Dell XPS 13 OLED review
Our Verdict
Calculation an OLED display makes 1 of the best laptops on the market fifty-fifty better. With neat functioning, a stylish chassis, and a beautiful 3.5K OLED touchscreen, the Dell XPS xiii with OLED is a premium Windows laptop.
For
- three.5K OLED brandish delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks
- Slim, attractive chassis with beautifully thin bezels
- Strong performance
- Comfy keyboard
Against
- Grainy 720p webcam
- Paucity of ports
- Battery life could be better
Tom's Guide Verdict
Adding an OLED display makes i of the all-time laptops on the market even better. With great performance, a fashionable chassis, and a beautiful 3.5K OLED touchscreen, the Dell XPS thirteen with OLED is a premium Windows laptop.
Pros
- +
3.5K OLED display delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks
- +
Slim, bonny chassis with beautifully sparse bezels
- +
Strong operation
- +
Comfy keyboard
- +
Cons
- -
Grainy 720p webcam
- -
Paucity of ports
- -
Bombardment life could be meliorate
The Dell XPS thirteen is held in high esteem here at Tom's Guide: the fact that it packs powerful components into a slim, stylish chassis with remarkably thin bezels makes it one of our top picks for the best Windows laptop you tin can buy, and i of the best laptops menstruation.
Dell XPS 13 w/ OLED
Price: ~$ane,699
Display: 13.4-inch OLED touchscreen (3,456 x ii,160 pixels)
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7
GPU: Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 512 GB SSD (i/2 TB also available)
Ports: 2 Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, headphone jack, microSD card reader
Size: 11.6 ten vii.8 x 0.5 inches
Weight: 2.8 pounds
In 2021 Dell unveiled a new configuration of the XPS 13 that comes with a three.5K OLED touchscreen, and later on spending some time with a review unit I can tell you lot that the addition of OLED makes this great ultraportable even better. In fact, it's so expert that information technology won the awards for best laptop brandish and best laptop overall in our Tom's Guide Awards 2021.
Y'all can await to pay a couple hundred bucks extra for the privilege of an OLED screen in your XPS 13, only if you care near image quality, information technology's absolutely worth information technology. OLED displays are known for delivering vibrant colors and deep, rich blacks, and after some thorough testing (read: watching way too much UHD Idiot box) I'm here to tell you that the XPS 13 with OLED does exactly that. The fact that it's mounted in the XPS 13's well-nigh bezel-less InfinityEdge display only enhances the entreatment — read on for a full review of Dell'south latest addition to the XPS 13 line.
Dell XPS 13 review: Price and availability
- OLED screen is a $400 upgrade
- Expect to pay at least $i,650 for an XPS 13 with OLED on Dell'southward website
You can purchase an XPS xiii with a 4K OLED brandish right now on Dell's website, and you may too be able to find it at select retailers. The OLED display is technically a $400 upgrade; at the time of writing, you can get the lowest-spec Dell XPS thirteen for $979, but that's a model with an Intel Core i3 CPU and a 2K not-touch screen. To get the 4K OLED display, you can expect to pay (at time of publication) at least $1,649; that gets yous an Intel Core i7 CPU with Iris Xe integrated graphics, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD, though y'all tin pay over $2,099 if y'all configure a model with the maximum 2 TB of storage.
Our review unit came configured with the 512 GB SSD, and at time of publication it would have had a $i,699 price tag. That includes an extra $l for Dell's Arctic White paint task, which decks the interior of the laptop out in a soft white. Information technology's a prissy look, merely you'll accept to decide for yourself if information technology's worth the extra cost — the XPS 13'south default matte black interior is completely serviceable.
Dell XPS 13 review: Design
- The XPS thirteen's slim chassis and incredibly thin bezels are still middle-catching
- Optional Arctic White paint task looks nifty
We've reviewed a couple of Dell XPS thirteen configurations at this signal, and each one earned praise for its slim, stylish chassis and incredibly thin bezels. The add-on of a 4K OLED touchscreen does nothing to mar the XPS xiii's design strengths; this is all the same a trim, light, sturdy xiii-inch laptop with super-thin bezels around all iv edges of Dell's InfinityEdge display.
At xi.64 x 7.82 x 0.58 inches and two.8 pounds, this OLED-equipped XPS 13 weighs as much as a MacBook Air with M1 and measures slightly smaller, though Dell's latest still tin can't friction match the 0.45-inch thin, 2.five-pound Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga. Only then, the Titanium Yoga costs more and only comes with a 2K display.
Dell XPS 13 review: Ports
- Even so just two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports
- USB-A to USB-C adapter included, which is a nice touch
With a slim chassis comes a slim port selection: the Dell XPS thirteen sports a pair of USB-C/Thunderbolt iv ports, one on either side, equally well as a headphone jack and a microSD bill of fare reader.
The freedom to plug in the USB-C charger on either side is squeamish, but the lack of a USB-A port volition injure if you hope to utilize a mouse, keyboard, or other accessories more than a few years old.
Even so, Dell does include a USB-C to USB-A adapter in the box, which is a dainty touch I wish other manufacturers would copy.
Dell XPS 13 review: Brandish
- 3.5K OLED brandish looks gorgeous
- Super-thin bezels disappear into the inky blacks of the display
A 3.5K OLED brandish is the big selling point of this Dell XPS 13 configuration, and in person it looks gorgeous. With a native resolution of iii,456 x 2,160 pixels it'south not quite 4K, but it does support HDR, and films and TV await cute on this screen. The OLED display allows for deep, inky blacks and loftier contrast ratios, because each pixel generates its own lite and can be individually switched on or off. In practice, that means that I was able to observe pocket-sized details like the gradations of sunlight reflecting off an histrion'southward face in The Surface area, or a flash of gold embroidery catching the light in a dark scene of Knives Out.
The display is capable of making colors wait vibrant, and reds and golds really pop in dark scenes. In our testing, we found the XPS 13 with OLED is capable of roofing 117.3% of the sRGB spectrum, which ways colors wait great (and potentially over-saturated). That's meliorate than the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop iv (108.iii% of sRGB) only not quite as good equally the 15-inch Samsung Milky way Book Pro 360 (120.two% of sRGB).
The nigh-4K resolution helps those pocket-sized details stand out, though on a thirteen.4-inch screen it makes text then small you lot'll nearly certainly need to rely on Windows' built-in brandish scaling to make things readable. Even so, I retrieve the fact that this is an OLED screen is more meaningful than the iii.5K resolution. I happen to all the same have a Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 review unit on hand, with its 1080p AMOLED display; when I set it up side by side to the XPS xiii and started watching the aforementioned film on both, I was struck by how like the motion-picture show quality is, despite the resolution disparity. The Dell XPS thirteen's college-resolution screen definitely delivered a sharper picture, and colors (particularly greens and yellows) expect a picayune warmer on the XPS xiii compared to the Pro 360, merely if I wasn't scrutinizing them I'd take a difficult fourth dimension telling the difference.
The black bezels of the Dell XPS 13's patented InfinityEdge display are as sparse as always, and at present that they're wrapped effectually an OLED screen they well-nigh seem to disappear into the deep black borders of whatever you're watching. The screen doesn't reflect much light either, specially when it's powered on with the brightness cranked up.
Notwithstanding, since this is a touchscreen it is quite vulnerable to picking upwards prints and smudges during regular use. It'south hardly a deal-breaker, but it is something to go along in mind — and a good reason to throw some kind of cleaning textile into your laptop pocketbook alongside this machine.
Dell XPS 13 review: Audio
- Well-rounded audio performance
- Weak bass
When information technology comes time to blast some tunes at your desk or out on the patio, the Dell XPS xiii won't let you downward. Only beneath either edge of the keyboard deck in that location's a sparse cutout revealing speakers which pump audio out to the sides, helping information technology fill the room even when the laptop is on a table or lap.
The quality of the audio is pretty good, too; I'm no audio snob, only while streaming tracks like Pink Floyd'southward Welcome to the Machine or The Police'due south Spirits in the Textile World I couldn't find much fault with the Dell XPS 13'due south speakers. Bass comes through clear but without much kick, while more treble-y stuff like vocals and power guitar solos sound warm and sweetness.
Dell XPS 13 review: Performance
- sixteen GB of RAM and an i7 CPU give the XPS 13 plenty of power for daily tasks
- However, information technology struggles with demanding games and video work
With an Intel Core i7 CPU and xvi GB of RAM, our Dell XPS xiii review unit had zero trouble handling all my daily tasks without a single stutter. Even when I loaded information technology upwards with a frankly unreasonable (40+) number of Chrome tabs, three simultaneous video streams from unlike services, and a 10GB file transfer in the background, the XPS 13 didn't choke: CPU and SSD usage never went above fifty%, and RAM usage never went past 75%.
When we put our review unit to the test using the Geekbench 5.four multi-core CPU benchmark, information technology turned in a score of 5,420. That's better than nosotros saw out of the similarly-equipped xiii-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (4,829), and most as good as the larger 15-inch Samsung Milky way Volume Pro 360 (5,575).
The Dell XPS 13'due south SSD is quite speedy likewise, managing to achieve a transfer rate of 742 MBps when tasked with duplicating 25 GB of multimedia files. That's much faster than the 13-inch Surface Laptop 4 (562 MBps) and nearly as fast every bit the SSD in the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (869 MBps).
If y'all're looking to exercise some serious video editing, the XPS 13 can get it done -- but not exactly quickly. In our Handbrake video editing test the laptop transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in eighteen minutes and 12 seconds, which is more fourth dimension than it took the 13-inch Surface Laptop 4 (17:01) or the fifteen-inch Samsung Galaxy Volume Pro 360 (sixteen:24) to complete the same chore.
The XPS xiii can get hot nether this kind of force per unit area, too: nether the watchful eye of our estrus gun the laptop achieved temperatures every bit high every bit 98.two degrees along the top row of the keyboard. During normal lap use I never noticed more than than a bearable corporeality of warmth radiating into my hands and legs, merely it definitely gets hot when you try things like playing 3D games with circuitous graphics.
Dell XPS 13 review: Graphics and game performance
- Most cut-edge games won't run well
- Older, less demanding games run well and wait neat
Speaking of which, the addition of an OLED screen hasn't suddenly turned the Dell XPS thirteen into a graphical powerhouse, but it does help games and other apps look smashing. Without a defended GPU this laptop will have a real hard time running the most enervating PC games — good luck getting something approaching a reasonable framerate in Cyberpunk 2077 — but you can notwithstanding bask lots of older or less demanding games.
Games similar Fortnite, Othercide, Into the Breach, and Crusader Kings III run pretty well on the XPS 13, though functioning will dip if you crank the game'due south resolution upwardly past 1080p. Certain plenty, when we put it to the test using the graphical benchmark in Sid Meier's Civilisation half dozen: Gathering Storm, the XPS 13 managed to achieve a decent 22.1 frames per second running at 1080p and fourteen.4 frames per 2d at its native 3.5K resolution.
Dell XPS 13 review: Keyboard, touchpad and touchscreen
- Sturdy, comfortable keyboard
- Touchscreen works well, but prints and smudges mar the OLED's majesty
It's hard to find much fault with the Dell XPS 13's keyboard. If yous have big hands you lot may find the keys a bit cramped and the travel a fleck shallow for your tastes, as I practice. Merely that'southward hard to avoid on a 13-inch laptop, and after a few days of using the XPS thirteen I had no trouble hitting 115 WPM in a 10fastfingers.com typing test. There's also a fingerprint reader built into the peak-right key on the keyboard, affording you the selection of logging in and out with a swipe of the finger.
The touchpad beneath the keyboard is equally functional, and I rarely had problem or noticed missed inputs while using it. It picks up Windows x'southward touchpad gestures very reliably, though I did notice information technology "lock up" two or 3 times during testing and stop registering input for a few seconds.
Tapping and swiping on the 3.5K OLED touchscreen feels intuitive and responsive. I plant myself pinching and zooming in on webpages and documents frequently, just to brand the text more readable on the high-res screen. However, as noted higher up, do be aware that the screen picks up smudges and prints adequately easily, so it's a good idea to behave a cleaning material with you.
Dell XPS 13 review: Webcam
- 720p webcam delivers serviceable but grainy video quality
- Equipped with IR sensors for Windows Hello facial logins
The Dell XPS 13'south 720p webcam is a tiny dot crowning the top of the display, and it delivers grainy, unexciting picture show quality. I happen to ain one of the older XPS 13 models with the webcam mounted in the tiptop of the keyboard, which led to a lot of up-the-nose camera angles during video calls; I still experience some lingering gratitude to Dell for moving it up to the top of the screen where it belongs.
Still, it would be prissy to see an XPS 13 ship with a 1080p webcam. Such extravagances are still pretty difficult to find built into laptops, especially 13-inchers, just with so many of us working remotely amid a global pandemic the quality of our webcams has become more important than ever.
If you like to log in with your face via Windows Hello, good news: the XPS 13's webcam has IR sensors that allow information technology to do that for y'all, affording yous a easily-free (albeit slightly creepy) manner of unlocking the automobile.
- The best webcams for home and office
Dell XPS xiii review: Battery life
- viii-hour battery life is practiced enough, only not great
- However, it does accuse quickly
Sadly, the add-on of a iii.5K OLED screen comes at the expense of battery life. In our bombardment test, which tasks the laptop with endlessly browsing the spider web over Wi-Fi with the screen set to a brightness level of 150 nits, the Dell XPS thirteen w/ OLED managed to concluding simply under viii hours — 7:59, to be precise.
That's quite a bit less battery life than either the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 (10:46) or the xv-inch Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (13:33). If you lot're open to using a Mac, you'll become much better battery life from the MacBook Air with M1 (14:41) or the MacBook Pro with M1 (16:32).
For comparison's sake, in our testing the Dell XPS 13 with a 4K non-OLED screen lasted even less time on a full charge (7:32), while the Dell XPS 13 with a 2K screen lasted hours longer (11:07) in the same test.
However, the XPS 13 does accuse pretty quickly: I plugged it in at 5%, and an hr after it was sitting at 51% charged, which is enough to get another ii or three hours of use.
Dell XPS 13 review: Verdict
The Dell XPS xiii has been one of our favorite Windows laptops for years, and the addition of a iii.5K OLED screen but enhances the appeal. Paying an extra couple hundred bucks for it might non be worthwhile if you lot don't tend to get hung upwards most image quality, but given that one of the Dell XPS thirteen's big attractions is its beautiful, nigh-borderless InfinityEdge display, paying more to slap an OLED in there is a worthwhile add-on.
If you want something a little bigger and more performant for roughly the aforementioned toll, the Samsung Galaxy Volume Pro 360 is likewise a good choice. Information technology has a 1080p AMOLED touchscreen that looks almost every bit good as the XPS xiii'southward OLED, with slightly better performance and much meliorate battery life. However, it's besides a larger, heavier two-in-i that comes with a lot of Samsung bloatware installed. And of grade, if y'all're open to using a Mac, the M1-equipped MacBooks offering much better battery life than just about any Windows laptop on the market.
That said, the choice to add an OLED display makes one of the best laptops on the marketplace fifty-fifty better. With slap-up functioning, good speakers and a beautiful 3.5K OLED touchscreen, the Dell XPS 13 is a premium Windows laptop that should stand you in skillful stead for years.
- Millions of Dells can exist hacked remotely — what you lot demand to know
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/dell-xps-13-oled-review
Posted by: stowersiteriabittem.blogspot.com
0 Response to "Dell XPS 13 OLED review"
Post a Comment