The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is a premium ultraportable Windows laptop that marks the return of Dell's XPS 13 lineup following the company's decision to briefly retire XPS branding in 2025. While it comes in at a lower price point than previous XPS 13 laptops, it has very limited configuration options, including no option for an OLED display, which was available on previous versions. This generation is slightly thinner and lighter, and Dell has restored a physical function row and reintroduced a physical trackpad with a clearly identifiable usable area. It has an IPS 2560 × 1600 display, an Intel Core 5 CPU with integrated Intel Graphics, 512GB SSD storage, and memory options for 8GB or 16GB of RAM.
See our unit's specifications and more details on the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section
Our Verdict
The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is great for everyday work and browsing. It's very portable, with a thin, lightweight aluminum body that has excellent build quality. The entry-level configuration we tested has only 8GB of RAM, which can limit heavier multitasking in Windows 11, but more expensive 16GB configurations handle multiple apps and browser tabs more effectively. It also has superb battery life, easily lasting through a full work or school day with light use. Its IPS display gets bright but doesn't handle reflections particularly well. It supports a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which can make scrolling through web pages or documents look smoother. The fairly basic mechanical touchpad supports multi-touch gestures but has a small usable area, while the keyboard provides a satisfying typing experience and has adjustable backlighting. The webcam and microphone are perfectly serviceable but aren't particular strengths. Unfortunately, port selection is limited, and there's no headphone jack.
Superb battery life: ~15 hours browsing and ~8.5 hours video playback.
Very thin and extremely lightweight.
Excellent build quality.
IPS display is bright with vibrant colors and great contrast.
Poor port selection: no USB-A, HDMI, or headphone jack.
IPS display has mediocre reflection handling.
The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is excellent for media consumption. It has excellent build quality and is highly portable, with a very thin and lightweight chassis. Its IPS display gets very bright and produces vibrant colors. However, its colors aren't very accurate out of the box, so some content may appear different from what its creator intended. This laptop also has superb battery performance of around 8.5 hours during video playback. Unfortunately, it lacks a 3.5 mm headphone jack, but its speakers can get quite loud and sound fairly clear without significant distortion.
Superb battery life: ~15 hours browsing and ~8.5 hours video playback.
Very thin and extremely lightweight.
Excellent build quality.
IPS display is bright with vibrant colors and great contrast.
Poor port selection: no USB-A, HDMI, or headphone jack.
IPS display has mediocre reflection handling.
No OLED display option.
Mediocre color accuracy out of the box.
The Dell XPS 13 (2026) isn't designed for gaming. It has no discrete GPU options. The integrated Intel graphics are only capable of playing much less demanding games or older titles at reduced settings.
Excellent build quality.
Fan noise is very quiet, and the keyboard doesn't get too hot, even under load.
IPS display is bright with vibrant colors and great contrast.
Can't play any graphically demanding games.
No discrete GPU options.
The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is sub-par as a workstation. It isn't designed for demanding rendering, CAD, or media-production workloads, as it lacks a discrete GPU and both CPU and GPU performance decline during prolonged, sustained workloads. It's also limited to a maximum of 16GB of soldered RAM with no open slots to upgrade.
Excellent build quality.
Fan noise is very quiet, and the keyboard doesn't get too hot, even under load.
Mediocre CPU performance.
No discrete GPU options.
Performance drops over time under heavy, sustained workloads.
Poor port selection: no USB-A, HDMI, or headphone jack.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is available with several configuration options. The unit we tested carries a DX13260 model designation. It has an Intel Core 5 Processor 320, integrated Intel Graphics, 8GB of RAM, 512GB SSD storage, and a 13.4-inch IPS QHD+ (2560 × 1600) touchscreen display. See a photo of our unit's label here.
Below, we've listed the configuration options as of August 2026, with our configuration highlighted. You can also check Dell's configurator to explore the available options, as they may change with time.
SCREEN
- 13.4" IPS 2560 × 1600 30–120Hz (touchscreen, 500 cd/m², 100% DCI-P3)
CPU
- Series 3 Intel Core 5 Processor 320 (6 cores, 6 threads, up to 4.6 GHz, 6MB cache)
GPU
- Intel Graphics (integrated)
MEMORY
- 8GB LPDDR5x 7467MT/s (single-channel)
- 16GB LPDDR5x 7467MT/s (single-channel)
OPERATING SYSTEM
- Windows 11
STORAGE
- 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
COLOR
- Sky
- Storm
Popular Laptop Comparisons
Dell positions the Dell XPS 13 (2026) as a highly portable laptop for everyday productivity and browsing. It largely picks up where the Dell XPS 13 (2024) left off, but Dell has reversed two widely criticized design decisions from previous models: It's restored the physical function row and replaced the seamless haptic touchpad with a mechanical one that has clearly defined boundaries. Dell has also dropped the OLED display option, which may disappoint you if you plan to use this laptop for watching films, TV shows, and other content.
This laptop is less expensive than previous XPS models, putting it in direct competition with ultraportables like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch. The Surface offers an additional USB-A port and potentially longer battery life, though its Arm-based Snapdragon CPU can cause compatibility issues with some apps and peripherals. Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 2026) is another strong competitor at the same price if you're considering macOS. Its build feels more premium, and its 8GB of RAM generally isn't as limiting for everyday use due to macOS' more efficient memory management. That said, the XPS 13 (2026) is a standout option if you need a small, lightweight Windows laptop and don't mind its limited port selection or lack of an OLED display.
For more recommendations, see our picks for the best overall laptops, the best 13-14-inch laptops, and the best lightweight laptops. You may also want to check out our list of the best Dell laptops.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition 15 (2024) and Dell XPS 13 (2026) are premium laptops designed for general productivity and web browsing. Both have excellent battery life, though the Microsoft lasts even longer overall. It's considerably larger and heavier, with a much bigger display, but it's available with up to 64GB of RAM, which can make it better-suited for heavy multitasking. However, its ARM-based Snapdragon processor can introduce compatibility issues with certain apps and peripherals. The Dell is considerably smaller and lighter, making it more portable overall. That said, it has far fewer configuration options and a maximum of only 16GB of RAM, making it less suitable for heavy multitasking.
The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is an older, considerably larger, heavier, and more performance-focused model in Dell's XPS lineup. It's better suited for content creation and workstation usage, particularly when configured with a discrete GPU. The XPS 13 (2026), on the other hand, is considerably smaller and lighter and is designed more narrowly for everyday productivity and browsing, with a greater emphasis on portability and battery efficiency.
The Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 2026) and Dell XPS 13 (2026) are ultraportable laptops designed for everyday productivity, browsing, and media consumption. The Apple has slightly better build quality and feels more premium. While it's only available with 8GB of RAM, that amount of memory is generally less limiting in macOS than in Windows, where it can constrain even moderately heavy multitasking. The Dell is considerably lighter, and its battery lasts somewhat longer during light productivity and web browsing. It's also available with a maximum of 16GB of RAM, which can make it slightly more powerful and better suited for multitasking, though this configuration costs more.
Despite both carrying XPS branding, the Dell XPS 14 (2026) and Dell XPS 13 (2026) have quite different designs and target different uses. The XPS 14 feels slightly more premium, has somewhat better build quality, and is available in a wider range of more powerful configurations better suited for heavier productivity, content creation, and light gaming. It's also available with either an IPS or OLED display. Comparatively, the XPS 13 is designed primarily for lighter productivity and everyday browsing and is only available with an IPS display. Both are quite lightweight and portable, but the XPS 13 has a smaller display and overall footprint, and it's noticeably lighter.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
