After a highly controversial rebranding strategy in 2025, Dell announced at CES 2026 the return of its classic XPS laptop series, launching the new XPS 14 and XPS 16, both equipped with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, in an attempt to reverse its declining fortunes.
Hearing the voices of users: Physical buttons are making a comeback, and the touchpad now has "boundaries".
This comeback is not just about rebranding; Dell has clearly listened to user complaints about the previous generation's design.
First, the capacitive function row, which was difficult to see in sunlight and had a poor tactile feel, has finally been removed, and more practical traditional physical function keys have returned, making operation more user-friendly.
Secondly, although Dell insists on retaining the "invisible trackpad" design that is flush with the wrist rest, this time it has added an illuminated border design, allowing users to clearly identify the boundary of the trackpad, solving the problem of accidental touches or not being able to find the touch area in the past.
To emphasize the importance of the XPS brand, the new machine even directly replaces the original Dell brand name with the XPS logo, an adjustment that would have been unimaginable in the past.
Lighter and thinner, equipped with Intel's new processor
In terms of design, both the new XPS 14 and 16 have been significantly slimmed down.
• XPS 14:It weighs approximately 3 pounds (about 1.36 kilograms), half a pound lighter than its predecessor.
• XPS 16:Weighing approximately 3.6 pounds (about 1.63 kilograms), it has been significantly lighter by a full pound.
The new design makes them look more like Microsoft's Surface Laptop. In terms of core specifications, both new models are equipped with Intel's latest Panther Lake Core Ultra Series 3 processor and offer a Tandem OLED screen option, expected to deliver top-tier performance and display quality.
The all-new XPS 14 and XPS 16 will officially launch on January 6th. The suggested retail price starts at $1650 for the XPS 14 and $1850 for the XPS 16.
XPS 13 is coming soon
In addition to these two flagship models, Dell has also announced the upcoming launch of the new XPS 13 later this year. The company claims it will be the thinnest and lightest laptop ever, and the price will be more affordable than previous XPS models.
