After attempting a major branding overhaul 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’re returning to our roots with a renewed focus on consumer and gaming,” Dell Technologies vice president and chief operating officer Jeff Clarke said in a statement. “XPS is back, better than ever.”
More than just a name: Dell’s redesign of the XPS is a welcome change
The new series has been thoroughly redesigned with a focus on premium materials, interfaces and mobility. The new units feature CNC aluminum and Gorilla Glass in their construction, along with a unibody base with structural sidewalls integrated into the body to increase rigidity and durability.
And, if nothing else to really drive home the point for consumers, the XPS logo moves to the front cover of the device for the first time, replacing the Dell logo that has marked Dell PCs and laptops for years.
The new Dell XPS design makes a number of changes that I’ve been hoping for since the launch of the Dell 13 Plus a few years back.
The ‘virtual’ function keys – effectively a touch bar with small backlit labels – used over the last few generations of the XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16, as well as last year’s 14 Premium and 16 Premium, have been replaced by physical keys.
Also, the touchpad isn’t hidden on the glassy chin of the laptop’s key deck like with previous models, as the new XPS has subtle lines around the touchpad so you know where it is.
Dell XPS 14 & 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 |
|
Graphics |
Intel Arc Graphics, Intel Graphics |
Intel Arc Graphics, Intel Graphics |
|
NPU |
Up to 50 TOPS |
Up to 50 TOPS |
|
Memory |
Up to 64 GB LPDDR5x-9600 |
Up to 64 GB LPDDR5x-9600 |
|
Storage |
Up to 4TB PCIe 5.0 |
Up to 4TB PCIe 5.0 |
|
Show |
Up to 14-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED InfinityEdge touchscreen, 400-nits typical, 500-nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 |
Up to 16″ 3.2K (3200 x 2000) OLED InfinityEdge touch, 400-nits typical, 500-nits maximum 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 3.5 mm universal audio jack |
3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x 3.5 mm universal audio jack |
|
Battery |
70 Wh |
70 Wh |
|
Webcam |
8MP / 4K HDR w/ Windows Hello |
8MP / 4K HDR w/ Windows Hello |
|
Dimensions (W x D x H) |
12.19 x 8.26 x 0.58 inches | 309.5 x 209.7 x 14.6 mm |
13.88 x 9.35 x 0.58 inches | 352.6 x 237.47 x 14.6 mm |
|
Weight |
3.0 lbs | 1.36 kg |
3.65 lbs | 1.65 kg |
The new Dell XPS 14 and XPS 16 models will use Intel Core Ultra 300 series processors with Intel Arc integrated graphics with 12 Xe cores and will no longer have discrete graphics capabilities. That said, Dell claims that the new XPS models get more than 50% faster graphics compared to the previous generation. There’s also a redesigned thermal system to improve airflow in the thinner chassis to help keep 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 the screens, there will be options for tandem OLED panels or 2K LCDs.
Perhaps most importantly, Dell claims up to 27 hours of use or more than 40 hours of local video playback on a charge. If true, this would put the XPS ahead of even most ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptops and MacBooks on the market.
Initial configurations will go on sale in the US 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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