14 Reviews
Pocket-lint
100
The Dell XPS 13 is a lot thinner than the last version, and has a neat new fingerprint scanner built into the power button. Even the entry-level display spec is great, while every aspect of the laptop’s build is great quality.
You do trade a little battery life and larger connectors to slim down to 11mm thickness. But if you value a slim frame, it’s not too much of a sacrifice.
- Slimmest XPS 13 ever
- Excellent screen quality
- Great build quality
- 3x USB-C sockets
- Shorter battery life than predecessor
- USB-C connections only
T3
100
Is this the greatest laptop money can buy? Spoiler: yes.
The XPS 13 was already a superb laptop. With a 4K screen, a new design and improved performance it’s superb-er.
This could be the best laptop we’ll see all year, but it comes at a price – especially if you want the Alpine White version, which isn’t available for the cheapest configurations.
- It’s beautiful
- It’s really quick
- It’s got a 4K screen
- Pricier than before
- White version costs more
Alphr
100
Slimmer, lighter and more attractive than before: the Dell XPS 13 remains among best Windows ultraportable money can buy.
Wisely, Dell hasn’t tried to completely reinvent the XPS 13, but there’s enough here that’s new to make this the most exciting revision in years. Performance and battery life are terrific, and the ultra-compact, display-centric design is now slimmer and brighter than ever. Some will grumble about the absence of USB Type-A ports, but if you really need to plug in a legacy peripheral there’s an adaptor in the box.
Stuff
100
Royalty among Windows laptops, this is an ultraportable we wish we could keep for good.
The Dell XPS 13 is still the laptop we often end up recommending, though. It has a bit of everything. You get style, portability, performance and great battery life. And every part of it just feels, well, good.
- Fantastic Full HD screen
- Thinner and lighter than before
- Superb all-round build quality
- Battery is smaller this time
- Still a costly machine
Engadget
91
Overall, the XPS 13 remains one of the best ultrabooks on the market. It’s fast, sturdy and sports a gorgeous screen. Dell didn’t make any big changes to the design, but then again, it didn’t really have to. When you’ve got something as good as the XPS 13 lineup, it’s better to stick with what works.
- Still gorgeous thanks to the InfinityEdge screen
- A bit lighter and slimmer than before
- Supports external GPUs
- Display now supports HDR
- You’ll pay for the 4K display in battery life
- No traditional USB ports or full-sized SD card reader
Digital Trends
90
Long live the king! Dell’s new XPS 13 defends its throne with ease.
The new Dell XPS 13 tweaks the old model’s proven formula, updating it for modern tastes. Its thin, fast, and still lasts on the go despite its downsized battery. We particularly like the $1,200 model, which balances performance and battery life.
Should you buy it? Yes. The Dell XPS 13 is still the best 13-inch laptop you can buy.
- Luxurious, modern look
- Great keyboard and touchpad
- Attractive display options
- Strong performance
- Long battery life with 1080p screen
- More body flex than before
- Touchscreen isn’t standard
Laptop Mag
90
The Dell XPS 13 9370 offers strong performance, long battery life and a stunning screen in a chassis that’s slimmer and more attractive than ever.
From its eye-popping 4K display to its speedy performance and beautiful design, there’s a lot to love about the Dell XPS 13 9370. Although still not ideal, its centered webcam is a huge improvement over the left-aligned one on prior models. The 9370’s ability to work with eGPUs also makes it a great choice for people who want to play demanding games.
- Attractive design
- Vibrant screen
- Strong performance
- Good battery life overall
- Runs cool
- No USB Type-A Ports
- Improved webcam still looks up your nose
PCWorld
90
Dell’s New XPS 13 is slightly thinner, slightly lighter and a whole lot faster. With higher performance cooling, this Core i5 is easily as fast or faster than many Core i7 laptops. Add to it a Windows Hello camera, luxurious Alpine White keyboard deck and great battery life and you have a laptop that still sets the bar for how its done.
It’s elegant, tiny and stupidly fast. The best laptop ever, yet again, hammers the competition in performance.
- Better performance than most Core i7 laptops with just a Core i5
- Improved keyboard over previous generation XPS 13
- Tiny foot print
- Can be loud at times
- No USB-A port
- Slightly pricey
PCMag
90
It’s only human to want the latest and greatest, and in the case of the 9370 there are other reasons as well—the even trimmer design, the cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3 ports, the dual Windows Hello options, and the fact that the gold-and-white unit is one of the best-looking laptops we’ve ever seen.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, the newest XPS 13 is an easy Editors’ Choice pick.
- Elegant, compact design
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports plus USB-C
- No HDMI or USB Type-A ports
- 4K display means shorter battery life than its predecessor
- Webcam looks up your nose
ZDNet
85
The latest incarnation of the Dell XPS 13 is a very impressive laptop indeed. I’d go as far as to say it is currently the best small-format laptop I’ve seen. The near bezel-free screen is sharp, bright and a pleasure to view, and sound output impresses too. The keyboard is beautifully weighted, and battery life impresses.
The only thing that would put me off is the camera location: I’d sacrifice some upper screen bezel for it to be moved there.
- Superb screen
- Extremely small and light
- 8th-generation Core processors
- Up to 1TB SSD
- Awkwardly located webcam
- USB-C expansion only
- Expensive
CNET
84
With a new design that catches up to the competition, Dell’s XPS 13 remains one of the best all-around 13-inch laptops, but everyone’s biggest gripe remains unchanged.
- Body is smaller
- Better internal cooling
- Sharp-looking all-white interior
- Nearly bezel-free screen looks great
- Fingerprint reader hidden under the power button
- The quirky below-the-screen webcam remains
- Touch isn’t standard
- Most of the ports have been replaced by USB-C
Ars Technica
80
The XPS family is a highly praised one for a reason—it breeds laptops and convertibles with efficient yet attractive designs that house impressive internals that produce great performance. Dell didn’t bother fixing what wasn’t broken with the new XPS 13, but instead gave it a makeover that’s not solely focused on aesthetics. The new XPS 13 certainly isn’t boring to look at, but the design enhancements that make it more exciting also help it be slimmer, lighter, and more powerful than previous XPS devices of similar size.
Dell succeeded—it updated the XPS 13 thoughtfully, elevating it to be a true contender among the rest of today’s popular ultrabooks.
- Updated, modern design
- Can be configured to a 4K touchscreen
- Windows Hello IR camera and fingerprint sensor
- Thermal system keeps the device cool
- Thunderbolt 3 ports support four-lane PCI connections
- Solid performance
- No USB Type A ports
- FHD display option is non-touch
- Page Up/Down and arrow keys step on each others’ toes
- Fans can be noisy
- Ridiculous webcam placement
Stuff
80
It’s tough to see who would want an ultra-high end ChromeOS convertible - however well built or equipped the Pixelbook might be.
Looking purely at the hardware, the Pixelbook is a fantastic hybrid laptop. It’s thin and light, yet plenty powerful and with a fantastic keyboard. The screen is gorgeous, too. If it was running Windows, it would easily trade blows with the Lenovo Yogas and Dell XPS 13s of the world.
But it doesn’t, It’s running ChromeOS. And most people are going to need a damn good reason to part ways with $999 (or more!) just to own one.
- Gorgeous screen
- Excellent build & flexibility
- Keyboard is great to type on
- ChromeOS still fairly limited
- As expensive as a full-blown laptop
- Few pro-level art apps defeats the point of the Pen
The Verge
65
Dell didn’t fix the webcam, didn’t rethink what the XPS 13 should look and feel like, and made some frustrating changes to the port selection. And then there’s the disappointing battery life to contend with.
If you can get over all of that (which, admittedly, is a lot), then the XPS 13 rewards with great performance, a lovely display, and an attractive, very portable package.
- Super compact design
- Great performance
- Comfortable keyboard and trackpad
- Middling battery life
- Limited port selection
- Terrible webcam