When you’re looking at purchasing a premium laptop, there are a few brands that immediately spring to mind. For most people, two of these brands are Apple and Dell. They’re both well known and each brand have their fanbases who won’t opt for anything else.
However, out of these two massive brands, which should you opt for? Well, we’re going to take a look at some of the differences between them and how you can pick one over the other.
Apple vs Dell
The main difference between Apple and Dell is that they offer different things as their main focal point. If you want better customer service, a smooth experience and great design, then opt for Apple. If you want better value for money, a more powerful laptop and Windows OS, then choose Dell instead.
However, this isn’t the only difference between these two brands. So, let’s look at both of them a little closer to find out which one would make the better choice for you.
Apple
I think that much of Apple’s success in the laptop world has come from their simplicity of their variety of offerings. Although they’ve offered other models in the past, if you’re thinking of buying a Mac laptop, it’s either going to be between a Macbook Pro and a Macbook Air.
Only having these two to decide from is a good way to make it easier for potential customers. Of course, they have a wide variety of other tech products too, but when it comes down to laptops, the small product line is key to their success.
You can also consider their iMac if you’re looking for a desktop built into a monitor. Or, the Mac Mini, which is probably the most popular portable computer on the market. It’s very easy to set up with an external monitor.
It’s worth mentioning the new M1 chip from Apple is a bit of a game changer. It allows them to put an 8-core processor into their Macbooks without any additional cost to the purchaser, and it’s going to make the decision even tougher between Windows and Apple devices.
The only negative to this so far is that the M1 chip isn’t compatible with anything more than 16GB of RAM. For some people, like video editors, 32GB of RAM may be preferable, and you can’t use that with Apple’s own chip at the moment.
See our updated and comprehensive M1 vs Intel Guide for more complete details, as the limits above are no longer the case with the introduction of the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips (not to mention the just released M2 chip)
Macbook Pro
If you’re looking for the premium range of Macbook laptops, then you need to look at the Macbook Pro series. They’re more expensive than Macbook Airs, but they’re typically worth the extra money in comparison.
The main reason why people opt for Apple above other brands is that the Macbook runs on Mac OS (operating system), which is quite different to Windows. It’s kind of like the same difference between Android and IOS for mobile phones.
iPhones are so popular just because the user experience is better than on an Android – it’s easier to find things and get what you need to get done. This is also the case for Mac OS, which is much smoother to use than Windows OS for many people.
However, it’s not just the OS that makes the Macbook popular. The build quality is good, the battery life is great, and another one of the best selling points of Apple products is their customer service.
I have no hesitation, as someone that’s used both of these brands customer service centres over the years, saying that Apple’s customer service blows Dell – and everyone elses – completely out of the water. The laptop industry has notoriously bad customer support, so this is Apple’s main selling point.
Generally, the new Macbook Pro will come with 8GB of RAM as standard, and an Intel Core i5 processor to match. Whilst this will be fine for now, it might be worth upgrading if you want a laptop you can still use 5+ years from now.
All in all, the Macbook Pro is still one of the best laptops on the market, with the newest release being better than ever.
Macbook Air
If you want something cheaper than the Macbook Pro, then you can look at the Macbook Air series. These tend to be lower specification and therefore cheaper, but they have many of the same qualities as the Pro.
The default Macbook Air still comes with an i3 processor, which most Dell laptops don’t come with as a base model nowadays (they use i5’s or higher). So, this could be an argument against the Air, as you’re going to be paying a similar price to a Dell laptop and getting lower spec parts.
But generally, there’s more to just the processor when considering a laptop. The Macbook Air has a great user interface, and it’s super easy to navigate. Many people prefer the Mac OS over Windows, as it’s just far easier to navigate and use.
This model also comes with 256GB SSD storage, which is a comfortable amount for most people out there. It has a fully backlit keyboard, and like all Apple laptops, an excellent display and an improved sound system too.
So, it’s clear to see why Macbooks have become increasingly popular over the years, though they do still have their critics. There are some who just prefer Windows laptops overall, and if you want this operating system, then you might want to look at Dell instead.
Dell
Of course, most people have known about Dell for ages now. The American company have gone from strength to strength over the decades, and they’re still at the top when it comes to laptops. One of the main selling points of a Dell computer or laptop is that they’re always going to be easier to fix, as there are so many parts available for them!
Dell have been around the block, and they’ve been one of the bestselling laptop and computer brands for a long time. Even though the Macbook has increased in popularity a lot over the years, they still don’t sell anywhere near the same volume as Dell do.
A major selling point of some Dell laptops is that you can still upgrade them quite easily. This means if you want to upgrade the RAM or the Processor, you can do this easily.
However in newer models like the XPS series, the RAM is actually soldered to the mainboard, so this isn’t possible. In Macbooks it’s not possible to upgrade them at all, as everything is soldered. This can be frustrating, as after 3-4 years you’re likely to want to add another stick of RAM to your device.
Of course, you’ll also want to remember that Dell have their own line of gaming laptops in the Alienware brand. This is probably the most highly regarded computer gaming brand around. Let’s look at some signature Dell laptop lines.
Dell XPS 13
When talking about the best series that Dell have to offer, the conversation often turns to the Dell XPS series. It’s probably the best series that’s been released by Dell, and it has produced some of their best laptops over the years.
One of these is the Dell XPS 13, with the most recent release being very well received by the public. Probably the most impressive thing about the XPS 13 is its high quality retina display, which goes toe-to-toe with the Macbook as one of the best displays of any laptop out there.
Typically, the XPS 13 will come with a good amount of power (16GB of RAM is going to be right for the majority of people looking for a premium laptop).
You’ll have the choice between an Intel Core i7 and an i9 processor, but as long as it’s at least a quad-core processor, then you should be fine with either. The Dell XPS 13 comes with hours of battery life, and it’s definitely one of the best choices out there today.
Dell Inspiron
If you’re looking for a good priced Dell laptop, then many people would do well to consider the Dell Inspiron range. They’re reasonably priced laptops that have a lot to offer.
Like the XPS, the Inspiron range is available in a variety of different models and sizes. You can purchase the lower spec models as cheaper as a few hundred quid, or the more expensive series like the Inspiron 7000, which are in excess of a thousand pounds. Either way, they definitely have more variety than Apple offer.
If we look at the Inspiron 7000 as an example, then we can see that it’s a similar price to the Macbook Pro. However for the same price, you’re actually getting 8GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, as opposed to the Macbook where you get 8GB ot RAM and 256GB of storage at the same price.
This is a clear example of Macs being “overpriced” as people say, as you end up paying more for lower spec parts. So if you’re looking for a lower costing laptop that’s still made to a very high quality, then the Inspiron 7000 is a good choice.
Conclusion
It’s clear to see the differences between these two brands, both of which are good enough that they have laptops in my list of laptops under £1000. Whilst Apple may be overpriced in some peoples eyes, you’re paying for more than just the laptop specifications.
You’re paying for the Mac OS, the ease of use, the additional customer service and the easy integration with an iPhone or iPad. Some people think that a super long battery life and simple navigation are worth the extra expense.
However, if you do want to opt for a Windows laptop, then going with Dell isn’t a bad idea. They offer pretty good value for money, although they’re more expensive than cheaper Asian brands like Lenovo and ASUS. But, they do have some good laptops to offer.
SEE ALSO: Our Dell XPS vs Macbook Pro comparison
