Macbook Air, move over: Dell's new XPS 13 may be the best ultrabook ever released. Don't believe me? I've got specs and details. Both the XPS 13 and the Macbook Air have a variety of models and prices, so a fair way to compare the two is the $999 models, which is what I'll do here.

Under the hood

When it comes to processor and RAM, the XPS 13 has the edge. The Macbook Air has a 1.4 Ghz Haswell-based Intel Core i5, while the XPS 13 comes with a faster Broadwell-based Intel Core i5 that has better graphics capabilities than the Macbook Air. As for RAM, the XPS 13 has 8 GB, double the Macbook Air's 4 GB. Keep in mind, though, that specs aren't everything, and that Apple typically does an outstanding job of squeezing every bit of performance out of its hardware. Still, it's hard to argue against a faster, better processor and twice the RAM.

Screen

Both the Macbook Air and the XPS 13 have 13.3-inch screens. But the XPS 13 beats out the Macbook Air based on its resolution. The Macbook Air's screen has 1440 x 900 resolution, while the XPS 13 easily bests it with a 1920 by 1080 resolution.

Overall design

Nobody beats Apple for design, right? Well, that's not so true anymore. The XPX 13 has a wafer-thin 5.2mm bezel around the screen, which means that the screen is essentially edge to edge. Not only does that make it stunning looking, but it allows the XPS to be smaller and lighter as well. So it's the size of an 11-inch Macbook Air, and about 25% smaller than a the 13.3-inch Macbook Air. And it's also lighter, 2.6 pounds versus 2.96 pounds for the Macbook Air.

Bottom line

The XPS 13 has more RAM, a better processor, a better screen, and is thinner and lighter than the Macbook Air. So unless you're truly wedded to Apple and OS X, you'll want it rather than a Macbook Air.

This story, "Dell's new XPS 13 -- yes, it truly is better than the Macbook Air" was originally published by ITworld .