Dell XPS 13 Review (2025): Still the Laptop to Beat?

For over a decade, the Dell XPS 13 has been more than just a laptop; it has been the benchmark for what a Windows ultraportable should be. It’s the machine that proved Windows laptops could be as sleek, premium, and desirable as anything coming out of Cupertino. Each year, the tech world waits to see how Dell will refine its icon. Will they push the boundaries of performance, design, or both?

With the latest models, Dell hasn’t just refined the XPS 13; it has reimagined it. Embracing a futuristic, minimalist aesthetic and packing the latest silicon from Intel, the new Dell XPS 13 makes a bold statement. But in a market now flooded with incredible competitors, from Apple’s M-series MacBooks to Lenovo’s featherlight ThinkPads, has Dell done enough to keep its crown?

This comprehensive review dives deep into the 2025 Dell XPS 13. We’ll analyze its controversial design choices, evaluate the performance of its new Intel Core Ultra processors, and stare into its gorgeous display. We’ll tell you who this laptop is for, who should steer clear, and whether it’s still the undisputed king of the 13-inch category.

Design and Build: A Minimalist Future, For Better or Worse

Picking up the latest Dell XPS 13 feels like holding a single, solid piece of technology. Crafted from a block of CNC-machined aluminum, the chassis is rigid, cool to the touch, and exudes premium quality. At just 2.6 pounds (around 1.17 kg) and measuring a mere 0.58 inches thick, it’s exceptionally light and portable, easily slipping into any backpack or briefcase without a second thought.

The most dramatic changes, however, are revealed when you open the lid. Dell has committed fully to its futuristic vision, and it’s a decision that will divide users.

The Seamless Touchpad and Lattice Keyboard

The first thing you’ll notice is what’s not there: lines. The palm rest is a single, uninterrupted plane of glass. The touchpad is “invisible,” its boundaries only felt through haptic feedback. It’s a stunningly clean look, but it comes with a learning curve. For the first few hours, you might find your finger drifting outside the active zone. While the haptics are responsive, the lack of a physical border can be frustrating for users who rely on muscle memory.

Above this sits the “lattice” keyboard. The keycaps are larger than previous models and have virtually no space between them. The typing experience is firm and shallow. While it’s not uncomfortable, it lacks the deep, satisfying travel found on competitors like the Lenovo ThinkPad. It’s a keyboard that prioritizes form over function, and touch typists who pound out thousands of words a day may find it fatiguing.

The Capacitive Touch Bar

Taking another cue from controversial design trends, Dell has replaced the physical function row (F1-F12 keys, volume, brightness) with a backlit, capacitive touch surface. It’s responsive, and holding the Fn key cleverly toggles the display between function keys and media controls. However, it provides zero tactile feedback. Adjusting the volume or screen brightness becomes a glance-down affair, breaking your workflow in a way a physical key never would.

The Port Situation: A Minimalist’s Nightmare

Here is the XPS 13’s most significant compromise. The laptop features just two ports: one Thunderbolt 4/USB-C port on each side. That’s it. There is no headphone jack, no USB-A port, and no dedicated video out.

While both ports support charging, data transfer, and DisplayPort video output, the reality is stark. Plug in your charger, and you have one port left. Need to connect a mouse, an external hard drive, or your favorite pair of wired headphones? You will need a dongle or a dock. In a world where many rivals still offer a headphone jack and at least one USB-A port, this feels like a step too far in the pursuit of thinness.

Display Quality: The Tandem OLED Masterpiece

If the design choices are divisive, the display is a unanimous victory. The optional 13.4-inch Tandem OLED touch screen is, in a word, breathtaking. With a crisp 2880 x 1800 resolution, it is one of the best displays ever put into a 13-inch laptop.

What is Tandem OLED?

Borrowed from the latest high-end tablets, Tandem OLED technology stacks two OLED layers. This allows the screen to get significantly brighter than a traditional single-layer OLED panel without risking burn-in. It also improves power efficiency. In practice, the XPS 13’s screen is dazzlingly bright, with colors that are vibrant but not oversaturated.

The Viewing Experience

Blacks are truly black, creating an infinite contrast ratio that makes movies and photos look incredibly immersive. Fine details in text are razor-sharp, and white backgrounds are pure and clean. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, making it suitable for color-accurate creative work like photo editing.

Even if you opt for the base Full HD+ (1920×1200) IPS display, you’re getting a high-quality, 120Hz panel. However, the $300 upgrade to the Tandem OLED is arguably the single best investment you can make in this machine. It transforms the entire user experience.

Performance Analysis: The Intel Core Ultra Era

The latest XPS 13 models are powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra Series 2 “Lunar Lake” processors, such as the Core Ultra 7 256V. These chips are designed for a new era of AI-powered computing, featuring a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to accelerate AI tasks.

Everyday Productivity

For day-to-day tasks, the XPS 13 is a stellar performer. It juggles dozens of browser tabs, runs Microsoft Office applications, and handles video conferencing without breaking a sweat. The system feels snappy and responsive, thanks to the fast LPDDR5x RAM and a speedy NVMe SSD. For the target audience—students, business professionals, and casual users—the performance is more than sufficient.

Content Creation and Demanding Tasks

When you push the XPS 13 harder, the results are more mixed. While it can handle light photo editing in Photoshop, performance in more demanding applications like video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro is limited. The integrated Intel Arc graphics are a significant improvement over past generations, but they are no match for a dedicated GPU.

Compared to its direct rival, the Apple MacBook Air with an M3 chip, the XPS 13 often falls behind in CPU and GPU-heavy benchmarks. The MacBook Air consistently completes rendering and encoding tasks faster. This isn’t to say the XPS 13 is slow; it’s simply that Apple’s silicon is remarkably efficient for creative workloads.

The AI Advantage?

The built-in NPU is designed to handle AI features locally, improving speed and privacy. This includes Windows Studio Effects for your webcam (like background blur and auto-framing) and future Copilot+ features. Right now, the real-world benefits of the NPU are subtle. However, as more software is developed to leverage this hardware, the XPS 13 is well-positioned for the future of AI on the PC.

Battery Life: All-Day Power

One of the most critical metrics for an ultraportable is battery life, and this is an area where the XPS 13 excels. Thanks to the power-efficient Intel Core Ultra chips and the Tandem OLED display, you can comfortably expect a full day of use on a single charge.

In real-world testing involving a mix of web browsing, document editing, and video streaming at moderate brightness, the XPS 13 consistently delivers between 10 to 14 hours of runtime. In a continuous 720p video playback test, it can last over 16 hours.

This is a fantastic result that puts it in the same league as the MacBook Air, long the champion of laptop battery life. You can leave the charger at home for a day of classes or a cross-country flight without any anxiety.

User Experience: Speakers, Webcam, and Software

A great laptop is more than a spec sheet. It’s the sum of its parts.

• Speakers: The quad-speaker setup (two tweeters, two woofers) is surprisingly robust for such a thin machine. Audio is loud, clear, and has a discernible hint of bass. While it won’t replace a dedicated speaker, it’s excellent for watching movies or taking video calls.
• Webcam: The 1080p webcam is a welcome standard. It delivers a sharp, well-lit image, a vast improvement over the 720p cameras of the past. Paired with Windows Studio Effects, it provides a professional-looking video feed for virtual meetings.
• Software: Dell’s pre-installed software is minimal. The “MyDell” app provides useful controls for audio presets, performance modes, and color profiles for the display, all in one centralized place. It’s helpful without being intrusive bloatware.

Dell XPS 13 vs. The Competition

How does the XPS 13 stack up against its biggest rivals in 2025?

Dell XPS 13 vs. Apple MacBook Air (M3)

• Design & OS: This is the timeless debate. The MacBook Air has a similarly excellent build quality and its own iconic design. The choice comes down to Windows vs. macOS.
• Performance: For creative tasks and raw power efficiency, the M3 chip in the MacBook Air generally outperforms the Intel Core Ultra in the XPS 13.
• Display: The XPS 13’s Tandem OLED display is superior to the MacBook Air’s Liquid Retina (IPS) display. It’s brighter, has better contrast, and more vibrant colors.
• Ports: The MacBook Air also has only two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports but critically retains a 3.5mm headphone jack.
• Verdict: Choose the MacBook Air for raw performance in creative apps and the macOS ecosystem. Choose the XPS 13 for the superior OLED display and the flexibility of Windows.

Dell XPS 13 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

• Keyboard: The ThinkPad keyboard is legendary for a reason. It offers deep, comfortable travel that is far superior for long typing sessions.
• Ports: The X1 Carbon typically offers a more generous port selection, including USB-A and HDMI, making it a more practical machine for business presentations without needing dongles.
• Durability: While the XPS is premium, ThinkPads are built to MIL-STD 810H standards, making them exceptionally durable and resistant to drops, spills, and extreme temperatures.
• Aesthetics: The XPS 13 is undeniably the more stylish and modern-looking device. The X1 Carbon maintains its classic, function-over-form business aesthetic.
• Verdict: Choose the ThinkPad X1 Carbon for the best typing experience and practical business use. Choose the XPS 13 for its cutting-edge design and media consumption prowess.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the Dell XPS 13 good for gaming?

No, not for serious gaming. The integrated Intel Arc graphics can handle light, casual games (like Stardew Valley or Among Us) and older titles on low settings. However, it lacks the power to run modern, demanding AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Alan Wake 2 at playable frame rates. It is a productivity machine, not a gaming laptop.

What are the main differences between Dell XPS 13 models?

The XPS 13 lineup can be confusing. Dell often sells multiple versions simultaneously.

• Processor: The biggest difference is the CPU. You might find models with Intel Core Ultra Series 1, Series 2 (“Lunar Lake”), or even Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. Intel models generally offer better legacy app compatibility, while Snapdragon models may offer battery life advantages.
• Display: The base model comes with a Full HD+ IPS screen. Upgraded models offer higher resolution IPS or the superior Tandem OLED touch screen.
• RAM/Storage: Configurations can range from 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD to 32GB and 2TB. RAM is soldered and not user-upgradable, so choose wisely at purchase.

Does the Dell XPS 13 have a headphone jack?

No, the latest models (9340/9350) do not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. You will need to use USB-C headphones or a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter.

Is the OLED screen worth the extra cost?

Absolutely. If it fits your budget, the Tandem OLED display is the standout feature of the XPS 13. It dramatically improves the experience of watching videos, viewing photos, and even just browsing the web. It’s a worthy upgrade.

Can I upgrade the RAM or SSD later?

The RAM is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. The SSD is a standard M.2 drive and is technically user-replaceable, though it requires opening the chassis. It’s best to configure the laptop with the RAM and storage you will need for its lifespan.

Conclusion: A Stylish, Capable, but Compromised Vision

The 2025 Dell XPS 13 is a beautiful, ambitious, and slightly frustrating laptop. It pushes a bold, futuristic design that is stunning to look at but makes functional compromises in the keyboard and, most critically, the port selection.

The performance is solid for its target audience, the battery life is truly all-day, and the Tandem OLED display is a phenomenal piece of engineering that elevates every interaction with the device.

However, the lack of a headphone jack and the reliance on dongles for basic connectivity feel like a user-hostile decision in the name of aesthetics. For a premium price, users shouldn’t have to sacrifice so much practicality.

Who should buy the Dell XPS 13?
This laptop is perfect for the student, executive, or frequent traveler who prioritizes style, portability, and a stunning media experience. If your workflow is mostly cloud-based and wireless, and you want a Windows machine that turns heads, the XPS 13 is a top contender.

Who should look elsewhere?
Power users who need a variety of ports, content creators who require maximum performance, and typists who value keyboard comfort above all else may be better served by a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon or even a larger Dell XPS 15.

The Dell XPS 13 is no longer the default, undisputed best ultraportable. It is now a specific choice for a specific user. It’s a gorgeous glimpse into the future of laptop design, but it’s a future that isn’t quite ready for everyone’s present.