Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) vs Dell 14S
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has the edge: it has a sharper screen, has a smoother screen and has a brighter screen. The Dell 14S still has an OLED screen, so it's worth a look if that matters more to you.
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Key differences
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Performance
Evenly matched
Both have the power for photo and video editing, with 16 GB of memory each.
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Gaming
Evenly matched
Neither is made for modern games.
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Display
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 wins
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has the better screen: 13.8" 2K 600 nits 120 Hz against 14" Full HD OLED 300 nits.
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Battery life
Evenly matched
Similar battery life: up to 20 hours against a 70 Wh battery.
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Connectivity
Evenly matched
Different strengths: only the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has USB-A, while only the Dell 14S has HDMI.
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Portability
Evenly matched
About the same to carry: 1.36 kg and 1.46 kg.
Other differences
- Touchscreen Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 wins
Only the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has a touchscreen.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 if…
- You read, write or edit photos a lot: its 2K screen makes text and images crisper.
- You like smooth scrolling: its 120 Hz screen feels slicker.
- You work near windows or outside: its screen is brighter at 600 nits.
- You like to tap, scroll and sign things on screen: it has a touchscreen.
Choose the Dell 14S if…
- You watch a lot of films and video, or edit photos: its OLED screen has true blacks and rich colour.
- You plug things in: it has HDMI (for TVs and monitors).
- You want a slim laptop that slips into a bag: it's 6.9 mm thick.
Full spec comparison
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 leads on the screen; elsewhere the two are closely matched.
Green cells with a ✓ mark the better spec in that row. Tick "Show differences only" to hide the rows where they match.
Performance
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 is ahead on performance.
It has a stronger AI engine, and the Dell 14S doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon X2 Plus (10 Core) | AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 |
| Graphics | Qualcomm Adreno GPU | AMD Radeon 840M Graphics |
| AI engine (NPU) | 80 TOPS | 50 TOPS |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory type | LPDDR5x | LPDDR5x-8000 |
| Maximum memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory upgrades | Soldered (not upgradeable) | Soldered (not upgradeable) |
| Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
| Storage interface | Removable Gen 4 SSD | PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe M.2 2230 |
| Storage slots | — | 1 |
Screen
Each laptop has its strengths on the screen.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has a sharper screen, has a smoother screen and has a brighter screen, while the Dell 14S has an OLED screen.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 13.8" | 14" |
| Resolution | 2K (2304 x 1536) | Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) |
| Aspect ratio | 3:2 | 16:10 |
| Panel | LCD | OLED |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Variable refresh (VRR) | — | No |
| Brightness | 600 nits | 300 nits |
| Colour range | — | 100% DCI-P3 |
| HDR | HDR, 600 nits peak; Dolby Vision IQ support | — |
| Finish | — | Matte |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
Battery and size
Each laptop has its strengths on battery and weight.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 is a little lighter, while the Dell 14S is slimmer.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (maker claim) | Up to 20 hours | — |
| Battery capacity | 54 Wh | 70 Wh |
| Charger | — | 65 W |
| Charges via | USB-C (USB4) and Surface Connect | USB-C |
| Fast charging | Fast charging supported with min. 60W USB-C PD charger or 65W Surface Power Supply (sold separately); no percentage/time claim | ExpressCharge: full charge in about 2 hours (standard charge 3 hours) |
| Weight | 1.36 kg | 1.46 kg |
| Dimensions | 301 x 220 x 17.5 mm | 313.7 x 224.0 x 6.89-11.40 mm |
| Materials | Recycled aluminium alloy enclosure (A cover and C bucket) | Aluminium (Dell: 'refined aluminum', recycled aluminum and plastics) |
| Durability | — | Military-grade testing (MIL-STD standard not named) |
| Hinge | — | 180-degree lay-flat |
| Colour | Black | Frost Blue |
| Colours available | Black, Platinum | Celestial Blue, Frost Blue |
Ports and wireless
On ports and wireless, it comes down to what you need.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 has USB-A, while the Dell 14S has HDMI.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB-C / USB4 (charging, data, DisplayPort 2.1), 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x 3.5 mm audio, 1x Surface Connect (charging) | 2x USB4 Type-C (40 Gbps, charging via Power Delivery, DisplayPort 2.1), 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5 mm global headset |
| Thunderbolt / USB4 | USB4 | USB4 40Gbps |
| External displays (max) | 3 | 3 |
| Card reader | None | None |
| Ethernet | None | None |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Wi-Fi card | — | MediaTek MT7925 (Wi-Fi 7, 2x2, MU-MIMO) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Mobile data | None | None |
Features
Both have much the same extras.
From the keyboard to the webcam and login, there is little between them.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Webcam | 1080p | 1080p + IR |
| Backlit keyboard | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard | Automatic backlight, Copilot key | Spill-resistant, backlit, dedicated AI hotkey, 18.05 mm key pitch |
| Login | Face | Face |
| Number pad | No | — |
| Touchpad | Precision haptic touchpad with advanced haptics and adaptive touch mode | 130 x 90 mm touchpad |
| Speakers | Omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos | 2 speakers, 2 W + 2 W average (10 W + 10 W peak), Cirrus Logic SmartAmps, Dolby Atmos tuned |
| Microphones | Dual Studio Mics with voice focus | dual-array digital microphones |
| Pen | No | No |
| Security | TPM 2.0, Microsoft Pluton security processor | TPM 2.0 (discrete) |
Software and model
Both run Windows.
So the same apps work on both, and they get the same kind of updates.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8 (8th Edition) | Dell 14S |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Model number | EP2-60925 | DDS14265-A455BLU-PGB |
| Released | 2026 | 2026 |