Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700 Comparison

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Dell XPS 13 9310

13.4 inches | October 2020

Speed 3

Size 9

Display 4.5

Gaming 1.5

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Dell XPS 17 9700

17 inches | May 2020

Speed 3

Size 7

Display 3.5

Gaming 1.5

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Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700 Comparison Overview

Dell XPS 13 9310

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Dell XPS 17 9700

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Dell XPS 13 9310

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Dell XPS 17 9700

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In this review, we will be comparing XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700, two laptops by Dell. Dell XPS 13 9310 was introduced to market in October 2020 and Dell XPS 17 9700 was launched in May 2020. There is only 5 months difference between XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 are members of Dell's XPS series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Dell XPS Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Dell XPS 13 9350 2024	September 2024	13.4"	295.3 x 199.1 x 14.8-15.3 mm	1.18 kg (2.6 lbs)
Dell XPS 13 9345 2024	May 2024	13.4"	295.3 x 199.1 x 14.8-15.3 mm	1.17 kg (2.58 lbs)
Dell XPS 13 9340 2024	January 2024	13.4"	295.3 x 199 x 14.8-15.3 mm	1.17 kg (2.58 lbs)
Dell XPS 14 9440 2024	January 2024	14.5"	320 x 216 x 18 mm	1.68 kg (3.7 lbs)
Dell XPS 16 9640 2024	January 2024	16.3"	358.1 x 240 x 18.7 mm	2.13 kg (4.7 lbs)
Dell XPS 15 9530 2023	February 2023	15.6"	344.72 x 230.14 x 18 mm	1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)
Dell XPS 17 9730 2023	February 2023	17.0"	374.45 x 248.05 x 19.5 mm	2.31 kg (5.09 lbs)
Dell XPS 13 9315	June 2022	13.4"	295.4 x 199.4 x 13.99 mm	1.17 kg (2.58 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell XPS 13 9310 and Dell XPS 17 9700 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell XPS 13 9310 Key Specs

Launched in October 2020
13.4" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i3 1115G4
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4
8GB Ram
296 x 199 x 15 mm (11.65 x 7.83 x 0.59 inches)
Weight: 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs)

Dell XPS 17 9700 Key Specs

Launched in May 2020
17.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 10300H
GPU: GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Mobile 4GB
8GB Ram
375 x 248 x 20 mm (14.76 x 9.76 x 0.79 inches)
Weight: 2.51 kg (5.53 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Dell XPS 13 9310 over Dell XPS 17 9700

Weight	1.20 kg vs 2.51 kg	1.31 kg lighter
Side Bezel Thickness	3.7 mm vs 4.4 mm	0.7 mm thinner bezels
Noise Level	36.6 dB vs 49 dB	Less fan noise
Screen PPI	169 ppi vs 133 ppi	More pixels per inch
Response Time	35 ms vs 41 ms	Faster Response screen
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 14 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 12 nm	Newer Generation GPU
Speaker Loudness	84.6 dB vs 82.2 dB	Generates higher sound levels

Reasons to choose Dell XPS 17 9700 over Dell XPS 13 9310

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~90.1% vs ~88.4%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	17 inches vs 13.4 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Contrast Rate	1686:1 vs 1200:1	more pleasing colors
GPU FLOPS	3.041 TFLOPS vs 0.84 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.2 vs v5.1	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	4x USB 3.2 vs 2x USB 3.1	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v3.2 vs v3.1	Larger Touchpad Area
Touchpad Size	15.0 x 8.9 cm vs 11.2 x 6.4 cm	Better typing feel
Key Travel	1.3 mm vs 1 mm

Common Strengths of Dell XPS 17 9700 and Dell XPS 13 9310

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
HDR Support	Yes, Dolby Vision vs Yes, Dolby Vision	Watch HDR Clips
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left, Right	Flexible charging positions
RAM Type	LPDDR4X vs DDR4	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.1 vs v5.2	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs Yes	Easy Login with Fingerprint Sensor
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v3	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Dell XPS 17 9700 and Dell XPS 13 9310

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDMI Output	No vs No	Need an adapter to connect to HDMI displays

Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell XPS 13 9310 and the Dell XPS 17 9700.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.2 kg (2.65 lbs)	2.51 kg (5.53 lbs)
Surface Area	589 cm2 (91.2 inches2)	930 cm2 (144.1 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~88.4%	~90.1%
Side Bezel Thickness	~3.7 mm	~4.4 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.15 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.33 lbs/inch
Colors	White, Black	Silver

Comparison of the Dell XPS 13 9310 and the Dell XPS 17 9700 External Dimensions

Weight

XPS 13 9310 weighs 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs), whereas the XPS 17 9700 weighs 2.51 kg (5.53 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Dell XPS 13 9310

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Dell XPS 17 9700

Avg: larger than 17.0"

Thickness Comparison

Dell XPS 13 9310

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Dell XPS 17 9700

Avg: larger than 17.0"

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Dell XPS 13 9310 is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Dell XPS 17 9700 is 0.15 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ14 HT7407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch

Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700: Internals Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i3 1115G4 Intel Core i5 1135G7 Intel Core i7 1165G7 Intel Core i7 1185G7	Intel Core i5 10300H Intel Core i7 10750H Intel Core i7 10875H Intel Core i9 10885H
Base Frequency	1.7-3.0 GHz	2.5 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.1 GHz	4.5 GHz
Number of Cores	2	4
Number of Threads	4	8
L3 Cache	6 MB	8 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4	Intel UHD Graphics 630
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	14 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1264	1186
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	2563	3813
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1330	1128
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	3144	4906

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Dell XPS 13 9310 and Dell XPS 17 9700.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i3 1115G4

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 10300H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4	GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Mobile 4GB GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q 6GB
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	1350 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1100 MHz	1485 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W	50 W
Type	Integrated	Dedicated
FLOPS	0.84 TFLOPS	3.041 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	4 GB
Memory Type	LPDDR4X	GDDR6
Memory Bus	System Shared	128 bit
Memory Speed	4.27 Gbps	~12 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	384	1024
TMUs	24	64
ROPs	12	32

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Dell XPS 13 9310 has a FLOPS value of 0.84 TFLOPS whereas the Dell XPS 17 9700 ' has a FLOPS value of 3.041 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell XPS 17 9700 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB	8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x4 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	4267 MHz	2933 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR4X	DDR4
Upgradable	No	Yes

Both laptops, the XPS 13 9310 and the XPS 17 9700, come with similar RAM capacities of 8 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Dell XPS 13 9310	Dell XPS 17 9700
CPU	Intel Core i3 1115G4	Intel Core i5 10300H
GPU	Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4	GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Mobile 4GB
Memory	8 GB	8 GB ; 4 GB VRAM
Available for LLM total	~3.5 GB (3.5 GB RAM)	~8 GB (2.5 GB VRAM 5.5 GB RAM)
Small Models (1-3B): Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B Requires ~2 GB memory	✔ Modest Speed fits in your 3.5 GB RAM	✔ Modest Speed fits in your 4 GB VRAM
Medium Models (7-8B): Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B Requires ~5 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	! Not Practical doesn't fit in 4 GB VRAM, spills to RAM (VRAM + RAM, slower)
Large Models
13-15B Models (e.g., Llama 3 14B, Qwen1.5 14B) Requires ~9 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
16-24B Models (e.g., Dense 20B Q4 ~15.5GB) Requires ~14 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
24-30B Models (e.g., Dense 30B Q4) Requires ~18 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
MoE Models (Mixture-of-Experts) (e.g., Mixtral 8x7B - total ~47B, active ~12-13B) Requires ~24 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM
Extra-Large Models (65B+): Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B Requires ~42 GB memory	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM	✖ Not Supported exceeds available RAM

For more detailed LLM evaluation (subcategories, performance ranges, memory breakdown)

Dell XPS 13 9310|Dell XPS 17 9700

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 Model Types: Dense 30B Q4 models typically require around 19–22 GB of total VRAM, so they run best on systems with ≥24 GB VRAM. MoE models like Mixtral 8x7B (≈47B total parameters, usually ≈23–26 GB in 4-bit) also need high memory because all experts must be loaded, even though only a few are active per token. They reduce compute cost per token (similar to a ~12–13B dense model), but not memory usage, so they are not practical on 14–16 GB systems.

🚀 Modern NPU (Neural Processing Unit): Modern processors like AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra feature NPU and unified memory architecture. NPUs provide modest performance gains (0-30% faster) with better power efficiency compared to iGPU-only execution. Real-world tests show ~3-10 tok/s range on 13B models with 32GB RAM (varies by runtime, quantization, and context), comparable to iGPU but more power-efficient. Note: These figures are examples from various NPU systems; actual performance depends on your specific hardware configuration.

Understanding Performance Categories

The performance descriptions use general categories because actual speed varies greatly based on your specific hardware, model optimization, context length, and runtime software.

Performance Level	Typical Range	User Experience
Runs Smoothly (High-end dGPU)	50+ tok/s	Real-time response. Feels instant, like ChatGPT.
Runs Well (Mid-range dGPU)	20-50 tok/s	Good interactive performance. Slight delay, but usable.
Modest Speed (iGPU/NPU/CPU)	5-20 tok/s	Usable for tasks that don't need instant responses. Noticeable typing delay.
Borderline / Slow (Limited hardware)	2-5 tok/s	Slow-Very slow. Patience required. Better for batch processing.
Not Practical	<2 tok/s	Too slow for regular use. May cause system hangs or instability.

💡 Tip: Your actual results may be higher or lower than these ranges. Test with your specific hardware to know for sure!

⚠️ Note: Performance categorization is based on VRAM capacity and RAM fallback status. GPU type (memory bandwidth, compute power) can also affect actual performance. Currently, we prioritize whether the model fits in VRAM or requires RAM fallback for classification. We may refine this categorization in future updates based on more detailed benchmarks.

BATTERY

BATTERY	52 Wh	97 Wh 56 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Left, Right
Charge Power	45 W	90 / 130 W
Voltage	7.6 V	11.4 V
Full Charging Time	3:00 hr	2:00 hr
AC Adapter Weight	218 gramm	447 gramm

On the other hand, the XPS 17 9700 features a higher battery capacity of 97 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the XPS 13 9310's 52 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Dell XPS 13 9310

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Dell XPS 17 9700

Avg: larger than 17.0"

STORAGE
Both laptops, the XPS 13 9310 and the XPS 17 9700 have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell XPS 13 9310 and Dell XPS 17 9700 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. XPS 13 9310 has a display size of 13.4".On the other hand, XPS 17 9700 has a larger17.0" display.The total usable screen area of the XPS 13 9310 is 521cm² / 81inch² whereas the XPS 17 9700's total usable screen area is 838cm² / 130inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the XPS 13 9310 features a higher pixel density with 169 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Dell XPS 13 9310

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Dell XPS 17 9700

Avg: larger than 17.0"

Refresh Rate
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Furthermore, the XPS 13 9310 boasts a faster response time of 35.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 offer the same maximum brightness of 500 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Dell XPS 13 9310

Avg: 13.0-13.9"

Dell XPS 17 9700

Avg: larger than 17.0"

Dell XPS 13 9310 vs Dell XPS 17 9700 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Neither XPS 13 9310 nor XPS 17 9700 has USB-A ports.
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 have USB Type-C ports. XPS 13 9310 has 2x USB 3.1 USB Type-C ports, while XPS 17 9700 has 4x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 feature Thunderbolt ports. XPS 13 9310 has Thunderbolt 4, while XPS 17 9700 has Thunderbolt 3.

HDMI
Neither XPS 13 9310 nor XPS 17 9700 has an HDMI port for connecting to external monitors. Neither XPS 13 9310 nor XPS 17 9700 has an HDMI port for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both XPS 13 9310 and XPS 17 9700 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v6.2)	v5.1	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	No	No
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 3.1	4x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 3
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	No	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	No	No