It’s hard to talk about the new Dell XPS 13 without mentioning the MacBook Neo. To say it takes inspiration from the choices of its rival would be an understatement - whether that’s the type of processor, the quality of the display, or the amount of memory. It’s practically a tribute act, but one that might actually be worth the ticket price.

But don’t think that’s a bad thing. The Dell XPS 13 feels different from other Windows laptops you can buy for $700 (or $900 for the better configuration), and a lot of that is for the better. Yes, we have some beef with the starting configuration - because of course we do - but we also can’t deny what makes it so compelling and unique, even among the very best laptops you can buy. It’s like the nerdy kid who copies the cool kid’s homework but adds their own flair; you can’t help but respect the hustle.

The MacBook Neo did one thing very well: translate what people love about MacBooks into a $700 package (or $600 at the time it was announced). In terms of the things you can touch and feel, the MacBook Neo is every bit as premium-feeling as a MacBook Air. The materials used in the chassis, the quality of the keyboard and trackpad, and the caliber of the display - none of it has the “budget device” stink. There's more to the story of the MacBook Neo than that, but you can tell it’s how Apple made decisions on which features to cut or compromise on. And now Dell has taken that playbook and run with it, for better or worse. Spoiler: it’s mostly better.