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  • Dell XPS 13 (2024) OLED in graphite
    Dell XPS 13 (2024)
    Ultra portable

    The Dell XPS 13 is the lightest member of the XPS family, but it's still a very capable machine, with Intel Core Ultra processors and the option for an OLED display. However, it's not made for content creators, and the OLED panel is a little below its bigger siblings.

    Pros
    • 2.6-pound weight means it's very portable
    • Great display options
    • Intel Core Ultra processors are great for day-to-day use and AI
    Cons
    • No discrete GPU means it's not great for more demanding tasks
    • Only two Thunderbolt 4 ports and nothing else
  • Dell XPS 14 (2024) product render
    Dell XPS 14
    The sweet spot

    The Dell XPS 14 is the sweet spot of the XPS lineup, striking a great balance of performance and portability. It's slightly bigger and heavier than the XPS 13, but with optional Nvidia graphics, it can speed up tasks like video rendering or more demanding AI workloads.

    Pros
    • A nice sweet spot of portability and power
    • Optional 3.2K OLED 120Hz display
    • Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 makes it more suitable for video editing and heavy AI workloads
    Cons
    • The GPU is still too weak for more demanding games
    • It doesn't support Wi-Fi 7
  • A transparent image of the Dell XPS 16
    Dell XPS 16
    For creators

    The largest of the series, the Dell XPS 16 is also the most powerful, featuring up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics with 60W of power. It sacrifices portability to get there, but this is the ideal machine for creators or those interested in some gaming.

    Pros
    • Only model with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9
    • Up to GeForce RTX 4070 makes it suitable for demading workloads and even gaming
    • Up to a 4K+ OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate
    Cons
    • A little too heavy
    • OLED panel has a lower refresh rate than the 14-inch model

The Dell XPS brand has been around since the 1990s, and it's seen a few identity changes throughout the years. What started as a line of business PCs turned into a high-end gaming laptop in the mid-2000s, and today, the XPS line is focused on premium consumer, or "prosumer" laptops. It's one of the most recognizable brands when it comes to Windows laptops, not just because it has a long legacy, but also because Dell XPS laptops are consistently among the best laptops you can buy each and every year.

However, in recent years, things have changed a lot, and in 2023, the lineup looks almost nothing like it did before. These days, we have the Dell XPS 13, XPS 14, and XPS 16. The Dell XPS 15 and XPS 17 models are still available, but they're no longer the latest models, and the same can be said for the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, which hasn't been updated since 2022. So, looking at the new Dell XPS lineup, which one should you choose? Let's take a closer look.


  • Dell XPS 13 (2024)Dell XPS 14Dell XPS 16
    Operating SystemWindows 11 Home or ProWindows 11Windows 11 Home or Pro
    CPUUp to Intel Core Ultra 7 165HUp to Intel Core Ultra 7 165HUp to Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
    GPUIntel Arc (integrated)Intel Arc graphics, up to NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 4050 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6 (30W)Intel Arc (integrated), up to Nvidia RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
    RAMUp to 64GB LPDDR5x-7467MHzUp to 64GB LPDDR5x 7467MHzUp to 64GB LPDDR5x-7467MHz
    StorageUp to 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDUp to 4TB PCIe 4 SSDUp to 4TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
    Battery55Wh69.5Whr99.5Wh
    Display (Size, Resolution)Up to 13.4-inch 3K+ (2880x1800) OLED, touch, Dolby Vision, 100% DCI-P3Up to 14.5-inch 3.2K (3200x2000) OLED InfinityEdge touch display16.3 inches, 16:10 aspect ratio, Dolby Vision, 1920x1200 (FHD) with 100% sRGB or 3840x2400 (UHD+) with 100% DCI-P3
    Camera1080p (FHD), IR sensorFHD (1080p) webcamFHD (1080p) with IR
    SpeakersQuad speakers, 8W outputQuad speakers, Dolby AtmosQuad speakers (10W total), Waves MaxxAudio Pro, Waves Nx 3D, Dolby Atmos
    ColorsPlatinum, GraphitePlatinum, Graphite Platinum, Graphite
    PortsTwo Thunderbolt 43x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C), microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio jackThree Thunderbolt 4, UHS-II microSD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack
    NetworkIntel Killer Wi-Fi 7 1750, Bluetooth 5.4Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E 1675 (AX211) 2x2 +, Bluetooth 5.3Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
    Dimensions11.62x7.84x0.6 inches (295.3x199x15.3 mm)12.6x8.5x0.71 inches (216x320x18mm)14.1x9.4x0.74 inches (358.1x240x18.7mm)
    WeightFrom 2.6 pounds (1.19kg)From 3.7 pounds (1.68kg)From 4.7 pounds (2.13kg)
    PriceFrom $1,299From $1,699From $1,899

Performance

Bigger size means more power

Overhead view of the The Dell XPS 13, 14, and 16 stacked on top of each other

The primary difference between the new XPS laptops is performance, particularly when it comes to the GPU. In terms of CPU power, the three laptops have a lot in common, with all of them being powered by Intel Core Ultra processors. The primary difference here is that the XPS 13 starts with a Core Ultra 5 125H processor, and goes up to a Core Ultra 7 165H, while the XPS 14 and 16 start with Core Ultra 7 processors to begin with. Plus, the Dell XPS 16 is the only one with an option for a Core Ultra 9 185H processor, though this configuration will be available later.

The XPS 14 and XPS 16 have options for discrete Nvidia GPUs.

The real differences are in GPU power, however. All of these models will come with Intel Arc integrated graphics, but the XPS 14 and XPS 16 have options for discrete Nvidia GPUs. Specifically, the Dell XPS 14 has an option for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 with 30W of power, which can accelerate AI and graphics-intensive workloads. But if you need even more power, then the XPS 16 is the one you want. This model comes with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU with 60W of power, so it's that much more powerful for graphics-related workloads as well as intensive AI applications. Not everyone will need this kind of power, but there are options for all kinds of users in the lineup.

Angled view of the Dell XPS 16

Otherwise, the three models are similar, all featuring up to 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD for storage.

Display

Different mostly in size

Dell XPS 13 (2024)  on a table in front of a window.

With the latest iteration of XPS laptops, the lineup feels more unified than ever, and when it comes to the display, the differences are relatively small. Naturally, the XPS 13 has a 13.4-inch display, while the XPS 14 goes up to 14.5 inches and the XPS 16 comes at 16.3 inches diagonally. All three models have a 16:10 aspect ratio, which has been the case for a while with the XPS series.

They also all start with a 1920x1200 (Full HD+) IPS display, which is a solid baseline. This panel covers 100% of sRGB, it hits up to 500 nits of brightness, and it offers a 2000:1 contrast ratio, making it one of the better IPS panels you can get, at least on paper. All models also support a variable refresh rate from 30Hz to 120Hz.

From there, the three models have different upgrade options. The XPS 13 offers an option for a Quad HD+ (2560x1600) IPS panel, which is sharper and also has better color reproduction, with 100% coverage of DCI-P3. Plus, it adds touch support. The top-end configuration here is a 2.8K (2880x1800) OLED touchscreen with a 60Hz refresh rate. This model will deliver much more vivid colors and true blacks thanks to the OLED technology, but it does come with a refresh rate of 60Hz, so it's not quite as smooth as the other options.

Dell XPS 14 (2031)

The XPS 14 and 16 both offer OLED upgrades as well, both supporting touch. On the Dell XPS 14, you can get a 3.2K (3200x2000) OLED panel with a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, so you get both the vibrant colors of OLED and the smoothness of a high refresh rate. Meanwhile, the XPS 16 comes with a 4K+ (3840x2400) OLED panel, and it has a 90Hz refresh rate, so it gets you more sharpness in exchange for a slightly lower refresh rate, but it's still smoother than the OLED panel on the XPS 13.

The XPS 16 has a more powerful speaker system than the two smaller models.

Ultimately, the deciding factor for you will likely be the size of the display and how it affects immersion and portability. If you want to play games or work on video editing, the larger display is certainly welcome, but for general use, the XPS 13 looks just as great. It is worth noting that the XPS 16 has a more powerful speaker system than the two smaller models, making that model the ideal choice for media consumption.

By the way, if you're wondering about the camera, all three models finally have a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello support, finally ditching the 720p sensor Dell insisted on using until now.

Design and connectivity

Weighing portability and versatility

Looking at the sections above, it's apparent that a larger size comes with more power and (usually) better displays, but naturally, there's a trade-off, and that's portability. A larger laptop is obviously harder to carry, and here, we have the XPS 13 starting at just 2.6 pounds and under 15mm in thickness. Meanwhile, the XPS 14 comes with a significantly heavier 3.7-pound chassis that's 18mm thick, and the XPS 16 goes up to 4.7 pounds and 18.7mm in thickness. The Dell XPS 13 is a laptop you can really carry anywhere without much of a problem, but if you put one of the larger models in a backpack, you'll definitely feel it, especially with the XPS 16.

Overall, though, the design is similar across the board. All three laptops have the same clean design language, with an invisible touchpad and touch-based function buttons. They all come in either Platinum or Graphite colorways, too.

A close up of a Platinum Dell XPS 14 seen at an angle.

There is another benefit to the larger laptops, though, and that's ports. Both the Dell XPS 14 and 16 include three Thunderbolt 4 ports, in addition to a microSD card reader and a headphone jack. Meanwhile, the XPS 13 has just two Thunderbolt 4 ports and nothing else, so if you have wired headphones, or you want to plug in your camera's SD card, you might need some adapters. Dell also mentions a USB-C to HDMI and USB Type-A adapter included with the XPS 14 and 16, but you don't get that with the XPS 13.

Interestingly, in terms of wireless connectivity, the XPS 13 and 16 both include Wi-Fi 7 support along with Bluetooth 5.4, but the XPS 14 only supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, according to the official spec sheet. You might not feel the impact of these differences anytime soon, considering Wi-Fi 7 is still so new, but it's worth keeping in mind if you like having the latest and greatest.

Should you choose the Dell XPS 13, 14, or 16?

Power or portability?

Choosing between these three laptops mostly comes down to how much power and portability you want. The Dell XPS 14 is the sweet spot, providing both power and portability. It's a bit heavier, but still manageable, and the added power of the Geforce RTX 4050 means you can do some video editing or power through AI-intensive tasks more quickly. Finally, the XPS 16 is for those who want the most power, with up to a GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, but sacrificing portability even further.

The Dell XPS 13 is the most portable of the bunch, but it's also the least powerful, particularly if you want a laptop that can edit video or play games at higher settings. It's a great laptop for students and work, though.

Everything else is more or less the same across the three laptops, so it's all about what you prefer. Personally, I'd probably pick the Dell XPS 14 for its balance of performance and portability, but any of these choices remain great. The XPS line is always where the best Dell laptops appear, and this year is no different.