Dell today launched the latest version of its XPS 15 laptop and unveiled the XPS 17, a sleek and compact 17-inch addition to the XPS family.
The XPS 17 adds a truly giant-screen option to the line, while retaining the XPS’s signature premium compact design. The XPS 17 will roll out sometime this summer at a starting price of $1,499.99, with the specific date yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, the XPS 15 is getting a full-on overhaul, with the latest components from Intel and Nvidia joined by a new, highly color-accurate display that is nearly bezel-less. The new-for-2020 XPS 15 is available today starting at $1,299.99.
A Big-Screen Option: Meet the XPS 17
As the new XPS on the block, the XPS 17 is the more intriguing announcement of the two. It will be super-slim for a 17-inch laptop, at just 0.77 inch thick, and plenty portable at 4.65 pounds. Dell claims this is the smallest 17-inch laptop available, in terms of volume. (By weight, it’s not close to the lightest; LG’s Gram 17, which we tested earlier this year, comes in just under 3 pounds.)
Despite the trim chassis, a unique ventilation design, which Dell dubs “Dual Opposite Outlet,” will allow it to run effectively, according to the company, enabling higher peak performance than any other XPS machine. To deliver that speed, Dell will be configuring the XPS 17 with processors up to 45-watt 10th Generation Core i7 chips (from Intel’s power-minded H Series), with the eight-core Core i7-10875H as the top option. At some point after launch, models with the eight-core Core i9-10885H will be available. The base model of the XPS 17 comes with a four-core Core i5-10300H.
For graphics, the XPS 17 can be configured with integrated graphics (that’s what you will get in the base model) or with a choice of two dedicated GPUs (both of them the Max-Q variants): the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, or the GeForce RTX 2060. The latter is an uncommon option for a laptop of this kind. The memory maximum will be 64GB, and topped-up configurations can come with as many as four 2TB SSDs.
Its display comes in two flavors: either full HD (rated at 500 nits and 100 percent sRGB coverage) or a 4K touch panel (HDR 400, 500 nits, 100 percent Adobe RGB and 94 percent DCI-P3 coverage). Dell also touts how the ultra-slim bezels in the XPS 17’s InfinityEdge display result in a high screen-to-body ratio, for an overall smaller footprint than that of some 15-inch laptops. Also, the screen aspect ratio is 16:10, allowing for more pixels than standard 16:9.
An XPS 15 Refresh
As for the XPS 15, it will also benefit from Intel’s 10th Generation Core processors. (We last tested the XPS 15 in the fall of 2019 in an OLED-screen version.) Like the XPS 17, you can choose among Core i5, Core i7, and (later on) Core i9 options.
For graphics, the 2020 version of the XPS 15 maxes out at the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, making the XPS 17 the XPS option for those who need to upconfigure for maximum 3D horsepower. Otherwise, the XPS 15 can also host up to 64GB of memory and as many as four 2TB SSDs. The display options also mirror those of the XPS 17, but at the smaller 15-inch panel size. In both laptops, Eyesafe technology reduces blue-light emissions.
Supplementary features for both laptops include support for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth, Dell Mobile Connect (for integrating day-to-day work with your smartphone), and new Waves Nx speakers. Dell is also launching Dell Migrate, a paid service for moving data from any Windows PC over to a Dell device.
In addition, some purpose-made SKUs of the XPS laptops will be designated as “Creator Editions,” configured with photographers, graphic designers, and music producers in mind.
Check back for full reviews of these laptops as they become available later this year.
