The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is a high-end Windows mobile workstation. This 9530 model replaces the Dell XPS 15 9520 from 2022. Its external design is identical to its predecessor, as only the internal components have changed. It's available with an Intel 13th Gen Core i5, i7, or i9 H-series CPU with up to 64GB of RAM and up to 8TB of storage. For the GPU, the base model has an Intel Arc A370M with 4GB of VRAM. You can upgrade to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 4060, or 4070 Laptop GPU running at a TGP (Total Graphics Power) of 40W, though some limitations apply. Display options include a FHD+ (1920 x 1200) IPS and a 3.5k (3456 x 2160) touch-sensitive OLED panel. Like the 9520 model, it has a 720p webcam, a fingerprint sensor and facial recognition camera for biometrics, and an 86Wh battery. The port selection remains unchanged; it has three USB-Cs (two with Thunderbolt 4 support), an SD card reader, and a headphone jack.
You can see our unit's specifications and the available configuration options in the Differences Between Variants section.
Our Verdict
The Dell XPS 15 is great for school use. Thanks to its thin and light design, it's easy to carry around, and its battery lasts over 11 hours of light use. The display looks sharp and gets bright enough to combat glare, the keyboard feels spacious and tactile, and the touchpad is large and responsive. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU can handle nearly every type of workload, and you can configure the laptop with an NVIDIA discreet GPU for graphically demanding tasks like 3D modeling or animation. It only has three USB-C ports for peripherals and external displays, so you'll likely need to use the included USB-A/HDMI adapter or buy a separate dock. Unfortunately, its 720p webcam is disappointing, as the image looks underexposed and lacking in detail.
- Sturdy build.
- Easy to carry around.
- All-day battery life.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- Tactile keyboard, large touchpad.
- Sub-par 720p webcam.
- No USB-A or HDMI ports.
The Dell XPS 15 is okay for gaming. It's available with Intel 13th Gen H-series CPUs and NVIDIA discreet GPUs, which are powerful enough to provide smooth gameplay in demanding games at 1080p or 1440p. However, you can only get this laptop with a 60Hz FHD+ or 3.5k OLED display, and neither supports VRR to reduce screen tearing. Also, the keyboard gets uncomfortably hot under load. It has a fast SSD, which helps shorten loading times, and both the memory and storage are user-replaceable.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- User-replaceable RAM and storage.
- Fast SSD.
- Only available with 60Hz displays with no VRR.
- No USB-A or HDMI ports.
- CPU throttles under load.
The Dell XPS 15 is decent for media consumption. It's very portable for a 15.6-inch device, and you likely won't need the charger, as the battery lasts around 13 hours of video playback. You can configure the laptop with an FHD+ IPS or 3.5k OLED display; the former gets brighter to combat glare, while the latter is better suited for dark room viewing as it can produce deep, inky blacks. As for the speakers, although they get very loud and produce a full sound with a decent amount of bass, they rattle slightly at higher volume levels.
- Easy to carry around.
- All-day battery life.
- Available with a 3.5k OLED display.
- Loud speakers sound clear and full.
- IPS panel isn't ideal for dark room viewing.
- Touch input is only available on the 3.5k display.
- Speakers rattle slightly at high volume levels.
The Dell XPS 15 is a great workstation. It's available with Intel 13th Gen H-series CPUs and NVIDIA discreet GPUs, which are powerful enough to handle demanding workloads like video editing and 3D modeling. You can also do color work, as the 3.5k OLED display has full DCI P3 coverage. Its port selection is okay; you get three USB-Cs, two of which support Thunderbolt 4, so you get fast transfer speeds and multi-display support. There's also a full-size SD card reader, which is handy for transferring your photos and videos. The memory and storage are user-replaceable, making it easy to upgrade later on. Unfortunately, the CPU throttles a bit under load, and the keyboard gets uncomfortably hot.
- CPU and GPU can handle demanding workloads.
- Tactile keyboard, large touchpad.
- Thunderbolt 4 ports.
- User-replaceable RAM and storage.
- Fast SSD.
- No USB-A or HDMI ports.
- CPU throttles under load.
- Keyboard gets hot under load.
The Dell XPS 15 is great for business use. It's a premium model with a sturdy build, a thin and light design, and all-day battery life. The display is bright and provides plenty of room for multitasking, the keyboard feels spacious and tactile, and the touchpad is large and responsive. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU can easily handle tasks like text formatting, spreadsheets, and presentations, and you can add an NVIDIA discreet GPU if you need to do some photo or video editing for your business. There are only three USB-C ports for your peripherals and external displays, so you'll likely need to use the included USB-A/HDMI adapter or get a separate dock. Unfortunately, it isn't the best for video calls, as its 720p webcam's image looks soft and very underexposed.
- Sturdy build.
- Easy to carry around.
- All-day battery life.
- Tactile keyboard, large touchpad.
- Thunderbolt 4 ports.
- Sub-par 720p webcam.
- No USB-A or HDMI ports.
Changelog
- Updated May 27, 2024: Added mention of the Dell XPS 16 (2024) as an alternative with a high-refresh display in the Refresh Rate section.
- Updated Dec 19, 2023: Added mention of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3, 2023) as an alternative with better performance over time in the Performance Over Time section.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Dell XPS 15 9530 with an FHD+ display, an Intel Core i7-13700H CPU, an Intel Arc A370M discrete GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. The display, CPU, GPU, memory, and storage are configurable; the available options are in the table below.
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You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Dell XPS 15 9530 is among the best thin and light mobile workstations on the market. It stands out for its sleek design, sturdy build, spacious and tactile keyboard, and great serviceability. However, its thermal-limited design causes throttling on the CPU. Also, the NVIDIA GPUs can only run at a low wattage of 40W, meaning this model won't perform as well as other similarly configured but more effectively cooled laptops.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best workstation laptops, the best video editing laptops, and the best laptops for graphic design.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 (2023) and Dell XPS 15 (2023) are premium laptops designed for different uses. The Lenovo is a 14-inch ultraportable that can handle the occasional demanding CPU task. In contrast, the Dell is a 15-inch mobile workstation with much more powerful 13th Gen H-series CPU and NVIDIA discrete GPU options. Build quality and user experience are great on either device; they feature an all-aluminum chassis, options for high-resolution OLED panels, and all-day battery life (although the Dell excels in this regard with up to 13 hours of video playback). The touchpad is better on the Dell, while the Lenovo easily wins on port selection with support for two USB-As, two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, an HDMI, and a headphone jack.
The Dell XPS 15 (2023) and the Dell Precision 5570 (2022) are very similar, as they're both 15.6-inch premium mobile workstations that provide a nearly identical user experience. The main difference is that the XPS 15 has an Intel 13th Gen CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40-series GPU options, while the Precision 5570 has an Intel 12th Gen CPU and NVIDIA RTX A1000/A2000 GPU options. The XPS 15 has a significantly longer battery life, but its CPU throttles slightly more under load.
The Dell XPS 14 (2024) is a new addition to the XPS lineup and replaces the Dell XPS 15 (2023). While the 14-inch model is more compact and easier to carry, its new design may not be to everyone's liking. For example, its edge-to-edge keys and invisible touchpad both require a fair amount of adaptation to use properly. The 14-inch model also takes a step back in its port selection, ditching the 15-inch's full-size SD card reader for a MicroSD reader. Performance-wise, you can get more performance out of the older 15-inch model if you go with the higher-end configurations. That said, the 14-inch model's Intel Meteor Lake CPUs are more efficient, resulting in much longer battery life and better thermals.
While the Dell XPS 15 (2023) and ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (2024) are both premium laptops, they're designed for different purposes. The Dell is a high-end mobile workstation ideal for demanding tasks like 3D modeling or video rendering. It offers far better performance, battery life, and a wider range of capable hardware. By contrast, the ASUS is a premium ultraportable laptop better suited to light productivity tasks on the go. It has a better webcam and also offers an OLED display by default.
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