Computing
Dell XPS 13 review roundup: the early verdict
"Pretty impressed with the quality and value" — PCMag
No single aggregate score — here's what the reviewers agree on, below.
The short version
Early coverage positions the $699 Dell XPS 13 as a compact Windows laptop with unusually premium construction for its price. PCMag praises its light all-metal body, roomy touchscreen and backlit keyboard, while TechRadar highlights its small footprint, configurable 16GB of RAM and everyday multitasking performance. The catch is important: PCMag had not run full benchmarks, so firm conclusions about speed, battery life and sustained performance must wait.
What reviewers loved
- The sturdy all-metal chassis gives this $699 laptop a more premium feel than its price suggests, according to PCMag.
- Its 2.2-pound body and 0.5-inch profile should make it particularly easy to carry between classes, meetings or trips.
- The 13.4-inch 1600p touchscreen fits into a compact chassis with very slim display bezels.
- A 16GB RAM configuration is available, avoiding the 8GB ceiling found on some lower-cost laptops.
- Wi-Fi 7, a backlit keyboard and integrated Intel graphics provide a useful everyday feature set without pushing it into premium pricing.
What held it back
- PCMag had not completed benchmarks, so real-world performance, thermals and battery endurance remain unverified.
- PCMag found the display effective rather than exceptional, noting that its brightness and vibrancy did not stand out.
- Dell has made unspecified feature concessions compared with the redesigned XPS 14 and XPS 16 to reach the lower price.
- Buyers wanting higher-end Panther Lake processors will have to wait for later, more expensive configurations.
Buy it if you want a very light Windows laptop with a metal build, touchscreen and 16GB RAM option at an accessible starting price.
Skip it for now if benchmarked battery life, sustained performance or a particularly bright and vivid display matters more than portability and price.
What the reviewers say
PCMag's early hands-on report says Dell has preserved key XPS qualities despite the $699 starting price. The publication liked the sturdy metal construction, backlit keyboard, roomy touchscreen and 2.2-pound weight. It also found the XPS 13 slightly smaller and lighter than the MacBook Neo used for comparison. However, PCMag described the 1600p screen as effective rather than especially bright or vibrant.
TechRadar presents the XPS 13 as a practical student and everyday laptop. It highlights the 0.5-inch thickness, compact footprint, narrow display bezels, Wi-Fi 7 support and choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM. TechRadar expects the Intel Core Series 3 processor to handle browser tabs, documents, video calls and occasional image editing, but PCMag's full independent benchmarks were still pending at the time of its hands-on coverage.
The competition
Apple MacBook Neo
PCMag identifies it as the natural alternative. It starts at $599, while the XPS 13 is slightly lighter, slightly smaller and has a marginally larger 13.4-inch touchscreen. Windows versus macOS may be the deciding factor.
Should you buy it?
The early case for the 2026 Dell XPS 13 is straightforward: it brings a light all-metal chassis, a 13.4-inch touchscreen and sensible memory options to a much lower starting price than XPS laptops traditionally command. That makes it promising for students, commuters and general Windows users. Still, this is an early verdict rather than a settled recommendation. PCMag had not completed benchmark testing, and the supplied coverage does not establish measured battery life, heat or sustained performance. RightWei summarizes independent reviewers' hands-on reports and does not test review units itself.