Can Dell XPS 14z Really Beat Apple MacBook Pro?

Dell on Tuesday unveiled a new flagship ultra-thin laptop XPS 14z, whose thinness (0.9 inches) and low price ($999) could pit it as a formidable rival of Apple's MacBook Pro.

The XPS 14z features the second-generation Intel Core i5 / i7 processors, an HD WLED display for great entertainment experiences, a slot-load optical drive and NVIDIA graphics option. Its unique design maximizes screen size, delivering a 14-inch screen in a 13-inch form factor.

"The XPS 14z delivers what professionals want - raw power paired with a stunning, sophisticated design that signals 'I've arrived'," said Steve Felice, president of Dell's Consumer and Small/Medium Business group. "The XPS 14z is specifically engineered to help our customers do more in their personal and professional lives - and it advances our industry-leading vision for thin-and-powerful solutions that deliver performance without compromise."

Meanwhile, Apple on Monday refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup with new processors and graphics chips.

The 13-inch version is available with a dual-core processor, a 2.4 GHz Core i5 or a 2.8 GHZ Core i7 CPU. The 15-inch version comes with either a quad-core 2.2 GHz i7 or a 2.4 GHz i7 CPU, while the 17-inch version offers only a 2.4 GHz i7 CPU.

Which device will beat the other? Following is a comparison of specs of Dell XPS 14z and MacBook Pro. It may help you to understand better which of the two is better.

Features	Dell XPS 14z	MacBook Pro
OS	Windows 7 Home Premium	Mac OS X Lion
Processor	Second Gen. Intel Core i5 and i7 Dual-core processor	2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 2.8Ghz dual-core Intel Core i7
Storage	500GB to 700GB (7200rpm), 256SSD	500GB, 750GB (5400rpm)
Screen	14-inch HD LED-backlit	13.3-inch HD LED-backlit
Thickness	0.9 inches	0.95 inches
Battery Life	Up to 6 hours and 42 min	Up to 7 hours
Price	Starts from $999	Starts from $1,199
RAM	6GB DDR3 (up to 8GB)	4GB DDR3 (up to 8GB)
Weight	4.36 lbs	4.5 lbs
Net Working	802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 3.0	802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1
Ports	USB 3.0, 2.0, HDMI, Mini Display	USB 2.0, Firewire, Thunderbolt
Resolution	1366*768	1280*800
Graphics	Intel Integrated Graphics, or NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M with 1GB graphics memory	Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory
Conclusion	Dell XPS 14z is the obvious winner because it is thinner and bears a lower price tag