Dell XPS 13 vs XPS 15 vs XPS 17: Which laptop is best for you? | CNN

Dell’s flagship XPS sequence includes a vary of slim, engaging notebooks that provide critical energy. They’ve constantly impressed us with regards to their quick efficiency, nice shows and exquisite designs — the Dell XPS 13 has lengthy been our favorite Windows laptop, and you too can get the XPS in 15-inch or 17-inch sizes if you need one thing greater.

However the XPS 13, 15 and 17 don’t simply differ by measurement — these three laptops have some notable variations with regards to connectivity and general pace. And when you throw within the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 and the elective OLED variations, selecting the best mannequin all of a sudden will get a bit of difficult. However fret not; we’re right here to interrupt down each Dell XPS mannequin so you’ll be able to snag the suitable one in your wants.

You need probably the most reasonably priced Dell XPS

The Dell XPS 13 is probably the most reasonably priced member of the XPS household, with a beginning worth of $969 that sometimes dips beneath that in gross sales (Dell usually has some main Black Friday offers). For that cash, you get an eleventh Gen Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB stable state drive and a 13.4-inch, 1920 x 1200. That’s adequate for on a regular basis internet searching and primary work duties, and there are many elective upgrades you can also make whereas nonetheless protecting the value fairly affordable. When you go for a extra highly effective Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM (which we advocate for individuals who do a lot of multitasking) and add in a contact display, you’re not paying a whole ton more at $1,269.

You need the slimmest and most transportable Dell XPS

No surprises right here, however the smallest XPS is the best way to go should you want one thing tremendous transportable for touring. At simply 0.58 inches skinny and with a beginning weight of two.6 kilos, the Dell XPS 13 could be very straightforward to toss right into a bag.  Equally, it gained’t take up a lot desk or desk house while you’re working from house.

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You desire a laptop computer that may double as a pill

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is precisely what it feels like — you get nearly the identical aesthetics and efficiency as the usual Dell XPS 13, however inside a convertible design that may be folded right into a pill or propped up as a standalone show. This feature is right for folk who need one thing they will simply sketch or take notes on, or simply desire a extra immersive technique to binge a present on Netflix from their laptop computer.

It’s a fairly whole lot too, at present starting at $969 with an eleventh Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD storage drive and a 1920 x 1200 contact show. That’s a very good quantity of energy for on a regular basis multitasking and a few inventive work, and like on the usual XPS, you’ll be able to improve the CPU and RAM should you want extra muscle. You can even improve to a 4K display for an additional $400.

You may reside with out OLED

As of this writing, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the one XPS mannequin that doesn’t provide an OLED show possibility. You’ll nonetheless be getting a great-looking and versatile display, however we’ve discovered that the deeper blacks and bolder colors on the OLED models actually do make a distinction.

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You desire a good center floor between measurement and efficiency

On high of providing a bigger 15-inch display, the Dell XPS 15 may be configured with higher-end parts than the XPS 13 for individuals who want stronger efficiency. Whereas the XPS 13 maxes out at a Core i7 processor, 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, the XPS 15 can go all the best way as much as a Core i9 processor, 64GB of RAM and a whopping 8TB of SSD space. That each one equates to a machine that may be considerably sooner for heavy multitasking and power-hungry apps.

And in contrast to the XPS 13, the Dell XPS 15 may be upgraded with a discrete Nvidia RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti graphics card. That makes it extra splendid for demanding visible work, in addition to some mild PC gaming. The excellent news? All of that energy is packed right into a physique that’s nonetheless fairly transportable at 0.7 inches skinny and about 4 kilos.

You desire a good quantity of ports

The XPS 15 presents a pleasant bump in connectivity over the 13-inch mannequin, as you get one normal USB-C port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports (splendid for exterior 4K displays and exterior storage drives) and a full measurement SD card reader. By comparability, the XPS 13 has simply two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a microSD card slot. You’ll get extra ports general on the XPS 17, however the XPS 15 is a stable center floor between the 2.

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You desire a actually massive display (on the expense of portability)

As its identify implies, the XPS 17 is the most important member of the XPS household, with a stunning and practically borderless 17-inch show that basically pops should you go along with the OLED possibility. If you would like as a lot display house as potential for multitasking — or only a massive and exquisite display for watching films — that is the one to get. And whereas it’s not fairly as bag-friendly because the XPS 13 or XPS 15, it’s nonetheless fairly svelte for a 17-inch laptop computer at 0.77 inches skinny and weighing round 5 kilos.

You need probably the most highly effective XPS there may be

Whereas the hole between the XPS 17 and XPS 15 isn’t as dramatic because the one between the XPS 15 and XPS 13, the most important model of Dell’s flagship laptop computer does have some unique efficiency perks. You’ll have the choice to improve to a barely more advanced Intel Core i9-11980HK processor for higher general speeds, in addition to Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics for a bit extra visible muscle whereas modifying video and taking part in video games. To place all these specs in context, our XPS 17 (Core i7, RTX 3060) pumped out among the greatest efficiency we’ve seen from a mainstream laptop computer, trailing solely the 2021 MacBook Pros in processing energy and trumping each non-gaming pocket book we’ve utilized in gaming assessments.

You need the XPS with probably the most ports

If you would like as a lot connectivity as potential, the XPS 17 is your greatest wager. Dell’s greatest XPS has 4 Thunderbolt 4 ports and a full measurement SD card slot, which is a pleasant improve from the 2 Thunderbolt 4 and one normal USB-C port you get on the XPS 15. You’ll nonetheless want a USB-C hub should you plan on connecting any legacy USB-A equipment, however the XPS 17 nonetheless will get you probably the most ports out of the field.

You may reside with a single colour possibility

The XPS 17 is a great-looking laptop computer, however in contrast to its smaller siblings, it solely is available in a silver variation with a black inside. That is purely aesthetic and down to non-public desire, however we actually love the attractive arctic white possibility that’s supplied on the XPS 13 and XPS 15. So if appears matter to you, simply be aware that you simply gained’t have a alternative of colour on this high-end laptop computer.

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