It was clear that the launch of the MacBook Neo at just $599 took most Windows PC makers by surprise. However, Dell appears to have had a strong suspicion of what was coming as the company has just launched its own direct competitor, (sort of) starting at the same price.
Apple also has a new rival when it comes to Apple Silicon. Nvidia has just announced its first ever PC chip which also aims to provide a similar leap forward in performance …
Dell XPS 13 takes on the MacBook Neo
When Apple announced the MacBook Neo, even Windows fans were shocked at just how much laptop you were getting for so little money.
I can’t believe it: Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo just lit a monstrous fire under the Windows laptop market — Microsoft better be panicking […] This new low-cost macOS laptop is everything your everyday Joe or Jane would ever need from a computer in 2026.
The new machine not only represented an entirely new price point for Mac, but it also wasn’t making any compromises in materials. Apple stuck to anodized aluminum rather than the plastics typically used by Windows laptops at the same price point.
However, TNW reports that Dell has responded.
The new XPS 13 weighs 2.2 lbs (0.9kg) and measures 0.5 inches (12.7mm) thick, making it the thinnest and lightest XPS Dell has ever produced. The chassis is aluminium rather than the plastic that typically defines the sub-$700 PC laptop tier; the screen is touch-capable.
There’s even a bit of a Liquid Glass look going on in some of Dell’s promotional photos.
The starting price is $100 more, although it’s offering a $599 price point for students. At the same time, it includes a touchscreen which the Neo doesn’t, so some may consider that a good trade-off.
Nvidia’s PC chip takes on Apple Silicon
Even the first generation of Apple Silicon was so superior to any Intel chips in terms of both performance and power efficiency that it left the US chipmaker floundering to respond. However, Nvidia believes it may have done so with its new RTX Spark chip. BBC News reports:
Nvidia has announced a new chip for personal computers as it moves into the consumer market for devices integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) technology […]
The RTX Spark is “a new superchip… for the era of personal AI agents – offering a new class of computer that moves from tool to teammate,” Nvidia said on its website.
The chip will debut in a new line of Windows PCs from Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and MSI in the fall.
9to5Mac’s Take
Nobody embedded in the Apple ecosystem is going to consider switching to a Windows laptop even if it does rival the performance and build quality of a MacBook. However, competition is a good thing for everyone, providing incentive for Apple to keep pushing the boundaries. It sounds like the Nvidia chip might provide even more pressure on the AI front.
- Official Apple Store on Amazon
- Discounted AirPods Pro 3
- Wireless CarPlay adapter
- AirTag holders and accessories
- Mac Pro-style Mac mini casing
- NordVPN – privacy-first VPN with no logs and independent audits to verify
Image: 9to5Mac/Dell/Avinash Kumar
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.