Lenovo ThinkPad X390 vs. Dell XPS 13

Mark Coppock/Digital Developments

Lenovo is revamping its ThinkPad X-series, shifting from a 12.5-inch show on the ThinkPad X280 to a 13.Three-inch show on the brand new ThinkPad X390. By shrinking the bezels, Lenovo managed to supply a ThinkPad that’s comparable in measurement to the older mannequin however gives extra display screen actual property.

However the ThinkPad X390 goes up in opposition to the Dell XPS 13, a laptop computer that matches a 13.Three-inch show into an excellent tinier chassis. Has Lenovo packed in sufficient performance and worth to tackle the perfect small laptop computer in the marketplace?

Design

Riley Younger/Digital Developments

The ThinkPad X390 sports activities the identical iconic black and pink aesthetic that has adorned the ThinkPad line for a few years. It’s recognizable from a distance, and it’s certain to attraction to its goal market of enterprise customers. The XPS 13 is comparatively conservative as nicely, however it provides a splash of colour with Rose Gold and “Frost” to go along with its default black and silver. The XPS 13 has a brand new webcam that’s above the show the place it belongs and avoids an up-the-nose angle, and it’s a lot smaller than the ThinkPad X390 due to a number of the slimmest bezels round. To be exact, the ThinkPad X390 is 12.28 inches huge by eight.55 inches deep, which is small however not practically so small because the XPS 13’s 11.9 inches by 7.eight inches.

You received’t complain about both laptop computer’s construct high quality. Lenovo went to the difficulty — as normal — of subjecting the aluminum and magnesium ThinkPad X390 to a collection of MIL-STD-810g navy assessments for sturdiness. Whereas Dell didn’t do the identical, the XPS 13 is nonetheless additionally fairly sturdy due to a mixture of aluminum and carbon fiber. On the similar time, you’ll discover the ThinkPad X390 feels somewhat heftier at zero.67 inches thick and a couple of.84 kilos, in comparison with the XPS 13 at zero.46 inches at its thickest level and a couple of.7 kilos.

Evaluating enter choices offers the ThinkPad X390 a slight edge. Its keyboard is great, as normal for ThinkPads, with loads of journey and a exact really feel. It’s barely higher than the XPS 13’s snappy keyboard, however a few of that will likely be a matter of opinion. Each laptops get pleasure from medium-sized touchpads that help the superb Microsoft Precision touchpad protocol, and so each have good Home windows 10 multitouch gesture help. The ThinkPad X390 additionally gives the TrackPoint nubbin in the course of the keyboard that gives one other, actual technique to manage the cursor. That provides Lenovo the slightest edge for people who need it.

Lastly, connectivity is a bit win for the ThinkPad X390. It gives two USB-C ports, one with Thunderbolt Three, an Ethernet connection (that requires an adapter), a USB-A Three.1 Gen 1 port, and a full-size HDMI port. The XPS 13 is proscribed to 3 USB-C ports, two with Thunderbolt Three, which means that you simply’re extra prone to want a dongle to plug in legacy gadgets. Each laptops have microSD card readers that photographers and videographers are prone to recognize.

The XPS 13 is considerably smaller and gives extra panache, however the ThinkPad X390 is barely extra sturdy and has extra numerous connectivity.

Efficiency

Mark Coppock/Digital Developments

Each laptops use Eighth-generation Whiskey Lake quad-core CPUs, as much as the Core i7-8565U, that present excessive efficiency and effectivity. They’re each greater than fast sufficient to deal with demanding productiveness duties, and each are restricted to built-in Intel graphics that prohibit the power to play video games. They each additionally equip quick PCIe solid-state drives (SSDs). In essence, these are two evenly-matched laptops relating to efficiency.

Show choices are extra of a differentiating issue. Each provide Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) shows that may be configured with and with out contact, and these shows are roughly equal by way of brightness, colour, and distinction. The XPS 13, although, could be bought with a 4K UHD show (Three,840 x 2,160) that gives larger brightness and distinction and higher colours. That provides Dell the sting.

It’s exhausting to distinguish these two laptops by way of pure velocity, however the XPS 13 has a significantly better show for artistic varieties and anybody who hates recognizing the occasional pixel.

Portability

Mark Coppock/Digital Developments

The XPS 13 is smaller, thinner, and simply barely lighter. However each laptops are simple sufficient to hold round and to make use of in nearly any surroundings.

Nevertheless, battery life is one other important portability query: Does the laptop computer final lengthy sufficient on a cost that you may depart the facility adapter behind? Though we didn’t take a look at the Full HD XPS 13 with the identical CPU, our outcomes did point out that the Dell ought to last more than the ThinkPad X390 when working on battery.  Battery life was one of many ThinkPad’s extra disappointing points.

The XPS 13 is each smaller and longer-lasting, giving it the sting.

The XPS 13 packs a greater show and longer battery life in a smaller chassis

Riley Younger/Digital Developments

The ThinkPad X390 could be configured with a Core i5-8265U, 8GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an HD (1,366 x 768) show for $1,000 ($750 on sale). You’ll spend $1,659 ($1,237 on sale) for a Core i7-8565U, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a Full HD contact show.

The Dell XPS 13 additionally has a budget-oriented model, beginning at $900 with a Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB SSD, and the worth heads north from there. The worth is $2,zero10 ($1,617 on sale) for a extra highly effective configuration of a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 4K show.

You possibly can find yourself spending extra on the XPS 13 due to the choices for 4K, however you’re getting way more energy. ThinkPad fanatics will desire the X390, however everybody else ought to avoid wasting cash and luxuriate in a longer-lasting, extra moveable laptop computer within the XPS 13.

Lenovo ThinkPad X390 | Dell XPS 13