The Dell XPS 13 is and has been one of the most appreciated 13.3 inch ultrabooks available in stores. And for several good reasons: it looks awesome, is solid built, powerful and more compact than the average 13.3 incher in its class.
Besides what’s obvious from the specs, the XPS 13 has some other aces down its sleeves, like the comfortable backlit keyboard, the accurate trackpad and the fact that it manages to run cool and quiet, something not all ultrabooks can brag about.
There are of course some aspects where the XPS 13 used to come short: the limited amount of ports (the Ethernet slot and even the card-reader are missing), the slightly below average battery life and the rather poor screen. Luckily, you can cross that last one off the list, as the Dell XPS is now available with a Full HD 1920 x 1080 px IPS panel.
And yes, a Full HD 13.3 inch panel will make the content and texts look rather cramped in Windows, but it’s still better than having to deal with that pesky 720p resolution.
The Dell XPS 13 is now offered with a 13.3 inch IPS Full HD screen
However, while you might be happy to hear about the upgrade, you should know that Dell only offers the new screen on their high end configurations. That means that the cheaper option you can pick will set you back $1400, given that’s a Core i5-3337U configuration, with 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. Add $200 on top and you’ll be able to buy the Core i7-3537U config.
If it’s any consolation, for those of you on a tighter budget, the XPS 13 is still selling with the older 720p screen, starting at $999,.
Those being said, I’m happy to see Dell offering higher density screens on their main ultrabook, but I fail to see the logic between pairing it with a large SSD and automatically driving the prices high. Too high for the average ultrabook buyer if you’ll ask me…
The IPS display is only available on the top configs though, starting at $1400
Anyway, I’d like to know what do you guys think about this approach. Would you buy a top Dell XPS 13 for $1400 or would rather go for some of the other cheaper 13.3 inchers with Full HD screens available in stores (like the Acer S7 or the Zenbook UX31A)?
Fahad
November 22, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Please review the new xps 13 (2014) vs ux303la
Andrei Girbea
November 23, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Can’t promise, I’m having a hard time getting my hands on Dell laptops over here.
Goomba
January 13, 2015 at 2:44 am
Hey Andrei! Fantastic reviews throughout the site, I am learning a lot- Truly thorough and well-written articles!
I need your help finding a laptop as this XPS almost did it for me…except for a few flaws…
Anyway here goes:
13 or 14-inch
i7 processor
The best screen/pixel (The IPS looks amazing!)
LONG-LASTING battery (I think I’ve been cursed with my current laptop (ASUS K-60)less than an hour battery life…
Less than 4 lbs. (I have a bad back, so I am looking for something light)
I am not a hardcore gamer, but if you can suggest a great graphics card (NVIDIA/AMD), I’m all for it.
I use my laptop for everything from work to watching TV.
The XPS was a close one, but it is missing a card reader (which is crucial…) as well as an ethernet cable port (also crucial). Also a little far out of my price-range…
I truly appreciate all your reviews and time that you put into this site,I learned a lot!
Thank YOU!!!!!!
Andrei Girbea
January 15, 2015 at 5:11 pm
The Asus UX303LN and the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 might be what you’re looking at, as both pack dedicated Nvidia graphics. ANd have you seen the XPS 13 2015 edition? I’ve ordered one myself and will have a review up in a few weeks
Andrei Girbea
January 15, 2015 at 5:11 pm
The Asus UX303LN and the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 might be what you’re looking for, as both pack dedicated Nvidia graphics. ANd have you seen the XPS 13 2015 edition? I’ve ordered one myself and will have a review up in a few weeks
Goomba
January 13, 2015 at 2:46 am
Oops I forgot my budget is no more than $1200.
Thanks AGAIN!