After attempting a major rebranding of several of its major PC lines last year, Dell appears to have reversed course and is reviving the XPS brand at CES 2026.
“We are returning to our roots with a renewed focus on consumer and gaming,” Jeff Clarke, vice president and chief operating officer of Dell Technologies, said in a statement. “XPS is back, better than ever.”
More than just a name: Dell’s XPS redesign is a welcome change
The new range is completely redesigned, with a focus on premium materials, interfaces and mobility. The new devices sport CNC aluminum and Gorilla Glass in their construction, as well as a unibody base with structural sidewalls integrated into the body to increase rigidity and durability.
And, if only to really drive home the point to consumers, the XPS logo is moving to the front cover of the device for the first time, replacing the Dell logo that has marked Dell PCs and laptops for many years.
The redesign of the Dell XPS brings a number of changes that I’ve been hoping for since the Dell 13 Plus launched a few years ago.
The “virtual” function keys (effectively a touch bar with small backlit labels) used in the last generations of the XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16, as well as last year’s 14 Premium and 16 Premium, have been replaced with physical keys.
Additionally, the touchpad isn’t hidden on the glassy chin of the laptop’s keyboard like on previous models, as the new XPS sports subtle lines around the touchpad, letting you know where it is.
Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16 specifications
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Dell XPS 14 |
Dell XPS 16 |
|---|---|---|
|
Processor |
Up to Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
Up to Intel Core Ultra X9 388H |
|
Chart |
Intel Arc Graphics, Intel Graphics |
Intel Arc Graphics, Intel Graphics |
|
NPU |
Up to 50 HIGH |
Up to 50 HIGH |
|
Memory |
Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 |
Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 |
|
Storage |
Up to 4TB PCIe 5.0 |
Up to 4TB PCIe 5.0 |
|
Display |
Up to 14-inch InfinityEdge OLED touchscreen 2.8K (2880 x 1800), 400 nits typical, 500 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 |
Up to 16-inch 3.2K (3200 x 2000) OLED InfinityEdge touchscreen, 400 nits typical, 500 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 |
|
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 |
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 |
|
Ports |
3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x universal 3.5mm audio jack |
3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x universal 3.5mm audio jack |
|
Battery |
70 Wh |
70 Wh |
|
Webcam |
8MP/4K HDR with Windows Hello |
8MP/4K HDR with Windows Hello |
|
Dimensions (L x D x H) |
12.19 x 8.26 x 0.58 inches | 309.5 x 209.7 x 14.6mm |
13.88 x 9.35 x 0.58 inches | 352.6 x 237.47 x 14.6mm |
|
Weight |
3.0 pounds | 1.36 kg |
3.65 pounds | 1.65kg |
The new Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16 models will use Intel Core Ultra 300 series processors with Intel Arc integrated graphics featuring 12 Xe cores, and will no longer have options for discrete graphics. That said, Dell claims that the new XPS models benefit from graphics that are more than 50% faster than the previous generation. There is also a redesigned thermal system to improve airflow in the thinner chassis to keep the systems cooler and quieter.
Both models are very thin, measuring just 14.6mm thick, and the XPS 14 weighs about three pounds, while the XPS 16 weighs about 3.6 pounds, according to Dell. For displays, there will be options for tandem OLED panels or 2K LCD displays.
Perhaps more importantly, Dell claims up to 27 hours of use, or over 40 hours of local video playback on one charge. If true, that would put the XPS ahead of most ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptops and MacBooks on the market.
Initial configurations go on sale in the United States on January 6, starting at $1,649.99 for the XPS 14 and $1,849.99 for the XPS 16, with additional configurations and global availability to come. The Dell XPS 13 will launch later this year.
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