I’ll admit, I’m not sure what I was expecting when I first opened up the box for the latest Dell XPS 13 laptop.However, I know for sure I wasn’t expecting to love this tiny laptop as much as I do.At $699, this could be the mid-range Windows laptop to beat in 2026.
Dell XPS 13 (2026) 9 Operating System Windows 11 Home or Pro CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 8 cores, up to 4.7GHz GPU Integrated Intel Graphics RAM Up to 32GB LPDDR5x, up to 9600 MT/s Dell's latest XPS 13 is its smallest XPS yet.Packing the Core 5 or Core Ultra 7 processors and up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, this ultra-compact laptop is perfect for your day-to-day tasks. Pros & Cons Ultra-compact, premium design Strong everyday performance Comfortable typing experience Great screen Limited speaker bass Not designed for higher-performance tasks like gaming or photo/video editing $700 at Best Buy $700 at Dell Expand Collapse See our process How We Test and Review Products at How-To Geek We go hands-on with every product to ensure it's worth your time and money.Posts By Justin Duino Price and Availability The Dell XPS 13 is available to purchase directly from Dell and Best Buy, coming in three models with pricing starting at $699.
There's the version reviewed here with a Core 5, 8GB RAM, 512GB storage, another model with the same Core 5 CPU, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of storage, and then the highest end model with a Core Ultra 7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.Specifications Brand Dell Operating System Windows 11 Home or Pro CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 8 cores, up to 4.7GHz GPU Integrated Intel Graphics RAM Up to 32GB LPDDR5x, up to 9600 MT/s Storage Up to 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD Battery 52Wh, 3-cell Display (Size, Resolution) 13.4 inches, 2560 × 1600, 30–120Hz Camera 1080p at 30fps with infrared Windows Hello camera Speakers Four speakers; 8W total peak output Colors Sky or Storm Ports 2× USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 on Core 5 models; 2× Thunderbolt 4 on Core Ultra models; both support DisplayPort and Power Delivery Network Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE213, 2×2 Dimensions 11.69 × 7.9 × 0.5 inches (W × D × H) Weight Starting at 2.2 pounds (1kg) Model XPS 13 DX13260 Adaptor and Battery 65W USB-C adapter; 52Wh battery Card Reader None Keyboard Backlit keyboard with dedicated Copilot key Display type Touchscreen LCD, 500 nits, InfinityEdge Audio Four speakers and dual-array microphones Security Windows Hello facial recognition Expand Collapse The Dell XPS 13 is one of the smallest laptops I've ever used Though small in build, it's mighty in features Close I've used many laptops throughout the years, the Dell XPS line included.While it's been about a decade since I've used an XPS, the XPS 13 absolutely blew me away with its size.
Given how many laptops I've used over the years, I've also used my fair share of small laptops.The smallest laptop I've ever used has to be the 11-inch MacBook Air, or the 12-inch MacBook — both of which it's been about a decade since I've used.Many manufacturers have aimed at packing bigger laptops into smaller form factors, but Dell went a different direction with the latest XPS 13.
It still has a 13.4-inch screen, but the body is basically designed around the display's panel.There are hardly any bezels on this laptop, and there isn't a wasted inch anywhere that I can find.Dell did an absolutely fantastic job on the design here.
While you might expect this small laptop to lack major features, that's actually quite the opposite.Dell managed to pack a 1080p30 webcam in the XPS 13, alongside an IR camera for Windows Hello.Dual microphones are also present for a decent audio setup, and that's just the beginning.
On either side of the XPS 13, you'll find a USB-C port.On the entry-level model (which is what I'm reviewing here) both ports are USB 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort support and Power Delivery.On the models with the Core Ultra processors, both ports are Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery.
The speakers are decent, but the small body definitely doesn't leave a lot of room for big, boomy bass.I don't mind watching a YouTube video on it or playing some background music, but I definitely fire up my Bose QuietComfort headphones whenever I want to actually enjoy listening to something.I was also quite surprised by the keyboard.
One of the most surprising things to me is the power button.While it looks like a normal key, it's much more difficult to press, which is actually really nice as it means I won't accidentally click it when reaching for the backspace or delete key.The overall layout of the keyboard is a bit cramped for my personal preference, but it's a small laptop, and Dell did a really good job with the keyboard layout overall.
I recently took a trip to Boston for a press event and brought the XPS 13 along with me and it was a joy to write on during the trip.Dell also got the trackpad perfect.It's a fairly great trackpad, all things considered, but I really wish it would have been a force touch trackpad.
As it is, there's no middle pivot like we used to see in trackpads years ago (and some mid-range laptops still have), which is very nice to see.I had no issues using the trackpad, and I think it's a solid part of this laptop overall.I was surprised to find Wi-Fi 7 in tow here, which actually makes a marked difference in wireless performance if you have a compatible router.
My UniFi Dream Router 7 was sitting about 10 feet away from the XPS 13 while I was downloading some games on Steam and Xbox, and the XPS 13 was seeing download speeds of 750 to 800Mb/s, which is nearly maxing out my network’s Gigabit WAN connection.Mid-range specs don't mean mid-range performance I'm amazed at how far mobile processors have come Close My review unit from Dell for the XPS 13 is the base model, which is actually somewhat surprising.Often, a brand will send out at least the mid-range, or even the top-tier model to give a reviewer the best experience possible.
But, Dell made the right choice here, I think, when sending out the entry-level model.I was absolutely surprised by the performance of this laptop.And, since it's the base model, whether you buy the very model I'm using or a better one, you'll see the same or better results as what I got.
The Core 5 320 CPU is part of Intel's Series 3 Core processors.It's got six cores, and the laptop has 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM installed.While that might not seem like a lot, it actually is more than enough for most workflows.
As seen in the benchmarks, this laptop isn't breaking any records for its performance.However, where I'm surprised is just how usable it is being an entry-level laptop.I still remember years ago, I avoided anything that didn't have at least an i7 in it.
Laptop or desktop, an i7 was a must.These days, a Core 3 or Core 5 is actually more than usable.Dell proves that here.
While I wouldn't buy the XPS 13 for gaming, it actually handled Forza Horizon 5 better than I expected.Other games, like No Man's Sky and Minecraft, also run halfway decent here — though Minecraft with no mods definitely runs the best out of the three.Overall, the performance didn’t leave me hanging anywhere.
I wouldn’t necessarily buy the base model to do heavy photo or video editing, but it definitely has enough juice to handle normal computer tasks, like writing documents, working with spreadsheets, browsing the web, and other normal things.Dell gets the everyday experience right with the XPS 13 Out of all the laptops I've tested, this is the one I consistently reach for The thing that surprised me the most about the XPS 13 is simply how much I enjoyed using the laptop.Often, I’ll use a laptop for a review and then move onto the next system (or back to my primary computer).
With the XPS 13, that’s not exactly the case.Of course, I’m still using my more powerful MacBook Pro for my video and photo editing, but the XPS 13 has simply been a joy to use, and I keep reaching for it for simple tasks like browsing the web or writing articles.The overall experience is just superb on the XPS 13, and I don’t say that lightly.
If someone asked me to recommend a mid-range, compact Windows laptop for everyday use, the XPS 13 is the first laptop that would come to my mind.Should you buy the Dell XPS 13? I’ve kind of already given away the answer, but yes, I think you should buy the Dell XPS 13, so long as you make sure to temper your expectations some.The higher end models will most surely handle more demanding tasks like video or photo editing better than my entry-level model.
However, if you just need a solid laptop to browse Facebook Marketplace, watch YouTube or Netflix, and read How-To Geek, then the XPS 13 is a fantastic choice.At its $699 starting price, I really don’t think there’s another laptop in this price range that offers as premium of an experience as this one does.Dell XPS 13 (2026) 9 Operating System Windows 11 Home or Pro CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 8 cores, up to 4.7GHz GPU Integrated Intel Graphics RAM Up to 32GB LPDDR5x, up to 9600 MT/s Dell's latest XPS 13 is its smallest XPS yet.
Packing the Core 5 or Core Ultra 7 processors and up to 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, this ultra-compact laptop is perfect for your day-to-day tasks. $700 at Best Buy $700 at Dell Expand Collapse
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