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Dell vs. HP: Which Laptop Is Better?

Dell vs. HP: Which Laptop Is Better?

Dell vs. HP: who makes the better laptop? That is a bit of a loaded question, especially when you consider the sheer breadth of the product catalog from both manufacturers. Fortunately, users are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking the best laptops money can buy. Dell and HP alike have an incredible array of laptops that fit any use case, whether you’re looking to get an enterprise-grade workstation replacement or a high-tech gaming laptop.

Today’s guide is going over the particulars and finding the best of the best from these manufacturers. Rather than just single out a particular model from HP or Dell, let’s go into the best for each use case. That way you’ve got some ideas when you’re picking the right laptop for your needs.

Dell vs. HP: Side-by-Side Comparison

DellHP
CostMore expensive for the most partCost-effective, great price-to-performance ratios for many laptops
DesignThin bezels and interesting designs for the business line; Alienware is impressive visually despite being a bit larger overallSleek and professional design overall; nothing stands out in terms of design flaws
PerformanceBetter performance and higher-grade components as a wholeGood quality components, not as much of a performance edge when directly compared to Dell
Customer SupportSuperb customer support with responsive phone and chat linesExcellent customer service with equally responsive phone and chat, plus more of a social media presence on X and Facebook

Dell vs. HP: What’s the Difference?

The above figure doesn’t paint a whole picture of what makes Dell and HP alike such prominent figures in the laptop market today. Let’s take a deeper dive into what makes them tick with a bit of my own history with these respective companies.

Specs and Performance

Honestly, it can be somewhat difficult to pinpoint which manufacturer offers better performance when looking at Dell vs. HP. There is such a wide range of laptops available that it can be somewhat daunting. Both use high-quality Intel and AMD processors in their respective laptops. When you start looking at things like storage and GPUs, you start to see a few differences here and there.

Dell’s gaming range includes Alienware laptops, which boast impressive performance and specs. You’re looking at laptops that can run flagship GPUs like the RTX 4090. HP seems to hone in more on value when it comes to overall performance. You’re still getting high-quality GPUs like the RTX 4080, but nothing sticks out quite like the RTX 4090 in the 18-inch Alienware m18 R2.

This stellar performance is likewise seen with the flagship Dell XPS line of business laptops. HP is right alongside Dell with its line of Dragonfly and EliteBook laptops. For business use, either of these is a fine choice giving excellent performance across the board. My general preference leans more toward the XPS due to some history with the machines in a professional capacity.

Design

Dell vs. HP
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a full-sized keyboard that goes to the very edges of the laptop.

To see the best of the best when it comes to the design of any laptop, you’ll want to look at the flagship models. For HP, we’ll take another look at the Dragonfly series of business-grade laptops. For Dell, it’ll be the XPS 13 Plus.

The Elite Dragonfly G4 is a 13.5-inch laptop that screams excellence from the rooftops. The smaller monitor has minimal bezels, and you’ve got a tidy metal chassis to protect the internal mechanisms of the computer itself. In a lot of ways, it calls to mind the design choices made by the recent Apple revisions to the MacBook line of computers.

That said, there are also some intriguing features like HDMI 2.0, Thunderbolt ports, and great overall portability. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is built along the same guidelines as well, but it goes a little further. You’re looking at a full-sized keyboard that goes to the very edges of the laptop itself, giving a spacious typing surface.

The display is a bit duller when looking at higher-spec models of the XPS 13 Plus, but the resolution is significantly sharper. This results in a laptop that is easy on the eyes in more ways than one. The real selling point design-wise for me is the optional out-of-band management for the XPS 13 Plus.

Customer Service

I will say I have dealt with both of these customer service departments at length over the course of my career in technology. When you work in IT, you’ll want to get the manufacturer warranty to handle any hardware defects before you go pester your department head about replacements. As such, I do have some definite preferences in the business sphere.

HP has a great customer service department as a whole. Their email support is admirable, giving swift enough responses considering the sheer size of the company itself. Phone support is a bit spotty; I’ve been left on hold for upwards of 45 minutes to an hour depending on the time and day of the week I was calling in. That isn’t a knock against them by any means, however.

Dell, on the other hand, is swift when it comes to overall response time. I know when I call a Dell customer service line, I’m likely going to have a solution in a fairly prompt fashion. This also extends to their email and chat support. Both are fairly responsive with minimal wait times.

HP has the edge due to its social media reputation, but you can’t go wrong with either company if a problem arises with your computer.

Brand Reputation

HP omen laptop on display
The Omen is HP’s high-end gaming laptop.

Honestly, when it comes to HP vs. Dell, I’d say their reputations are about equal. HP has been in the game much longer, with decades of experience under its belt. That said, Dell is no slouch, emerging out of the tech scene of the 1990s to deliver stellar products for the last 20-plus years now.

I’ve used hardware and components from both companies in a professional capacity and would swear by both in a clinch. I’d say in terms of overall brand reputation they are equals and peers in their fields. There is obviously a fair amount of overlap when looking at the different market sectors they are targeting, especially for laptops.

However, I would gladly suggest HP Omen or Alienware laptops to gamers looking for top performance. I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest an HP Dragonfly or Dell XPS 13 Plus to a business user looking for something powerful and compact to take on the road for conferences.

Price and Value

I’ve always thought of Dell as more of a premium brand when it gets down to brass tacks. That isn’t without some substantial backing. Generally speaking, an HP laptop is going to be more budget-friendly. Take for example something like the HP Victus, which is a budget gaming laptop. The next comparable model from Dell, the Alienware m14 starts at $1399.

The Victus 15 by comparison starts at $1169 for the top spec model which comes with a larger display and a better GPU. You’re spending less to get more as it were. Now, that isn’t going into the overall design of either laptop or the raw specs when looking at storage and other factors.

This likewise extends to their business line. You’re going to spend more on an XPS 13 than you will on an EliteBook, there is no getting around it. The EliteBook is comparable in most regards to the Dell XPS 13, which makes figuring out the best of the best a game of specs and real-world usage. Still, when it comes to budgetary needs, HP has the edge.  

Dell vs. HP: Our Top Picks

We’re not done quite yet, let’s take a closer look at my personal recommendations for the best for some common use cases.

Gaming

Dell vs. HP
The Alienware x14 R2 has excellent performance despite the high cost.

When it comes down to overall value for gaming, I’ll give it to the Dell Alienware x14 R2. This powerful gaming laptop is a desktop replacement through and through comes with some wonderful specs. You’ve got a powerful RTX 4060 for handling your graphical needs. That is paired alongside an Intel Core i7-13620H, which should be more than enough for today’s modern titles.

You have the option for up to 32GB of DDR5 memory, and a minimum of 512GB of NVMe storage. All said, this is a desktop replacement that is going to turn heads when you start maxing out titles like Cyberpunk 2077 on the 165Hz display.

Best for Gaming
Dell Alienware X14 R2 Gaming Laptop (2023)
$2,159.99
  • 14-Inch QHD+ 2560 x 1600 display
  • Core i7-13620H 3.6GHz (4.9GHz with Turbo Boost)
  • Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB GDDR6
  • 32GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • 1TB SSD storage
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
  • Win 11 Pro
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03/10/2024 08:02 pm GMT

Business Use

For business use, I’ll have to give it to the HP Elite Dragonfly G4. This is a supremely wonderful laptop that is lightweight and powerful for daily use. Sure, you won’t use it for gaming, but it can handle most other tasks with ease. You might want to look at something a bit more robust for CAD modeling and the like. However, for IT professionals, the Dragonfly has plenty to like.

The screen is bright and easy to read in dim lighting conditions. Its overall typing surface could be better, but you’re not getting a full mechanical deck in a business laptop. The Dragonfly’s keyboard does the job admirably. HP’s flagship business laptop comes with an Intel i7-1365U processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB of NVMe storage.

The 1920 x 1080 display has minimal bezels and uses an IPS panel. As such, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck when getting this business laptop.  

Best for Business
HP Elite Dragonfly G4
$1,925.47
  • 13.5-inch touchscreen WUXGA+ display
  • Intel Core i7-1355U Deca-core CPU 1.70 GHz
  • Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 1TB SSD storage
  • Windows 11 Pro
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03/10/2024 08:07 pm GMT

Media Creation

Dell vs. HP
The XPS 17 is a great choice for users looking to do video editing or other resource-intensive media creation.

Creating media like 3D animation or video editing needs raw power. Thankfully, the Dell XPS 17 more than has you handled. You’ve got access to an RTX 4080, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a bright 17-inch display to handle your various tasks.

Video editing in particular can really stress a system to its absolute limits when considering storage, memory, and other potential bottlenecks. The XPS 17 makes short work of all of this however and can readily handle 4K video editing to an acceptable level while maintaining great overall portability.

Best for Media Creation
Dell XPS 17 9720
$1,710.55
  • Intel Core i9-12900HK
  • 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD capacity
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU
  • Windows 11 Pro
  • 17-inch touchscreen display
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03/10/2024 09:21 am GMT

School

Educational needs can refer to a few different use cases. For college students, I’d recommend the HP Victus 15. You’ve got more than enough power and storage for handling most tasks and assignments where you’d need a computer. The great gaming performance also lets students have a little entertainment in their downtime.

Best for College Students
HP Victus 15 Laptop (2023)
$894.99
  • 15.6-inch FHD IPS 144Hz display
  • 9ms response time
  • Intel Core i5-13500H
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU (6 GB)
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
  • Windows 11 Home
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03/10/2024 08:12 pm GMT

For high school and younger, I’d recommend the HP Chromebook 14. You don’t need something with a ton of raw power to handle writing documents and assembling presentations. The Chromebook 14 is cost-effective and has a great display for most users.

HP’s Chromebook also comes with 4GB of RAM and a 14-inch HD display. It might not play something like Fortnite, but it makes for a solid platform for handling most school assignments.

Best for High School and Younger
HP Chromebook 14-inch Laptop
$192.99
  • 14-inch HD SVA anti-glare WLED-backlit display
  • Intel Celeron N4000 dual-core processor
  • 4GB LPDDR4-2400 SDRAM
  • 32GB eMMC storage
  • Backlit keyboard
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03/10/2024 08:16 pm GMT

Dell vs. HP: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Choose?

So, who’s the real winner between Dell vs. HP? There isn’t a clear-cut answer I can readily point to. If you’re looking for top-shelf performance at a premium cost, Dell certainly has that in spades. Users looking for great price-to-performance would do well to look at the HP line of laptops. They might not win the highest marks when it comes to gaming, but they handle business and educational needs with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which brand offers superior customer support?

Either company has a great customer service department. If you’re looking for timely responses, HP’s social media presence might be preferred.

Which brand has better build quality?

Dell is known for using higher-grade components across the board. That said, HP is no slouch when it comes to making a solid laptop.

Which brand provides better performance?

In a blind test, you’ll find Dell laptops the likely winner. However, that price comes at a premium.

Which brand offers better value for money?

HP laptops as a whole offer the best price-to-performance ratio you are going to find for business and gaming laptops.

Which brand is better for gaming?

Dell’s Alienware gaming laptops are a clear winner when it comes to overall performance. However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective gaming rig, the HP Victus is a great choice.

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