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The popular Dell XPS 13 is getting a performance boost with 10th-gen Intel upgrade

Dell XPS 13 2019
The 2019 version of the XPS 13 sports a new webcam above the display where it belongs. Riley Young/Digital Trends

The XPS 13 is one of the best and most popular Windows laptops on the market today, and it’s about to get even better, thanks to a big boost in performance. Dell announced ahead of the IFA tech show that the XPS 13 can now be configured with up to Intel’s latest 10th-generation processors. The Intel Comet Lake variants of the XPS 13 7390 start with an Intel Core i3-10110U processor clocked at 4.1 GHz, and users can also choose upgraded builds with either Core i5 or Core i7 processors.

In the United States, the XPS 13 maxes out with a 10th-gen, six-core Intel Core i7-10710U clocked at 4.6GHz. Dell claims that these laptops should get up to 21 hours of battery life for productivity tasks on a single charge with a full HD display, making it a great companion for business users who need to get through a full workday while being away from a power outlet. Models with upgraded 4K UHD screen will top out with 11 hours of battery life, according to the company.

All models ship with integrated Intel UHD graphics. Like previous generations of the XPS 13, discrete graphics is not an option unlike on the larger XPS 15. The XPS 13 does come with two Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C ports, so desktop owners can add their own eGPU for beefier performance in this area.

Like the most recently released iterations, the XPS 13 ships with Infinity Edge display, a trend Dell popularized with its barely there bezels, giving the laptop a smaller footprint for travel. Since the XPS 13’s debut, other manufacturers have also adopted this trend. The XPS 13 can either be configured with a touchscreen or a regular non-touch panel, and HD and Ultra HD 4K panels are also available. The screens are HDR-ready and support 100% of the sRGB color spectrum, according to Dell.

Other popular attributes of the XPS 13 remain the same, including a machined aluminum shell and a carbon fiber keyboard rest and palm rest. The XPS 13’s upgraded configuration will be available starting August 27, and prices start at $899, but be prepared to pay extra if you want more storage or memory.

XPS 13 2-in-1

Dell 2019 XPS 13 2 in 1 (2019) review
Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

In addition to the XPS 13, Dell also recently launched its XPS 13 2-in-1, which fits in with Intel’s Project Athena requirements with its Ice Lake-based processor. The XPS 13 2-in-1 7390’s 10nm Intel 10th-gen processor delivers up to 2.5 times the performance in a form factor that’s 8% thinner than the previous generation notebook, according to Dell.

That model is currently available for purchase and pricing starts at $999. Unlike the standard XPS laptop, the XPS 13 2-in-1 comes with a 360-degree hinge, allowing the screen to fully rotate and transform the laptop into a tablet.

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