What you need to know
- Dell has unveiled the 2021 XPS 15 and XPS 17 laptops.
- They feature the latest 11th-gen chips from Intel.
- The XPS 15 has a new 3.5K OLED panel option.
Dell has today announced the brand new versions of its popular XPS 15 and XPS 17 laptop range, now featuring the latest 45W Intel 11th-generation chips for extra performance and a new 3.5K OLED display panel for the 15.6-inch variant. Featuring the same great design as last years XPS line, but with the latest and greatest specs.
The new XPS 15 can be configured with an 11th-Generation Intel Core i5-11400H, Core i7-11800H, or Core i9-11900H. But the biggest new change on the XPS 15 is the new 3.5K OLED panel, featuring a rich 3456x2160 display resolution in a 16:10 aspect ratio, with support for Dolby Vision and inky blacks. There's also an LCD 1080p version for those who don't need to be pushing that many pixels, and Dell still has an LCD 4K panel too if that's what you're looking for.
| Spec | XPS 15 | XPS 17 |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro |
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400H Core i7-11800H Core i9-11900H | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400H Core i7-11800H Core i9-11900H Core i9-11980HK |
| RAM | Up to 64GB DDR4-3200 Dual-channel | Up to 64GB DDR4-3200MHz Dual-channel |
| Graphics | Intel UHD NVIDIA RTX 3050 NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti | Intel UHD NVIDIA RTX 3050 NVIDIA RTX 3060 |
| Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 3 SSD Up to 4TB M.2 PCIe 4 SSD | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 3 SSD Up to 4TB M.2 PCIe 4 SSD |
| Display | 15.6 inches Dolby Vision 16:10 aspect ratio 1920x1200 (FHD+) 100% sRGB, 500 nits 3456x2160 (3.5K) OLED, touch, DisplayHDR 500, 400 nits, 100% DCI-P3 3840x2400 (UHD+) Touch, DisplayHDR 400, 500 nits, 100% AdobeRGB | 17 inches 16:10 aspect ratio Dolby Vision 1920x1200 (FHD+) Anti-glare, 500 nits, 100% sRGB 3840x2400 (UHD+) Touch, DisplayHDR 400, 500 nits, 99% DCI-P3, anti-reflective |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) SD card reader 3.5mm audio | Four Thunderbolt 4 3.5mm audio |
| Audio | Dual 2.5W woofers Dual 1.5W tweeters MaxxAudio Pro | Dual 2.5W woofers Dual 1.5W tweeters MaxxAudio Pro |
| Connectivity | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 Bluetooth 5.1 | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Camera | Front-facing 720p IR camera | Front-facing 720p IR camera |
| Security | Fingerprint reader IR camera Lock slot | Fingerprint reader IR camera Lock slot |
| Battery | 56Wh, 86Wh 90W, 130W AC adapter | 97Wh 90W, 130W AC adapter |
| Dimensions | 13.57 x 9.06 x 0.71 inches (344.72mm x 230.14mm x 18mm) | 14.74 x 9.76 x 0.77 inches (374.45mm x 248.05mm x 19.5mm) |
| Weight | From 3.99 pounds (1.81kg) | From 4.87 pounds (2.21kg) |
| Color | Platinum Silver | Platinum Silver |
In the graphics department, you can get the XPS 15 configured with either integrated UHD Graphics, or dedicated graphics in the form of an RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti from NVIDIA. The dedicated graphics will provide excellent video editing capabilities, and even some gaming depending on the screen resolution.
Flipping over to the XPS 17, Dell has packed its top flagship with one of the most powerful processors you can find in a laptop; the Intel Core i9-11980HK, which is a 45W processor that will be able to do most workstation related tasks. You can get it with either s 1080p or 4K LCD panel, up to 64GB RAM, and either an RTX 3050 or RTX 3060 graphics card from NVIDIA. The RTX 3060 will provide quite a jump in graphics power over the 3050.
Dell calls the XPS 17 the smallest 17-inch laptop on the market, thanks to its InfinityEdge 4-sided display that gives it super thin bezels on all four edges. Both the XPS 15 and 17 have this, along with an excellent keyboard, large trackpad, great speakers, and Windows Hello.
The Dell XPS 15 and XPS 17 begins shipping this summer and starts at $1,249.99 and $1,449.99 respectively. What are your thoughts on the new Dell XPS's? Let us know in the comments.
