Something to look forward to: Dell took the unusual step of replacing the XPS 13 laptop's function keys with a touch-sensitive row two years ago. Now, the company has unified the design across the entire XPS laptop lineup. The new models Dell plans to present at CES unsurprisingly also feature Intel Core Ultra processors, which introduce NPUs to enhance AI workloads.
Dell's latest XPS laptops confirm that the company is sticking with its decision to replace the function key row with a flat LED bar. In addition to a new successor to the 13-inch model that introduced the new design, 14-inch and 16-inch variants will soon be available, suggesting Dell is ditching the XPS 15.
The updated design also replaces the traditional trackpad with an invisible, borderless "haptic ForcePad' that reproduces the clicking sensation with haptics. The new XPS 14 and 16 also gain the 13's tight keyboard spacing, allowing for larger keys. However, the larger models still include headphone jacks, unlike the XPS 13.
Display options include OLED touch panels, variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, Dolby Vision, and up to 4K resolution. While the XPS 13 is still limited to integrated graphics and the 14-inch laptop maxes out at the entry-level RTX 4050, the XPS 16 can pack in an RTX 4070.
| Dell XPS 13 | Dell XPS 14 | Dell XPS 16 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to a 5.0GHz Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | Up to a 5.0GHz Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | Up to a 5.1GHz Intel Core Ultra 9 185H |
| GPU | Intel Arc integrated graphics | Intel Arc integrated graphics or a 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 | Up to an 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 |
| RAM | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s |
Up to 64GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s, 6400 MT/s with Integrated graphics |
| Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe 4 SSD (4TB available after launch) | Up to 4TB PCIe 4 SSD | Up to 4TB PCIe 4 SSD |
| Connectivity | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) with DisplayPort 2.1, Wi-Fi 7 | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) with DisplayPort 2.1, an SD card reader, headphone jack, 1 USB-C to USB-A 3.0 and HDMI 2.0 adapter, Wi-Fi 6E |
3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) with DisplayPort 2.1, an SDXC card reader, headphone jack, 1 USB-C to USB-A 3.0 and HDMI 2.0 adapter, Wi-Fi 7 |
| Display |
Up to 13.4-inch 3K (2880x1800) OLED touchscreen with Dolby Vision. 60Hz at 3K, 120Hz at QHD+ and FHD+ |
Up to 14.5-inch 3.2K (3200 x 2000) 120Hz OLED touchscreen with Dolby Vision | Up to 16.3-inch 4K+ (3840 x 2400) OLED touchscreen with Dolby Vision, 90Hz at 4K, 120Hz at FHD+ |
| Power | 55Whr integrated battery | 69.5Whr integrated battery | 99.5Whr integrated battery |
| Starting Price | $1,299 | $1,699 | $1,899 |
The new XPS systems transition to Meteor Lake processors and include AI acceleration hardware similar to other recently revealed laptops. Dell also added the new Copilot key to summon Microsoft's new AI-powered assistant. Rumors indicate that future versions of Windows emerging later this year will leverage AI hardware to enhance Copilot further.
Dell hasn't revealed exact release dates for the new lineup, but it will undoubtedly have more information to share at CES next week.
