Dell has today announced a brand new XPS 13 "Plus" at CES 2022, featuring a reinvented simplistic design with extremely thin bezels, a large haptic trackpad, function touch keys, and more. It's a major redesign of the Dell XPS 13, one of Dell's most popular products and indeed the king of laptop design.
This new design features a keyboard deck that spans the entire width of the laptop, with larger keycaps that provide a comfortable smooth, and efficient typing experience. Additionally, Dell has replaced the top row where the function keys would normally be with capacitive touch buttons instead.
While capacitive keys may seem gimmicky, Dell tells us they did it for a good reason: It gave them more room for thermals, which lets them run Intel's new 28-watt P-series chip with 14-cores and 20-threads. Users can toggle between Function and Media keys in Dell's software.
| Category | Dell XPS 13 Plus |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Pro |
| Display | 13.4 inches 16:10 aspect ratio 1920x1200/3456x2160/3840x2400 Touch/Non-Touch LCD/OLED |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-1240P Intel Core i7-1260P Intel Core i7-1270P Intel Core i7-1280P |
| Graphics | Intel Iris X Graphics |
| Memory | 8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe 3 512GB PCIe 4 1TB PCIe 4 2TB PCIe 4 |
| Front Camera | 720p |
| Security | Windows Hello Face and Fingerprint Unlock |
| Connectivity | Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E 1675 (AX211) (2x2) Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C |
| Audio | Quad speakers |
| Battery | 55Whr battery |
| Dimensions | 0.60 x 11.63 x 7.84 inches (15.28mm x 295.3mm x 199.04mm) |
| Weight | 1.24kg (2.73 lbs.) |
| Colors | Platinum Graphite |
Dell has also updated the trackpad design, placing it under a long pane of glass below the keyboard which gives the appearance of an invisible trackpad. It's also powered by haptics, meaning it doesn't move yet still provides a satisfying click when you press down on it.
Everything about the XPS 13 Plus focuses on design. It has a 4-sided InfinityEdge 13.4-inch display with up to 4K resolution and OLED options available, two hidden upward-firing speakers underneath the keyboard deck, and two down-firing speakers for an excellent audio experience. It's available in both Platinum and Graphite color options too.
Even the webcam is improved (though still 720P). Dell now has two cameras (one RGB, one IR), which gets better quality/resolution. Previously, the IR/RGB was combined into one camera resulting in about 20% loss of the pixels used for the IR portion and Windows Hello.
On the inside, we have Intel 12th-Gen i5 or i7 chips at 28W, making the XPS 13 Plus the most powerful XPS 13 ever. It also has up to 32GB RAM, 2TB PCIe storage, 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, and ships with Windows 11 Home or Pro, or Ubuntu if you opt for the XPS 13 Plus "Developer Edition."
Pricing has not yet been announced, with availability expected sometime in the Spring.
Dell's new XPS 13 Plus pushes the limits of design with its super clean and minimalist look, setting a new standard for premium Windows 11 laptops.
