Dell’s new XPS 13 is faster, smaller, more powerful than before… and available in white

We’ve reviewed a few of Dell’s past XPS 13 models here at Techaeris and it certainly packs a punch considering its small size and form factor. Ahead of CES 2018, Dell has announced an updated XPS 13 in two colour variations that are “stylish, powerful, and better by every measure.” The XPS 13 returns with its silver aluminum shell and black interior alongside a new rose gold shell with white interior. While the rose gold aluminum shell appeared on the XPS 13 Touch, the white woven glass fibre interior is new for this year.

Complementing the new rose gold aluminum shell of the XPS 13, the alpine white glass fiber weave is elegant to the eye and silky to the touch. Durable as it is beautiful, atop its soft-textured lattice is titanium oxide for a pearlescent sheen and UV and stain-resistant coatings to prevent yellowing or staining over time. In fact, if you get a pen mark or other stain on the white interior you can just wipe it off. And with a heat resistance superior to metal, woven glass fiber also stays cooler to facilitate longer performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XChLUIP8kDw

Featuring 8th Generation Intel Quad Core processors and up to 16GB of RAM, the new XPS 13 is not only faster and more powerful — a 2x performance increase over the 2015 XPS 13 — but Dell also managed to shave even more off the frame. Now 30% thinner and lighter (starting at 2.7 pounds), the XPS 13 is more portable than ever. Featuring UHD or FHD screen choices, the XPS 13 will also last up to 11 hours (on UHD) or 20 hours (on FHD) on a single charge.

Of course, more power generally means more heat, especially in smaller form factor devices. To address this, Dell has implemented GORE Thermal Insulation to diffuse and dissipate heat.

As for thermal engineering, XPS 13 is the world’s first laptop built with GORE™ Thermal Insulation, the same silica aerogels that have been used in high-tech science and extreme engineering environments to diffuse and dissipate heat, such as insulation on the Mars Rovers and Hyper Velocity Particle capture in the Stardust Probe. This material directs heat out of the device, keeping your system cool while it works hard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIHVfZX9tXA

The XPS 13 also features voice, touch, and facial recognition, offering more ways to easily log in to your laptop. While Windows 10 is the primary operating system on the ultrabook, Dell will also be offering an Ubuntu-based developer edition in the U.S., Canada, and Europe for those wanting an ultrabook with Linux preloaded.

Full technical specifications of the new XPS 13 include:

• Processor Options
  • 8th Generation Intel® Quad Core™ i5-8250U processor (6MB cache, up to 3.4GHz)
  • 8th Generation Intel® Quad Core™ i7-8550U processor (8MB cache, up to 4.0GHz)
• Operating System
  • Microsoft®Windows®10 Home 64-bit
  • Microsoft®Windows® 10 Pro 64-bit
  • Ubuntu 16.04 ((fingerprint reader, Waves MaxxAudio and Cortana not supported)
• Memory Options: LPDDR3 4GB-8GB Dual Channel SDRAM at 1866MHz or 16GB Dual Channel SDRAM at 2133MHz (On Board)
• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
• Display
  • 13.3-inch UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD (3840×2160) InfinityEdge touch display, 100% sRGB 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge touch display, 72% color gamut
  • 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge display, 72% color gamut
  • 400-nits, 1500:1 contrast ratio, anti-reflective 178°wide viewing angle -89°/ 89°/ 89°/ 89°
• Storage Options: 128GB SATA, 256GB PCIe, 512GB PCIe, 1TB PCIe SSD
• AC Adapter: 45W AC adapter
• Docking Options
  • Dell Dock (130W)
  • Dell Thunderbolt Dock (180W)
• Optical Drive Options: External options only
• Multimedia
  • Stereo speakers professionally tuned with Waves MaxxAudio® Pro; 1W x 2 = 2W total
  • Headset jack
  • Widescreen HD (720p) webcam with 4 array digital microphones; Windows Hello compliant infrared camera; Far Field Cortana capable
• Construction
  • CNC machined aluminum in platinum silver with carbon fiber composite palm rest in black
  • CNC machined aluminum in rose gold with alpine white woven glass fiber palm rest (UV- resistant and stain resistant coating)
  • Edge-to-edge Corning®Gorilla®Glass 4
• Battery: 52WHr built-in battery (battery is built-in to the laptop and is not replaceable by the customer)
• Ports, Slots & Chassis
  • 2x Thunderbolt™ 3 with PowerShare,DC-In & DisplayPort
  • 1x USB-C 3.1 with PowerShareDC-In & DisplayPort
  • microSD card reader
  • headset jack
  • Noble lock slot
• Input
  • Touch Display
  • 4 Digital Array Microphones
  • Full size, backlit chiclet keyboard; 1.3mm travel
  • Precision touchpad, seamless glass integrated button
  • Optional Windows Hello compliant fingerprint reader in power button
• Wireless
  • Killer®1435 802.11ac [2×2] + Bluetooth 4.1
  • Intel®8265 802.11ac [2×2] wireless for vPro + Bluetooth 4.1
  • Miracast™ capable
• Dimensions & Weight
  • Height: 0.3-0.46 inches (7.8 -11.6 mm)
  • Width: 11.9” (302mm)
  • Depth: 7.8” (199mm)
  • Starting weight: 2.67 lbs.* (1.21 kg) for non-touch, starting at 2.68 lbs.* (1.21 kg) for touch

The new Dell XPS 13 is now available and pricing starts at $999.99USD/$1,399.99CAD.

What do you think of the new XPS 13 specifications and new colour variation? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.

Last Updated on January 9, 2018.