Dale’s XPS 13 is one of the best laptops I have tested this year – why is it here

Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC Laptop

Key takeaways of zdnet

• Dell’s XPS 13 Copilot+ PC is available for $ 1,499.
• It remains a favorite from the lineup of Dell for its smooth construction, grand performance and impressive battery life.
• Two USB-C ports are limited, and bold design options are not for all.

Dell continues to round its popular XPS line of laptops with machines that attempts to check the boxes for every use case. Latest addition: XPS 13 (9345): An ultraPortable Copilot+ PC with further design and state -of -the -art hardware.

Dale has released several models in its latitudes and inspiration lines, but only the 13-inch XPS model is given with the new ARM-compatible Snapdragon X Elite processor. The company called it as a unique device in Dell’s catalog, despite all different configurations the line.

Armed with the same high-end Snapdragon processor as Samsung’s Galaxy Book 4 Edge, this 13-inch, 2.6-pound laptop is a performance powerhouse in a smooth and well-designed form factor, with all the hallmarks of XPS design: invisible trackpad, zero-latis keybords and brlymas.

You will not be the first person to make a mistake for this laptop 13 inch MacBook Air At first glance, especially when it is closed. Grapite colorway and minimal USB-C ports take more than just one page from Apple’s design book. If, however, there is no doubt about its identity from opening the lameshell to reveal your iconic keyboard, then the black-end-gold Snapdragon logo below the keyboard.

I recently went to hands with Dale’s XPS 13 for a few weeks, and I enjoyed using it. In fact, I am willing to say that this year’s best 13-inch laptop has been tested, although it is difficult for that statement that Snapdragon X Elite Chips are still in early adoption stages.

Also: My favorite UltraPortable laptop weakens thinkpad and MacBook Air

The Snapdragon processor definitely gives this laptop some impressive raw performance. In my benchmarking, Dell XPS 13 showed its multitasking horsepower by running productivity apps and visual tasks with double-core boosts on the board on the X1E-80 processor, some other chips.

Boot Times proceed at a fabric speed, and the browsing behavior seems to be stagnant and responsible. When the magnificent pilot is combined with the OLED display, it looks like a true high-end productivity device.

Unfortunately, all of that is conducted back by potential simulation issues in all Shakti Windows’s prism program, or even with some commonly used apps that are still not fully adapted to Windows on the hand. This is something about which we are all talking to the new Copilot+ PC, which we have tested this year, and XPS 13 is not immune for the issue.

I ran away Feast resolution On this laptop and found that it performed similar to other Snapdragon PCs: Okay, but the performance still does not compare with anything like MacBook Pro. Despite the company’s statements, this is the same story with Adobe’s suite of creator apps Committed to customization for hand In the immediate future.

Performance, uncertainly, is one of the best parts of this laptop. The 13.4 inch screen either comes as a non-touch full-HD, or a touch-competent 3K tendem OLED, and both look gorgeous. The color is crisp with Dolby Vision and 100% DCI-P3 color support, and the matte display effectively reduces the dazzle.

However, there are some quirks with configuration. The FHD display, for example, is slightly bright on 500 NITs and comes with a faster 120Hz refresh rate compared to the OLED display, which is maximum at 400 NITs and 60Hz respectively. For the price of $ 400 for OLED, I would expect to see some high-end glasses.

Also: I recommend this high -end laptop for creative professionals on MacBook – and it is on sale on the best purchase.

Battery life on this machine is like all other copilot+ PCs, very good. Dale has a handful of different performance modes that will affect battery life, and of course, the OLED screen is going to be much more electric-starved than FHD, but overall, it is impressive. In our test, we found a battery life of over 17 hours who ran a livestream video on Wi-Fi.

When it comes to everyday moderate use between home and office, I got well 20 hours before the battery. If you use your laptop only for work related tasks, which do not require a large processing demand, it would not be unfair to expect three or more workdays in a charge.

About the enlightened touch function row, I (still) am not a fan. I discussed this in my review of Dale’s XPS 14, and my opinion has not really changed.

Yes, it looks good, and I get this idea: using the same physical place to double the amount of keys. Nevertheless, in all my time with XPS 13, I have never had a habit of using keys, which I often use (home, end, del, insert) from the physical key to the ignorant and re -accused for a capacitive LED.

Also: Lenovo Thinkpad I suggest most professionals

In addition, I will not recommend this laptop as a dedicated gaming machine, even if it can definitely run the game. Ask a gamer whether they will use a computer with LED lights for keys, though.

Like any design decision, it comes with a tradeoff.

Lack of strong port connectivity is also going to be a delivery for some people. It seems that the delight has doubled on its decision to minimize things as much as possible, offering only two USB-C ports on this laptop. Additionally, they are not thunderbolt with Snapdragon configuration.

They support the displayport, and there is one on each side, so… there. If you also want to make the most basic connection on this laptop, you will take around a dock.

Also: I suggest this 2 -in -1 -1 laptop for both creative and professionals -and it is still on sale

Copilot+ XPS 13 is new, but it does not replace the Intel laptop. In fact, we moved back to the hands with that version in May, and now there was much of the same appreciation and critics as we do. The fact is that a case is to be made for both versions, especially since the configurations and price points are the same.

So which one is better? Well, it depends on what you are seeing. There is a simple way to see it:

Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite:

• Pro: They Better Battery
• Pro: Overall fast speed
• Pro: Designed for AI
• Con: Some programs do not run smoothly or at all

Dell XPS 13 Intel Core Ultra 7 155H:

• Pro: Thunderbolt USB-C Ports
• Pro: You don’t have to struggle with app integration issues
• Con: Walks hot, dies rapidly

Finally, both are solid options, but it is impossible to ignore the battery life on the unit with Snapdragon. This, and the fact that it is a forward -looking device with AI functionality.

ZDNET purchase advice

Dale’s XPS 13 UltraPortable, fast, cool and efficient laptop symbolize the experience that all want to distribute Copilot+ PCs. It has a bold design that you either love or you do not, but you have to give a del credit to stick to it. The minimum approach is not for all, and users who require a lot of connectivity will not be used much for spare port selection.

I need this laptop to freelancers, remote and hybrid workers, and anyone needs any battery life that extends for several days. An argument is to prioritize the Intel version of this year’s XPS 13, or similar price, similar size Intel version. Lenovo Slim 7xWhich facilitates a uniform construction but more utilitarian design approach.