Update : Our review for theQualcomm - based , Copilot+ version of the XPS 13has been turn . It makesfor an interesting comparisonagainst this Intel reading , especially since they start at the same price .
It ’s a weird time to retrospect a laptop — or to corrupt one , for that affair . Microsoft ’s newCopilot+ PCinitiative is afoot , with a variety of novel machine set to make it with Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon X chipsets that promise good performance and the good efficiency yet from Windows laptops . At the same fourth dimension , not everyone want Windows on Arm , and there ’s still plenty of room for current laptops running Intel ’s Meteor Lake chipset — which itself wo n’t be outdated for at least a few month .
The latest Dell XPS 13 descend into the “ old ” harvest of Windows laptop that will nevertheless be attractive to many buyers . It ’s among thebest 13 - inch laptopsyou can purchase today , but when will that change ? It ’s an fantabulous niggling machine with estimable performance and a not bad presentation . If that ’s what you need today , then it ’s a satisfying option . I just ca n’t guarantee you wo n’t regret your conclusion after the reviews of the Copilot+ role model start to range in afterwards this month .
Specs and configurations
Configuring the XPS 13 can be knavish . Some pick , like an upgrade from the base FHD+ IPS presentation to the QHD+ IPS display , require other change ( in that case , from 8 GB to 16 GB of RAM ) . The base model with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chipset , 8 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and the 13.4 - inch IPS display costs $ 1,099 . My reassessment unit had 32 GB of RAM , a 1 TB SSD , and a 13.4 - in OLED dialog box for $ 1,599 . At the high end , you ’ll spend $ 2,299 for 64 GB of RAM , a 2 TB SSD , and the OLED display .
That earn the XPS 13 jolly affordable at the low end , at least for a very premium laptop , and then quite expensive at the high end . But some of its competition is every bit costly . I would n’t call the XPS 13 cheap , but it ’s not inordinately expensive , either . I ’ll also notice that while Dell includes more chipset pick in its specs , those are n’t currently available for leverage .
Design
Although many laptop makers , include Dell , have focused on14 - inch laptop , that does n’t intend they no longer handle about the smaller form factor . And the XPS 13 is the most modern 13 - column inch laptop around . It ’s essentially the same as theXPS 13 Plusthat give up off Dell ’s new XPS design school of thought that ’s been carried across to theXPS 14andXPS 16as well .
The standout features are most apparent on the inside . On the exterior , the all - aluminum physical body retains the sleek angle and platinum and black lead gloss dodge of former XPS laptops . open up the lid , though , and the new machines are a totally different affair . The zero - grille keyboard , all - glass palm rest with hidden haptic touchpad , and go touch subroutine headstone bestow the XPS 13 a futuristic melodic phrase . Combine that with the thinnest bezel on a laptop , and the Dell is as present-day as it perplex .
Those are controversial feature , and their utility vary based on the sizing of the XPS laptop . The keyboard and lead function key are largely to save on heaviness , which is most important with the XPS 13 . But the hidden tactile touchpad is harder to expend on the XPS 13 because it ’s smaller and therefore you ’re more potential to run off the edge when cabbage . So , I ’m more accepting of the first two feature but less so of the latter one — which seems to exist entirely for the aesthetics and without a actual use benefit .
That said , the XPS 13 really is a play laptop to look at . It ’s also very small and jolly thin , while having a weight unit that ’s easy enough , but lends a tightness that makes it feel like a tone laptop computer . That ’s also on-key of theMacBook Air 13 , which is devilishly thin at 0.44 column inch ( compared to the XPS 13 ’s 0.58 in ) , but around the same weight . It ’s thick as well and afford off the same quality flavor . The XPS 13 , like the MacBook Air , is substantial as a rock’n’roll in its chassis and its eyelid is more rigid than the MacBook ’s . The XPS 13 is desirable of its agiotage cost , at least in term of its build tone .
Keyboard and touchpad
I note the zero - lattice keyboard already , and what makes it dissimilar are the extremely large keycaps with zero key spacing . The permutation are fairly shallow , around the same those on as the MacBook Air ’s first-class Magic Keyboard , and they ’re very snappy and precise . It took me a little while to get used to the layout , but once I did , I found myself like the feel and getting up to upper . It was n’t at all weary when I was pen this review .
The most controversial and arguably unvoiced to vindicate feature are the lead touching function Florida key . While they likely afford some preservation in thickness , they ’re a challenge because you ca n’t place them by feeling and it ’s unsufferable to know when you ’ve activated a samara . That means you may unknowingly activate a function and might incur it more difficult than it should be to set off a function when you really demand it . Dell could have made it so much better by let in haptic feedback . But , most likely , just sticking with material function keys would have been well .
The haptic touchpad is a very good good example of the technology , and I found it to be precise as well — once I watch to keep within its obliterate dimensions . Dell should have tally LED lights to indicate the edges , because even after using it for a while , I find oneself myself swiping off the sharpness . TheHP Spectre x360 14has an every bit good haptic touchpad , and the MacBook Air ’s Force Touch interlingual rendition is even better . So , I ’m going to number the XPS 13 ’s touchpad as something of a miss .
you may get a touch presentation with the XPS 13 , and that ’s a unspoiled thing . You have to choose one of the two more expensive and power - hungry display to get it , though .
Connectivity and webcam
The fact that the XPS 13 has just two USB - C larboard with Thunderbolt 4 is n’t such a surprisal today . The MacBook Air also has just two ports .
However , the MacBook Air seduce it easier to swallow by offering a MagSafe 3 power connection that keeps both ports usable , as well as a 3.5 millimetre audio mariner . Those are two thing the XPS 13 does n’t have . The omission will be a deal ledgeman for some . Its absence is likely due to the edge - to - border keyboard , even though there ’s seemingly plenty of heaviness to make room for an audio jack . For what it ’s deserving , the XPS 14 and 16 both have one .
At least the wireless connectivity is corking with the haemorrhage - edge Wi - Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 .
The webcam is 1080p with an infrared television camera for Windows 11 facial recognition , which is an skill give the implausibly thin bezels . Apple had to repair to a notch to correspond in some equivalent electronics , and the MacBook Air ’s bezels are n’t nigh as thin . There ’s also a fingerprint lecturer implant in the power button of the XPS 13 that works quite well .
The XPS 13 has a neural processing unit ( NPU ) that supports some on - machine AI feature like Microsoft ’s Studio Effects software program that provides hardware - assisted background blurring and other features . Notably , the Intel Meteor Lake NPU runs at about 10 TOPS , not the 40 trillion operations per second ( top ) that ’s the minimum ask for Microsoft ’s Copilot+ functionality . That place the XPS 13 a fair scrap behind the curve ball when it comes to AI — at least , it will be in just a couple of workweek when those laptops come out .
Performance
Right now , the XPS 13 can only be purchased with the 28 - watt Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chipset , with 16 cores ( six Performance , eight Efficient , and two Low Power Efficient ) and 22 thread . It ’s a fast chipset for demanding productivity task , while its Intel Arc incorporate graphics are faster than previous generations , but not fast enough for creators or gamers .
harmonise to our benchmark suite , the XPS 13 is plenty fast and well within specs for the chipset . It ’s a speedy little laptop , although its score in the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark was a mo behind . You demand to crank up performance mode , which does ramp up the very quiet fan , but that ’s not unreasonable . It ’s fast enough in balanced mode for most work that you ’ll end up doing on it . And it does n’t consort as hot as the XPS 13 Plus , probable thanks to the Core Ultra chipset ’s good efficiency . The XPS 13 Plus bod got very quick during free burning use , something I have n’t noticed as much with the XPS 13 .
Battery life
One area where the approaching CoPilot+ variant of the XPS 13 execute the Qualcomm Snapdragon X chipset will volunteer the most discrete benefit is in battery life . The Core Ultra 7 155H has n’t proven to be an exceptionally effective chipset , in spite of Intel ’s intentions , and I ’ve not lead into many laptops run it that propose great bombardment lifetime .
The XPS 13 is a good , but not a great performer in this gaze . It managed 7.25 hours in our web - browsing test , which is fairly proficient , but just eight hour in our video -looping test , which is n’t great . Note that my review unit had a high - Re OLED show , the most power - thirsty option that belike stressed the 55 watt - time of day electric battery . Either of the IPS displays are likely to volunteer much better shelling life .
If really long battery life story is your biggest business organisation , then you ’ll want to look for the CoPilot+ model . But if sustain through a good part of a day — but not all the mode — is estimable enough for you , then there ’s no need to await .
Display and audio
As advert , Dell offers two IPS presentation options : 13.4 - inch XPS 13FHD+ ( 1920 x 1200 ) and QHD+ ( 2560 x 1600 ) panels , both running at 120Hz . The higher - resolving showing is touch - enabled . I critique it with the 3 K ( 2880 x 1800 ) OLED display , which draw at just 60Hz . It ’s sharper , has great colors and inky-black blacks , and looks cracking out of the box .
According to my colorimeter , the OLED panel is excellent . It has wide colors at 100 % of sRGB , 95 % of AdobeRGB , and 100 % of DCI - P3 , and they ’re accurate at a DeltaE of 0.92 ( less than 1.0 is undistinguishable to the human eye ) . direct contrast is recondite at 16,500:1 , and lightlessness are perfect . And the display is bright at 482 nits , which is great for HDR .
That gives the XPS 13 a material vantage over the MacBook Air 13 , which has a adept IPS exhibit , but one that does n’t compare to that of the XPS 13 . The OLED presentation might burn some barrage life , but its great for every potential habit including sensitive consumption , where it ’s excellent .
Audio is allow for by a four - speaker organisation , with two up - firing tweeters and two side - discharge woofers . There was a surprising amount of intensity , with a little distortion when turn all the manner up . That disappeared at around 80 % , which was still enough loud . Mids and highs were decipherable , but freshwater bass was lack . I found the sound pretty good for a 13 - inch laptop , but I would still expend headphones for action message and music .
The best of the 13-inch laptops, but the clock is ticking
This XPS 13 remains for sale because it ’s the one that execute the standard interlingual rendition of Windows 11 on Intel ’s current chipset . That makes it the most compatible option , and the fastest , at least until Intel releases its Lunar Lake chipset with a faster NPU .
But it ’s not the one that ’s live to declare oneself the well battery life , as is promised by the upcoming Qualcomm framework . Even if you lean toward Intel , you may want to wait until the Copilot+ version come out to see how reviews pan out and if prices change . Despite its quirk , the XPS 13 stay on a great laptop even in its current form
