Technology

Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review

dell xps 13 1

Here is our Dell XPS 13 (2019) review for you. The Dell XPS 13 (2019), the 2019 follow-up to the smallest XPS line, proving once again that Dell’s famous portable machine is worth all the hype. The XPS 13 has always been regarded as one of the greatest laptops on the market, and this latest edition maintains that status, even going so far as to improve on its predecessor.

Despite the intense new competition in the high-end Ultrabook market, the Dell XPS 13 (2019) has stayed up with several important upgrades while maintaining all we know and love about the brand. It’s taken earlier models and polished them in just the right locations – such as relocating the webcam – while also adding some new features and other enhancements, such as a considerable increase in battery life.

Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8565U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.6GHz)
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM: 16GB DDR3 (2,133MHz)
Screen: 13.3-inch, Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) UltraSharp InfinityEdge touch display
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 1 x USB-C 3.1, micro SD card reader, headset jack
Connectivity: Killer 1435 802.11ac Wi-Fi,  Bluetooth 4.1
Camera: Widescreen HD (720p) webcam with 4 array digital microphones
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.23kg)
Size: 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.3-0.46 inches (3.02 x 1.99 x 0.78-1.16cm; W x D x H)

Price and availability

Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review
Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review

Dell originally asked $978 for the XPS 13’s starter configuration in the US market when it was initially announced. This price included an Intel Core i3 8th generation processor, 4GB of 2,133MHz DDR3 memory, a 128GB PCIe SSD, and a 13.3-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) InfinityEdge display.

The Dell website, however, no longer lists this model. The US lineup currently starts at $1,149, which includes an 8th-generation i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

Three more configurations are available, each having an 8th-generation quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 2TB PCIe SSD, as well as a gorgeous 4K (3,840 x 2,160) touch screen housed in a Rose Gold or Frost White chassis. Just be prepared to pay a whopping $2,479 for this setup.

Dell offers three color schemes: silver-on-black, rose gold-on-white, and a brand-new frost-on-white design. The model we’re looking at costs $2,279 in total.

The Dell XPS 13 is now available for £1,379 in the United Kingdom. That’s for an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, with a 4K touchscreen display thrown in for good measure. A similar combination is available for AU$2,299 in Australia, but with a Full HD display.

Design and display

The Dell XPS 13 looks a lot like its predecessor at first glance, and that’s mostly true. Dell, on the other hand, did not take the “if it ain’t broke” attitude this year. It actually corrected the XPS’s most glaring design flaw: the webcam’s placement. The webcam has been restored to its proper position above the display in the 2019 model.

Dell is really pleased with their new 2.25mm webcam, which took two years to develop. It’s not only small enough to fit atop the thin-bezel display, but it also features a 720p widescreen sensor and four far-field microphones, allowing you to activate and utilize Cortana or Alexa from afar.

The image quality of the webcam isn’t particularly impressive. We do, however, love the broader frame, which makes photographing coworkers or friends standing next to us even easier. You’ll appear acceptable in meetings with 0.9 megapixel stills and 720p video; just don’t expect Twitch broadcasting quality.

Battery life

Dell XPS 13 (2019) Review

According to a MobileMark 2014 benchmark score, the 4K version of the XPS 13 can last up to 12 hours of use, while the Full HD version can last up to 21 hours.

Our experiments, as usual, did not provide results that were even close to the same. On the plus side, they did exhibit a significant increase in battery life over the previous year, especially in the local video playback benchmark. In this test, the XPS 13 lasted over three hours longer than the previous model.

According to this laptop’s performance in the PCMark 8 Battery benchmark, general use will experience an increase in battery life. The 2019 XPS 13 lasted 21 minutes longer in that test than the 2018 model, an increase of 8% overall.

Even with the 4K Dell XPS 13, you won’t get a full day of battery life. To its credit, though, it has substantially and obviously improved. We have to admit, for a 4K display, this is an astounding amount of time. Based on these figures, the Full HD version should last you at least a whole workday.

Rate this post