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Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch vs Dell XPS 16 9640: Comparison
What is the difference between Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch and Dell XPS 16 9640?
The gap that matters here is refresh rate: Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch 120 Hz against Dell XPS 16 9640 60 Hz, which puts Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch 50% ahead.
Who each one is for
The Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch suits studios standardizing on a single top-tier laptop for heavy pipelines and buyers who value battery life alongside maximum performance, though it is not built for portability-first buyers, heaviest and priciest MacBook configuration and budget-conscious buyers by a wide margin. It is equally the pick for colorists, 3D and ML professionals who need the most GPU a MacBook offers. It is the wrong buy for anyone who doesn't saturate GPU cores day to day, M5 Pro is enough. Buy the Dell XPS 16 9640 for creative professionals wanting a large OLED canvas, though it is not the pick for RAM or storage-slot upgraders.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Region sold, laptop class, memory soldered, ram slots and ram slots free read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch and Dell XPS 16 9640 differ on series id?
Yes. Series ID reads macbook-pro-16-m5 on the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch versus dell-xps-16-9640 on the Dell XPS 16 9640.
Is the Storage Slots Free the same on the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch and Dell XPS 16 9640?
It is. Both are listed at 0, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Apple
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Dell
Series
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- MacBook Pro
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- XPS 16
Series ID
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- macbook-pro-16-m5
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- dell-xps-16-9640
SKU Name
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- M5 Max (18-core CPU/32-core GPU) / 36GB / 2TB
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- XPS 16 9640 (Ultra 9 185H, RTX 4070, 32GB, 1TB)
Chassis Code
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 16-inch, 2026
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 9640
Region Sold
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Global
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Global
Laptop Class
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Thin and Light
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Thin and Light
Release Year
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 2026
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 2024
Operating System
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- macOS
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Windows 11 Home
Weight
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 2.15 kg
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 2.03 kgBest
CPU Brand
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Apple
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Intel
CPU Model
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Apple M5 Max (18-core CPU)
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Core Ultra 9 185H
CPU Cores
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 18Best
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 16
GPU Brand
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Apple
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- NVIDIA
GPU Model
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Apple M5 Max GPU (32-core)
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
VRAM
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 0 GB
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 8 GB
Graphics Switching
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Integrated Only
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Optimus
RAM Capacity
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 36 GBBest
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 32 GB
RAM Type
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Unified Memory
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- LPDDR5X
Memory Form Factor
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- On Package Unified
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Soldered
Memory Soldered
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Yes
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Yes
Max RAM Supported
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 128 GB
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 64 GB
RAM Slots
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 0
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 0
RAM Slots Free
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 0
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 0
Storage Slots
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 0
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 1
Storage Slots Free
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 0
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 0
Storage Form Factor
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Soldered
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- M.2 2280
SATA Bay Present
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- No
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- No
Storage Capacity
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 2000 GBBest
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 1000 GB
Storage Type
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Soldered NVMe
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- NVMe SSD
Display Size
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 16.2 inches
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 16.3 inches
Resolution Width
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 3456 px
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 3200 px
Resolution Height
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 2234 px
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 2000 pxBest
Refresh Rate
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 120 HzBest
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 60 Hz-50%
Panel Type
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Liquid Retina XDR
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- OLED
Brightness Condition
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- SDR Sustained Full Screen
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Vendor Unstated
Touchscreen
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- No
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Yes
Battery Capacity
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- 100 WhBest
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- 99.5 Wh
Thunderbolt Support
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- Thunderbolt 5
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- Thunderbolt 4
WiFi Standard
- Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
- WiFi 7
- Dell XPS 16 9640
- WiFi 7
Which one should you pick?
Choose Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch if you want the higher refresh rate (120 Hz vs 60 Hz).
Choose Dell XPS 16 9640 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch | Dell XPS 16 9640 |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | View on Best Buy | |
| Amazon | View on Amazon | |
| Dell Store | View on Dell Store |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch
8.8 / 10 Expert Rating
The 16 inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max has an 18-core CPU, 36GB of unified memory, 2TB of storage and a Liquid Retina XDR display at 1000 nits and 120Hz.
Dell XPS 16 9640
8.7 / 10 Expert Rating
The XPS 16 9640 pairs a Core Ultra 9 185H with an RTX 40 series GPU carrying 8GB of VRAM and 32GB of LPDDR5X.