Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023) review: A fast, elegant laptop with caveats

Best Prices Today: Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023)

For probably the most half, the 2023 mannequin of the XPS 13 Plus stays largely unchanged from its futuristic predecessor. It nonetheless retains the identical hanging design and excessive decision show. However, the newest iteration now comes with the present 12-core CPU from the Raptor Lake era, the Intel Core i7-1360P. While we had just a few caveats, particularly with the shortage of connectivity and the 720p webcam, there’s nonetheless lots to like. In addition to the enhance in processing energy, you’re additionally getting a quietly run laptop computer with a touch-enabled show. Read on to study extra.

Looking for extra choices? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops out there at present.

Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023) specs

Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023): Trackpad and keyboard

Using the invisible haptic touchpad takes a whole lot of getting used to. In reality, we couldn’t get used to it within the testing interval. It’s onerous to maneuver the mouse pointer over longer distances since you by no means know the place the touchpad begins and ends.

The haptic suggestions on a mouse click on additionally appears too gradual and too onerous. You all the time have the sensation that you must press tougher to set off a response, though the enter subject doesn’t transfer in any respect, however acknowledges the finger strain with a vibration.

So it’s higher to set off a mouse click on with a brief finger faucet. In our take a look at gadget, the touchpad didn’t react reliably. The mouse pointer typically stops when your finger continues to maneuver over the touchpad floor, or the touchpad solely reacts to a gesture with a delay.

The keyboard, which takes up the whole width of the case, is extra comfy. Its keys are bigger than these of different ultrabooks as a result of they’re immediately subsequent to one another. This makes typing quick and correct. Only the arrow keys, which aren’t offset, are annoying to take care of. In shiny ambient mild, nonetheless, the darkish gray lettering on the sunshine gray keys is barely seen, even when the keyboard backlight is activated. You ought to solely use it in poor lighting situations.

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Dell additionally locations a bar with contact keys above the keyboard, which you should use to regulate the amount and brightness, for instance, but in addition to set off features like Esc and Remove. As with the whole idea round this futuristic laptop computer, it needs to be acknowledged that this ingredient seems to be strikingly completely different, although an ergonomic benefit can’t be discerned.

From the surface, the XPS 13 Plus takes cues from the traditional Dell design. The aluminium case is wrapped in elegant silver. It’s additionally angular with rounded corners and may be opened comfortably with one hand. You must catch the lid together with your fingers, because it doesn’t supply a helpful protrusion for lifting.

The decrease plastic casing cowl may be eliminated by unscrewing six screws. Only the SSD may be changed, because the RAM and Wi-Fi module are soldered.

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Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023): Perfect coloration replica due to OLED

Dell gives the XPS 13 Plus with three show variants. Our evaluate unit has an OLED display with 3.5K decision, whereas the show with UHD+ gives much more pixels. The cheaper fashions include 1080p decision. This show can be ordered with out contact perform, the excessive decision screens are all the time touchscreens.

The display in Dell’s ultrabook additionally proves its OLED strengths. It’s very sturdy when it comes to coloration replica and distinction and, due to the very excessive dot density of 304 pixels-per-inch, reveals many particulars and scales fonts very cleanly. In addition, the display floor may be very evenly illuminated. Only the brightness of the OLED is just not excellent, even in comparison with different OLED screens.

The OLED model of the XPS Plus 13 is worth it should you typically must take care of graphics and photographs in workplace work or just need a light-weight pocket book with an excellent show.

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Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023): The 12-core is sufficient for (nearly) the whole lot

If you’re continuously dealing with digital multimedia content material, the XPS 13 Plus is much less appropriate. As a piece machine for creators, it lacks computing energy.

But for workplace use, the Core i7 is totally adequate, particularly since it’s supported by a quick Samsung SSD. The Dell XPS 13 Plus additionally handles most demanding duties rapidly and easily. Only when notably excessive CPU and graphics efficiency is required, comparable to when rendering or enhancing high-resolution movies and photographs, can it not sustain with a pocket book with a Raptor-Lake H(X) or an Nvidia GPU.

Its compact dimensions additionally restrict the Dell XPS 13 Plus when excessive computing energy is required over an extended time frame. The Core i7-1360P can work at a better clock charge for longer in a 16-inch laptop computer, which is why the Dell pocket book scores as much as 20 % worse within the CPU take a look at Cinebench R23 with just below 7,700 factors, for instance.

Even in comparison with a Core i7 from the frugal U-series with solely ten cores, which sits in a 15- or 16-inch pocket book, the XPS Plus 13 can barely set itself aside in Cinebench. However, the followers within the Dell pocket book are a lot quieter with a most of 40 dB(A) — particularly in comparison with the Kreator notebooks. Nevertheless, they effectively transport the waste warmth out of the case, which doesn’t warmth up noticeably at any level.

Compared to the predecessor with a Core i7-1260P (Alder Lake), the present XPS 13 Plus works round ten % quicker, because the Raptor Lake CPU achieves larger clock charges with the identical energy consumption.

Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023): A light-weight journey companion

The Dell XPS 13 Plus is compact, flat and, at just below three kilos, not heavy. Even the small energy provide hardly takes up any house in a backpack or bag. However, should you journey lots and actually have to concentrate to each gram of your pocket book, you’ll discover even lighter alternate options within the HP Elite Dragonfly and the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon.

The battery lasted just below ten hours on a single cost, which is a strong however not phenomenal consequence. The excessive show decision and the processor from the P-series as a substitute of the extra economical U-series pull on the battery, in order that the XPS 13 Plus treats itself to about one watt extra in battery mode than notebooks with out these options.

Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023): Streamlined ports

As with the dealing with, the XPS 13 Plus places type earlier than perform with regards to options. There are solely two small ports on the case. These are two versatile Thunderbolt 4 ports that additionally serve for charging, which means not less than one is steadily occupied. Most customers will most likely not have the ability to keep away from a docking station or adapters resulting from this scarce connection tools. Dell consists of an adapter for Type A USB in addition to one with a mini-jack connection as a result of the pocket book doesn’t have an audio jack, both.

The biometric login is extra versatile. The XPS 13 Plus has a finger sensor within the energy button on the high proper and the digital camera helps facial recognition. However, its video decision is just 720p.

Bottom line

All in all, this newer model of the Dell XPS Plus mirrors its predecessor. If you’re on the lookout for one thing particular, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is for you: Its stylish case and high show make it an ultrabook that’s far more than only a ho-hum work machine. However, the distinctive streamlined idea can be the sticking level, and it’s best to solely go for the laptop computer should you can address it. Otherwise, the touchpad frustration in workplace use and restricted port choice could spoil the pleasure of the gorgeous design.

This article was translated from German to English and initially appeared on pcwelt.de.