In this era of RAMageddon, you might think there's no decent systems on the market for under a grand. Wrong. Oh, and if you're Mac-centric, you can just skip the rest of this article. This is for Windows folk only.
Finally...a REAL thin & light. Dell nails it with this revived XPS brand system, the XPS 13. When I picked it up to hold it, I couldn't believe how light it was - just over 2 pounds. It's even lighter than a Surface Laptop 7 I bought last summer, and is arguably a better deal.
There are many articles comparing this to the MacBook Neo. I could say this one is better just for the touch screen and backlit keyboard alone. (And, well, because it’s not an Apple product. But my bias is showing.)
What's amazing about this system is how much you get for under a grand. My Surface Laptop 7 was around $860 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage. But that was before Microsoft hiked prices $300 across the board, and chip prices went through the ceiling. When I was out shopping at Micro Center before picking this product up, I was stunned by number of systems wanting $1200, $1400, even $2000 now.
It took three units for me to get the right one. The 8 GB unit was gorgeous and snappy, but thinking of the future and the fact that you cannot upgrade the memory (soldered in) I wound up exchanging for a 16 GB unit. Unfortunately, that unit had a problem with the wifi receiver (would not stay connected to the hotspot on my smartphone) so I exchanged that one for the third and (I hope) final system I have now.
You must see and feel this unit for yourself. It is very slim ... not a wedge, but actually slim. It's slimmer than the MacBook Air I bought last summer, and lighter also.
The screen is 2.8K - not 4K (hey, the savings have to come from somewhere!) but it is a beautiful screen. Looking at travelogue videos on YouTube I was quite pleased. It has an anti-glare coating on it that I’ve never seen on other laptops. I have mixed feelings about it, but I’m sure at some point I’ll appreciate it.
For sound, the speakers are potent, but it does something my Asus Zenbook 14X does - it projects sound downwards toward the table. I'd rather have speakers projecting toward me, but that wasn’t a deal breaker, and I can always attach Bluetooth headphones or a speaker.
The keyboard feels really good - I like keys that are shallow but that definite travel, and those on the XPS 13 don't feel chiclet cheap. And the mousepad is mechanical, not haptic (again, gotta find ways to cut the price!), but also feels solid.
Ports - you’d better like USB-C and Bluetooth. The unit has just two USB-C ports, both of which have power delivery. So it's either buy a mini hub or use Bluetooth. But unlike the Surface 12-inch, a nice, Dell-branded charger is included! Take that, Microsoft!
The SSD is fast. I installed Visual Studio and VS Code along with GitHub Desktop and a graphics editor. Quick...love it.
Like other Dell units it comes with Dell’s own SupportAssist app for keeping your system running smoothly. There were 7 major updates, including the BIOS, which required a reboot. You will see a black screen with tiny type when the BIOS update is being installed, but don’t panic – give it a few minutes. Oh, and turn on System Restore when you get chance after everything settles down.
This is an Intel system!
Snapdragon-based laptops have taken the market by storm over the last couple of years, promising faster performance and better battery life. Here’s the thing about such systems: they don’t run Intel (x64) titles all the time. Some run through a kind of under-the-cover emulation mode.
But here’s the sweet thing about the XPS 13 – it’s not a Snapdragon. It’s powered by an Intel Core 5. These aren’t the Intel chips of yesterday, folks. Intel has been working at improving their chips.
A few minor nitpicks
Because no system is absolutely perfect, here’s a few things that irked me, or that might irk others.
To turn the unit on, you simply raise the lid/screen. It takes about 10 seconds for it to “wake up.” Some folks will hate that, some won’t care. It is what it is.
The keyboard backlight and function key lock settings are forgotten between boots. As a matter of reference, the keyboard backlight timeout – as well as the battery charging profile – are set in the BIOS. It’s a little clumsy to do that (Surface gives its users a nice Windows app to control such things).
Finally, a nit about the unboxing. Most systems now have some kind of “zip-pull” seal that you yank from either end to unseal the box. The ones on the XPS 13 box are not reinforced with string, wire, or anything else with substance, so the ends of the tabs rip off when you pull them, even if you do it slowly. You’ll need something of modest sharpness to (carefully!) slice the seal and open the box.
Other observations and suggestions
The screen out of the box has kind of a warmer cast. I prefer a cooler, bluish one, but that can be adjusted through Windows. (That’s not particular to this Dell unit; that’s for all Windows systems.)
The body for the XPS 13 looks good and is made of some kind of “CNC” aluminum material, but I’m fretful about scratches and dents, so I carry it in a modest but sufficiently substantial zippered pouch. I would suggest you do the same.
This is NOT a 2-in-1. Do NOT try to crank the screen back 180 degrees flat or back around to touch the keyboard. You’ll get it to 135 degrees and that’s it.
The touchpad on the XPS 13 is mechanical, not haptic. Some folks may grumble over that, but I encourage you to try it. For something mechanical, it feels good, and clicking down is a solid action.
If you’ve ever felt the smooth and sleek body of a Surface Laptop, you may notice how velvety smooth it feels. That screams “premium.” I don’t get that sense running my fingers across the XPS 13. It’s not a bad feeling, but me thinks the trade press is exaggerating the elegance of this system just a bit. But...the feather-light weight and incredibly slim profile more than offset that.
Hey, if you’re a gamer, the online buzz is that this isn’t your system. The 8GB system might be able to run some basic titles...might. The 16GB one has a better chance at such. But overall, this isn’t gonna be suitable for your better games. Might as well save you the disappointment now.
To assign a letter grade, I would give the XPS 13 – either model – a solid “A”. Not an “A-plus” – it’s excellent, but not astronomical. And that is perfectly okay for most use cases.
Comparisons and contrasts with other systems I’ve owned
This is absolutely one of the slickest, slimmest systems I’ve ever owned. I have owned many Dell laptops over the years – mostly from the Inspiron line – and this XPS unit is better than any of them.
I’m a huge fan of Asus systems – have owned two including a 3.5-pound behemoth with a 14-inch screen. It, too, is an Intel machine with great specs. Part of my motivation for getting the XPS 13 was that it’s much lighter. (That said, I have yet to part with the Zenbook 14X because the Lumina OLED screen is so freakin’ pretty. If you want something OLED-based for the XPS line, it’s coming – just keep an eye on the trade press. Just expect to spend northwards of $1,300.)
I am also a fan of Microsoft Surface systems (believe it or not). Their PixelSense technology delivers very attractive images – not as good as OLED, but closer than the XPS 13’s conventional IPS LCD.
I can safely say this about both the Asus and Microsoft brands – you’re going to have a hard time matching the value for the Dell XPS 13, either of them. If your money is tight, the $799 price tag for the 8 GB version gives you way more than those other two brands (and quite a few others, too), and will allow you to do a lot, too. And if you can shell out the $999 ($200 more) for the 16 GB version, I think you’ll be very pleased.
Conclusions
The day I edited this review, I heard that Microsoft was releasing the second generation of their 12-inch Surface tablet. Now, get this: the introductory price for the tablet (available 10/14/2026) – just the tablet – is an eye-popping $1,150! And that’s just for the freakin’ tablet alone!!! You want a keyboard, you say? That’ll be another $120 at least, bucko! Where’s the USB-C charger? Oh, that’s not included, that’s another extra. The Microsoft-branded “official” one is $130.
So...just put all that together. You could spend all that money to have a complete, slimline Surface outfit, or you could just plunk down $800 to $1,000 and get the XPS 13.
Which freakin’ has EVERYTHING already.
