The topic Hands on: The new Dell XPS 13 is a true MacBook Neo killer is currently the subject of lively discussion — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
When I wrote the news that Dell was announcing a new XPS 13 at Computex, I called it a MacBook Neo competitor. Now, I’ve actually gotten the chance to check one out, and I’m calling it a MacBook Neo killer. Honestly, it just seems to be equal or better in every way.
In fact, Dell was so confident, that it had a MacBook Neo on display right next to the XPS 13. And why not? Dell’s offering seems to be equal or better in every way.
The 2026 Dell XPS 13 starts at $699, getting you 8GB RAM and 512GB storage, although there’s a 256GB model coming later for an undisclosed price. Oddly, Dell wouldn’t even confirm that the 256GB model will cost less. Presumably, it wants to focus on the offering it has today, at that price point.
When Dell first teased the XPS 13 at CES, it promised to come in at a lower price point than any XPS had in the past. That turned out to be true, but Dell didn’t sacrifice build quality to do it. It’s still made out of all aluminum, it has the narrow bezels that XPS laptops are known for, and it feels premium.
The display on the Dell XPS 13 is bigger and better than the MacBook Neo, at 13.4 inches instead of 13, and 120Hz instead of 60Hz. You might not know it by looking at it though, as Apple’s offering is a bigger product from all dimensions. However, that’s because the bezels are so much larger.
The XPS 13 is thinner and lighter too. It weighs in at only 2.2 pounds, while the MacBook Neo comes in at 2.7 pounds. Don’t forget that the ports are better too, since Apple is still using USB 2.0 in one of its USB Type-C ports, thanks to the fact that it’s using a phone chip.
To step away from the MacBook Neo comparison for a moment, I love that the keys are actually islanded this time around, meaning that there’s space between the keys. It’s a nice change, given how long Dell has been focused on zero-lattice keyboards across the board.
It comes in Storm and Sky colors, the latter of which is a sort of pale blue. It seems to be more of a grayish than the Sky color that was used back in 2022.
I think everyone remembers that Dell dropped its XPS branding a couple years ago, reviving it at CES this year. I actually found out today that the company retroactively rebranded the Dell 14 Premium and Dell 16 Premium laptops it released in that period.
Dell is probably the most recognized brand in consumer Windows laptops, keeping in mind that ThinkPads are aimed at businesses. It means something, so the XPS team is conscious of the decisions that it makes.
I think that the new XPS 13 is a really exciting entry into the lineup. It is an XPS in every way, offering some lower-tier specs like Wildcat Lake Intel chips and lesser RAM in order to hit a price point; however, it does still scale up. You can get a proper Intel Panther Lake chip, and you can get that with up to 32GB RAM. But if you want a really premium laptop that still costs around the same as a MacBook Neo, there you go.