MSI Summit E13 Flip vs. XPS 13 2-in-1: Giving Dell a run for its money

MSI isn't just a gaming company anymore. Its latest Summit series is a direct answer to popular prosumer laptops like the Dell XPS, HP Spectre, Asus ZenBook, Huawei MateBook X Pro, and even the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. We recently just finished reviewing the 13.4-inch MSI Summit E13 Flip convertible and it is already proving to be a worthwhile alternative to the venerable 13.4-inch XPS 13 alternative.

Our graphs and tables below compare the Summit E13 Flip with last year's XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 to show the advantages and disadvantages of each. We would have loved to compare the newer Tiger Lake XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 instead, but Dell says it was unable to send us a unit for testing and so we had to use its older Ice Lake model as the next best thing. The XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 and 9310 2-in-1 are otherwise visually identical.

The biggest advantages of the MSI system are its smoother 120 Hz display refresh rate, greater and more consistent performance, PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot, and larger battery for longer runtimes. The higher refresh rate in particular adds significantly to the user experience as it boosts responsiveness especially when using a stylus.

The disadvantages of the MSI are arguably just as considerable. Most notably, it is slightly heavier and larger than the Dell alternative meaning its higher performance, longer runtimes, and larger port options don't come free. Its fans tend to be more noticeable as well because they change in RPM more frequently when running higher loads.

We can't declare one system to be objectively better than the other since they have their pros and cons. If you don't mind a slightly bigger system for its superior display, port options, battery life, and performance, for example, then the extra girth and noise of the MSI may be worth it over the Dell. See our reviews on the MSI Summit E13 Flip and Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 to learn more about each system.