Next Dell XPS 15 to sport full-speed Thunderbolt 3, 'absolute best' display

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

It sounds like Dell's next XPS 15 may be tempting for anyone in the market for full-speed Thunderbolt 3 and a solid display.

Dell's XPS laptops are already some of the best notebooks you can get your hands on, particularly when it comes to design and power. Now, it looks like Dell is ready to bolster that reputation with the next iteration of the largest of its XPS offerings, the XPS 15.

Speaking on Twitter (via Notebook Check), Frank Azor, Dell's head of Alienware, Gaming, and XPS, recently dropped some hints concerning what we can expect from the next XPS 15. One of the more interesting confirmations is that the XPS 15 will support the full four-lane PCIe capacity with its Thunderbolt 3 port. The current XPS 15 (9560) only supports two PCIe lanes, limiting its bandwidth.

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As we explored in our guide to adding some more graphical oomph to your XPS 15 (9560), the current two-lane limitation can be a limiting factor in throughput for an external graphics card (eGPU). So, if you're planning to add something like the Razer Core to your setup, it looks as if the upcoming XPS 15 will offer more graphical bandwidth.

Azor also states that the display on the upcoming XPS 15 will "continue to be the absolute best available." While that doesn't confirm anything specific, it potentially lends a bit of credence to recent rumors concerning screen resolution. As spotted by Notebook Check, a Reddit user (camelCase47) claims to have briefly spotted a product listing for the XPS 15 (9570) on the Dell Canada website. According to the reported listing, the upcoming laptop will sport options of FHD, QuadHD, and 5K resolution displays. Eighth-generation Intel processors were also reportedly mentioned, as well as an option NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphics chip.

Given the lack of a screenshot, however, it's probably a good idea to take those specifications with a giant grain of salt. Still, Intel's eighth-generation processors are confirmed to make an appearance, and optional 1060 graphics doesn't sound too farfetched.

There's no word on when we might expect the Dell XPS (9570) to be announced, but early 2018 is likely a safe bet.

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Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

10 Comments
  • It'll be at least $1,000 cheaper than an equivalent Surface Book 2 model. 
  • I iwsh it would sport Raven Ridge. That's the #1 selling point for me in a laptop. It's gotta be full-AMD, or I'm going to go elsewhere. There have been a few announced devices, but nothing mind-blowing yet. I hope ASUS and Dell get it together and start carrying devices with those chips soon.
  • Karl...You can bet your ass it will be touchscreen.   XPS FTW!
  • CES 2018 is going to be lit!
  • I'm still waiting for them to build a new XPS 17 so I can replace my old one from 6 years ago. I've upgraded it with a 500GB SSD which made it fly again, and a bigger 1TB 2nd hard disk. I'm on my second battery. Each of these was an easy swap, needing no more than a screwdriver, and that only for the hard disks. If I wished I could even swap the CD drive for another 1TB HDD.
    The only thing that has broken is the number pad, and that would need a whole new keyboard with an awkward method for replacement that could end up causing more damage.
    From what I've seen, these new XPS devices are sadly not user changeable. Indeed even optional specifications are limited. The 15 inch options are no where near as comprehensive as when I bought mine. Such a shame.
  • I think I would just have to replace my lowly ole acer 17" then if they make a new 17" XPS touchscreen!   yikes.  damn,  dell is rockin it.  Hopfully they will "surface bookify" the xps 13 2 in 1 with detachable screen.   AWESOME.
  • i like this idea
  • It bothers me how so many tech reviewers say "its only 2 lane but that doesnt matter unless you want to run an external GPU." NO! You can not run 4K displays at 60hz with 2 lanes. Stop misleading people! 4 lanes is very important for things other than external GPU's.
  • AndroidPurity,  YOU CAN run 4k Display at 60hz.  Just not multiple displays.  
  • Probably still with a propriety charger instead of a second USB-C port. Thanks, but no thanks...