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XPS 13 vs MacBook Air

Elardoven
By Elardoven
in Phones and Tablets
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Which would you buy? Which do you think is better for school related activities? Can you recommend either of these?

http://www.apple.com/macbook-air/?afid=p238%7Cs67xqigsC-dm_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_91262097487_&cid=aos-us-kwg-mac-slid-

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-13-9350-laptop

Sorry if the links are to mobile sites, I'm on my phone :)

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snip

 

Either should be fine for school related activities if those activities are email, web research, writing papers, spreadsheets, programming (website development, java, C++, etc.) and some light image/photo editing.

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I have the 13" Air, and I love the battery life on it. I can usually go a couple days without thinking about charging. Does everything I want it to. The only thing I don't like about it is...well... OS X. Its fine, but coming from Windows, there are a couple annoying things about it.

._.

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XPS cos Windows.

^ that cause that

 

OSX hurts my head

I used to be quite active here.

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If you're going to be mainly doing productivity-related things such as word processing, researching, and even basic photoshop, either of those laptops should be fine. You should make your choice based on which OS you're going to be more comfortable with. Also, you might want to check with whatever educational institution you're in as to what programs you might require in the future, and to check the compatibility of those programs with Windows and OS X. Generally more programs support Windows than OS X though so I'd say going that route is safer.

I actually couldn't underclock my 5 year old GPU to make it as slow as a next-gen console.

#pcmasterraceproblems

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I don't know much about Dell XPS but I will say that when dad was alive and had his shop, he had dells coming in all the time. The one thing about OSX when coming from windows, give yourself some ample time to get use to it. Play with it as much as possible so that you can be use to it and not fumbling when class starts. I got an imac from a guy before selling it and it was a huge change. I started messing around like crazy and got pretty use to it. I prefer windows but I must say, I will probably be getting the air for my studies here soon because everyone I talk to got one for the battery life and how thin it is. They love it! Majority have a windows computer at home or at their apartment so they weren't fan boys/girls.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

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……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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If you're going to be mainly doing productivity-related things such as word processing, researching, and even basic photoshop, either of those laptops should be fine. You should make your choice based on which OS you're going to be more comfortable with. Also, you might want to check with whatever educational institution you're in as to what programs you might require in the future, and to check the compatibility of those programs with Windows and OS X. Generally more programs support Windows than OS X though so I'd say going that route is safer.

You made some great points that I tend to forget. Defiently check with what the university is using and compatibility. Talk to the tech department, granted some don't have a clue what they are saying but you talk to enough of them, you will get a good idea.

Instructions for frustration management:  

1) Sit at desk.   2) Repeatedly slam forehead against desk.

 

I never said I was smart, just smart enough to be dangerous.

 

 

ORLY?

……..'|:::::::,': : : : : : :_„„-: : : : : : : : ~--„_: |'
………|::::::|: : : „--~~'''~~''''''''-„…_..„~''''''''''''¯|
………|:::::,':_„„-|: : :_„---~: : :|''¯¯''''|: ~---„_: ||
……..,~-,_/'': : : |:    ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) : |: : : :|:  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)): \..|
……../,'-,: : : : : ''-,_______,-'': : : : ''-„_____|
……..\: :|: : : : : : : : : : : : : :„: : : : :-,: : : : : : : ?
………',:': : : : : : : : : : : : :,-'__: : : :_',: : : : ;: ,'
……….'-,-': : : : : :___„-: : :'': : ¯''~~'': ': : ~--|'
………….|: ,: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :: :
………….'|: \: : : : : : : : -,„_„„-~~--~--„_: :: |
…………..|: \: : : : : : : : : : : :-------~: : : : : |
You have been visited by the propane god, I tell ya hwat. Repost this on 5 more profiles or Hank Hill will bring the propain.

- credit to, @Cinnabar Sonar

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It depends, if you're tech savvy go with the XPS 13 for more freedom within the OS and if you are not so tech savvy go with the Macbook Air for the simplicity of the software. Given your assumed price range, I would check out the HP Spectre x360

 

http://store.hp.com/us/en/ContentView?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&eSpotName=spectre-new&jumpid=cp_r163_us/en/pc_cons/nextgen/premiumlaptops/shopspectrex360

 

I have it and use it for school, I cannot tell you how important it is to have your computer be light and have good battery life. If I were you I would not go with the XPS 13, the thin borders would make the display easier to break when dropped, and the small backspace key will drive you crazy (Believe me, I have used keyboards with small backspace buttons and I end up accidentally hitting the key to the left of it)

 

I wouldn't get a Dell in general, my dad got a Dell for work and my grandma got a Dell all-in-one and both of them were on the fritz, error ridden, and slow by about a year later, and they are running slower than our 9 year old HP with worse specs. (And my dad has a tendency to take very good care of his computers)

 

I would go with the Macbook if the laptop I suggested above is not an option.

Got an Android, never going back to apple again (notice I spelled apple with a lowercase and Android with an uppercase)

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It comes down yo your preference of design choices. There is no advantage or disadvantage in having either OS for school work. 

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I just ordered a HP ENVY 13 same spec as the xps 13 at a much lower price. Yes the Dell looks really nice with the infinity display but big saving to be had

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