Dell continue to revolve out new version of its redesignedXPS 13 , sporting its unlawful design . Having first launched on Intel ’s previous - gen Meteor Lake chips , then on Qualcomm ’s Snapdragon X Elite , and now , finally , on Intel ’s new Lunar Lake political program , each of the three machines stick in in 2024 use dissimilar chipsets but are otherwise selfsame — for better or for worse .

All of the XPS 13 ’s unconventional plan elements are still here , which range from merely controversial to downright dysfunctional . It ’s still a highly portable and well - built laptop computer , but no longer tops our listing of thebest laptopsas it once did . This meter around , though , the XPS 13 better does leverage its fresh chipset to reach some very good battery life . While I ’m happy to see improvements , it ’s not quite enough to make me overlook this laptop computer ’s fault though .

Specs and configuration

you may take from various configurations of the XPS 13 9350 , not all of which are currently uncommitted in Dell ’s entanglement storage . For example , what are probable a lower - priced Core Ultra 5 model is n’t available yet . The current base of operations model , which I reviewed , is $ 1,400 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , and a 13.3 - inch FHD+ IPS display . At the gamy end , you ’ll expend $ 2,000 for a Core Ultra 7 258V , 32 GB of RAM , a 1 TB SSD , and a 2.8 K OLED display .

Those are premium prices , and you’re able to drop less for a similar automobile . The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 , which only comes with an OLED showing , is just $ 1,400 ( on sales event ) for a similar configuration as Dell ’s in high spirits end . Dell does tend to put its laptops on sale after a certain point , so you ’ll want to keep an eye open for a more attractive price .

Design

The best matter about the XPS 13 ’s design is that it leverages Dell ’s ability to craft a mellow - quality XPS laptop and its trademark diminutive bezels to make a very portable auto . The XPS 13 is n’t the thinnest laptop — that laurels belongs toApple ’s MacBook Air 13 — nor is it the lightest . But it ’s bantam in breadth and profoundness , and its all - atomic number 13 grammatical construction is tight and solid . feel as good in hired man as any laptop made today .

Aesthetically , the XPS 13 looks a mountain like retiring generations on the outside . It ’s a sleek , flowing chassis that comes in two colouring — Platinum and Graphite — with an interior that equal . The soma sides are made from anodized atomic number 13 that both looks great and resists scratches . There really is n’t another laptop computer that has quite the same facial expression and feel . launch the lid , and the XPS 13 has perhaps the most modern esthetic interior . The zero - lattice keyboard , glass palm rest with hidden haptic touchpad , and lead touch routine keys are a cracking look ( check below , though , for how it all work out ) .

The 13 - in laptop has become a lot less democratic over the last several years , with the 14 - column inch laptop with its larger display but not too much larger chassis becoming a set more dominant . The only other mainstream13 - inch machineI’ve reviewed in the last several month is the Asus ProArt PX13 , and that ’s a very different laptop computer . It ’s thick and cloggy and not nearly as lowly . Really , the XPS 13 kind of stand alone in this regard . The MacBook Air 13 has a larger display and its bezels are n’t as thin , so its chassis is wider and deep . But you do n’t give anything up by choosing the diminutive XPS 13 . It ’s a pattern that ’s both modern and timeless .

Keyboard and touchpad

OK , so I just say how capital the XPS 13 appear and how well it ’s build . And those are lawful accolades . The problem is that its standout aim lineament are n’t really all that functional . Take the zero - lattice keyboard , for starters . The more I ’ve used it , the less I ’ve liked it . The keycaps are large , yes , but the complete lack of key spatial arrangement does n’t feel natural . The switches are light and zippy , not as good as Apple ’s Magic Keyboard but still precise . But I ’ve just never find myself capable to maintain full amphetamine as I type on Dell ’s keyboard .

The chair touch function keys have no tactual feedback , think not only do you have to seem at them to know where to press but you do n’t really sleep together when you have . perhaps they save some infinite in the chassis over physical keys , but that does n’t seem to be the reason they exist given that they ’re also used on the much large 14- and 16 - inch model . It seems like something Dell just enforce to be futurist but not to lick an actual problem .

I also do n’t care the obscure touchpad . On the XPS 13 , peculiarly as compared to the large machines that have larger touchpads , it ’s easy to turn a loss track of where to swipe . If Dell supply an LED along the edges , that would make all the divergence in the universe . It ’s a good - enough haptic touchpad , but again , it seems like form over function . The MacBook Air ’s Force Touch touchpad with Force Click feature is big , visible , and easily .

Using the fourth version of the XPS 13 with the same features has cemented my judgment that they ’re spoiled selection . Dell should strongly consider a redo that sell functionality for modernity . A laptop computer like theHP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14is plenty modern while also being a mass more pleasant to in reality use .

Connectivity and webcam

Another failing is in connectivity . There are just two USB - ascorbic acid port with Thunderbolt 4 , one of which power the XPS 13 . There ’s no South Dakota scorecard lecturer , which admittedly is less common , but also no 3.5 millimetre audio jack , which so far has stuck around . The MacBook Air 13 also has just two Thunderbolt 4 porthole , but it also has a MagSafe 3 connection for power and an audio jack . This is really something else Dell might require to rethink .

Wireless connectivity , however , is fully up - to - appointment .

The webcam is a 1080p translation , which has become the base . Several other laptops have high-pitched - reticuloendothelial system webcam , like the OmniBook with its 9MP variant . As with other Microsoft Copilot+ personal computer laptop , the XPS 13 corroborate the full suite of the enhanced Studio Effects software as well as all other useable AI feature . That ’s thanks to a dissipated nervous processing whole ( NPU ) that fall in at 45 tera cognitive process per 2d ( TOPS ) that outperform the Copilot+ PC 40 top side requirement . Mostly , the NPU is used for more effective on - machine AI processing , and that positions the XPS 13 for whatever Microsoft rolls out .

you could choose from facial recognition or a fingerprint reader in the mogul button to sign in via Windows 11 Hello . Both worked systematically and quickly , as common .

Performance

The XPS 13 9350 is built around Intel ’s Lunar Lake chipset , also sleep with as Core Ultra Series 2 . you may opt from several option , from the Core Ultra 5 226V up to the Core Ultra 9 288V. They ’re all 8 - core/8 - screw thread chipsets running at 17 watts , and they vary only in clock speeds and Intel Arc computer graphic version . I reviewed the XPS 13 with the Core Ultra 7 256V , which is a little slower than the Core Ultra 7 258V in the other Lunar Lake laptops I ’ve reviewed . It uses the faster Intel Arc 140V.

Looking at the XPS 13 9350 versus the XPS 13 9345 that uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon X1E-80 - 100 , which is a 12 - core ARM chipset , there ’s no competition . Qualcomm ’s chipset is a lot faster , with the only caveat being that it run Windows on branch and so will slack down in emulated lotion . The XPS 13 9350 keeps up with other Lunar Lake laptop , but its graphics performance is slow . The XPS 13 9345 also has fast computer graphic , but all of these machine are n’t as fast as the Asus ProArt PX13 , which has the lowest - close discrete GPU Nvidia offers , the GeForce RTD 4050 .

finally , the XPS 13 9350 is plenty fast enough for demand productivity users , but it ’s not as fast as its Qualcomm and AMD competition . And it ’s not a great laptop for gamers or creators thanks to low - end artwork performance .

Battery life

While Lunar Lake is n’t the fastest chipset , its primary use is to compete more powerfully with Apple ’s extremely efficient M3 chipset that powers the MacBook Air 13 . That ’s also a focus of Qualcomm ’s chipset . In our tests , the XPS 13 9350 add together to the already excellent barrage life of the XPS 13 9345 .

These are very strong results , aided in part by the crushed - power IPS display in both of our XPS 13 revaluation units . Some of the others have more power - thirsty OLED display , giving the Dell machines an advantage . The MacBook Air 13 is stronger the harder you work it , maintaining its overall efficiency lead that will belike get even stronger when the M4 chipset arrives next year .

The XPS 13 9350 will get you through a full mean solar day ’s work , and then some . It ’s a great performer here .

Display and audio

Dell offers a trio of displays with the XPS 13 . Two are IPS panels — FHD+ ( 1920 x 1200 ) and QHD+ ( 2560 x 1600 ) run at 120Hz — and a 2.8 K ( 2880 x 1800 ) OLED display at 60Hz . The al-Qaeda display that I reviewed is a low-spirited - magnate panel , which pretend the battery resolution above . It ’s an OK display subjectively , being peradventure sharp enough for most masses at 13.3 inches but not sharp enough for me . Colors were fine but not dramatic , and the same with contrast .

There was a time when an IPS control board with the objective results that this one showed would have been first-class . In the last several twelvemonth , though , these results have become closer to average . It was a bright exhibit at 507 nits , which I ’ve seen more and more often , and its dividing line was very good at 1,740:1 . The only reason that numeral seems humble is because I ’ve critique so many OLED presentation with perfect blacks . The XPS 13 ’s display also had fair spacious colors at 100 % sRGB , 74 % AdobeRGB , and 75 % DCI - P3 , and they ’re accurate at a DeltaE of 1.41 .

Again , those are average scores today , but they still make for a display that ’s more than good enough for most users . you could prefer for the OLED display if you want a great deal more asperity , extensive colour , and inky Black . But you ’ll also give up some battery life sentence in the deal .

Really good battery life saves the day, but troubles remain

I have intercourse the XPS 13 ’s portability . It ’s a laptop computer that you’re able to expend anywhere and easy carry it around . But when I unfold it up and fight with the keyboard and touchpad , I ’m thwart . I remember the older XPS designing that was just as portable but a pot more comfy . Put a “ normal ” keyboard with real function paint and a haptic touchpad that I can really see , and I ’d be a muckle happier .

The carrying out is fine and the exhibit is proficient enough for most multitude . I ’m certain the OLED model would be as salient as always . But what saves the XPS 13 from a downhearted score — I still ca n’t in full recommend it — is the bombardment life . It ’s a major step up from the quondam Intel models , and it elevate this to a laptop computer that will keep you run for a long fourth dimension — so long as you may get past its unconventional design .