Between the XPS 16 (9650) and Zenbook S 14 UX5406, the XPS 16 (9650) comes out ahead in cpu cores / battery, while the Zenbook S 14 UX5406 wins on claimed battery life / weight. Overall, the XPS 16 (9650) scores 76.7 and the Zenbook S 14 UX5406 scores 64.2 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The XPS 16 (9650) is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 12.5 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 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. The biggest gaps in its favor are cpu cores, battery, screen size, among others.
Pick the Zenbook S 14 UX5406 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 claimed battery life, weight.
Both ship with comparable ram, storage, refresh rate, so those specs do not 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 Dell - XPS 16 (9650) wins
- ▲CPU cores — 100.00% more. 16 vs 8.
- ▲Battery — 38.19% more. 99.5 Wh vs 72 Wh.
- ▲Screen size — 16.43% more. 16.3 " vs 14 ".
- ▲Thunderbolt ports — 1.00 more. 3 vs 2.
Why ASUS - Zenbook S 14 UX5406 wins
- ▲Claimed battery life — 23.08% more. 16 h vs 13 h.
- ▲Weight — 0.93 kg less. 1.20 vs 2.13.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) | ASUS - Zenbook S 14 UX5406 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 2.13 kg | 1.20 kglead |
| Thickness | 18.7 mm | 11.9 mmlead |
| Build material | aluminum | ceraluminum |
| Backlit keyboard | true | true |
| Fingerprint reader | true | true |
Display
| Spec | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) | ASUS - Zenbook S 14 UX5406 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 16.3 "lead | 14 " |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Panel typeⓘ | OLED | OLED |
Performance
| Spec | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) | ASUS - Zenbook S 14 UX5406 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 9 285H | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| CPU cores | 16lead | 8 |
| GPUⓘ | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop | Intel Arc 140V |
| RAMⓘ | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Storageⓘ | 1024 GB | 1024 GB |
| Storage typeⓘ | SSD | SSD |
Battery & Ports
| Spec | Dell - XPS 16 (9650) | ASUS - Zenbook S 14 UX5406 |
|---|---|---|
| Batteryⓘ | 99.5 Whlead | 72 Wh |
| Claimed battery life | 13 h | 16 hlead |
| USB-C ports | 3lead | 2 |
| Thunderbolt portsⓘ | 3lead | 2 |
| HDMI | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, XPS 16 (9650) or Zenbook S 14 UX5406?+
Zenbook S 14 UX5406 claims up to 16 hours — 13h vs 16h.
Which is lighter, XPS 16 (9650) or Zenbook S 14 UX5406?+
Zenbook S 14 UX5406 is lighter at 1.20 kg vs 2.13 kg.
Which has an OLED display, XPS 16 (9650) or Zenbook S 14 UX5406?+
Both have OLED displays.
Spec-level deep dives
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