The Minuscule Camera Is BackĪ webcam with IR sensors is located above the center of the display. The entry-level version of the XPS 13 comes with a non-touch version of the 1,920-by-1,200 panel, which is a shame since most other direct competitors (many of which are 2-in-1 convertibles like the HP Spectre x360 13) offer touch support as standard fare. So I'm inclined to recommend this screen over the more expensive 3,840-by-2,400 option. I also appreciate the extraordinary rated maximum of 500 nits of brightness, which means the XPS 13 can even be viewed comfortably outdoors (though not in direct sunlight) if you crank up the brightness setting.
They’re not as noticeable on the XPS 13, however, and images appear especially vivid, which I attribute partly to the taller aspect ratio that results in slightly more pixels than a 1080p display has and partly to the Dell's 100 percent sRGB and 90 percent DCI-P3 gamut support.
I admire the Retina Display’s excellent picture quality, and I’m usually disappointed when I use a full HD laptop, since I can often see visible pixels that result in slightly grainy text. However, the XPS 13 can also be configured with a 3,840-by-2,400-pixel panel that leapfrogs not only those two laptops, but also the dimensions of standard widescreen 4K displays (3,840 by 2,160 pixels).
Thanks to the 16:10 rather than the more common 16:9 aspect ratio, the resolution is a bit higher than full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels), but considerably less than the Retina Display of Apple’s MacBook Pro or the PixelSense display of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3. Our review unit has a 1,920-by-1,200-pixel touch-enabled panel. The XPS 13’s display is available in three versions. The overall look is nearly identical to the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, a version of the XPS 13 with a 360-degree convertible hinge that we reviewed late last year.
The palm rest is especially snazzy, and it incorporates a UV- and stain-resistant coating to prevent yellowing and discoloration. Our review unit uses the latter scheme, and it is gorgeous. The two color options include Platinum Silver with a black carbon-fiber palm rest or Frost White with an Alpine White composite-fiber palm rest. Opening the lid results in even more to ogle. The 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) mark is the current holy grail for 13- and 14-inch laptops systems that hit it include the HP Elite Dragonfly and the Acer Swift 5. Those are comfortably within the limits of how we define ultraportable laptops, though they’re not in the vanguard. It measures 0.58 by 11.6 by 7.8 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.8 pounds in the configuration reviewed here. The XPS 13 is thin and light, and it feels satisfyingly solid. It's the best high-end, clamshell-style ultraportable you can buy, and the clear choice for Windows users who want to make a statement.
But, the value equation aside, the XPS 13 is way cooler than the Inspiron. (It starts at $999.99 and is $1,749.99 as tested, a few hundred dollars higher than competing systems with Intel Core i7 processors and full HD screens.) Our current midrange ultraportable pick, the Dell Inspiron 14 7000, is a better value, and part of the reason the 2020 XPS 13 sees a drop from 4.5 stars in its last iteration: It now has competition from both inside and outside the house. With CNC-milled aluminum and ultra-thin screen bezels, the XPS 13 (model 9300) has a striking look in line with its high price tag. It also boasts a significantly more futuristic design. The 2020 version of Dell’s venerable XPS 13 ultraportable laptop has a slightly larger display in a redesigned chassis that’s minutely more compact than its predecessor’s.