The MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptops in the market, but it might find a new competitor in Dell's new XPS 13 laptop with specs and features at par with Apple's offering. 

PC maker Dell recently updated its high-end XPS laptop line and announced its new Ultrabook. Various publications have given high remarks for the 13-inch Dell XPS 13, saying that Apple's laptop faces a serious competition against Dell's. The Dell XPS 13 was unveiled during last month's Consumer Electronics Show and impressed consumers and critics alike. 

Below is the comparison between Apple's MacBook Air and Dell's XPS 13 Ultrabook. 

Screen Display 

The XPS 13 Ultrabook sports a 13.3-inch screen with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution and the line also offers in 12, 15, and 17 inch variants. The Ultrabook is apt for users wanting a touchscreen device. The MacBook Air comes in 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch screen variants with 1366 x 768 and 1440 x 900 pixel resolutions, respectively. 

Processor 

Dell's laptop is powered by 1.70 GHz Intel Core i5-(4th gen) with Intel HD Graphics 5000 GPU paired with a 4 GB RAM. Apple's device, on the other hand, is equipped with 1.30 GHz Intel Core i5-(4th gen) with Intel HD Graphics 5000 GPU paired with 4 GB of RAM. 

Operating System 

The Dell Ultrabook runs with the latest Windows 8.1 that can be upgraded to Windows 10 for free. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air runs with Mac OS X Yosemite. 

Battery 

The battery juice of the 13-inch version of the Dell XPS 13 lasts for up to seven hours in comparison with MacBook Air's 12 hours of battery life. 

Price and Availability 

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook and MacBook Air are both available in companies and retailers for purchase and costs $1,049 and $1,099, respectively. 

Meanwhile, the MacBook Air is said to be refreshed this year. The new model is purported to sport a 12-inch Retina screen display and new Intel Broadwell chips. The laptop will also be thinner than its predecessor, thanks to its fanless design due to the inclusion of a USB Type-C port.