Dell XPS 13, 14, and 16 Unveiled: Featuring Intel Core Ultra, Streamlined Design with Capacitive Touch Function Rows

Dell is undergoing a complete overhaul of its flagship XPS laptop series, introducing a new XPS 13, along with two additional sizes, the XPS 14 and XPS 16. These laptops will feature the latest Intel Core Ultra processors, and the larger models will also support discrete Nvidia graphics.

The All New Dell XPS 13, 14, and 16

However, the entire lineup will adopt the design of the XPS 13 Plus, which has received mixed reviews. This design eliminates function keys, replacing them with a “capacitive touch function row” and a haptic touchpad without defined borders. The XPS 13 Plus is no longer part of the lineup, and all the new models will adhere to the regular XPS design.

The XPS 14 and XPS 16 serve as replacements for the XPS 15 and XPS 17, following a trend where laptops with 16:10 screens are gaining popularity. The existing XPS 15 will remain in its current chassis without updates for a while, as it is one of the most popular models, according to Dell. The new XPS 13 is expected to feature Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, up to Ultra 7 165H, while the XPS 14 will offer either of the two Ultra 7 chips, skipping the Ultra 5. The XPS 16 will start with the Core Ultra 7 and go up to the Core Ultra 9 185H.

Regarding graphics, the XPS 13 will rely on Intel’s integrated Arc solution, the XPS 14 will offer Arc or Nvidia RTX 4050, and the XPS 16 will provide options ranging from RTX 4050 to RTX 4070. RAM speeds seem to be tied to the graphics option, and the RAM on all three sizes is soldered down. The XPS 14 and XPS 16 will have a more extensive port selection than the 13-inch model, each featuring three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Some models are slated to support Wi-Fi 7.

While the XPS 13 design remains largely unchanged, a dedicated key for Windows Copilot replaces the right control key on the XPS 13 Plus, and this key is also present on the XPS 14 and XPS 16. The XPS 16 features the same keyboard as the XPS 13, flanked by speakers, while the XPS 14 has slightly smaller non-letter keys to accommodate top-firing speakers.

Despite some scepticism about the design choices, the new machines emphasize thin and light devices. The XPS 14 is 0.71 inches thick and starts at 3.7 pounds, while the XPS 16 is 0.74 inches thick and starts at 4.7 pounds (with integrated graphics). The laptops are set to launch in Q1 2024, with the XPS 13 starting at $1,299.99, the XPS 14 at $1,699.99, and the XPS 16 at $1,899.99.