Although this may not be the largest change to the Dell XPS notebook series lineup in history, it nevertheless seems significant because of the larger laptops and extensive redesigned XPS portfolio. The 14-inch Dell XPS laptop has replaced the touch bar-equipped XPS Plus, which overheated during our review. However, the 13-inch Dell XPS laptop is still available. Additionally, a new 16-inch XPS laptop has been released to replace the 15- and 17-inch models.
While many laptop manufacturers offer 14- and 16-inch models (Apple, in particular, released a MacBook Pro in both sizes back in 2021), Dell’s premium XPS laptops continue to be available in the more conventional 13- and 15-inch sizes.
When I questioned Dell personnel if this new XPS laptop size is intended to compete with Apple’s, they acquiesced. However, that would make sense! The main rival of Apple’s MacBook Pro is Dell’s XPS laptop series. Both laptop lines have frequently copied one other’s designs, even stealing small details where it makes sense. There’s a reason Apple finally trimmed the massive laptop bezels on the Dell XPS and why the device for years looked like a MacBook Pro.
Rather, I was directed to an additional advantage of the new, marginally bigger laptops: more internal capacity. Sometimes that translates to larger batteries; for example, the 14-inch XPS has a 69.5WHr battery, while the XPS 13 and the XPS Plus from last year had a 55WHr battery. That ought to assist with the battery life, which is one of the XPS Plus’s main problems.
Having more room in these laptops also means having more room for fans and discrete graphics, which is why Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4050 will be available for the XPS 14. It will also come with a 4TB SSD, an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU, and up to 64GB of RAM. A specification increase for the power adapter—which will now be a 100W charger instead of the 60W one—will also be seen by those who choose discrete graphics.
Sadly, because of its increased power, it weighs more than the XPS Plus, which has an optional OLED display and a maximum weight of 2.77 pounds. When the optional OLED display is installed, the XPS 14 will weigh 3.8 pounds.
With this update, the new XPS 13 avoided the embiggening ray, and it will remain the XPS you gravitate toward if all you need is a reliable, high-end business laptop. Thus, separate visuals are absent. You’ll have to settle for Intel’s latest Meteor Lake CPUs instead, which include a separate neural processing unit to handle AI workloads more effectively. Up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a 4TB SSD can be supported by the XPS 14.
Although I’m most excited to use the XPS 14, I think more people will want to discuss the XPS 16, which takes the place of the XPS 15 and XPS 17. As far as I can tell, the aim is to provide you the benefits of less bulk while still giving you enough screen real estate to rival the 17-inch model.
Up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU, 64GB of RAM, 4TB of SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 with 8GB of GDDR6 will be included in its specifications. Due to the potential for increased power, it also requires a large battery (99.5WHr) and charger (130W USB-C), weighing 4.8 pounds when the 16.3-inch 4K OLED version is chosen. With the OLED option enabled, the XPS 17 weighed 5.37 pounds and had a little smaller battery (97WHr). It should therefore feel like a more agile device provided you don’t mind the smaller screen.
Aside from the significant size change, there is one other new addition that is modest and may hint at future laptop releases from other manufacturers at CES. For Windows 11, a new Copilot key is required to activate Copilot. It resembles the old Cortana button in several ways, but presumably for much, much greater purposes.
The starting price of the XPS 13 is $1,299, that of the XPS 14 is $1,699, and that of the XPS 16 is $1,899. Although Dell has not stated when they would be available, past performance points to the coming months. Therefore, it could be a smart idea to add the XPS 17 to your cart as soon as possible if you’re still itching for one.
