What did you concentrate on the XPS 13 Plus, the upgraded, streamlined model of Dell’s long-running ultraportable favourite? While opinions had been divided among the many Windows laptop computer devoted, Dell appears to be all-in on the brand new look with its touch-enabled perform row and invisible trackpad. The newest model of the XPS 13, together with new redesigned XPS 14 and XPS 16, are all rocking the up to date design language. In reality, it’s now commonplace: There’s not an XPS Plus mannequin as a result of that is simply what all XPS laptops seem like. Dell is displaying off its 2024 flagship line at CES.

The laptops are glossy and tiny, as you’d most likely anticipate. They’re so small that the bigger choices have been formally shrunk down: the XPS 15 and XPS 17 have morphed into 14 and 16, respectively, although the bodily dimension of the 16:10 screens are solely very barely diminished. Both get the design language of the XPS 13 Plus, with the controversial illuminated contact strip perform row and invisible haptic touchpad. But like their predecessors, the bigger chassis permit for discrete graphics card choices not out there to the smaller 13-inch design.

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The up to date Dell XPS 13 retains the plain concentrate on portability, with a flattened keyboard that doesn’t fairly spill over the body on each side. It’s attractive, naturally, however in case you didn’t just like the shortened keyboard or the contact row on the Plus, dropping the suffix received’t change your thoughts. The 13.4-inch display screen behind Gorilla Glass 3 begins as a 1920×1200 non-touch panel, which is nonetheless fairly good at 500 nits. The first improve is a 2560×1600 contact show, however it will virtually be a criminal offense to not splurge on the OLED contact choice at 12880×1800 (which additionally will get Gorilla Glass Victus). All of them get quad audio system and an HD digicam appropriate with Windows Hello. There’s additionally a fingerprint reader on the ability button.

Inside are the newest flavors of Intel Core Ultra 5 or Ultra 7 processors, 12 or 16-core relying in your bundle. RAM is obtainable in a disappointing 8GB to begin, with 64GB maxed out. Storage begins at 512GB of PCIe 4 with a most of 4TB configurable in some unspecified time in the future after the launch. Integrated Arc graphics are the one choice, ditto for the dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. The battery is 55 watt-hours, and the entire bundle ideas the scales at 2.6 kilos, supplied in white or graphite colours.

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The Dell XPS 14 bumps the display screen as much as 14.5 inches, which is juuuuust sufficient to get some top-firing audio system on the aspect of the keyboard. The additional room within the physique additionally permits for 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left aspect for 3 in complete, plus a headphone jack and a MicroSD card slot on the suitable. You get the identical non-touch base show because the XPS 13, however the OLED improve comes with an much more dense 3200×2000 contact panel.

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The processor begins at a Core Ultra 7 and RAM begins at 16GB, in any other case storage is identical 512GB-4TB vary. Graphics begin at built-in Arc, with an choice for a 6GB RTX 4050 card improve (which additionally comes with a 100-watt charger). And you’ll most likely need it, too; spinning up that 30-watt discrete card will drain the 69.5 watt-hour battery fairly rapidly. The bigger physique, battery, and graphics card choices pushes the burden as much as 3.8 kilos…which remains to be fairly gentle for an all-aluminum physique.

The huge daddy of the road is the Dell XPS 16, now sporting a 16.3-inch panel that begins at 1920×1200 for the non-touch choice. The sole improve is a full-fat 4K OLED contact panel, the higher to drink within the particulars on an RTX 4050, 4060, or full-on 4070 discrete card (assuming you don’t low cost out with built-in graphics). RAM and storage are the identical because the XPS 14, with a Core Ultra 9 18-core processor on the highest tier.

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While it doesn’t achieve any additional ports over the 14, the bigger physique permits a 99.5 watt-hour battery (only a hair beneath the restrict for business airways) that will get it a 130-watt charger. All that tech weighs in at 4.8 kilos for the OLED mannequin. That’s a saving of over half a pound versus the XPS 17 from 2023.

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Getting my palms on all three designs, I nonetheless can’t say I’m a fan of the super-thin, super-flat keyboard and the contact panel. It’s as eye-catching as ever (although considerably much less so on the XPS 14 and 16 due to the top-firing audio system), however it will take me some more-than-usual adjustment time to get again to full pace, particularly for media controls. Other than that design alternative, which I’m guessing would be the contentious one for XPS followers, they continue to be as glossy and highly effective as ever. It’s laborious to overstate how a lot of an enchancment the OLED panel makes for these machines — don’t skimp on the display screen upgrades in case you can probably assist it.

Precise launch dates for the brand new XPS household aren’t out there. But in a welcome shock, costs are. The XPS 13 will begin at $1,299, the XPS 14 at $1,699, and the XPS 16 at $1,899 in US {dollars}. Based on Dell’s releases in previous years, I’d anticipate them to be out there earlier than the beginning of the summer season.