The Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA and Dell XPS 13 9345 are among the first laptops to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chipset and iLunar Lake respectively.
The Zenbook S 14 has a more traditional design and is less expensive than the XPS 13.
Both computers have 1080p webcams with infrared cameras for Windows 11 facial recognition, but the XPS 13's keyboard contains a fingerprint reader embedded in it.
In benchmark performance testing, the XPS 13 was faster across the board than the Zenbook.
The laptops are closely matched in terms of build quality, but the XPS 13's zero-lattice keyboard, hidden haptic touchpad, and touch LED function keys lack useful functionality.
The Zenbook S 14 has better battery life and a larger battery, but the XPS 13 gets similar efficiency to most other Qualcomm laptops during web browsing and when running demanding tests.
The Zenbook's OLED display has near-perfect blacks and color accuracy, but the XPS 13's IPS display is said to be very bright with good contrast.
The Asus Zenbook S 14 shows off Lunar Lake's efficiency and is less expensive, making it easier to recommend than the XPS 13.