Dell's $699 XPS 13 closes the gap at the tier that decides fleet refreshes
Two reviews grade the new XPS 13 against Apple's MacBook Neo rather than against cheap Windows laptops. The 8 GB base configuration is where the discount actually lands.
The Product Desk
What happened
- Dell's new XPS 13 has a price point of $699, which the reviewer says he would not have guessed if handed the laptop a year or two earlier.
- The Dell XPS 13 sells for a starting price of $700, with a better configuration at $900; the $700 model starts with only 8 GB of RAM.
- Dell's new XPS 13 launched with the purpose of competing with and taking down the MacBook Neo, and Wired says it is hard to discuss the laptop without mentioning the Neo.
- ZDNET gave the XPS 13 a build and design review score of 4/5 and called it the best budget Windows laptop on the market right now.
- Ahead of CES this year, Dell executives admitted on stage that their Pro/Plus/Premium branding decisions did not pay off financially, pledged to bring back the XPS name, and committed to making more accessible, cheaper products.
Why it matters
Dell's new XPS 13 starts at $699, and both ZDNET and Wired reviewed it as a MacBook Neo competitor rather than as a cheap Windows machine [1][2][3]. That is the part worth noticing for anyone approving a refresh order, because the sub-$1,000 tier is where the compromises usually sit, and Wired's view is that nearly every other Windows laptop under $1,000 still makes them [16].
The specification sheet explains the reframing. ZDNET describes a 13.4-inch IPS panel at 2560 x 1600, 120 Hz, 500 nits, matte, 100 percent DCI-P3, with touch [4]. Wired says that display is standard even on the base configuration but measured brightness at up to 427 nits [5], roughly 15 percent below the figure ZDNET cites [30]. The chassis is aluminium with no flex, half an inch thick, matching the Neo on thickness [6]. It weighs 2.2 pounds against the Neo's 2.7 pounds, a half-pound or about 19 percent lighter, in a slightly smaller footprint with a screen nearly half an inch larger [19][28]. Wired lists things the Neo does not have: touchscreen, 120 Hz, backlit keyboard, two 10 Gbps USB-C ports, support for two 4K monitors or three with the lid closed, and fast storage [7].
The catch is memory. The $700 model ships with 8 GB, which Wired tested and calls not enough; the better configuration is $900 [2][8], a $200 step [21]. Dell at least sells a 16 GB option, which the Neo does not offer [9]. For a fleet, that reads as a $899 laptop with a $699 headline, and the base SKU is the one procurement will quote.
The second compromise is silicon. The XPS 13 uses the six-core Intel Core 5 320 from the new Wildcat Lake line, one of the first laptops to ship it [10], positioned against the Apple A18 Pro in the Neo and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X [11]. Wired reports weaker single-core and graphics performance than the A18 Pro but much stronger multicore [22], and 15 hours of local video playback, short of the Neo [23].
Operationally, the useful details are duller. Two USB-C ports at 10 Gbps, one per side, both supporting power delivery and DisplayPort [12], with either able to drive a 4K display at 60 Hz [13]. There is an IR camera for Windows Hello alongside a 1080p webcam [24]. There is no headphone jack, which the Neo has [20]. Speakers are two tweeters at 8 watts, which Wired rates as not good but on par with the Neo [25]. The keyboard has 0.8 mm travel, is fully backlit and, per ZDNET, completely silent, aimed at students [14]. ZDNET scored build and design 4 out of 5 and called it the best budget Windows laptop currently sold [17].
Context for the pricing: ZDNET traces the product to Dell executives conceding at CES that the Pro/Plus/Premium branding did not pay off financially, and pledging to revive XPS and ship cheaper hardware [18]. Apple, meanwhile, announced the Neo at $600 and now sells it at $700 [26], a $100 increase [29].
What to watch: whether the 16 GB configuration holds at $900 or drifts, and whether Wildcat Lake spreads into comparable compact chassis. Wired notes the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i uses the Core 7 350 but is a 16-inch machine and not a direct comparison [27]. Also worth a check before volume purchase: the brightness gap between the quoted 500 nits and Wired's measured 427 [4][5][30].
Clarity's read
What the record supports and how the coverage leans. The claims behind it follow.
Reality
- Evidence64
- Adoption24
- Hype gap+18
- Incentives58
- Confidence66
Claim ledger
Ranked by verification strength, evidence, and original report placement.
- [1]
Dell's new XPS 13 has a price point of $699, which the reviewer says he would not have guessed if handed the laptop a year or two earlier.
- [2]
The Dell XPS 13 sells for a starting price of $700, with a better configuration at $900; the $700 model starts with only 8 GB of RAM.
- [3]
Dell's new XPS 13 launched with the purpose of competing with and taking down the MacBook Neo, and Wired says it is hard to discuss the laptop without mentioning the Neo.
- [4]
The XPS 13 has a 13.4-inch IPS display at 120 Hz refresh and 500 nits of brightness, 2.5K (2560 x 1600) resolution, a matte anti-glare finish, 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage, and touch support.
- [5]
Even the base configuration comes with a 2560 x 1600 touch display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, up to 427 nits, and excellent color reproduction.
- [6]
The XPS 13 is made of aluminium with no chassis flex, opens with one finger, has a non-wobbling hinge and tiny bezels, and is half an inch thick, matching the MacBook Neo.
- [7]
Wired lists features the new XPS 13 has that the MacBook Neo does not: a touchscreen display, a 120-Hz refresh rate, a backlit keyboard, two up-to-date 10-Gbps USB ports (one on each side), support for two 4K monitors or three if the lid is closed, and fast storage speed.
- [8]
Wired says 8 GB of RAM in the base model is just not enough, and that the 8 GB unit is the one it tested.
- [9]
A 16 GB model of the XPS 13 is available, unlike the MacBook Neo.
- [10]
The XPS 13 uses a lower-powered Intel processor, the six-core Core 5 320, part of the new Intel Wildcat Lake line, and is one of the first laptops to use that chip.
- [11]
The Wildcat Lake chips are meant to compete with the Apple A18 Pro used in the MacBook Neo and with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X.
- [12]
Ports are minimal: two USB-C (10 Gbps) ports, one on each side, both supporting power delivery and DisplayPort functionality.
- [13]
Each of the two USB-C ports can support a 4K display at 60 Hz, charge the device, or transfer files at 10 Gbps.
- [14]
The XPS 13 keyboard has 0.8 mm key travel with enough resistance to feel tactile over long typing sessions, is fully backlit, and is completely silent, aligning with its student user demographic.
- [15]
The XPS 13's touchpad is glass, comparatively large, responsive and does not feel cheap.
- [16]
Unlike nearly every Windows laptop selling for under $1,000, the Dell XPS 13 takes the same approach as the MacBook Neo to build quality and touchable components.
- [17]
ZDNET gave the XPS 13 a build and design review score of 4/5 and called it the best budget Windows laptop on the market right now.
- [18]
Ahead of CES this year, Dell executives admitted on stage that their Pro/Plus/Premium branding decisions did not pay off financially, pledged to bring back the XPS name, and committed to making more accessible, cheaper products.
- [19]
The XPS 13 weighs 2.2 pounds compared to the MacBook Neo's 2.7 pounds, has a slightly smaller overall footprint, and its screen is nearly half an inch bigger than the Neo's.
- [20]
The XPS 13 lacks a headphone jack, which the MacBook Neo includes; Wired calls this an unfortunate miss.
- [21]
The step from the $700 XPS 13 configuration to the $900 configuration costs $200.
- [22]
The Core 5 320's raw single-core performance and graphics are not as strong as the A18 Pro's, but its multicore performance is much more powerful.
- [23]
Battery life on the XPS 13 is not quite as good as the MacBook Neo's, but the reviewer recorded 15 hours in local video playback.
- [24]
The XPS 13 has a 1080p webcam plus an IR camera for Windows Hello login.
- [25]
Wired says the speakers are not good but include two tweeters for 8 watts of output and are at least on par with the MacBook Neo.
- [26]
The MacBook Neo is a $700 package, and was $600 at the time it was announced.
- [27]
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i uses the Intel Core 7 350 but, as a 16-inch laptop, is hardly a competitor to the highly compact XPS 13.
- [28]
The XPS 13 is 0.5 pounds lighter than the MacBook Neo, about 19 percent less weight.
- [29]
The MacBook Neo's price has risen $100 since announcement.
- [30]
Wired's measured brightness figure of up to 427 nits is about 15 percent below the 500 nits ZDNET cites.
Sources
2 independent publishers whose own reporting we read for this story.
- wired.comDell XPS 13 Review: Move Over, Neo
1 article · August 14, 2026
- zdnet.comDell XPS 13 review: The first budget laptop to rival Neo raises the bar for all PCs
1 article · August 14, 2026
Topics and entities
Topics
- Budget Laptop Hardware
- Endpoint Procurement
- Windows vs Mac Competition
- Laptop Memory Configurations
- Intel Wildcat Lake
- Dell Product Strategy
Entities
- Apple
- Intel Core 5 320
- Dell
- ZDNET
- Dell XPS 13 (2026)
- MacBook Neo
- Intel Wildcat Lake
- Windows 11
- Wired
- Qualcomm Snapdragon X
- Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i
- Intel