD+ IPS display, while the Intel version only offers 8GB of RAM. Upgrading to higher configurations, which are identical across both versions, is pricier with the Intel model. For example, upgrading to 32GB of RAM costs $300 on the Intel version compared to $200 on the Qualcomm version. Storage pricing is consistent, while the Qualcomm version offers an OLED display for a lower price. The top-tier configurations, featuring 64GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD, and a 3.8K OLED display, are priced at $2,599 for the Intel version and $2,499 for the Qualcomm version, making the XPS 13 9345 with Qualcomm a slightly better value regardless of the configuration.
Both versions share the same sleek XPS chassis, characterized by smooth lines and a minimalist aesthetic in either silver or black. Inside, the latest XPS design leans towards a futuristic look. The zero-lattice keyboard, all-glass palm rest with a hidden haptic touchpad, and LED touch function keys represent the pinnacle of modern design. Combined with the XPS lineup’s signature incredibly thin display bezels, each XPS 13 model stands out. This is one of the most robust laptop designs available today. The chassis has a dense feel indicative of high quality, with the chassis, lid, and keyboard deck exhibiting exceptional solidity. The XPS 13 consistently ranks among the best laptops available.
However, some of those modern design touches aren’t entirely positive. The zero-lattice keyboard, despite featuring snappy switches and large keycaps, requires some adjustment due to the complete absence of key spacing. While excellent, the haptic touchpad is hidden, making it easy to lose track of its surface and inadvertently swipe against the palm rest. The LED touch function keys lack haptic feedback, requiring you to visually confirm successful activation. Furthermore, both laptops only feature two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 for the Intel version and USB4 for the Qualcomm version), one of which is used for charging. There’s no 3.5mm audio jack. At least wireless connectivity is up-to-date with Wi-Fi 7. Both laptops sport identical 1080p webcams with infrared cameras for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition and feature fingerprint readers embedded in the touchpad.
The Qualcomm version benefits from a significantly faster neural processing unit (NPU), rated at 45 tera operations per second (TOPS), compared to the Intel version’s 10 TOPS. This makes the XPS 13 (9345) a part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC initiative, offering enhanced AI features and long-term potential as new features are rolled out.
The Dell XPS 13 (9340) utilizes Intel’s Core Ultra 7 155H processor with 16 cores (six Performance, eight Efficient, and two Low Power Efficient) and 22 threads, reaching speeds up to 4.8GHz. In comparison, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 processor boasts 12 cores (eight performance and four efficient), achieving speeds up to 3.4GHz. The Intel chipset utilizes Intel Arc integrated graphics, while the Qualcomm chipset relies on Adreno integrated graphics. Our CPU-intensive benchmarks, which run natively on Windows on Arm and offer a fair comparison, at least for apps that don’t require emulation on the Qualcomm chipset (which would be slower), reveal that the XPS 13 (9345) significantly outperforms its Intel counterpart. This holds true for both single-core and multi-core applications, marking the first instance where Windows on Arm running on a Qualcomm chipset surpasses Intel in terms of performance. Their GPUs are closely matched. While neither laptop is optimized for application creation or gaming, productivity power users will find the XPS 13 (9345) running on the Qualcomm chipset to be significantly faster.
Both laptops offer identical display options, all featuring 13.4-inch 16:10 panels with a 120Hz refresh rate. Resolutions and technologies include Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS, QHD+ (2560 x 1600) IPS, and 3.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED. Given these identical options, display alone won’t be a deciding factor. Contrary to some reports, the tandem OLED display in the XPS 13 (9345) is the same as the one that first shipped in the XPS 13 (9340).
Both laptops are incredibly compact thanks to their thin display bezels, measuring 0.69 inches in thickness and weighing 2.6 pounds. They are among the most portable laptops available. When reviewing the Qualcomm version, I anticipated much better battery life compared to the Intel version. After all, enhanced efficiency is the primary benefit of Arm chipsets. Surprisingly, my findings were different. When comparing versions with the same IPS displays, the Qualcomm model achieved 2.5 hours longer battery life during our video test. However, this test is the least demanding, and during web browsing and more demanding processes like the Cinebench 2024 benchmark, the two laptops exhibited nearly identical battery life. Consequently, battery life is less of a distinguishing factor than I initially anticipated.
These laptops are remarkably similar and priced almost identically, with the XPS 13 (9345) running Qualcomm offering slightly better value. They share the same display options, and the Snapdragon version boasts slightly better battery life, particularly during low-demand tasks like video playback. It also runs cooler and quieter. Therefore, as long as you aren’t concerned about specific application compatibility issues with Windows on Arm (which most users won’t be), the Qualcomm-powered XPS 13 (9345) emerges as the superior option.
