Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 are two laptops that can be categorized as a mid-range laptops. They come with a 13-inch screen and are powered by Intel Core i5 processor. If you conduct an online research to learn the detail specs of Dell XPS 13, chances are you will find several differences. The model I am going to compare with Asus ZenBook UX330UA here is Dell XPS 13 9360 which has the closest specs to Asus ZenBook UX330UA.
Both laptops models are powered by 8th generation of Intel i5 processor. Also, they use the same RAM size: 8GB.
For some people, the detail specs of Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 might look “wow” since they are powered by Intel Core i5. Plus, they also have a high enough RAM. However, the two still categorized as mid-range laptop due to the graphic engine. Be it Asus ZenBook UX330UA or Dell XPS 13 is powered by Intel HD Graphics 620. It is more than enough for watching HD videos as well as editing RAW images in Lightroom. However, it less suited to run high specs games like Counter Strike or other games that requires high graphic cards.
Following is the table of the detail specs of Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13.
Specs
[table id=27 /]As you can see from the table above, the overall specs of Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 are basically not much different. In addition to the Intel Core i5 processor that has the clock speed of 1.60 GHz and the 8GB of RAM, those two laptops also come with an SSD as the storage medium instead of HDD — which also affects the overall performance.
On the storage side, Asus ZenBook UX330UA has more spacious space than Dell XPS 13 but it costs cheaper than its Dell XPS 13 (you can compare the price on the table above). Dell XPS 13 features a port that is not available on its competitor. The port is Thunderbolt 3. One of the significant differences you can see on the table above is the battery life. Dell XPS 13 has a longer battery life than Asus ZenBook UX330UA — almost twice. With about 16-hour battery life you Dell XPS 13 can last through an entire flight from New York to Taiwan without needing to be recharged. It’s one the best laptops with long battery life. Great for travel.
Design
There are at least two most considered factors when someone is planning to a buy a new laptop: specs and design. You have seen the detail specs of Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 above. Now, it’s time for design.
Both Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 have a thin enough design thanks to the absence of the optical disk drive. Asus ZenBook UX330UA come win a silver body design, while its competitor from Dell is available in a darker design. Both have an elegant enough design.
- Asus ZenBook UX330UA
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As mentioned, the design of Asus ZenBook UX330UA looks elegant enough. Also modern with its glossy finish. But overall, nothing special on the design of Asus ZenBook UX330UA. Its design tends to similar to the vast majority of other laptops available on the market, with a curved corners. This laptop itself has a silver aluminum-alloy deck that looks pretty nice. To operate this laptop without a mouse, you will be assisted by a wide, buttonless touchpad to navigate the cursor. The keyboard is also ergonomic enough. You can use it for typing with comfort.
From the specs table above you can see that Asus ZenBook UX330UA basically has a bunch of ports. All of ports are well placed. All ports are placed horizontally so the overall body of this laptop remains thin. There is no complain about Asus ZenBook UX330UA design.
- Dell XPS 13 9360
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Dell XPS 13 9360 also has a curved corners. However, the curvature level is not too significant so at a glance, this laptop looks square. It also has a narrower bezel on the sides and top. Because of this, you won’t see a webcam on the center area of the top bezel like you usually see on the vast majority of laptops, including Asus ZenBook UX330UA above. Instead, Dell places the webcam of XPS 13 on the bottom bezel (below the screen). You can see it on the left side from your point of view. I said that XPS 13 has a dark design. It’s actually available in several colors. In addition to black — which is pictured above, you can also choose the red as well as silver. The lid and bottom surface of XPS 13 are made from CNC machined aluminum.
Dell XPS 13 also has a wide touchpad and an ergonomic keyboard. The touchpad measures 4.1 x 2.3 inches, allowing you to move the cursor more comfortably when you have to work without a mouse device. All ports are also well placed horizontally. No wonder if this laptop has a thin enough design.
Performance
No matter how cool the design of your laptop is. If its performance is sucks then it will be useless. Both Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 are powered by the 8th generation of Intel Core i5 processor. Supported by a 8GB of RAM and SSD storage, you can expect more in terms of performance.
- Asus ZenBook UX330UA
Basically, the overall specs Asus ZenBook UX330UA is high enough although the graphic card is not too impressive. You can at least use it to process computing tasks other than merely editing documents. With an Intel Core i5 processor and a 8GB, Asus ZenBook UX330UA is reliable enough for editing HD photos in Photoshop or even RAW images in which typically much larger than JPEG. To test the processor performance, you can open a spreadsheet software like LibreOffice Calc or Microsoft Excel. When used to match 20,000 names to addresses on LibreOffice, Asus ZenBook UX330UA finished the task in less than 4 minutes.
What about the graphic performance?
To test it out, you can try playing games like Dirt 3 racing. On the test, the graphic engine of this laptop (Intel UHD Graphics 620) ran the modestly demanding Dirt 3 racing title (set to medium graphics at 1080p) at 27 frames per second. Not bad at all.
- Dell XPS 13
Before being upgraded to the 8th generation of Intel Core i5 processor, Dell XPS 13 used the 7th generation of Intel Core i5. With the same specs, Dell XPS 13 with the 8th generation of Intel Core i5 runs faster than the one with the 7th generation of Intel Core i5. It is because the newer version has more processor cores on its mainstream U series processors from two to four. To test your XPS 13, you can try launching Google Chrome and open a dozen tabs at once and play a 4K video on your favorite video player like VLC or your preferred one. With those tasks, you will be able to switch between windows and tabs without delay.
XPS 13 has the same graphic card as Asus ZenBook UX330UA so its performance is not much different. To test its graphic card performance, you can try playing games like Dirt 3. During the Dirt 3 test, XPS 13 ran at a strong 56 frames per second, which is well above the category average (40 fps). Dell XPS 13 is capable enough to run some high-end games, as long as the games don’t require high graphic specs like Counter Strike or similar games.
Software and Warranty
Just like other Windows-based laptops, both Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 also comes pre-installed apps. Asus ZenBook UX330UA comes pre-installed Asus utilities — along with other apps like The LiveUpdate and Candy Crush Soda Saga. Dell XPS 13 offers more pre-installed apps than Asus’s laptop. Probably, that is why the price of this laptop is a bit more expensive.
Dell includes its Help and Support app, along with the Waves MaxxAudio control panel for sound, but it also adds trial versions of McAfee SecurityCenter, Microsoft Office and Dropbox. For warranty, each of which offers a standard, one-year warranty.
Price comparison
As you have probably known from the specs table above, Dell XPS 13 costs higher than Asus ZenBook UX330UA, even with the same specs. The reason is because Dell offers more pre-installed applications, including Microsoft Office. To compare the price, you can click here to check the price of Asus ZenBook UX330UA and here for Dell XPS 13.
Conclusion
[table id=28 /]Both Asus ZenBook UX330UA and Dell XPS 13 are basically good enough, especially if you are looking for a laptop for travel. The two have a long battery life — XPS 13 in particular. The overall performance of those two laptops are not much different since they have extremely similar specs. But, there are some details that make them different. For instance, XPS 13 has a Thunderbolt 3 port (in case you think that it is important), while Asus ZenBook UX330UA doesn’t have one.
The touchpad of ZenBook UX330UA is also stiff enough compared to Dell XPS 13. If you often make a video call with someone, ZenBook UX330UA is probably a better choice unless you have no problem to have your interlocutor sees your nostrils when making a video call :).