The Dell XPS 13 has long been one of our favorite ultrabooks, but it first debuted at CES 2013 and was beginning to show its age. Fortunately the company has given the system a redesign that should re-affirm the XPS 13’s position as one of the best in the business.
Dell’s new model focuses on reducing the bezels, resulting in a “virtually borderless infinity display” with edges that are 5.2 millimeters thin. That’s around a quarter of an inch. Reducing bezel size also means reducing overall size, so the new XPS 13 weighs just 2.6 pounds and is not much larger than some 11-inch systems.
The display itself has been upgraded, as well. There’s now an optional 3,200 x 1,800 panel, which translates to 5.7 million pixels overall and 282 pixels per inch.
Intel’s 5th-gen Core processors unsurprisingly power the system. Dell says their efficiency helps the notebook achieve up to 15 hours of endurance on a single charge. That’s particularly impressive given the high-resolution display.
All of this is packed in a new chassis that takes inspiration from the old model’s heavy use of carbon fiber but features a new, more angular design with silver aluminum lining both the lid and the bottom. The display itself is made of Corning Gorilla Glass NBT, as well, to enhance the strength of the laptop. It’s likely necessary, as the system is a shockingly thin nine millimeters at its front and only 15mm at its rear.
A wide range of connectivity enhances the new XPS 13 including two USB 2.0 ports, Mini-DisplayPort, an SDcard reader, 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0.
Dell’s XPS 15, meanwhile, is receiving a minor refresh that includes a new optional 4K touchscreen display. The laptop will otherwise remain the same both externally and internally. That means an Intel 4th-generation Core processor, optional Nvidia GeForce GT 750M graphics and a standard 1080p touchscreen.
Surprisingly, the new Dell XPS 13 is available immediately at an affordable $799 for the base model with 1080p display and Intel Core i3 processor. The XPS 15 with 4K display, meanwhile, is “coming soon” for $2,349.
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