Dell XPS 14 review: A course correction

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In 2022, Dell took a giant swing with a brand new XPS 13 that reimagined how a contemporary laptop computer ought to look. Dell changed the bodily operate keys with touch-sensitive buttons and changed the touchpad’s borders with an edgeless design.

It didn’t go over effectively. The modifications seemed modern however made the laptop computer a bit harder to make use of. To make issues worse, rivals like Lenovo, Asus, and even Apple went a unique path, shifting in the direction of making their laptops feel and appear extra tactile.

Now, Dell is attempting to make up for misplaced time with a redesigned Dell XPS 14. It restores the bodily operate row and provides delicate tactile bumps to outline the touchpad’s borders. It additionally upgrades to the newest Intel Core Series 3 chips. The result’s a strong premium laptop computer with enviable efficiency, although it’s nonetheless not on the prime of its sport.

Dell XPS 14: Specs and options as-tested

This overview covers the Dell XPS 14 with the OLED show and Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor. While all new Dell XPS 14 fashions are fairly related in 2026, there are a couple of slight variations past the {hardware} specs of every configuration. The OLED mannequin is a hair thinner than the IPS mannequin, and in addition a couple of ounces lighter.

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-9600
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc B390
• NPU: 50 TOPS
• Display: 14-inch 2880×1800 120Hz OLED touchscreen
• Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
• Webcam and microphone: 4K webcam with IR digicam
• Connectivity: 3x Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery, 1x 3.5mm audio jack
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0
• Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition
• Battery capability: 70 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.19 x 8.26 x 0.58 inches
• Weight: 3 kilos
• Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
• Price: $2,259.99

The configuration we reviewed is priced at $2,259.99 on Dell’s web site, which is a big enhance from the $1,349.99 entry-level MSRP. This worth contains the choice to make use of Windows 11 Pro as an alternative of Windows 11 Home, which provides $60 to the value.

Shoppers with bigger budgets will presently discover solely the choice so as to add extra reminiscence (as much as 64GB) or extra storage (as much as 4TB). These upgrades work out to an all-in worth of $3,109.99 for a mannequin with 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD. Dell says it’ll ultimately add the choice to improve to an Intel Core Ultra X9 388H, nonetheless.

Dell XPS 14: Design and construct high quality

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Dell positions the XPS 14 as a return to the very best of the laptop computer’s design legacy, and it fulfills that promise. This laptop computer is a looker, although not in an overt or flashy method. It as an alternative focuses on the small print to ship a refined, full package deal. 

The exterior is clad in thick aluminum panels with nice curves that lack any sharp edge or floor, and the graphite colorway delivers a stupendous darkish luster. The solely branding is a small, shiny XPS emblem on the lid, and the inside isn’t marred by stickers.

Opening the laptop computer with a single finger is simple. The body of the show could be very barely bigger than the decrease half of the laptop computer’s chassis, making a small lip, and the stress of the hinge is well-tuned. 

Placing the laptop computer on a scale will reveal it is available in at three kilos, which is heavy for a 14-inch Windows laptop computer in 2026. That’s one thing to remember. Many aggressive laptops, such because the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, are nearer to 2.5 kilos or much less. On the opposite hand, the heft provides to the XPS 14’s premium really feel, and the laptop computer continues to be mild sufficient that it received’t really feel like a lump in a mean laptop computer bag.

Dell XPS 14: Keyboard, touchpad

Foundry / Matthew Smith

The keyboard was the weakest hyperlink in the latest Dell XPS and later Dell Pro fashions as a result of firm’s controversial resolution to exchange the bodily operate row keys with touch-sensitive buttons. Fortunately, the keys are actually again and work simply as you’ll count on.

Despite that enchancment, I nonetheless discover the keyboard to be lackluster. I don’t like Dell’s huge, slab-like keys, which have tiny gaps between them. I don’t assume the plastics used for the keys look or really feel as premium as the remainder of the system, both. Key journey is shallow and keys activate with a timid bottoming motion. That’s to not say the keyboard is unhealthy. It’s tremendous. Still, I want the keyboard on different premium 14-inch laptops such because the Asus ExpertBook and Lenovo Yoga 9i line.

I’ve extra reward for the touchpad. Prior fashions didn’t present any visible indication of the place the touchpad was positioned, however the brand new mannequin fixes that with delicate however noticeable bumpers on the left and proper. The touchpad can also be giant, measuring about six inches broad and three inches deep. That’s higher than rivals, most of which have a touchpad that measures round 5 inches broad. The added house is useful when waggling fingers by means of paperwork with multi-touch gestures.

The touchpad additionally makes use of haptics to simulate bodily mouse clicks with out bodily motion. I’m a fan of haptic touchpads, and it’s an ideal match for a premium but moveable laptop computer just like the Dell XPS 14.

Dell XPS 14: Display, audio

Foundry / Matthew Smith

This overview is for the Dell XPS 14 with the OLED touchscreen, which is a $150 improve over the IPS mannequin. Although Dell’s pre-baked configuration selector additionally pairs the OLED show with the laptop computer’s strongest obtainable Intel chip, the Core Ultra X7 358H, selecting a customized configuration helps you to snag the OLED with any inner {hardware} configuration.

And the OLED is unquestionably well worth the improve, at the very least as long as battery life isn’t your prime precedence (extra on that within the battery part). The OLED show ups the decision from 1920×1200 to 2880×1800, and whereas the 1200p show already seems to be slightly sharp, the development is noticeable. Even extra noticeable, in fact, is OLED’s excellent distinction and shade gamut. The IPS show seems to be tremendous by itself however, when positioned side-by-side with the OLED, the IPS panel seems to be flat and boring by comparability.

The OLED touchscreen has a refresh fee as much as 120Hz, although the IPS show gives a 120Hz refresh fee, too. Interestingly, the IPS show has a wider adaptive refresh fee vary (from 1 to 120Hz) than the OLED show (from 20 to 120Hz). I’d nonetheless advocate the OLED for movement readability, nonetheless, attributable to OLED’s decrease pixel response occasions and lowered movement blur.

While the OLED show is sweet, the XPS 14’s audio system are distinctive. The laptop computer has a quad-speaker sound system with a pair of three-watt audio system and a pair of two-watt tweeters. The sound system manages to ship some sense of bass wallop, and whereas it’s (most likely) not going to hassle your neighbors, it could possibly simply fill a studio house, house workplace, or small kitchen with sound. Lenovo’s Yoga 9i is the one Windows laptop computer I can recall with equally wonderful audio high quality, and most rivals are far much less fulfilling.  

Dell XPS 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

Dell’s specs record a 4K webcam, although I had some hassle reaching 4K decision. According to Dell, this can be a results of Windows Studio Effects, although the problem persevered even with Studio Effects turned off. I may solely handle 1440p decision. That’s nonetheless sharper than most laptops (1080p is the usual), and the digicam seems to be respectable for a webcam. The digicam doesn’t have a bodily privateness shutter, although.

A dual-microphone array is supplied for audio seize and does its job admirably. It picked up robust audio in my testing with little background noise. It’s not distinctive on this, as many laptops now supply good audio arrays.

Biometric login is out there by means of Windows Hello facial recognition. A fingerprint reader shouldn’t be obtainable.

Dell XPS 14: Connectivity

Foundry / Matthew Smith

While the Dell XPS 14 modifications course on some selections made by latest Dell XPS/Dell Pro fashions, it sticks to the corporate’s fashionable strategy to connectivity. The laptop computer has three Thunderbolt 4 ports (which additionally assist USB-C, DisplayPort, and Power Delivery) alongside one 3.5mm audio jack, and that’s it.

On the upside, this can be a strong vary of high-speed fashionable connectivity for a Windows laptop computer. The array of three Thunderbolt 4 ports gives numerous choices for connecting a dock and high-speed storage.

However, the laptop computer fully lacks USB-A, devoted video-out, a card reader, and different useful bodily connectivity. For most individuals, meaning you’ll have to dwell the dongle life. Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C are frequent, in fact, however it’s nonetheless virtually unattainable to thoroughly keep away from older connection requirements.

While the bodily connectivity has trade-offs, the wi-fi connectivity is firing on all cylinders. The XPS 14 has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. Both requirements are new sufficient that there’s a very good likelihood you don’t personal another gadgets that profit from them. Still, it’s good to see them included as it’ll assist future-proof the laptop computer’s wi-fi connectivity because the years roll on (and a laptop computer just like the Dell XPS 14 definitely has the potential to stay helpful for 5 to 10 years).

Dell XPS 14: Performance

The Dell XPS 14 on this overview has not solely the OLED improve, but in addition a {hardware} improve from the entry-level Intel Core Ultra 5 325 to the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, which is presently the very best obtainable silicon (nonetheless, Dell says the Core Ultra X9 388H will probably be obtainable sooner or later). The Core Ultra X7 358H pairs a 16-core CPU with Intel Arc B390 graphics and, on this configuration, is flanked by 32GB of speedy LPDDR5x-9600 reminiscence.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

First up is PCMark 10, a holistic system benchmark. It has favorable issues to say in regards to the Dell XPS 14 and reaches a rating of 8,809. As the graph reveals, that is a wonderful rating when positioned subsequent to a wide range of Intel and AMD laptops from the prior era. It does fall behind the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, nonetheless, as that laptop computer posted a fair higher rating of 9,892 on this benchmark.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

Next we flip to Cinebench, a closely multi-threaded render take a look at, and the story right here is much like PCMark. Intel Core Series 2 chips didn’t carry out effectively in any respect on this benchmark, as represented by the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI. The Dell XPS 14 practically doubles the Swift Edge 14 AI’s end result.

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra stays within the lead, although. The HP Elitebook X G1a with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 additionally scores a victory. That’s consultant of AMD Ryzen AI 9 chips usually, as they have an inclination to carry out effectively on this benchmark.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

In Handbrake, a video encoding take a look at that depends on the CPU, we see the Dell XPS 14 scores its first win. And, maybe extra importantly, the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H as soon as once more delivers an enormous achieve over the Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chips that have been present in related laptops final 12 months. This is about nearly as good as CPU efficiency will get for a 14-inch Windows laptop computer.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

While the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H is a robust performer in CPU assessments, that’s solely half the story. The chip additionally has Intel’s newest Arc B390 built-in graphics and it, very like the CPU, delivers a giant achieve over its predecessor.

As the graph above reveals, the Dell XPS 14 can ship main beneficial properties over older Intel chips with Arc 140V graphics and AMD chips with Radeon 890M graphics. Arc B390 is usually 40 or 50 p.c faster than the very best built-in graphics obtainable final 12 months.

That has real-world advantages. Cyberpunk 2077 can common 36 frames per second at 1080p decision and Ultra element, and that’s with out Intel XeSS picture scaling. Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in the meantime, averaged 52 frames per second at 1080p and Highest element, as soon as once more with out XeSS in use. 

Using XeSS picture upscaling can enhance the typical framerate in each video games past 60 frames per second. That’s exceptional for an built-in graphics resolution.

Dell XPS 14: Battery life and portability

Dell ships the XPS 14 with a 70 watt-hour battery and boldly claims the laptop computer can last as long as 40 hours on a cost. That declare is simply relevant to the variations with the IPS show, nonetheless, and was achieved by native playback of a 1080p video file at 150 nits of brightness.

Foundry / Matthew Smith

PCWorld’s customary take a look at does contain taking part in a video, however we use a 4K file of the quick movie Tears of Steel and take a look at at 200 nits of brightness. As the graph reveals, our outcomes have been mediocre at greatest. The XPS 14 endured about 16 hours, which is an efficient however not distinctive end result.

It’s price mentioning, although, that I’ve additionally examined the Dell XPS 14 with the LCD show. I’m nonetheless engaged on the total overview, however I can verify it lasts about twice as lengthy on a cost, as I’ve managed to hit at the very least 22 hours of battery life on this similar take a look at. The Dell XPS 14 with LCD show additionally has the much less energy hungry Intel Core Ultra 5 325 chip, which doubtless contributes to that mannequin’s superior battery life.

Dell XPS 14: Conclusion

The Dell XPS 14 with OLED show is an opulent Windows laptop computer with strong CPU and built-in GPU efficiency. I additionally like the massive, responsive touchpad and dedication to high-speed connectivity, which incorporates Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7. The OLED show is attractive and the built-in audio is among the many greatest obtainable from a Windows laptop computer. Dell nonetheless wants to enhance the keyboard, which feels extra shallow and fewer premium than many rivals.

All of this ends in a laptop computer that’s excellent however only a hair away from being my prime decide. The Dell XPS 14 seems to be spectacular and proves fulfilling to make use of, however I didn’t prefer it as a lot because the Asus ExpertBook Ultra, which is lighter and has a greater keyboard. Still, the brand new Dell XPS 14 could be for you in the event you’re all-in on Thunderbolt 4, otherwise you crave Windows laptop computer with a sublime and refined look.