Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026) vs Dell 16 Plus DB16250

Benchmark-weighted head-to-head · data updated 2026-08-19

Winner: Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)

Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026) takes 9.3 weighted points vs 7, winning on CPU Benchmark, Pixel Density, Weight. The winner also sits in a more competitive value tier — a clear-cut call.

Winner
Highly Rated

Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)

Apple M5 (10 Core) · Integrated (Apple iGPU)

Under $1300
4.8 (704)
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VS

Dell 16 Plus DB16250

Intel Core Ultra 9 288V · Integrated (Intel iGPU)

Under $1500
4.1 (26)
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Use-Case Scores

CategoryMacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)16 Plus DB16250
Gaming3.1/103.7/10
Productivity6/105.7/10
Programming5.3/106/10
Engineering / 3D4/104.6/10
Student6.4/105.6/10
Travel / Portability7.6/106.3/10
AI Workloads3.6/104.5/10
Value for Money5.6/106/10

Detailed Specification Comparison

SpecMacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)16 Plus DB16250
CPUApple M5 (10 Core)Intel Core Ultra 9 288V
PassMark Score27,32219,876
CPU Cores4P+6E4P+4E
GPUIntegrated (Apple iGPU)Integrated (Intel iGPU)
G3DMark Score——
RAM16 GB DDR532 GB DDR5
RAM UpgradeableNo (soldered)No (soldered)
Storage512 GBSSD2 TBSSD
Display13.6″ Liquid Retina16″ IPS
Resolution2560 x 16642560x1600
Refresh Rate60 Hz120 Hz
Pixel Density225 PPI189 PPI
TouchscreenNoNo
Weight2.7 lbs3.42 lbs
Thickness0.44″0.67″
Amazon Rating4.8 ★ (704)4.1 ★ (26)
Value Score5.6/106/10

CPU Comparison

The Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)'s Apple M5 (10 Core) is ~37% faster in multi-threaded PassMark (27,322 vs 19,876). Noticeable in sustained workloads, less so in everyday browsing.

GPU & Gaming

Neither carries a dedicated GPU — both fine for esports at low settings, neither for modern AAA gaming.

Productivity & Battery

Office scores: 6/10 vs 5.7/10. Battery isn't in our dataset, but both share a similar power class, so expect comparable endurance.

Display

MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026): 13.6″ Liquid Retina 2560 x 1664 @ 60 Hz. 16 Plus DB16250: 16″ IPS 2560x1600 @ 120 Hz. The Dell 16 Plus DB16250's higher refresh rate wins for motion clarity.

RAM, Storage & Upgradeability

MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026): 16 GB DDR5 (soldered) + 512 GBSSD. 16 Plus DB16250: 32 GB DDR5 (soldered) + 2 TBSSD.

Build & Portability

2.7 lbs / 0.44″ vs 3.42 lbs / 0.67″. The Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026) is 0.7 lbs lighter — significant for daily carry. Travel scores: 7.6 vs 6.3.

Value

Value scores land 5.6/10 vs 6/10. The Dell 16 Plus DB16250 extracts more performance per dollar.

Final Verdict

Buy the Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026) — it wins the weighted spec battle and costs less. Choose the Dell 16 Plus DB16250 only if budget matter more to you.

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Also Consider

More on the Apple MacBook Air (M5) (13.3" 2026)

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