Lenovo thinkpad x1 carbon vs dell xps 13 – which should you choose in 2023?

If you are looking for a laptop that can fulfill your expectations, you have landed on the right page! In this article, we are going to compare two interesting laptops, x1 Carbon vs XPS 13. We have two popular brands and two powerful laptops. Don’t hesitate to read the whole article to find out which of these models is better!  

x1 Carbon vs XPS 13

Dell is a well-known American IT company, founded in 1984 by Michael Dell. The company creates hardware components and software solutions. But thanks to their innovations in the field of supply chain management and e-commerce, the company has been able to establish its brand. 

A long-standing tradition of great quality products made this company one of the largest corporations in the world! On the other hand, Lenovo is a Chinese company, founded the same year as Dell. In 2005, thanks to the purchase of IBM’s computer business, Lenovo got access to foreign markets and became famous! 

Which brand to choose? It may be difficult to make a decision, but it isn’t impossible! Let’s take a look at what these two brands have to offer!   

Lenovo x1 Carbon Overview 

Design

The targeted audience for Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon are people who appreciate modern and state-of-the-art design. Lenovo has made sure you get everything in one product! Whether it is durability, portability, or a slim unique design, people just love the look of the x1 Carbon laptops.  

Performance

Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon is an excellent business laptop for everyday use. It comes with the pre-installed Windows 10 operating system. The system boots and works fast since the laptop uses an SSD disk

Microsoft Windows 10 Home logo
Windows 10 OS

The battery enhances the experience of using this laptop. You can create presentations, browse the Internet, or use a large number of tabs at the same time without worrying about the battery status. 

Processors

Lenovo uses different Intel processors in their x1 Carbon models. The cheaper version of the laptop has an Intel i5-8265U processor, while the more expensive model has an i7-8665U. 

For instance, the 7th generation of Thinkpad x1 Carbon laptop comes with an Intel i5-8265U quad-core processor. The speed of this processor is 1.6GHz but if you use high-demanding applications, the speed can go up to 3.9GHz. It might sound cheaper but still, this is a laptop with a powerful processor.      

Ports

By using x1 Carbon ports and inputs, you can transfer files between different devices, use headphones or microphones, stream videos on tv, etc. Whichever model you choose, you get at least one USB 3 port, one or more Thunderbolt 3 ports, a headphone input, and an HDMI port. 

An interesting solution is a Kensington security slot. By using this port, you can prevent laptop theft. In other words, you attach a metal cable secured with a key or combination lock to the Kensington security slot and protect your laptop. 

Display & Audio

In recent years, Lenovo has surprised us with a line of business laptops that can keep up with the laptops of the most popular American companies, such as Dell and HP. Although Lenovo laptops are a little cheaper than premium models, in most cases, they offer the same quality, especially when it comes to audio and display quality. 

Battery

If you would like to buy a laptop that provides good value for money, you might consider the Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon line a good option. There are many benefits of investing in this laptop. The battery is one of them. The laptop has a long-lasting battery.  

We did research and came up with a list of Thinkpad x1 Carbon models that might be interesting for you. The first model we recommend is the affordable Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon 7th Gen!

Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon 7th Gen 

If you liked the 6th generation of the Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon laptop, you might like this even more! We could describe this one in three simple words and that would be – thin, durable, and attractive

Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon 7th Gen
Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon 7th Gen

The first thing you can notice on this laptop is a beautiful minimalistic design with a clean surface and smooth lines. It has a traditional black carbon lid and magnesium alloy bottom.

Worried about logos? They are still there. In the upper left corner of the x1 Carbon’s lid, there is a ThinkPad logo. In the lower right corner, you can notice the X1 word, with ‘X’ illuminated in red.

Although the laptop is intended for the business environment, it has MIL-STD certification. What does the certification mean? In short, the laptop is able to work in extreme conditions and endure dust, moisture, sand, or UV radiation. Therefore, if you like to travel or to work in nature, this laptop might be a good solution for you!   

Before we open the laptop, let’s say something about its ports. On the left side, there are two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a USB 3.1 port, a headphone input, an Ethernet dock connector, and an HDMI port. On the other side, there is one more USB 3.1 port and a Kensington security slot

When we open the laptop there are two visible stereo speakers placed above the keyboard. They produce good sound quality. When you listen to the songs, you may hear the singer’s clear vocals, but the base may not be so impressive. In general, compared to the previous model, the sound has been improved

When it comes to the keyboard, it has soft, curved, and enjoyable buttons. The only thing you should pay attention to is the Ctrl and Fn button. Their places are switched. Some users can’t get used to it, and that could be a problem for you too. 

Below the keyboard, there is a 3.9 x 2.2-inch touchpad. When you move your fingers over the touchpad, you can feel a soft surface. It responds to your moves quickly. 

Next to the touchpad is a fingerprint sensor, which helps you to protect data. Thanks to the dTPM 2.0 chip and authentication, Lenovo gives its customers the opportunity to unlock the laptop only with their fingers. If you would like to have complete control over your sensitive documents, this feature might be interesting for you. 

The laptop has a 14 inch full HD IPS screen. In other words, the maximum resolution is 1920×1080. Full HD videos are vivid and the colors are rich and vibrant. However, the only thing that could distract you from watching movies is the reflection on the screen

When you are outside or if you are watching a movie in very bright conditions, you may notice the reflection. 

Unfortunately, with this laptop, you will be able to play basic games only. The integrated Intel UHD 620 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD are enough resources for dealing with business tasks but not for playing the latest game titles. 

On the other hand, if you operate with a large amount of data, maybe it would be recommended to upgrade the storage space by investing in an external hard disk. One thing that shouldn’t be upgraded is the i5-8265u processor which is very powerful. 

The battery can last for about 9 hours and 30 minutes with constant web browsing and the use of a Wi-Fi connection.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8

As always, we are trying to provide a solution for our dear gamers. Compared to Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon Gen 7, with this laptop, you would be able to play high-demanding games. It comes with a 10th Gen Intel i7 processor, 1 TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. 

Lenovo X1 Carbon 6th Generation Ultrabook

If you don’t have enough money to spend on a premium laptop, like the previous model, this could be a decent alternative. It has an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB storage space. 

Intel-Core-i7-8th Gen
Intel Core i7 8th gen

Dell XPS 13 Overview

Design

Dell’s InfinityEdge technology brings us a compact design of their laptops. XPS 13 design is slim, thin, and portable. XPS 13 is made of durable materials so it is resistant to everyday damage!  

Performance

Excellent performance relies on excellent components within Dell laptops. The latest generation of Intel processors and fast SSDs are enough to enjoy working on these laptops. Whether you want to work at home, in the office, or in nature, this laptop is all you need!

Processors

Thinkpad x1 Carbon and XPS 13 models come with different Intel processors. While the Thinkpad model comes with an i5-8265u processor, the XPS 13 has i5-6200U. Both processors are very powerful and able to provide comfortable work without any hiccups

Ports

Besides Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3 ports, both devices have a lot to offer when it comes to physical computer security. Whilst the Thinkpad model has a Kensington security slot, Dell’s XPS 13 model comes with a Noble lock port. Thanks to the Noble lock port and wedge lock, you can secure your laptop wherever you go!

Display & Audio

A borderless InfinityEdge display is something that Dell uses to attract potential customers who are fans of edge-to-edge design. In addition to the beautiful display design, you can enjoy bright and rich colors while watching your favorite movie.

Battery

Whether you want to stream videos, play video games, or work, you don’t have to worry about the battery. Dell integrates high-quality batteries into their devices that can last the entire working day!

Dell XPS 13 9350

Like Lenovo’s Thinkpad x1 Carbon models, Dell also pays attention to the durability of its devices. Therefore, the Dell XPS 13 9350 is made of aluminum and carbon fiber palm. This is a perfect combination when it comes to resistance to the most common damage such as cracks, bumps, and scratches.

Dell XPS 13 9350
Dell XPS 13 9350

The lid is silver and the interior is black. It is a slim, light, and portable laptop! You can carry this laptop in one hand even when the screen is open. It has only 2.9 pounds. 

Thanks to InfinityEdge technology, the laptop has a compact design. That means sharp screen edges and small keyboard buttons. The buttons are just 14mm wide which might be a problem for some people.   

The speaker’s sound is solid. If you listen to music, you could notice the lack of bass. If you prefer the great sound, maybe you should consider getting external speakers. For instance, these speakers might be good for listening to some audiobooks, not for loud music.

When it comes to ports, on the left side there is a power connector, a Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C, a USB 3 port, and a headphone/mic input. The right side of the laptop has a USB 3 port, a Noble lock, and a card reader. A big disadvantage is the lack of HDMI and Ethernet ports

Therefore, if you like working on an external monitor, this laptop may not be a good solution for you. At the same time, the lack of an Ethernet port could cause you problems if you find yourself in a place where there is no WiFi signal. 

If you like this laptop, you can overcome the problem if you invest in a portable Thunderbolt adapter that will contain the missing ports.  

The XPS 13 9350 has a full HD display. Whether you are watching videos or browsing the net, the display delivers bright and rich color

The model comes with an Intel Core i5-6200U 2.30 GHz, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB SSD. During intensive operations, the processor can raise its speed up to 2.80 GHz. The amount of RAM is enough to operate with multiple apps and browsers’ tabs at the same time! 

However, the storage space is small. If you decide to buy this laptop, you might consider getting external storage to have enough space for your data.  

When it comes to battery capacities, you can use the device for up to 11 hours without worrying about power consumption. The XPS 13 9350 has a great battery for business people since it can cover a full working day!  

Dell XPS 13 9360

It is slightly cheaper than the Dell XPS 13 9350 but it offers many advantages. Among other things, there is an i7-8550U processor, 256GB SSD, a full HD display, and a pre-installed Windows 10 Home operating system.

Conclusion

Here are the results of the x1 Carbon vs XPS 13 comparison. To conclude, both these devices are similar when it comes to their performance. However, we have decided to point out the best features of each device!  

Use the Lenovo Thinkpad x1 Carbon 7th Gen because of its: 

  • Minimalistic design
  • High-quality materials
  • Durability in extreme conditions
  • Large number of ports
  • Protection of private data

Use the Dell XPS 13 9350 because of its: 

  • Slim look
  • Portability
  • Edge-to-edge design
  • Good quality display
  • Long-lasting battery
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About Alex

Hello, I'm Alex and this is my website, Spacehop. I started the site as a way to talk about myself, and a few years later we're now a team of 6! I still work full time at a major PC retailer in the UK, and I'm a bit of a tech whizz (self-proclaimed, unfortunately!).

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