The Dell XPS 13 is the first real competitor to the MacBook Neo

Key Points:

• Dell has relaunched the XPS 13 for 2026 as a more affordable, thin-and-light laptop aimed at competing with Apple's MacBook Neo, starting at $700 with configurations up to $1,000 for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.
• The laptop features impressive build quality, a bright 13.4-inch 2560x1600 touchscreen with 120Hz refresh and anti-glare, excellent keyboard and trackpad, and good speakers, all housed in a sleek 2.2-pound, 0.5-inch thin chassis.
• Performance is competent with the six-core Intel Core 5 320 processor, but 8GB RAM models may experience slowdowns during multitasking and heavier workloads, making the 16GB version the recommended choice despite its higher price.
• The XPS 13 lacks a headphone jack and has limited port selection with only two USB-C ports, and the laptop can get warm on the bottom during use; battery life averages around 7-10 hours depending on workload.
• While the MacBook Neo still outperforms the XPS 13 in benchmarks and battery life, Dell’s refreshed XPS 13 offers a strong Windows-based alternative with competitive pricing, especially for students benefiting from temporary discounts.