Face Off: Microsoft Surface Book vs. Dell XPS 13 InfinityEdge vs. Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13

Starting with the tried-and-true MacBook design, Apple has not changed the chassis on the MacBook Pro Retina 13 for the 2015 model. This makes sense from a quality point-of-view as the unibody chassis is almost perfectly rigid with no notable weak spots. This is also the standard that users tend to hold Ultrabooks against when comparing between them.

For a system as unique as the Surface Book, it would have been easy for Microsoft to overlook some of the more minute details such as gaps in the chassis or general weak spots around the corners or base. This has proven to not be the case as the aluminum body is very resistant to any twisting or depressions. Dell takes a more mixed approach with its combination of carbon fiber and aluminum, but quality is not significantly any worse.

If build quality is excellent between the three, then how do we crown a winner? This comes down to their differing sizes and weights. The Surface Book is the largest and thickest of the three and nearly as heavy as the dense MacBook Pro Retina 13 (1.50 kg vs. 1.56 kg). Meanwhile, the slim bezel design of the XPS 13 InfinityEdge gives it a significantly smaller footprint and lighter weight of just 1.23 kg. The chassis is slightly less rigid than the Surface Book and MacBook, but the flexing is so minor that it should have no impact on longevity or quality.

The size and weight advantages of the XPS 13 are much more noticeable compared to any structural advantages of the Surface Book or MacBook. The Dell is more accessible as well should any maintenance be required in its lifetime.

Winner: Dell XPS 13 InfinityEdge

The Surface Book has the least amount of options regarding port connectivity. The XPS 13 and MacBook are limited in ports as well, but the included USB 3.1 Type-C and Thunderbolt 2 ports are more future-proof and much more versatile than what Microsoft has to offer.

Safe access to the M.2 slot is nearly impossible on the Surface Book compared to the Dell and Apple. There are no internal secondary storage options available on any of the three models.

The MacBook may be missing the USB Type-C port, but its standard HDMI port and dual Thunderbolt ports put it ahead of Dell and far ahead of the Surface Book.

Winner: Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13

Unlike the nearly identical CPUs, Microsoft has the clear lead in graphics performance. Its customized Nvidia Maxwell CPU is essentially a GeForce GT 940M for a healthy 30 percent advantage over the Iris Graphics 6100 and 40 percent advantage over the HD Graphics 520 according to 3DMark 11.

Dell loses this round as the Iris Graphics is roughly 20 percent faster in 3DMark 11 and 10 percent faster in 3DMark Fire Strike.

The MacBook's Intel Iris consistently outperforms the HD 520 in synthetic benchmarks. In real-world gaming, however, the difference is much more marginal according to our single test with Bioshock Infinite. Meanwhile, the dedicated Nvidia GPU in the Surface Book far exceeds both to provide the better gaming experience.

See our dedicated GPU pages for the Surface Book GPU, HD 520, and Iris Pro 6100 for more comparisons and benchmarks.

System Noise & Temperature

Fan noise is essentially non-existent on all three models during low processing loads. The Dell notebook in particular is very quiet even under extreme loads at just over 30 dB(A) compared to >40 db(A) on both the Surface Book and MacBook. Fan speed on the Microsoft and Apple notebooks will pick up much more quickly during 3D applications.

Surface temperatures are surprisingly similar between the notebooks when idling and under load. We were able to measure a temperature of about 45 C on the bottom base of each notebook when under high processing loads. The keyboard on the XPS 13 will become warmer than on the Surface Book or MacBook during moderate-to-heavy use. In general, however, it's impressive how the Dell notebook can manage similar surface temperatures despite its lower fan noise and smaller size. The Surface Book GPU is completely split from the main CPU motherboard for a wider heat spread.

Winner: Dell XPS 13 InfinityEdge

Runtimes are generally shorter on the Surface Book even with the keyboard dock attached. This may simply be due to the lack of Optimus as the dGPU is automatically activated when connected. The MacBook has the larger battery capacity and consequently longer runtimes under WLAN load. Battery life under maximum load, however, is shorter due in part to the more demanding CPU.

The data below is represented in minutes before automatic shutdown.

Winner: Apple MacBook Pro Retina 13

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