Between the Zenbook Duo (2024) and XPS 16 (9650), the Zenbook Duo (2024) comes out ahead in weight, while the XPS 16 (9650) wins on battery and screen size. Overall, the Zenbook Duo (2024) scores 68.1 and the XPS 16 (9650) scores 76.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The XPS 16 (9650) is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 8.6 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Zenbook Duo (2024) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight.
Pick the XPS 16 (9650) if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. Its strongest claims are battery, screen size, claimed battery life, among others.
Both ship with comparable ram, storage, refresh rate, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the XPS 16 (9650) is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why ASUS - Zenbook Duo (2024) wins
- ▲Weight — 0.48 kg less. 1.65 vs 2.13.
Why Dell - XPS 16 (9650) wins
- ▲Battery — 32.67% more. 99.5 Wh vs 75 Wh.
- ▲Screen size — 16.43% more. 16.3 " vs 14 ".
- ▲Claimed battery life — 8.33% more. 13 h vs 12 h.
- ▲Thunderbolt ports — 1.00 more. 3 vs 2.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | ASUS - Zenbook Duo (2024) | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.65 kglead | 2.13 kg |
| Thickness | 14.6 mmlead | 18.7 mm |
| Build material | aluminum | aluminum |
| Backlit keyboard | true | true |
| Fingerprint reader | false | truelead |
Display
| Spec | ASUS - Zenbook Duo (2024) | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 14 " | 16.3 "lead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Panel typeⓘ | OLED | OLED |
Performance
| Spec | ASUS - Zenbook Duo (2024) | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H |
| CPU cores | 16 | 16 |
| GPUⓘ | Intel Arc Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop |
| RAMⓘ | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 1024 GB | 1024 GB |
| Storage typeⓘ | SSD | SSD |
Battery & Ports
| Spec | ASUS - Zenbook Duo (2024) | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) |
|---|---|---|
| Batteryⓘ | 75 Wh | 99.5 Whlead |
| Claimed battery life | 12 h | 13 hlead |
| USB-C ports | 2 | 3lead |
| Thunderbolt portsⓘ | 2 | 3lead |
| HDMI | truelead | false |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, Zenbook Duo (2024) or XPS 16 (9650)?+
XPS 16 (9650) claims up to 13 hours — 12h vs 13h.
Which is lighter, Zenbook Duo (2024) or XPS 16 (9650)?+
Zenbook Duo (2024) is lighter at 1.65 kg vs 2.13 kg.
Which has an OLED display, Zenbook Duo (2024) or XPS 16 (9650)?+
Both have OLED displays.
Spec-level deep dives
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