Dell’s XPS 13-inch laptop lineup underwent a shakeup in 2022, with the clamshell splitting out into the lower-cost XPS 13 9315 and the more powerful XPS 13 Plus. Meanwhile, the old 360-degree convertible XPS 13 2-in-1 morphed into a detachable tablet.
That presents something of a challenge if you’re looking for a 13-inch machine and are leaning toward an XPS. Each machine has its place, but which is best for you? Read on to find out.
Specs and configurations
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | Dell XPS 13 9315 | Dell XPS 13 Plus | |
Dimensions | 11.5 inches x 7.9 inches x 0.29 inches | 11.63 inches by 7.86 inches by 0.55 inches | 11.63 inches by 7.84 inches by 0.60 inches |
Weight | 1.23 pounds | 2.59 pounds | 2.71 pounds |
Processor | Intel Core i5-1230U Intel Core i7-1250U |
Intel Core i5-1230U Intel Core i7-1250U |
Intel Core i5-1240P Intel Core i7-1260P Intel Core i7-1280P |
Graphics | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe graphics |
RAM | 8GB LPDDR4x 16GB LPDDR4x |
8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5 |
8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5 |
Display | 13.0-inch 3:2 2880 x 1920 IPS | 13.4-inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1920 x 1080) IPS 13.4-inch 16:10 Full HD+ IPS touch |
13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ touch 13.4-inch 16:10 OLED 3.5K (3456 x 2160) touch 13.4-inch 16:10 IPS UHD+ (3840 x 2400) touch |
Storage | 512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD |
512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD |
512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD 2GB PCIe SSD |
Touch | Yes | Optional | Optional |
Ports | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x nano SIM (optional) |
2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 | 2 USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 |
Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 Optional 5GB WWAN |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 |
Webcam | 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hell0 2160p rear-facing |
720p with Windows 11 Hello IR webcam | 720p, Windows 11 Hello IR webcam |
Operating system | Windows 11 | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
Battery | 49.5 watt-hour | 51 watt-hours | 55 watt-hours |
Price | $1,000 | $749+ | $1,299+ |
Rating | 3.5 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
The XPS 13 9315 is the most economical sibling, starting at $749 for a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD), and a Full HD+ IPS non-touch display. Max out the machine, and it costs $1,299 for a Core i7, 32GB of
The XPS 13 2-in-1 is the second-most affordable, with an entry-level price of $1,000 for a Core i5, 8GB of
The most expensive XPS laptop is the XPS 13 Plus. Its lowest configuration is $1,299 for a Core i5, 8GB of
Design
The XPS 13 9315 and XPS 13 Plus went in different design directions, both from each other and from the previous XPS 13 generation. They look quite similar with the lid closed, dropping the older model’s mix of aluminum and carbon or glass fiber for an all-aluminum chassis. Open the lid, though, and the XPS 13 Plus is a truly modern design with a glass-covered palm rest hiding an embedded haptic touchpad, an edge-to-edge keyboard with large keycaps and minimal space between keys, and LED function buttons. The XPS 13 9315 is much simpler, with a standard island keyboard and mechanical touchpad. Both laptops feature tiny bezels, and the XPS 13 9315 is available in Sky and Umber colors, while the XPS 13 Plus comes in Granite and Platinum.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 is a standard detachable tablet with rounded edges and moderately large bezels. It’s a rather nondescript slate that comes in Sky and Slate (the latter being the only color available with the 5G version). Add the Dell folio keyboard, and it takes on a profile that’s very similar to Microsoft’s Surface Pro 9.
Each XPS laptop is just as rigid as always, representing the best in contemporary laptop construction. Each clamshell laptop’s hinge is excellent, while the tablet lacks a built-in kickstand and instead relies on the keyboard’s three magnetic angles.
Speaking of keyboards, each one is very good, with plenty of space and snappy, precise switches. Of the three, the XPS 13 Plus’s keyboard is the best. In addition, while the mechanical touchpads on the XPS 13 9315 and XPS 13 2-in-1’s folio keyboard are just fine, the XPS 13 Plus sports a haptic touchpad that offers precise control over its entire surface and virtual button clicks that feel natural. Whether that laptop’s LED function buttons are a good thing is purely a matter of preference, but they work fine.
Connectivity is almost exactly the same across each laptop, which is to say, it’s quite limited. The 2-in-1 has a nano SIM slot for its optional
Finally, the XPS 13 2-in-1 has a superior 1080p webcam compared to the 720p versions on the clamshells. Each laptop has an infrared camera for facial recognition login via Windows Hello.
Performance
The XPS 13 2-in-1 and XPS 13 9315 both utilize 9-watt Intel 12th-generation U-series CPUs with 10 cores (two Performance and eight Efficient) and 12 threads. As such, they both provide less performance than the XPS 13 Plus with 28-watt P-series CPUs with 12 cores (four Performance and eight Efficient) and 16 threads. Dell very deliberately differentiated between the XPS 13 Plus and the XPS 13 9315 in a few important ways, and performance was one of them.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 was faster than the XPS 13 9315 Geekbench 5 and our Handbrake video encoding test, while the latter was faster in Cinebench R23. The tablet was also faster in the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark than both clamshells, which was surprising. But in our CPU-intensive benchmarks, the XPS 13 Plus was the clear leader. None of the machines make for particularly good
Geekbench (single / multi) |
Handbrake (seconds) |
Cinebench R23 (single / multi) |
PCMark 10 Complete |
|
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9315 (Core i5-1230U) |
Bal: 1,435 / 6,099 Perf: 1,572 / 7,028 |
Bal: 139 Perf: 144 |
Bal: 1,064 / 3,032 Perf: 1,065 / 3009 |
4,535 |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (Core i5-1230U) |
Bal: 1393 / 4,459 Perf: 1,477 / 5,350 |
Bal: 333 Perf: 192 |
Bal: 1379 / 3457 Perf: N/A |
4,023 |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) |
Bal: 1,316 / 8,207 Perf: N/A |
Bal: 170 Perf: 94 |
Bal: 1,311 / 6,308 Perf: 1,650 / 7,530 |
4.309 |
Display
If you want the best possible display, then the XPS 13 Plus is the clear choice. It offers higher-resolution OLED and IPS options with superior colors and, with the former, intense contrast with inky blacks. The XPS 13 2-in-1’s display was sharper than the XPS 13 9315’s Full HD+ panel, and it offers slightly better colors with much better contrast. The XPS 13 Plus’s OLED display is the best option for anyone who wants to do (limited) creative work on the laptop, and it’s also the best option for dedicated media consumers.
Brightness (nits) |
Contrast | sRGB gamut | AdobeRGB gamut | Accuracy DeltaE (lower is better) |
|
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (IPS) |
480 | 1,840:1 | 99% | 78% | 0.8 |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (IPS) |
444 | 1,390:1 | 96% | 75% | 1.33 |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (OLED) |
386 | 386,030:1 | 100% | 99% | 0.83 |
Portability
The
Battery life was best in the XPS 13 9315, with the XPS 13 Plus coming in second place and the XPS 13 2-in-1 offering the least longevity. The two clamshells are more likely to approach a full day’s work without plugging in, and each enjoys small power bricks that are easy enough to carry around.
Web browsing | Video | |
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9315 (Core i5-1230U) |
Five hours, 55 minutes | Eight hours, 25 minutes |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (Core i5-1230U) |
13 hours, 18 minutes | N/A |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) |
Eight hours, zero minutes | Nine hours, 20 minutes |
Different, but all solid 13-inch machines
If you want an XPS tablet, then there’s just one choice: the XPS 13 2-in-1. That’s not to say that it can’t compete with the other two as a laptop, although it’s not as good in a lap as clamshell machines. The clamshells don’t support tablet mode with inking.
Outside of that major consideration, the question then becomes: Do you want a faster, more modern, and more expensive laptop with a superior display, or do you want to save some money and go a less performant route? We think the XPS 13 9315 is a great “budget” option among premium