Turbo Boost becomes the deciding factor that gives the Dell laptop a slight edge in CPU performance even though the Asus uses a newer Intel processor. Even so, the ZenBook carries a few other advantages to make it worth considering especially in regards to price and storage.
Asus took the initiative last month to launch its 2019 13.3-inch ZenBook UX333 series complete with Whiskey Lake-U ahead of everyone else including Dell. Most competitors are expected to announce their own updated Ultrabooks with Whiskey Lake-U at CES 2019. How does Asus' new 13.3-inch ZenBook compare to the current Kaby Lake-R XPS 13 lineup?
In terms of raw CPU performance, both the older Core i5-8250U and i7-8550U in the XPS 13 series can still consistently outperform the newer i5-8265U in the ZenBook UX333FA. We are able to see the performance delta over time between the two models by looping CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop as shown by our graph below. The i5-8250U XPS 13 scores almost 14 percent higher even after accounting for Turbo Boost fluctuations after prolonged processing stress. Keep in mind that the i5-8265U in the Asus is supposed to directly succeed the i5-8250U.
The performance advantages come at the cost of core temperature. The i5-8250U in the Dell averages at around 89 C compared to just under 80 C on the Asus when subjected to similar stressful conditions. Furthermore, PCMark 10 scores are within single-digit percentages of one another to suggest just minor performance differences during day-to-day loads.
Outside of the processor, there are pros and cons to the connectivity of each model. XPS 13 9370 owners must deal with the lack of HDMI and full-size USB Type-A while ZenBook UX333 owners have no Thunderbolt 3 and are still reliant on a proprietary AC adapter. Additionally, the Dell display is much brighter albeit with more ghosting. Differences like these are arguably more impactful to most users when compared to the minor gap in processing power.
Price is also in Asus' favor. The UX333 retails for $850 USD with a Core i5 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD whereas the XPS 13 9370 starts at $930 USD with just half the RAM and storage capacity. The UX333 will eventually have discrete GeForce MX150 options as well for much faster graphics potential and we can't forget about its superior webcam positioning, either.
We recommend checking out our dedicated reviews below for more information on the XPS 13 and ZenBook UX433.
Asus ZenBook UX333Dell XPS 13 9370CPUCore i5-8265U or i7-8565UCore i5-8250U or i7-8550UGPUUHD Graphics 620 or GeForce MX150 w/ 2 GB GDDR5 VRAMUHD Graphics 620 onlyDisplay1080p only, no touchscreen, matte or glossy, ~250 nit1080p or 4K UHD, touchscreen optional, matte or glossy, ~400 nitRAM8 GB up to 16 GB LPDDR34 GB up to 16 GB LPDDR3AC adapterProprietary AC charger and portUSB Type-C chargerWirelessIntel 9560Killer 1435Ports1x USB Type-C Gen. 2, USB Type-A, HDMI, 3.5 mm combo audio, MicroSD reader2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB Type-C, 3.5 mm combo audio, MicroSD readerBattery50 Wh52 WhDimensions16.9 x 302 x 18911.6 x 302 x 199Weight1.19 kg1.21 kgStarting Price$850$930
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Dell XPS 13 9365-4537 2-in-1 Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA Dell XPS 13 9370 FHD i5 DIN A4
304 mm / 12 inch 200 mm / 7.87 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 1.2 kg2.71 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 189 mm / 7.44 inch 16.9 mm / 0.665 inch 1.2 kg2.62 lbs302 mm / 11.9 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 11.6 mm / 0.4567 inch 1.2 kg2.67 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA AU Optronics B133HAN05.C, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080Dell XPS 13 9370 i7 UHD ID: Sharp SHP148B, Name: LQ133D1, Dell P/N: 8XDHY, IPS, 13.30, 3840x2160Dell XPS 13 9370 FHD i5 SHP1484, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080Dell XPS 13 9365-4537 2-in-1 Sharp LQ133Z1, IPS, 13.30, 3200x1800Dell XPS 13 9360 FHD i7 Iris SHP1449, IPS, 13.30, 1920x1080Display Display P3 Coverage
67.9
68.9
68.9
64.4
51.6
sRGB Coverage
97.4
98.4
96.6
92.9
77.4
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
69.2
69.5
69.6
66.1
53.3
Response Times Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
54.4 [24.4, 30]
69.6 [32.4, 37.2]
62.4 [32.4, 30]
48 [26, 22]
41.2 [22.8, 18.4]
Response Time Black / White *
37.6 [18.8, 18.8]
44 [24.4, 19.6]
45.6 [24.4, 21.2]
28 [16, 12]
30 [17.6, 12.4]
PWM Frequency
3759 [20]
1008 [20]
19530 [80]
ScreenBrightness middle
276
478.5
428
348
461
Brightness
263
466
405
306
418
Brightness Distribution
89
86
87
78
85
Black Level *
0.21
0.43
0.26
0.2
0.2
Contrast
1314
1113
1646
1740
2305
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.85
3.09
3.8
2.79
5.4
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.24
5.94
7.2
5.53
12.2
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.6
2.06
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.7
2.4
4.4
3.47
5.4
Gamma
2.08 106%
2.063 107%
2.21 100%
2.54 87%
2.15 102%
CCT
7424 88%
6883 94%
7067 92%
6564 99%
7258 90%
Color Space [Percent of AdobeRGB 1998]
63
69.47
62.8
60
48.6
Color Space [Percent of sRGB]
98
98.36
96.4
93
76.9
Total Average [Program / Settings]
* ... smaller is better
Source[s]
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Allen Ngo - Lead Editor U.S. - 5174 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There's a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I'm not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.