The topic of The XPS 16’s redesign proves Dell learned from its mistakes is currently the subject of lively debate — readers and analysts are keeping a close eye on developments.
This is taking place in a dynamic environment: companies’ decisions and competitors’ reactions can quickly change the picture.
Last year, Dell did us dirty by changing the XPS name to the Dell 16 Premium, and while the hardware was still good, the name sucked. To their eternal credit, the company listened to its fans, and the XPS name is back for 2026.
What’s also here is a redesigned chassis. The zero-lattice keyboard remains, as does the (near) invisible touchpad, which now has a couple of ridges on the edges so you know where it is. But instead of opening from the back, the keyboard lifts out if you want to upgrade storage, etc., which is kinda neat as it gives a tiny ridge around the keyboard deck.
Unlike earlier XPS models, this is a Copilot+ PC, since all Panther Lake CPUs have a sufficiently strong NPU. That means extra webcam tweaks and a few other handy things. And one last thing, the tandem OLED is fantastic. It’s not quite as bright as it could be based on other models we’ve tested, but it has stunning color reproduction and is a joy to sit in front of.
About this review: Dell sent us the Dell XPS 16, and had no input into the contents of this article.
The XPS 16 is back for 2026, back to the old branding but with a newly tweaked chassis that opens from the keyboard side for easily upgrading storage. It’s powered by Intel’s Panther Lake chips, and feels every bit as premium as the price tag would suggest.
Dell announced the XPS 16 (2026) at CES this year, and the only option at the time had a $2,200 price tag. Now that more versions are out, the base MSRP is $1,750. As reviewed with the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and touchscreen OLED, it rounds out at $2,350, which isn’t a bad price these days. It’s also almost a full pound lighter than last year’s Dell Premium 16, which is impressive.
If you don’t want the larger screen, the XPS 14 starts from $1,350. It’s the same chassis change, the same upgraded 8MP webcam, just with a smaller frame. Pricing is always variable, direct from the OEM, so check every so often, and you might find a better deal.
Two chassis and name changes in two years bring us to what’s my favorite XPS yet. From the outside, it’s understated, with no sharp angles, corners, or other design elements that this price bracket usually has. The only thing you notice is the simple line work of the XPS logo, back on the lid where it belongs.
With all that real estate, you might wonder why there are only three ports on this machine, but they’re all Thunderbolt 4 ports. That means no more guessing which port is really USB-C in disguise, or which one will charge your laptop properly, or which one will support output to an external display. They all do, and it’s something you don’t realize unless you’ve used the usual hodgepodge of ports that many laptops come with.
The only thing you notice is the simple line work of the XPS logo, back on the lid where it belongs.
Then you open it, and it’s unmistakably an XPS, with the zero-lattice keyboard that now has physical F-keys again, and the huge, nearly invisible touchpad that’s almost as good as the MacBook’s. Almost.
Dell has somehow managed to trim almost a full pound this year, so it’s now just over 3.6 lbs, which makes it much easier to tote around in the 16-inch size.
Panther Lake is really, really good, guys, and I’ve been impressed with the entire stack from entry level to flagship. The Intel Core Ultra X7-358H in the review unit is a midrange offering, but it has plenty of power for everyday tasks and won’t drain the battery as quickly. I noticed that it’s slightly better-performing than the same CPU in the XPS 14, likely due to a larger cooling system.
The one disappointment for some is the lack of discrete graphics card options this year. Dell often puts Nvidia GPU options into the XPS range, but is banking on the performance of Intel’s new iGPU to carry the day. I’ve used enough Panther Lake CPUs to know the iGPU is decent, and I can’t say I missed the annoyances of a dGPU either.
Battery life is all-day for work tasks, though it tested slightly lower than the XPS 14 in our looping video test. I’m not sure if that’s because of the slightly higher brightness of 230 nits vs 200 nits, combined with the larger screen, but it was repeatable. The XPS 16 still manages nearly 13 hours of looped video, though, which is plenty of juice, and the charger is small, so you can carry it with you.
Like on the smaller sibling, the tandem OLED touchscreen is gorgeous. It covers 100% of sRGB, 97% of AdobeRGB, and 100% of P3 on an LG panel. Gamma was spot-on at 2.2, and with a peak SDR brightness of 444 nits, it’s going to do fine outside. It’s got a very consistent panel for both luminance and color accuracy, and is probably the better option over IPS in this case.
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Dell’s XPS line has always been a showcase for the best display technologies and future-forward design, and the XPS 16 (2026) carries that torch forward. The 3.2K tandem OLED screen is a joy to look at, the touchpad is there when you need it and not when you don’t, and the keyboard might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s okay.
Dell’s XPS line has always been a showcase for the best display technologies and future-forward design, and the XPS 16 (2026) carries that torch forward.
We often call the XPS 14 “the best 14-inch laptop,” and that’s easily carried over to the 16-inch model. It’s the best laptop for Windows users at that size, with a MacBook Pro feel, but by forging its own path to get there. And it’s now a Copilot+ laptop, which means you’ll get Microsoft’s latest AI features, whether you want them or not.
The Dell XPS 16 is as good as you can get, and I know we say this every year, but it’s one of the few product ranges that consistently improve. Just buy one. If you need a new laptop, that is.
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