Dell is continuing its XPS revival by launching a redesigned XPS 13, and it’s not just a major rethink of the company’s smallest premium laptop — it’s a direct bid to capture would-be MacBook Neo buyers.
The all-new system is pitched as the thinnest and lightest XPS to date at 0.5in thick and 2.2lbs, with an aluminum body that gives it a high-end feel despite weighing half a pound less than the Neo and carrying a larger 13.4-inch display. Dell is also keen to tout features conspicuously missing in Apple’s system, including a 2,560 x 1,600 30-120Hz touchscreen with DCI-P3 color accuracy, a backlit keyboard, cooling fans, and Wi-Fi 7.
Brand
Dell
Operating System
Windows 11 Home
Performance is also an advantage over the MacBook Neo, depending on the model you get. The new XPS 13 starts with a Core Series 3 CPU, the Core 5 320, whose six cores help it theoretically outrun the iPhone-derived A18 Pro in the Neo. However, you can also option the XPS with a Core Ultra Series 3-based Core Ultra 7 355, with similarly available upgrades to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage depending on the configuration. You can use the XPS for more demanding tasks if you’re willing to pay, in other words.
You’ll get two full-featured USB-C ports with the base model (one of the Neo’s is limited to USB 2 speeds). Move to the Core Ultra version and you’ll get dual Thunderbolt 4 connectors. All versions have 1080p webcams and Windows Hello support.
Dell claims 17 hours of battery life from the XPS 13 when continuously streaming 4K Netflix video. Real-world use is likely to vary. It has a larger 52Wh battery versus the Neo’s 36.5Wh, but Intel’s chips consume more power.
New Dell XPS 13 price and release date
The cheapest XPS ever
Dell is betting that the XPS 13 price will easily draw you away from the MacBook Neo. The new model will be available in June starting at $699 for most buyers, and $599 for education customers aged 16 and older. You’ll have to be content with 8GB of RAM, the Core 5 320, and a 512GB SSD (256GB is shipping “post-launch”) for that price, but that could still make it a better value than the Neo, which starts at $599 with a reduced feature set.
Your choice of processor dictates your other upgrade paths. Use the base Core 5 and you’ll be limited to a maximum 16GB of RAM and a 512GB drive. The 32GB memory and 1TB storage choices are limited to Core Ultra 7 models that aren’t shipping until sometime in the summer.
The approach nonetheless makes the new XPS 13 the cheapest new XPS model to date, according to Dell. It’s also much more affordable than the revamped XPS 14, which begins at $2,049. That’s a huge gap, but it also leaves the XPS as a much better pick than the aging Dell 14 Laptop, which has more memory (16GB) and storage (1TB) at its $650 price but also has an old first-generation Core 7 and a lower-resolution non-touch display.
Dell validates the MacBook Neo while criticizing it
It’s joining Intel and Microsoft in taking Apple’s laptop head-on
Dell has taken the unusual step of not only comparing the redesigned XPS 13 with the MacBook Neo, but complimenting it. Apple’s new laptop is a “capable machine” that confirms a “real appetite for premium quality at accessible prices,” Dell says. The difference, of course, is that Dell believes it’s offering better value.
The announcement nonetheless underscores how sharply the Windows PC industry has reacted to the Neo since its March premiere. ASUS co-CEO S.Y. Hsu called it a “shock” to the market, and hinted that his company and other major vendors were discussing how they would respond.
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That became clear in May, when Microsoft commissioned a report intended to make the MacBook look worse than its Windows counterparts. Intel, in turn, unveiled a Project Firefly strategy that called on PC makers to improve budget laptop designs and pricing with the Neo in mind. Just. this week, Qualcomm introduced a Snapdragon C chip built for “entry-tier” laptops.
The XPS 13, Core Series 3, and similar hardware offerings were all in development well before Apple introduced the Neo. However, they’re clearly being positioned differently in light of the newfound competition. Companies like Dell and Intel don’t want to risk losing ground, and that involves acknowledging what customers are shopping for.
