Dell's Gold XPS 13 Is The Most Beautiful Windows Notebook

Dell’s gold XPS 13 proves Windows laptops can be fashion accessories, too

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Dell XPS 13 Gold 2016 — Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Dell XPS 13 Gold — Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Most geeks care about how their PC works, but what about how it looks? That’s also important, especially for business professionals, creatives, and people who dress nicer than you do.

Those so concerned have usually bought Apple laptops, as the company’s clean designs are at once beautiful and professional. A MacBook never really looks out of place. Windows laptops? They don’t stand a chance. Most are made of boring plastic, and even nicer models tend to have at least one objectionable trait — often, a massive, prominent logo.

Now, finally, Dell has an answer for those who love Windows 10, and want to look good using it. The new gold XPS 13.

We reviewed the Dell XPS 13 not once, but twice, in 2015 — first the original release at the beginning of the year, and later the Skylake refresh, which improved performance and added USB Type-C. It’s our favorite 13-inch notebook, and even in it’s original silver finish, it was quite fetching. But the new gold release puts it over the top.

In fact, the gold may make it even more attractive than Apple’s MacBook in the same color. The main reason for this is the interior. Unlike many rivals, Dell does not use an all-metal uni-body chassis. Instead, it uses metal on the exterior, but pairs that with a matte black soft-touch interior. It contrasts wonderfully with the new gold chassis.

But you’ll have to pay for the privilege of owning a beautiful Windows ultrabook. The gold model is only available in a specific, high-end configuration with a 3,200 x 1,800 touchscreen, Intel Core i7 dual-core processor, and 256GB PCIe solid state drive. The price is a cool $1,650.

We’re going to examine the system more closely in an update of the XPS 13’s review, but our early impressions are favorable — as they should be, given the price. For most people, this particular incarnation is a luxury. It’s double the price of the basic, $800 XPS 13, after all. But if you can afford it, you’ll be rewarded with a laptop that looks worth every cent you spent.

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