Dell reveals its thinnest and lightest XPS 13 at just $699 to upstage the MacBook Neo
Dell XPS 13 comes equipped with a sharper 120Hz screen, backlit keyboard, faster ports, and a biometric face scan perk to fill the feature gaps left by the MacBook Air.
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Dell is offering the XPS 13 at $599 to students, bringing the price further down to tackle Apple's affordable Mac warrior.
Dell
At Computex 2026, Dell came out all guns blazing. Ever since its inception, the XPS series has served as the pinnacle of Dell’s design and engineering innovation for laptops. Of course, they cost a pretty penny, too. After a brief sunsetting, the XPS line is back, and this time around, Dell is taking an extremely ambitious path. The latest from the computing giant is the XPS 13, and more than anything, it’s the $699 asking price of this sleek machine that is going to turn heads.
What makes the XPS 13 special?
Dell says it has a different definition for “premium” laptops at an accessible price, and on that front, it has succeeded. Compared to the MacBook Neo, the XPS 13 offers a few crucial upgrades. To start, it offers a dramatically superior 2.5K touch-sensitive display with a 120Hz refresh rate, faster USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) ports, speedier Wi-Fi 7 support, and a quad speaker setup.
Dell
More importantly, the XPS 13 offers a backlit keyboard, which also happens to be one of the biggest omissions on the MacBook Neo. Furthermore, you also get an IR sensor for biometric face unlock on the Windows machine. The base variant draws power from an Intel Series 3 Core 5 Processor, while the higher-end trims will get the more powerful Intel Core Ultra Series 3 silicon, starting at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage.
Take a look at the innards of this machine:
| Model Number | DX13260 |
| Processor Options | Series 3 Intel Core 5 Processor 320 (6-Core, 6MB Cache, up to 4.6GHz) Series 3 Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 355 (8-Core, 12MB Cache, up to 4.7 GHz) Intel Core Ultra processors post-launch |
| Neural Processor | 16 TOPS on Intel Core 49 TOPS on 355 |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 11 Home 64-bit Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 64-bit |
| Memory Options* | 8GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s 16GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s 32GB LPDDR5x at 7467 MT/s Intel Core options: 8-16GB, single channel Intel Core Ultra options: 16-32GB options, dual channel |
| Storage Options* | 256GB PCIe 4 SSD (Gen 4) – post launch 512GB PCIe 4 SSD (Gen 4) 1TB PCIe 4 SSD (Gen 4) Intel Core Ultra up to 1TB |
| Graphics | Intel graphics |
| Display | 13.4-inch 2.5K (2560 x 1600) InfinityEdge touch display, 500-nit typical brightness, 100% DCI-P3 typical color gamut, VESA DisplayHDR 400, 2000:1 contrast ratio, 176° wide viewing angle +/- 88° / 88° / 88° / 88°, 30-120Hz VRR, Dolby Vision™, Eyesafe® technology, anti-glare |
| Wireless | Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE213 2×2 + Bluetooth 6.0 Wireless Card (with Intel Core) Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE211 2×2 + Bluetooth 6.0 Wireless Card (with Intel Core Ultra) |
| AC Adapter | 65W USB-C GAN Slim AC adapter (2-pin, Wall-mount) 65W USB-C GAN Slim AC adapter |
| Construction | CNC aluminum |
| Dimensions and Weights | Height: 0.50 in. (12.7mm) Depth: 7.90 in. (200.66 mm) Width: 11.69 in. (296.90 mm) Starting weight: 2.2 lbs (1 kg) |
| Battery | 52Whr battery, 800ED cells ExpressCharge 1.0 |
| Ports and Slots | 2x USB Type-C with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery (with Intel Core processors) 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery (with Intel Core Ultra processors) Kensington lock supported via USB Type-C ports |
| Inputs | 2 Dual Array Microphones Touch Display Full size, backlit, chiclet keyboard; 0.8mm travel Windowed glass touchpad, multi-touch gesture-enabled with anti-smudge coating Ambient Light Sensor for display & keyboard backlight control |
| Camera | 2MP/1080p HD +IR webcam Windows Hello compliant |
| Security | Firmware TPM TCG Certified Windows Hello compliant camera Dell Support Assist for Home PCs Kensington lock supported via USB Type-C ports |
| Audio and Speakers | Quad-speaker design with 2W Main x 2 Channel + 2W Tweeter x 2 Channel; 8W total peak output Dual microphone array Dolby Atmos |
How does it stand out?
Dell
Dell is not mincing words here. The XPS 13 is targeted squarely at the MacBook Neo, and it actually does a far better job at a few crucial aspects. Going a step further, Dell is offering the XPS 13 at $599 to students during the back-to-school season. The machine comes in Sky and Storm colors, and it looks pretty stylish.
Dell
“The XPS 13 is the lightest and most accessible expression of everything XPS has always stood for. Not a lesser version, but a smaller, lighter one,” says the company. It’s the thinnest and lightest XPS series laptop that Dell has ever made. Despite being lighter and smaller than the MacBook Neo, it actually packs in a bigger display that is also more pixel-dense.
The overarching goal is pretty clear. Dell simply built on the XPS pedigree, while making practical upgrades that make the XPS 13 a far more appealing machine than the MacBook Neo. It’s one of the best laptops to build on the vision that is Intel’s Project Firefly, dropping alongside the Acer Swift Air 14 that was also introduced a few days ago.
Nadeem is the Managing Editor at Digital Trends.
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