The laptop market is vast and varied, but there are only a few brands that are as popular as Dell. One of the most well-known companies in the space, Dell has consistently made some of the best laptops you can buy, and it's really no surprise. Whether it's the premium XPS line, the more budget-friendly Inspiron family, or the business-oriented Latitude series, all of the company's lineups are almost instantly recognizable names. There's also Alienware, Dell's gaming brand, which is also one of the most popular in its segment.
With so many great laptops to choose form, it can be hard to know which one is right for you, but we're here to help. We've rounded up the best laptops in the companies lineup, from the ever-popular XPS line to the more budget-oriented options. Dell mostly focuses on laptops running Windows 11, and all the laptops on this list ship with it out of the box, so you're already on the latest version of Windows. The company does make some Chromebooks, too, however.
Our top Dell laptops in 2023
Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023)
A premium laptop for just about anyone
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is a beautiful, modern-looking laptop with a seamless touchpad and super sleek design. It also has a fantastic display and top-tier performance courtesy of 13h-generation Intel processors.
- Powerful 13th-gen Intel Core i7 processor
- Fantastic 13-inch display, including 3.5K OLED option
- Ultra-modern design looks fantastic
- No headphone jack and limited ports in general
- 720p webcam
Dell's XPS lineup has always been the pinnacle of its consumer laptops, and the XPS 13 Plus is the pinnacle of that. It's the most powerful laptop in the XPS 13 series yet, plus it has a stunning futuristic design and a great display.
Starting on the inside, the laptop comes with Intel's 13th-generation Core i7-1360P processor with 12 cores and 16 threads, boosting up to 5GHz. It's a very fast laptop, including Intel Iris Xe graphics for light GPU workloads. You also get up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, so it's a powerful combination through and through.
Like previous models, it comes with a 13.4-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, meaning it's taller and gives you more surface area than a typical 16:9 display. The base configuration comes in Full HD+ (1920x1200) resolution, but it's the upgrade to a 3.5K (3465x2160) OLED panel that's truly special since it's both super sharp and vibrant thanks to OLED technology. There's also an Ultra HD+ (3840x2400) IPS option. A big downside of this laptop is the webcam, which is still a 720p sensor. Dell separated the RGB sensor from the Windows Hello IR camera, so the quality is a bit better, but it's still behind most premium brands.
Design is the area where the Dell XPS 13 Plus really shines. Dell made the trackpad invisible and seamless with the chassis, stretched the keyboard to the edges of the laptop, and turned the function row into virtual buttons. All of this adds up to a laptop that looks extremely sleek and modern. The Dell XPS 13 comes in at just 15.28mm of thickness and weighs 2.76 pounds, so it's very portable, too.
This modern design also comes with a limited supply of ports, unfortunately. All you get are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and Dell includes adapters for USB Type-A and a 3.5mm headphone jack. You still have options, but this is not the most convenient port setup, though it's something you see across the entire XPS family.
It's not perfect, but the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a phenomenal laptop and the best in the company's lineup. If you want to feel like you're on the bleeding edge of tech, this is the laptop for you. We've reviewed the 12th-generation model if you're interested in more; it's nearly identical, just faster.
Dell XPS 13 (2022)
A portable laptop for on-the-go users
The latest Dell XPS 13 is completely redesigned from previous models, coming in two unique colorways, Sky and Umber, and a more portable package. It still has a great 13.4-inch display and it's powered by 12th-generation Intel Core processors, too.
- Very thin and lightweight design in unique new colors
- Solid performance delivered by 12th-generation processors
- 13-inch display with up to 4K resolution
- 720p webcam
- Limited port setup
- Performance isn't as impressive as previous models
If you want something more portable, then the Dell XPS 13 is the one for you. This is a more compact and lightweight laptop, but it's still very capable for day-to-day use while being easy to take anywhere. It has yet to be refreshed for 2023, though, which is a potential downside now that 13th-generation laptops are becoming widely available.
Those processors come from Intel's 12th-generation U9 series, though they've been boosted to use 12W by default instead of 9W. Previous models had 15W processors, though, so this is a step-down in a way. Still, you can go up to an Intel Core i7-1250U with 10 cores and 12 threads, so performance is still great and it still has Iris Xe graphics built-in. You can configure the laptop with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, so you still get a very premium experience overall in terms of performance.
Similar to the Plus model, the Dell XPS 13 has a 13.4-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, just like previous iterations. It also starts with a Full HD+ configuration without touch support, though you can choose to add it. You no longer have the higher-end options for an OLED panel or 4K resolution, so this is a more mainstream laptop now. The webcam is similar to the XPS 13 Plus, too, being a 720p sensor that's now separated from the IR sensor used for Windows Hello.
Design-wise, the 2022 Dell XPS 13 changed a lot from its predecessors, ditching the silver shell and white or black interiors. This model comes in two colors: Sky, a very soft shade of blue, and Umber, a very dark shade of red. It's also just 13.9mm thin, and it weighs 2.59 pounds, so it's super portable.
Ports, however, suffer a similar fate to the XPS 13 Plus, meaning you only get two Thunderbolt 4 ports. There's not even a headphone jack, though you do get adapters in the box for it, as well as USB Type-A. Still, this isn't the most impressive setup. Despite the disappointing set of ports, the Dell XPS 13 continues to be one of the best laptops in Dell's lineup, and it's still easy to recommend.
Dell Latitude 9440
Fast, sleek, and enterprise-ready
The Dell Latitude 9440 is the cream of the crop of business laptops, with high-end Intel processors, a sharp display, and a versatile convertible design that make it ideal for almost anyone. It comes at a high cost, but it's an excellent laptop.
- Fast 13th-generation Intel CPUs with optional vPro support
- Sharp Quad HD+ touchscreen with pen support
- Great audio and video for remote work
- Very expensive outside of sales
- Limited ports built-in
- Soldered RAM
Business laptops are Dell's bread and butter, and the Latitude series sits at the high end of the segment overall. But this year, the Dell Latitude 9440 is an especially great option, with a refreshed design that looks and feels more modern, paired with more powerful performance.
Powering the Dell Latitude 9440 are 13th-generation Intel Core processors up to a Core i7-1365U processor with vPro. That means you get 10 cores and 12 threads with speeds up to 5.2GHz, paired with management and security features that make this suitable for enterprise scenarios. You can also configure the laptop with up to 32GB of RAM (which is soldered onto the motherboard) and a 1TB SSD, so you get solid performance and storage space all around.
For the display, we're looking at a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a very sharp resolution of 2560x1600 (Quad HD+). This is pretty much the only configuration that's available, and it's all anyone will really need in a laptop of this size. This is also a convertible, so touch and pen support comes by default. Above the display is a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello facial recognition support, something we'd like to see in the company's XPS laptops, too.
Coming around to the design, this is a fully aluminum laptop that looks and feels premium, and Dell has modernized it with a zero-lattice keyboard that stretches closer to the edges of the chassis, as well as a larger touchpad that now features shortcuts for Zoom calls, so you can mute your microphone or turn off your webcam, for example. The laptop is just 14.2mm thick at its thickest point, and it weighs 3.38 pounds, so it's very portable. Ports, however, are a bit limited, with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack, and a nano-SIM slot on cellular-enabled models.
While it's not without its downsides, most notably the price, the Dell Latitude 9440 is a phenomenal machine for business. It looks and feels great, it has fast processors, and it's topped off with a very sharp display. You can't ask for much more.
Alienware x16
Incredible performance for gamers
The Alienware x16 is a surprisingly thin gaming laptop that offers terrific performance in a package more compact than most of its competitors. With 13th-generation Intel Core processors and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, it's incredibly fast, and it looks great too, both in terms of its display and its design.
- Up to 14-core Intel processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 graphics
- 16:10 aspect ratio display with Quad HD 240Hz option
- 1080p webcam by default
- More expensive than most laptops with similar specs
- Forgoes HX-series processors for lower-tier H-series models
Just like Dell itself, Alienware is an extremely popular brand synonymous with top-notch performance for gaming. With the Alienware x16, however, not only is the company trying to be known for fantastic performance but also for showing off some great designs.
The Alienware x16 comes with 13th-generation Intel Core H-series processors up to a Core i9-13900HK, which has 14 cores, 20 threads, and boost speeds up to 5.4GHz. That's all the CPU performance you could ever need for gaming, and paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, you have everything you need for a superb gaming experience. It also comes with up to 64GB of RAM and a massive 4TB SSD.
The display is equally top-notch, being a large 16-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and very sharp Quad HD+ resolution. The base model has a 165Hz refresh rate, but you can upgrade to a 240Hz panel, which also adds 100% coverage of DCI-P3 for excellent color reproduction. This is also a gaming laptop that includes a 1080p webcam by default, and it even has Windows Hello facial recognition, which is still fairly rare.
Thanks to the lower-power H-series processors (compared to the HX series in most gaming laptops) and the Element 31 cooling solution, the Alienware x16 is much thinner than most gaming laptops of this class, measuring just 18.57mm. It also maxes out at just 6 pounds of weight, which is pretty good for something so powerful. The laptop looks great, too, with a combination of silver and black, plus a ton of RGB lighting, so you can show off in public.
The biggest downside of this laptop is its price tag, but considering it does so much so right, it's still easy to recommend the Alienware x16 for any gamer with that kind of budget.
Dell XPS 17 (2023)
Powerful performance and a sleek design
The Dell XPS 17 is one of the company's most powerful laptops, featuring 13th-gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series graphics. It also has a fantastic 17-inch panel that's perfect for content creators, and a professional, subdued design.
- 13th-gen Intel processors and up to GeForce RTX 4080 GPU
- Up to 4K display with 100% Adobe RGB coverage
- Relatively slim and compact design
- 720p webcam
- No USB Type-A or HDMI
- Very expensive
The XPS lineup is all about cramming tons of performance into a compact package, and the XPS 17 embodies that perfectly, especially with the latest 2023 model.
This new iteration comes with an Intel Core i9-13900H processor with 14 cores and 20 threads, and that's paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, so you get fantastic performance for content creation and even gaming if you want to. The GPU options are much more powerful this year, which does make this significantly more expensive than the 2022 model. It can also be configured with a whopping 64GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD, so you have a top-tier experience across the board.
The display hasn't really changed, so it's still a fantastic 17-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The base model is Full HD+, but if you opt for the top-tier 4K panel, you also get 100% coverage of Adobe RGB, which makes this a perfect laptop for content creation. With the additional horsepower this year, it becomes a beast for video editors and more. Sadly, the webcam is also unchanged, so it's a 720p camera with Windows Hello facial recognition support.
With the beastly specs packed into this year's model, it's impressive that the Dell XPS 17 is still under 20mm thick, especially when the overall size is already so compact thanks to the tiny bezels around the display. The 2023 model did get heavier, though, now starting at 5.1 pounds, but that's not bad for a 17-inch laptop.
As for ports, you have four Thunderbolt ports, with an adapter for USB Type-A and HDMI included in the box so you can still easily connect legacy peripherals and non-Thunderbolt monitors. This is what we've come to expect from the Dell XPS series, so it's not surprising at all.
The 2023 Dell XPS 17 is very expensive, but it delivers terrific performance and a great display for creative professionals.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
A versatile and portable form factor
Blending versatility and portability, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a great Windows tablet that can be used as a laptop thanks to the XPS Folio cover. It's got a 13-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and the best cameras on an XPS laptop, plus solid performance and a sleek premium design.
- 13-inch display with 3:2 aspect ratio and sharp resolution
- 5MP webcam and 11MP rear camera
- Versatile design with removable keyboard and magnetic stylus
- Limited ports
- Performance is a bit underwhelming
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the device to go for if you're looking for a laptop that can change into a tablet for extra versatility and portability. The latest model, launched in late 2022, makes big changes, but it's still great.
Performance-wise, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 comes with 12th-generation Intel Core U9-series processors, so performance isn't the main focus, but they use very little power. You can go up to a 10-core Intel Core i7-1250U, which includes integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Otherwise, you can get up to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
The display is a 13-inch IPS panel, and it comes in a 3:2 aspect ratio and 2880x1920 resolution, similar to Microsoft's Surface Pro 9. It supports touch and pen input, and you can get an XPS Stylus along with it, which attaches magnetically to the side of the tablet. Above that display, there's a 5MP camera that supports Windows Hello facial recognition, and it's the best webcam on an XPS laptop right now. You also get a second camera on the back, this one being an 11MP sensor with support for 4K video.
This model of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 ditches the convertible form factor of years past and, instead, it's a tablet that lets you attach the XPS Folio keyboard, so you can use it as a laptop. Since it's a tablet, the device itself is a mere 7.4mm thin, and it weighs just 1.6 pounds, though adding the keyboard and stylus will add to that weight. It's sleek, too, with flat edges and a clean design overall.
This thin design comes at the expense of ports. There are exactly two Thunderbolt ports on this tablet, though you do get adapters for USB Type-A and a headphone jack. You can also get the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 with 5G support, though this model is thicker and heavier, plus it uses glass for the rear panel.
Despite the lackluster ports, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is still a great device if you want a 2-in-1 laptop.
Dell Inspiron 16 (AMD, 2023)
A great laptop that doesn't break the bank
The Dell Inspiron 16 is a solid budget-oriented laptop with AMD processors that delivers good day-to-day performance, paired with a large display and a clean design that fits well into any environment. It even includes a 1080p webcam, which is great for the price.
- Modern AMD Ryzen 7030 series processors
- Tall 16:10 Full HD+ display
- 1080p webcam
- Display isn't very bright, and colors could be better
- Processors aren't a major upgrade from the previous generation
Laptops can be pretty expensive, but if you just want something to get you through school or for basic day-to-day tasks, the Dell Inspiron 16 is a great budget-friendly option that nails the basics across the board.
It starts with AMD Ryzen 7030 series processors, specifically a Ryzen 5 7530U with 6 cores and 12 threads, which should deliver more than enough performance for day-to-day tasks like browsing the web and writing documents. Pair that with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD in the base model, and you have a pretty solid machine for the price, with options to go further if your budget allows for that.
The display won't blow you away, but this is a large 16-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which puts it in line with modern laptops in terms of format. The Full HD+ resolution should be sharp enough for most users. Colors probably won't look as good as they would on more expensive laptops, but for schoolwork and basic use, it's definitely acceptable. In more good news, the laptop also includes a Full HD webcam above that display, meaning quality should be pretty solid for video calls and meetings.
As for the design, it's fairly basic, but in a good way. The Titan Grey (silver) chassis looks great in any environment, even if it's not all that exciting. At 18.2mm, it's not overly thick, and the 4.01 pounds of starting weight make it reasonably light considering the size and price tag. Finally, for ports, you get two USB Type-A and one Type-C port, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card slot. It's solid connectivity, in line with what you'd expect at this price.
Overall, the Dell Inspiron 16 is a solid laptop for anyone who isn't looking to spend over $1,000 on a laptop. It obviously cuts some corners, but it does enough to satisfy budget-conscious users.
Dell Precision 7680
Massive performance for specific users
- Up to 24-core CPU and Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada Generation GPUs
- Tons of ports for any peripherals you have
- 16:10 display with optional 4K OLED panel
- Extremely expensive
- Very thick and heavy
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Best Dell laptops in 2023: Bottom line
Depending on your use case, all of these laptops are fantastic choices, and it's all up to what you need. The Dell XPS 13 Plus takes our best overall pick thanks to its blend of portability, a premium ultra-modern design, and performance, packing everything you'd want out of a 13-inch ultrabook into a chassis that looks like it came from the future. Now that it has 13th-generation processors, it's even easier to recommend to almost anyone.Dell XPS 13 Plus
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