Dell XPS 13

Refined. Enlightened. Empowered. If we had to use three words to describe the new Dell XPS 13 in its Alpine White flesh, those would be them. On paper, this is the kind of laptop you would expect to be subdued and plain. It has a quad-core processor from the start, three USB-C ports and even a microSD card port. It also weighs a mere 2.67 pounds (1.21kg), so not only does it weigh less than Apple’s MacBook Pro, it’s more powerful and costs less, too.

At the same time, it boasts a frankly more contemporary look. Judging by the recent flagship smartphone releases, bezel-less is in and Dell knows it. The next-generation InfinityEdge display found on the Dell XPS 13 has edges so narrow that it seems like it’s from the future. As long as you can get past the wonky camera placement, it’s quite possibly the best laptop you can buy right now, a sentiment that’s almost unanimously echoed across the web.

All told, we’re deeply impressed by the new XPS 13, thanks in part to that dazzling new color option. In fact, we’re so impressed by Dell’s design revisions that it’s once again earned TechRadar’s Best in Class award for laptops. That said, if you want in on the deepest revision on the XPS 13 design in years, you’re going to have to pay up – and more than before.

Price and availability

Not as cheap as it once was, the Dell XPS 13 makes up for its less accessible price tag by making the performance difference worth it. 

This time, even the most affordable option is equipped with a quad-core processor, namely a 1.6GHz (up to 3.4GHz with Turbo Boost) Intel Core i5-8250U. It’ll set you back $999 (£1,269, about AU$2,190), but you’ll also be in for a 1080p non-touch display, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage.

Like most laptops these days, there is the option to purchase a high-end configuration, complete with the specs that you need for your daily duties. Should you crave a faster processor, there are two models featuring a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (4GHz with Turbo Boost) to choose from. 

In total, the Dell XPS 13 we reviewed here would set you back $2,349 (£1,899, about AU$3,004), which is a lofty sum to pay for the average user. It does, however, come with a 4K display, 1TB of storage space and 16GB of RAM. While we enjoyed the display on its own, other accounts have stated that it looks worse than the base model’s 1080p screen because of its lower color accuracy and contrast.

Also annoying is the fact that the Rose Gold on Alpine White edition of the Dell XPS 13 is a bit pricier than its standard, silver-on-black model in the US at another $50 regardless of configuration. Worse yet, this option isn’t available outside the US at the time of writing.

All configurations for the new Dell XPS 13 include three USB-C ports (two of which are Thunderbolt 3), a microSD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack.

For those keeping score, the only flagship laptop that can price match the new XPS 13 is the Google Pixelbook. The latest MacBook Pro and 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 are both more expensive to start for comparable or inferior hardware options.

Design

This year marks the first time that Dell has tangibly changed the XPS 13 design since it graced the top of our rankings. First off, it’s actually thinner and lighter than the previous model released just months ago.

Dell slimmed down the XPS 13 chassis to be 30% thinner at just 0.3 inches (3.4mm) at its narrowest point and a touch lighter at merely 2.67 pounds (1.21kg).

Now, the most notable of changes to the XPS 13 design is bound to be the brand new Rose Gold on Alpine White color option.

While almost every laptop maker has a rose gold color option these days, Dell took it to the next level with an all-new set of materials for the complementary-colored keyboard deck.

Dell is particularly proud that the new keyboard deck houses a crystalline silica material that has the white color literally woven into it like a fabric, in nine composite layers.

This is the first time woven glass fiber has been, well, woven into a laptop. Plus, the base has a titanium oxide coating which gives it a pearlescent sheen, not to mention stronger stain-resistance than most.

Sadly, the same can’t be said for the plastic that borders the edges of the laptop’s display. Over the past few weeks of use, we’ve found that this softer plastic has grown a little gray compared to the plastic that borders the edge of base.

Of course, this XPS 13 model also marks the turning point on what might be its biggest bugbear: the webcam placement. Better yet, the new IR lens works well for speedy logins using Windows Hello, the biometric security system that uses your webcam to sign you in. However, the red flashing of the infrared lights is a little intense.

That said, the 720p webcam produces about as sharp of visual as that of the latest MacBook Pro, but isn’t a 60 frames-per-second lens like that on the Pixelbook. The Surface Book 2 beats them all with a 1080p camera.

The webcam comes equipped with four microphones – placed within the lip of the base of the laptop – for stronger video chatting input as well as far-field communication for yelling at Cortana from across the room. These mics pick up clearer voice audio over video chats than some of its competitors.

However, they won’t be challenging  the likes of Google Home and Amazon Echo anytime soon. While the microphones can pick up our ‘Hey, Cortana’ commands from a few feet away in front of the laptop, trying them from behind the laptop at the same distance is a bust.

Display

Another major improvement upon this year’s design is the display. The screen is now available with an optional 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution beneath a glossy, IGZO touchscreen. That’s sharper than any of the previously mentioned, competing laptops.

The touchscreen is coated in a 0.65% anti-reflective coating that aims to offset the downfalls of all touchscreens and screen glare.

We haven’t noticed much difference while using the laptop for the past few weeks, but the brightness scaling of the device is fantastic enough to call out. Putting the screen at even 10% brightness doesn’t detract from our ability to write and read on this laptop.

With a 1,500:1 contrast ratio and 100% sRGB color profile, blacks look as if the backlight shuts off in those spots during darker scenes in videos and photos and colors pop with vibrancy. Meanwhile, the display responds snappily and fluidly to touch gestures.

First reviewed January 2018

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this review

With the latest Intel processors, it should go without saying that the Dell XPS 13 for 2018 is the most powerful one yet. Naturally, what we see here are mightily impressive numbers from the latest XPS 13, beating its young predecessor’s numbers in every test.

Why is that when this model uses the exact same processor as the 2017 model we tested recently? We chalk it up to improved thermals.

In releasing this XPS 13, Dell is touting its use of Gore thermal insulation for stronger heat dissipation. That, combined with the more up-to-date quad-core processing that the 8th-generation Intel chips bring, results is far better performance in tests like Geekbench over that of the 2017 MacBook Pro.

However, not even the 13.5-inch Surface Book 2 seems able to compete with the XPS 13 on core computing benchmarks, likely thanks to these thermal advantages. Of course, the Surface Book 2 wins on visual tests with its Nvidia GTX 1050 graphics.

Dell’s new power management software also helps the XPS 13, with a ‘dynamic power mode’ that automatically delivers maximum power when needed, while carefully monitoring system heat. As proof, the system never grows too hot to handle (literally) under load.

Of course, you’re not going to be able to play games on the XPS 13 beyond the odd casual or indie hit, but this laptop will be more than ready for photo editing, especially with its microSD card slot. Expect to be able to churn through spreadsheets with this laptop as well, thanks to that 16GB of speedy memory.

Battery life

These battery test scores are most impressive for a laptop with a 4K display, but again are well under Dell’s projections – wholly unsurprising. We can only imagine the numbers we might see on an FHD model, considering the previous lasted longer than 10 hours in one test.

Of course, these numbers aren’t as high as we’ve seen on the new MacBook Pro much less the Pixelbook and Surface Book 2 (though, the latter has not one, but two batteries inside). However, all three of those devices are far better optimized for the operating system they run.

Regardless, expect the XPS 13 to last you on most flights within the continental US and western Europe as well as across Australia.

Keyboard and trackpad

Dell has largely kept one of the best qualities about its laptops in tact: the inputs. Rest assured that the keyboard and touchpad have been untouched in their look and feel.

Travel on the keyboard isn’t the deepest we’ve seen on Ultrabooks, but the feedback is plenty forceful. That said, we wish Dell didn’t have the ‘Page Up’ and ‘Page Down’ keys directly above the arrow keys. It’s been far too easy to jump up or down the page farther than we wanted when trying to move between words in a document.

The glass-coated touchpad is just as wide as it can be given the 11-inch XPS 13 frame, and our fingers glide smoothly along its surface. Clicking feels oddly more satisfying on this laptop than most others in its class, perhaps save for Apple.

We liked

We sincerely appreciate the new centered IR webcam, as it’s a sign that Dell is working on solving the common complaints of the webcam location on previous models. It’s also a simply better solution, thanks to support for logging in to Windows 10 using facial recognition. The brand new design and color option, as well as the gorgeous, optional 4K display and powerful processor are all heartily welcomed changes, too.

We disliked

Of course, the centered webcam position is a fine step in the right direction, but it’s still not quite in the ideal place for video chats. Yes, you’re investing in a laptop for a few years at least, but this problem exists right now. Plus, we’re bummed that the more affordable, entry-level configuration isn’t available for this new, better design.

Final verdict

It’s official: Dell has undoubtedly done it again. In directly addressing the concerns of users, Dell has refined its XPS 13 laptop further than perhaps ever before. So much so that we’re inclined to give this laptop our Best in Class award all over again.

Moving the webcam position, adding facial login and a four-mic array, giving Intel’s chips more headroom to perform even better and adding a 4K screen have all evolved the XPS into an even more formidable flagship laptop. Sure, we’d like a top-mounted webcam and to pay less to start for this latest model with a Core i3 processor, but what Dell has put on offer here is well worth the increased price.

With all of the improvements made to the XPS 13 for this year, the rest of the laptop world now has a lofty benchmark to measure itself against for 2018, as Dell has once again set the bar high – very high.