Price When Reviewed

$3,399

Best Prices Today: Dell XPS 16 (2024)

$1899

The Dell XPS 16 is the brand new big-screen productiveness laptop computer for these in search of one thing somewhat extra lavish than the everyday enterprise machines. It comes operating on Intel’s new Core Ultra processors and provides up discrete GPU choices for many who want much more energy. Its smooth design shouldn’t be confused for a light-weight one, although, and the fact of its weight and dear design put it at odds with lighter ultrabooks and extra highly effective workstation and gaming laptops alike. At $3,399, it’ll be a tough promote for anybody vaguely fascinated about good worth.

Looking for extra laptop computer choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops proper now.

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Specs and options

The Dell XPS 16 is available in quite a lot of configurations with value and efficiency capabilities various broadly. At a baseline, it can provide an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, which is a powerful start line, however it may well go as much as an Ultra 9 185H. Memory is accessible at 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities, whereas storage begins out at 512GB however can go as much as 4TB. The system can run on Intel Arc built-in graphics solely or a discrete GPU could be added with the RTX 4050, 4060, and 4070 as choices. The remaining key affirmation possibility is show, with a 1920×1200, non-touch LED show out there or the 3840×2400 OLED touchscreen out there. The lowest of those configurations begins out at $1,899. Our check unit got here in at $3,399 with storage, reminiscence, GPU, and the show upgraded. 

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 4070 (60-watt TGP, dGPU), Intel Arc (8 Xe cores, iGPU)
• Display: 16.3-inch 4K+ OLED, Touch
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
• Webcam: 1080p
• Connectivity: 3x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort  2.1 Alternate Mode, 1x microSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio
• Networking: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Windows Hello fingerprint, facial recognition
• Battery capability: 99 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.1 x 9.4 x 0.74 inches
• Weight: 5.03 kilos
• MSRP: $3,399 as-tested ($1,899 base)

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Design and construct high quality

IDG / Mark Knapp

Dell has gone all-in on its new design for the XPS sequence. Whereas prior fashions had a “Plus” within the title serving to signify the shift towards a reimagined design of the workhorse sequence, now it’s simply the mainline design. While the Dell XPS 16 nonetheless displays the corporate’s knack for construct high quality with a smooth — albeit easy and admittedly somewhat MacBook-like — aluminum exterior that feels stable, it additionally boasts a design that’s as contentious for the eyes as it’s for the fingers.

The design of the keyboard and trackpad area sees the largest modifications. It has the brand new design, which situates a single piece of glass alongside backside, so there’s no visible indication of the place the trackpad begins and ends. The keyboard has a bunch of completely rectangular keys with a really minor dish and tight gaps between them, and the entire operate row has been was ever-illuminated capacitive contact buttons a la Apple’s Touch Bar however with none of the multi-function magic. 

This identical design seemed fairly fashionable on the sooner Dell XPS 13 Plus. But for the XPS 16, Dell was working with a bunch of additional area across the keyboard, the place it determined to wedge two giant speaker grilles which have the subtlest break from the design, however for the reason that entire design is so minimalist, even the subtleties stick out. For this all white mannequin, Dell’s white backlighting for the keyboard additionally finally ends up wanting uneven and soiled beneath the keycaps.

Despite packing a high-power processor and discrete GPU into the system, the XPS 16 depends on simply the slightest little bit of seen venting to maneuver air by means of the system, presumably taking some in by means of slits alongside the edges of the laptop computer and pushing it out by means of a strip underneath the sting of the show.

While the entire package deal has that typical, svelte ultrabook attraction to it, that is no thin-and-light laptop computer. It measures nearly three-quarters of an inch thick and weighs a hair over 5 kilos. 

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Mark Knapp

Dell’s redesign comes with what may be the largest trackpad within the enterprise, however you wouldn’t comprehend it. The all glass chin hides the place it begins and ends utterly. It encompasses the left Alt key and the brand new Windows Copilot key and reaches only a hair shy of the area bar and a half-inch wanting the underside edge. For some perspective, it’s bigger than a Galaxy S24 Plus show. Impressively, even with its monolithic design, the trackpad nonetheless depresses naturally and supplies a pleasant haptic click on when it does so. It additionally has nice palm rejection. While all that dimension is beneficial, particularly for multi-finger gestures, it leaves a vagueness for the place sure widespread actions are, like what area may end in a proper click on versus a left click on.

The trackpad isn’t as problematic because the keyboard, although. Just typing, the keys really feel somewhat too stiff, making repeated presses of the identical key somewhat harder and error inclined. The gaps between keys additionally makes it somewhat too simple to be on the suitable key however nonetheless catch the neighboring key on the downstroke. While I managed to succeed in a typing pace of 121 words-per-minute in Monkeytype with 97 % accuracy, which is simply shy of my quickest speeds, I used to be extra usually typing round 100 words-per-minute or affected by considerably extra typos because of the keyboard.

The operate row can be an unlucky change. If you ever have to make use of an precise F key like Alt+F4, the buttons up there’ll do the job, however you’ll should rely your technique to the one you need (or maintain the Function key). Combining them with precise keys on the keyboard, akin to for Ctrl+Shift+Esc can be exceedingly awkward. And a number of faucets are not any higher, making the relegation of the Delete key to that row an annoyance. Then there’s additionally the truth that it is a 16-inch laptop computer and it doesn’t have any additional keys to supply that you just wouldn’t discover on most 13-inch laptops — no additional navigation, no quantity pad, nothing additional.

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Display, audio

IDG / Mark Knapp

Things start to take a flip again in Dell’s favor with the show on the XPS 16. It’s a stunning 16.3-inch OLED panel with a Gorilla Glass 3 cowl that doesn’t undergo an excessive amount of from glare, so it can save you a little bit of energy by decreasing the brightness ranges. It can fortunately attain 400 nits whereas displaying SDR content material and even exceed 600 nits displaying HDR content material. It has a large coloration gamut, overlaying 100% of the DCI-P3 coloration area as properly, making it great for having fun with content material. It even has Dolby Vision assist, which solely makes it all of the extra disappointing that it’s fairly arduous to entry high-quality, HDR streams on a Windows PC in comparison with a cellphone or TV. 

The OLED mannequin features a touchscreen, which displays a small array of dots that’s seen in case you look very intently however in any other case blends in with the show. Even at a 3840×2400 decision, Dell went for a quick refresh fee, too, reaching as much as 90Hz and supporting Adaptive Sync all the way down to 48Hz. How clean that 90Hz will really really feel varies, although, as I seen clunkier movement whereas operating on built-in graphics and battery energy.

Dell’s audio system are stellar. The system combines two 3-watt most important drivers and two 2-watt tweeters. There’s occasional high-frequency rattling within the chassis whereas listening at even simply 50% quantity (famous throughout the intro to The Weeknd’s “I Feel It Coming”). Beyond that, the audio system sound fairly wonderful, with wealthy, full sound that actually challenges what’s on provide from most laptops. The bass doesn’t increase, however it’s extra current than you’d normally discover. There’s even surprisingly compelling stereo separation for a laptop computer. It’s a extremely phenomenal job on Dell’s half right here — perhaps sufficient to assist recover from the very fact this 16-inch laptop computer successfully has the identical keyboard as a 13-inch mannequin. 

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Webcam, microphone, biometrics

IDG / Mark Knapp

The XPS 16 contains a 1080p webcam that provides a bit extra readability than you’d normally see from the run-of-the-mill 720p cams on the market. It nonetheless has that webcam-y high quality, with bland coloration and noise in something however the most effective lighting situations. The digicam additionally supplies snappy facial recognition to unlock the laptop computer. The high proper button on the keyboard has a fingerprint scanner that may additionally deal with unlocking the pc, however I discover the facial recognition normally beats it to the punch. 

The mics do a great job selecting up my voice, and supply a fullness and readability that you just gained’t get from many Bluetooth headphones or earbuds. But it may well sound somewhat boxed in in comparison with audio coming by means of a headset’s increase mic or a standalone mic. 

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Connectivity

IDG / Mark Knapp

Prosumer laptops carry it in relation to ports, particularly larger fashions, which have extra room to squeeze in additional ports. This helps them make up for his or her additional weight by negating the necessity for an exterior dongle. Right? Not for the XPS 16. It provides three totally options Thunderbolt 4 ports that’ll deal with shows, file transfers, and energy supply, however you’re exterior dongles if you need any HDMI or USB-A ports. Dell features a super-light one within the package deal that provides you a USB-A and an HDMI port. 

While there’s no knocking the capabilities of Thunderbolt 4, even only a single, correct USB-A port might have gone a good distance towards supporting extra peripherals. All Dell’s design work goes out the window as quickly as an ugly dongle is plugged in. Dell has included a headphone jack and a microSD card reader as properly. But the port selection is sort of the letdown, elevating the query of who this laptop computer is actually presupposed to be for. Just for a fast comparability, the MSI Prestige 16 has one fewer Thunderbolt 4 port however provides USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and a full-size SD Card reader, and that 16-incher is definitely lighter than Dell’s.

At least it has its wi-fi connectivity in level, supporting the brand new Wi-Fi 7 normal and Bluetooth 5.4, so it’s properly ready for the long run. 

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Performance

Dell has packed a great little bit of muscle into the XPS 16, because it properly ought to have for a laptop computer weighing over 5 kilos. It boasts the brand new Intel core Ultra 7 155H, a 16-core chip we not too long ago noticed in motion within the MSI Prestige 16. The chip blends six efficiency cores, eight environment friendly cores, and an additional two low-power cores to offer pace and effectivity because the scenario requires. That chip is backed by 32GB of LPDDR5x reminiscence and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. While the CPU contains Intel Arc built-in graphics, the XPS 16 additionally matches an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, albeit a power-limited, 60-watt model. Powerful as it’d sound, it’s price taking into account that it is a $3,399 configuration, so upper-tier efficiency needs to be par for the course.

In our PCMark 10 check, which measures normal efficiency of the system as an entire throughout a broad vary of workplace duties, the Dell XPS 16 exhibits respectable efficiency. It falls wanting the MSI Prestige 16 operating related {hardware}, however it plainly exceeds methods operating on earlier Intel processors and even the Acer Swift Edge 16 operating on an AMD CPU. This is an effective indication that the Dell XPS 16 is as much as the duty of on a regular basis computing in an workplace setting. In equity to different machines, all of them are considerably lighter than the XPS 16, in order that they’re means to maintain cool underneath laid could also be decreased.

When it involves uncooked CPU efficiency, the Dell XPS 16 exhibits its strengths. Encoding a 32GB video file, it blew previous the competitors to complete the job in 951 seconds impressively beating the MSI Prestige 16 that had given it such a great run for its cash in PCMark 10. We see that efficiency additional exhibited in Cinebench — a CPU-focused check — the place the Dell XPS 16 stayed on the entrance of the pack by a great margin. That went for Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. The Intel Core Ultra 7 clearly has some may and the XPS 16 is letting it run exceptionally properly. This is all excellent news in case you want CPU energy for tasks, because the Dell XPS 16 delivers.

The Dell XPS 16 tops that distinctive CPU efficiency off with the additional benefit of a discrete GPU. With an RTX 4070 inside, even one restricted to simply 60 watts of energy, the Dell XPS 16 obliterates the built-in graphics of those opponents. In each 3DMark Time Spy, a modestly demanding 3D rendering benchmark, the XPS 16 provided greater than double the efficiency of the MSI Prestige 16’s Arc graphics and left Intel Iris Xe and AMD Radeon 780M graphics properly behind. For gaming, video modifying, 3D modeling, and extra, that massive GPU benefit will probably be particularly helpful.

Dell’s in opposition to these ultrabook opponents being what it’s, slim designs nonetheless include compromises. For occasion, the RTX 4070 operating within the XPS 16 may blow away the built-in graphics of those competing methods, however in case you have a look at a discrete GPU operating in a system that places a bit extra emphasis on airflow, you’ll see a distinct story. For occasion, I ran the identical Time Spy benchmark on a Lenovo Legion Slim 5 14APH8 — a compact gaming laptop computer with an RTX 4060 in it — and it scored 9,238 factors total, narrowly edging out the Dell XPS 16 although it makes use of a higher-tier GPU. It’s an identical story for the bigger Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, which additionally runs its RTX 4060 sooner than the XPS 16’s RTX 4070.

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Battery life

One profit to Dell constructing a considerably thick and heavy XPS 16 is that it might slot in a 99-watt-hour battery — as huge as they get if you wish to take them on an airplane, that comines with spectacular effectivity for critical battery life. 

In our normal battery check, looping a 4K copy of the Tears of Steel brief movie with the laptop computer’s show set to 250 nits and all keyboard backlighting and wi-fi radios disabled, the Dell XPS 16 ran for a median of 975 minutes — over 15 hours. Since the XPS 16 has an OLED show, it advantages from the black letterboxing across the video on this check, as these develop into pixels the show doesn’t should illuminate — that’s free actual property. It’s nonetheless a formidable consequence for an OLED, as LED-backlit shows are likely to have the benefit in battery life, and Dell even charges its non-OLED fashions for considerably longer battery life.

Curiously, Dell works in opposition to itself a bit. The laptop computer has a light-weight sensor that’s on by default and can alter the display brightness. In testing with this sensor enabled, our recorded battery life was solely somewhat over 600 minutes (10 hours). 

While this video playback runtime is spectacular, it needs to be considered the excessive level for battery life. Working on the laptop computer will probably see much less of the show occupied by black pixels (and much more of it occupied by white pixels in spreadsheets and paperwork), growing the facility draw of the show over all. Most laptops are fairly properly optimized for video playback as properly, whereas work is extra more likely to see the CPU and GPU ramp up and suck down loads of energy themselves. In follow, I might nonetheless simply make it by means of a workday on battery energy with the XPS 16.

Dell XPS 16 (2024): Conclusion

The Dell XPS 16 has so much to supply, however it’s a little bit of a combined up machine. It provides wonderful CPU efficiency that may rival most different ultrabooks and it packs in a discrete GPU to spice up graphical workloads. However, it comes at a excessive value for the mix of parts and the GPU isn’t even in a position to attain its full potential within the XPS 16 chassis, which emphasis operate over type a bit an excessive amount of.

The {hardware} could also be a marvel to take a look at, however it’s rather less of a pleasure to make use of. The show and audio system come collectively splendidly, however that is no media consumption gadget. Ultimately, there are some premium elements packed into the XPS 16 after which an extra premium slapped on high for the elegant design and invoice of supplies. This will put the machine at odds with consumers searching for any form of worth. For anybody who doesn’t want the discrete GPU, the MSI Prestige 16 is basically aggressive and almost half the value. And for many who do want actual GPU energy, they may be higher served by a gaming laptop computer just like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro that’s less expensive and, imagine it or not, lower than half of a pound heavier.