Dell is excellent The XPS 13 range has had the same look and feel for several years now. A shakeup is definitely in order. To accommodate Intel’s new 12th Gen P and U-series chips—with the former honed for more demanding productivity users and the latter focusing on thin and light designs—Dell has split This product line is divided into two parts. There’s the eccentric XPS 13 Plus (7/10, Recommend wired) and the redesigned XPS 13.
The P-series-powered XPS 13 Plus has succeeded in turning potentially gimmicky innovations into a real step up, but its performance is deceiving. For the U-series XPS 13, the new look has added a splash of color—with Sky and Umber options. The signature carbon fiber is gone, and elsewhere there are more significant changes—not all for the better.
One step forward, two steps back
Photo: Dell
My first impressions of the new Dell XPS 13 left me both amused and amused. This laptop was once one of them, if not the The best thin and light productivity device of the past decade, but its design has become outdated. The new look showcases a combination of Dell’s traditional style and the vibe of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop — a beautiful toolkit in its own right, despite the incredibly thick bezels. However, several other build decisions affected the new XPS 13.
Dell still calls this display the Infinity Edge, but it no longer removes the bottom bezel the old-fashioned way. It’s a small touch that makes this 13-inch laptop’s screen on the inside feel much larger than a device of this size can accommodate. The Full HD display on my test sample also failed to impress with brightness. short falls in well-lit places. Colors aren’t stimulating, with a slightly pale appearance, but solid accuracy and sharp detail keep this a good panel overall.
Then there are the ports. The previous model didn’t have more ports than the new XPS 13, featuring two Thunderbolt 4, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. However, the latest version does away with the latter two — making this latest XPS 13 a device that can connect perfectly even to the MacBook Air. Two ports are, at least, on either side of the laptop.
Aside from the color change, Dell’s exterior is mostly unchanged—I’ve been expecting an updated Dell logo for a while, but no luck. However, the weight and thickness have been reduced… a bit. It dropped from 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg) to 2.59 lbs (1.17kg) and 14.8 mm to 13.99 mm. A small difference, but this combination feels more portable than its predecessor and is fun to carry around.
However, not everything is pleasant with the keyboard. The backlighting is patchy and, more importantly, a shallow typing experience. The keyboard has long been an area where competitors have tried to get the upper hand on the XPS 13, even in the years before it was one of the best — but it’s not. the the best. This year, however, it’s definitely not the best, with a real lack of travel and overly low response. Dell also refuses to do wonders with the trackpad. It is quite small. Admittedly, there isn’t much room, but competitors have managed to cram larger pads into their 13-inch devices. Keyboard clicking is quite satisfying and responsive, but nothing to write home about.
U is for the weak
Photo: Dell
Over the past few years, reviewers like me have easily advised on the specs of a stable productivity laptop—the ideal device for students or workers with no more demanding requirements. about power and value mobility. “Nothing too serious. I just do a little bit of multitasking and have a lot of browser tabs open,” I’ve been told multiple times when asking for advice.
