Dell introduced new XPS 13 targeting Apple’s MacBook Neo budget segment. Both start at $599, but Dell’s price applies only to students with verification; everyone else pays $699. The Neo ships universally at $599 with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD, while the XPS 13 offers a 512 GB SSD in its student configuration.

Spec-wise, the Neo uses Apple’s A18 Pro chip—six cores, five‑core GPU, and a 16‑core Neural Engine—mirroring the iPhone 16 Pro silicon. Dell counters with Intel’s Core 5 320, also six cores (two performance, four efficiency) and a two‑core GPU, plus a 16‑TOPS NPU. Benchmarks show the Neo pulling roughly 3,560 single‑core and 8,640 multi‑core points versus the Intel chip’s 2,500 and 7,800.

Design differences also matter. Dell’s XPS 13 weighs 2.2 lb and measures 11.69 × 7.9 in, while the Neo is 2.7 lb and 11.71 × 8.12 in. The XPS sports a 13.4‑inch 2.5K touchscreen with 30‑120 Hz variable refresh and 100 % DCI‑P3 gamut; the Neo has a 13‑inch 2408 × 1506 LCD at 60 Hz and sRGB. For students, Dell delivers a larger, brighter, more versatile screen at the same price.

The head‑to‑head underscores how manufacturers are willing to compress specs to hit the $600 sweet spot. Apple’s move forces Dell to lean on a student‑only discount and a larger display to stay competitive. Consumers will weigh the Neo’s unified memory and iOS‑style ecosystem against the XPS’s Windows flexibility and higher‑resolution touchscreen, making the $600 laptop market more contested than ever.