Dell XPS 13 Review (2026) || Small yet Powerful

Ahsan Habib May 25, 2020

0 522 6 minutes read

Dell XPS 13 (2026) || Small yet Powerful
Specifications (Original 2023 Model)
Design
Performance
Display
Audio
Keyboard & Track Pad
Battery Life & Charging
Upgradability
Final Thoughts (2026 Perspective)

Last updated: May 23, 2026 · Originally published May 25, 2020

Updated for 2026: This article revisits the Dell XPS 13 model originally reviewed in 2023, offering insights into its enduring design and performance from a current perspective. While newer generations of the XPS 13 are available, understanding this model provides valuable context for the series’ evolution.

For some time, Dell XPS has been defining what a Windows ultrabook should look like with their infinity edge display, carbon fiber wrist rest, and an ultra-thin design. While the core design language has evolved, this particular model, originally reviewed in 2023, showcased Dell’s commitment to innovation. Today, we’re revisiting this past iteration of their smallest member, the Dell XPS 13, covering details like its original performance, battery life, and gaming benchmarks to assess its enduring value in 2026.

Our Detailed Dell XPS 13 Review (Originally 2023 Model) Starts Here:

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Specifications

When this model was originally released, Dell offered variants for a wide price range, typically from around $1199 to $1999. (Note: Current pricing for new or refurbished units in 2026 will vary significantly). The base model featured Intel’s 10th generation Core i5 processor (the 2026 successors offer significantly improved performance), 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. At the time of its release, Dell had not yet included Ryzen processors from AMD in this specific XPS 13 lineup, a situation that has evolved in more recent models. The Specs you can see in a glance for this original model:

Processor	Intel Core i5-1035G1/ Core i7-1065G7 (Note: These are 10th generation Intel processors. Current 2026 XPS models feature much newer CPU architectures.)
Ram	8 GB/16 GB/ 32 GB DDR4 RAM @ 3733MHz
Storage Option	256 GB/ 512 GB/ 1TB/ 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD
Display	13.4 Inch 1920×1200 Anti-Glare ( Non-Touch) 13.4 Inch 3840×2400 Anti-Glare ( Touch) IPS Technology, Max Brightness 500 Nits
Battery	52 Watt-Hour
Camera	720p, Located on Top of The Display
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 6

Check Current Prices for Dell XPS 13 Models Here (including newer generations and refurbished older models):

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Design

From exterior to interior, the XPS 13 model reviewed here had one of the best designs in our opinion at its release. The surface of the device offers a frost white anodized aluminum finish which is cool to the touch and stylish looking. From the inside they have two offerings, one with black carbon fiber palm rest and the other has frost white glass fiber weave (Dell says alpine white composite fiber palm rest).

Dell XPS 13 Design — Credit: Hardware Canucks

The carbon fiber has a very nice weaving which offers durability, heat resistance properties, and very soft to the touch feeling. The Frost white palm rest was a $50 upgrade that has stain-proof properties and looks very cool but doesn’t offer the soft to the touch feeling like the black one. One interesting design aspect of this XPS model was its one-hand opening capability (a feature many users appreciate). It’s dimension measures 11.6×7.8×0.6 inches and has a weight of 2.8 pounds. This XPS 13 model included both a fingerprint reader and Windows Hello support.

It has two USB-C ports (both with Thunderbolt 3) each on one side. On the right you will find a headphone jack above the Thunderbolt port and on the left there is a microSD slot under the Thunderbolt port.

But unfortunately this time dell removed the battery indicator button that featured previous devices. The laptop features a good quality 720p (how much more can you expect from a bezel this thin) webcam on the top.

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Performance

Although a very small laptop, when it came to performance at its release, the XPS 13 model reviewed here featured up to a 10th gen i7-1065g7 processor (the 2026 successor models offer significantly more powerful and efficient processors) with 4 cores and 8 threads. At the time, it was based on Intel’s then-new 10nm technology, providing improved single-core performance. This processor also featured the then-new G7 graphics, offering a notable performance boost over its predecessors. For moderate day to day tasks, the laptop flew like a breeze and you wouldn’t notice any hiccups or lags. The thermal design in this XPS 13 model was considered great due to its twin fan setup and Intel’s 10nm fabrication at the time. The keyboard area remained cool to the touch.

While it performed well for moderate day-to-day tasks like browsing, media consumption, and light photo editing at its release, in 2026, this model is not recommended for heavy usages such as modern gaming or intensive video rendering.

Here are some performance benchmarks for real life & gaming workloads for this specific 2023 model:

Dell XPS 13 Cinebench R20 Benchmark — Dell XPS 13 Cinebench R15 Benchmark

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Display

This particular XPS 13 model was notable for further shrinking its bezels, effectively removing the bottom chin. The top, side and bottom bezels measure only 0.15, 0.2, and 0.18 inches only. It features a stunning 13.4 inches 16:10 aspect ratio 1920×1200 resolution screen.

You also have the option for a 4k touch-sensitive screen. At the time of its release, this was considered one of the best displays available on a Windows ultra-book. It is a very bright screen with 500 nits (officially) of brightness and has 115% sRGB color gamut. If you are someone who likes to watch Netflix or lots of movies, then this device was an excellent choice for its display quality.

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Audio

This model featured an upgraded 2W speaker system. Although the speaker is bottom firing, it has very good sound quality compared to other Windows-based ultrabooks of its era, though it was not quite in class with MacBook speakers. The sound of the speaker is very clean and balanced and can fill up a small room in our opinion.

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Keyboard & Track Pad

For this generation, Dell had redesigned the keyboard. It offers bigger keys with great tactile feel and the key travel is also nice. They’ve removed the Page Up and Page Down keys to offer full size left and right keys. The backlighting is also bright enough to type on a dark room.

They’ve also improved the trackpad, now featuring a 4.4×2.6 inches area (17% larger than previous generation). It is a smooth glass trackpad featuring Windows precision driver and Windows gestures were seamless with this trackpad. The buttons on the trackpad are also improved.

If you are someone who likes a lot of writing and travels around, you would have liked the experience with this laptop.

Keyboard & Track Pad — Credit: Hardware Canucks

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Battery Life & Charging

Dell XPS 13 is known for its legendary battery life. This model was no exception. It offers more than average Windows ultrabook battery life for its time. The laptop has a 52 WHr battery and lasted more than 12 hours on the Laptop Mag Battery Test which consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. In our test it lasted about 10 hours of usage and would easily get you through the day.

The included power adapter is light and compact enough so that you can take it to your backpack without incurring too much extra weight.

Dell XPS 13 (Originally 2023 Model): Upgradability

Unfortunately, the RAM and the Wi-Fi card (killer Wi-Fi card) are soldered to the motherboard in this model. So, it was important to get the amount of RAM you needed when buying. But fortunately, the SSD (SK Hynix SSD) is still upgradeable.

Battery & Internals — Credit: Hardware Canucks

Final Thoughts

The Dell XPS 13 model reviewed here, at its release, nailed many aspects of a premium ultrabook. For users in 2026 looking at older or refurbished models for light tasks like writing, internet browsing, or media consumption, it can still offer a decent experience. At its original launch, the only downside was its premium price, starting around $1199.99 for the base model. (Current pricing for this specific older model will be significantly lower, especially on the used or refurbished market). If you’re considering a refurbished unit of this specific model in 2026, we still recommend opting for 16GB RAM for better longevity, though newer XPS models offer superior performance and features for a similar or updated price point.