Dell xps

Design

This will probably not surprise anyone, but the Dell XPS 13 is an absolute stunner. Not only is this laptop extremely lightweight at 2.8 lb (1.27kg), but it’s super thin, too, measuring in at just 0.58 inches (14.8mm) at its thickest point. This makes the Dell XPS 13 an incredibly easy laptop to just throw in your backpack and carry around.

But there’s dozens of laptops out there that can say they’re thin and light, where the XPS 13 really excels is in other areas of the design. There is very little in the way of wasted space here, as the keyboard extends nearly to both edges of the laptop, along with a healthily-sized and incredibly smooth touchpad.

The keyboard itself is again a winner, with key travel that is just deep enough to be comfy without having to make compromises to the portability of the laptop. The touchpad, too, is pretty incredible. It’s not on the level of, like, a MacBook Pro, but no Windows 10 laptop has ever even come close to that. For the most part, tracking is incredibly smooth and accurate, and the buttons don’t feel as mushy and weak as they do with other Windows laptops.

Likewise, the display is a thing of beauty. We reviewed the Dell XPS 13 with a 1080p touch display and it is without a doubt one of the brightest, most colorful displays we’ve seen in a while. Sure, the 4K model probably looks better, but we struggle to really see the point in getting a 4K display in a 13-inch laptop anyway.

Like previous versions of the XPS 13, the top of the keyboard deck is covered in this composite fiber palm rest. This is pretty comfy, but it is definitely something that will get gross over time.

Ultimately, the Dell XPS 13 is a premium device aimed at folks that want to get lightweight computing done and look good while doing it. And, really, it ultimately succeeds. It’s a beautiful piece of kit, we just wish Dell would take audio seriously for once.

Performance

The Dell XPS 13 we got for review is rocking an Intel Core i7-1065G7, a 4-core, 8-thread mobile processor built off of Intel’s Ice Lake architecture. And, well, it’s fine.

This little processor provides enough juice to power you through pretty much any mundane computing task but might struggle in super heavy workloads like video editing. But there’s one key feature to Ice Lake that should be noted: the GPU.

The Intel Gen11 graphics, or “Intel Iris,” are supposedly about 2x more powerful than the integrated graphics found in last-generation Intel Whiskey Lake processors. That definitely sounds impressive, and the fact that this laptop can score a healthy 2,856 points in Time Spy compared to the LG Gram 17 2019’s 1,094 backs up Intel’s claims. Still, this is very much not a gaming laptop.

The Dell XPS 13 might be able to handle some esports titles at 720p, but you’re not exactly going to be getting killer Doom Eternal PC performance is all we’re saying.

Battery life

Sure, the Dell XPS 13 performs extremely well, but because this is such a portable laptop, you’d expect long battery life so you could carry the laptop around for a long time without worrying about carrying around a charger.

And, well, the XPS 13 largely delivers. In our movie test, the Dell XPS 13 lasts a respectable 9 hours and 40 minutes, and even in the more demanding PCMark 8 battery test lasts just under 6 hours.

Benchmarks only tell so much of the story, though. What’s really impressive is how well the battery keeps up with our daily work. We’re not exactly easy on the laptops we test, loading up chrome with dozens of tabs and listening to music – and we have no problem getting through a full day of work, with some battery left over for the next morning.

If you’re looking for a laptop to take to the office with you, where you can chill and watch some Netflix on the train home, the Dell XPS 13 makes a pretty good case for itself.

Software and features

Because the Dell XPS 13 is a flagship, it’s not bogged down with a ton of needless bloatware. However, there are a few pieces of software that offer some good ease of life bonuses.

Of course you have update assistants and customer service apps, but one of the most unique pieces of software here is Dell Cinema Guide. This allows you to basically collect all your streaming services under one app, and search for movies or TV shows you want to watch through all the libraries at once. Not exactly the most vital piece of software in the world, but we have to admit its pretty cool.

Beyond that, the Dell XPS 13 features both versions of Windows Hello, with a fingerprint scanner above the backspace key that doubles as a power button, along with a IR-capable webcam that can scan your face to let you into the device.

Ports

The Dell XPS offers a wide range of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, and HDMI. This makes it easy to connect the laptops to external devices.

Webcam and speakers

Some users have reported issues with the webcam and speakers on Dell XPS laptops. The webcam is located on the bottom bezel of the display, which can lead to awkward angles during video calls. The speakers are also located on the bottom of the laptop, which can make them muffle