In a significant U-turn, Dell has announced the triumphant return of its beloved XPS laptop series, admitting its decision to discontinue the line a year ago was an error. The revived models, unveiled at CES 2026, promise a ground-up redesign focused on premium materials, enhanced performance, and exceptional portability for Windows 11 users.
A Premium Rebuild from the Ground Up
After listening to criticism from both reviewers and customers, Dell is relaunching the XPS with a commitment to being "better than ever". The overhaul starts with a bold new aesthetic, featuring the iconic XPS logo stamped on the lid. Constructed from aluminium and durable Gorilla Glass 3, the new chassis aims for a refined feel that can withstand daily travel.
The company has also focused on user experience, introducing a redesigned keyboard for improved stability and a seamless glass touchpad. A major achievement is the new laptops' slim profile: both the XPS 14 and larger XPS 16 now measure just 14.6mm, making them Dell's thinnest laptops to date. This sleek design was partly enabled by an incredibly narrow 8MP 4K webcam, the slimmest ever built into a Dell device.
Major Performance and Battery Upgrades
Under the hood, the new XPS models are powered by Intel's latest Ultra processors, promising significant gains in speed, efficiency, and graphical power. They feature Intel Arc graphics with 12 cores, which Dell claims offers a 50% performance boost over the previous generation. A completely redesigned thermal system ensures this power can be sustained even under heavy workloads.
Perhaps the most impressive claim is for battery life. Thanks to new high-density 900ED cells, Dell states the laptops can deliver up to 27 hours of use on a single charge, designed to keep the vivid, edge-to-edge touch display running all day and beyond.
Features and Future Commitment
Rounding out the package are powerful Dolby Atmos speakers and a generous selection of ports for connectivity. Announcing the launch, Dell stated: "The iconic XPS laptops you know and love are here to stay. XPS has always been our benchmark for premium laptops, and these new models deliver striking design, powerful performance, stunning displays, and exceptional battery life—all in a compact device built to move with you."
This move signals Dell's renewed commitment to its premium consumer line, directly responding to market demand and setting a new standard for high-end Windows 11 laptops expected to hit shelves later in 2026.
