Dell introduced its newest XPS 13 laptop at Computex 2026, aiming directly at Apple’s budget MacBook Neo. The ultraportable laptop weighs just 2.2 pounds and starts at a student price of $599.
Regular buyers can grab the laptop for $699 later this month, matching the price of the entry-level MacBook Neo budget laptop. The device is built with an aluminum unibody chassis that is thinner and 20% lighter than Apple’s competitor.
Also read: Apple MacBook Neo Launches with A18 Pro Chip
Dell equips the base model with a 13.4-inch 2.5K touchscreen display that supports a variable refresh rate of 30Hz to 120Hz. The screen can drop its refresh rate when displaying static images to save power. Thanks to this feature and a 53 Wh battery, Dell promises up to 17 hours of video streaming on a single charge.
The entry-level model runs on a six-core Intel Core 5 320 ‘Wildcat Lake’ chip. Buyers get 8 GB of LPDDR5X-7467 memory and a 512 GB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive, which doubles the storage of the base Neo. Dell also plans to offer upgraded versions with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 ‘Panther Lake’ processors later this summer.
For connectivity, the laptop features two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports that support fast charging. Other inclusions are a backlit keyboard, WiFi 7, and quad speakers. However, Dell removed the 3.5mm headphone jack, forcing users to rely on USB-C or wireless audio.
This budget release arrives at a time when a global memory shortage has driven laptop prices up. Dell COO Jeff Clarke noted that they designed the laptop in about 30 weeks specifically to offer high-quality builds at a lower price point. The student pricing of $599 will run until November 2.
Dell XPS 13 Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core 5 320 “Wildcat Lake” (6 cores, 2P+4LPE) |
| Graphics | Intel Xe3 iGPU |
| Memory | 8 GB / 16 GB LPDDR5X-7467 |
| Storage | 512 GB M.2 Gen 4 NVMe SSD |
| Display | 13.4-inch 2.5K Touchscreen, 100% DCI-P3, 30Hz-120Hz VRR |
| Battery | 53 Wh (Up to 17 hours video streaming) |
| Weight | 1 kg (2.2 lbs) |
| Ports | 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) |
| Connectivity | Intel Wi-Fi 7 |
| Regular Price | $699 |
| Student Price | $599 (Promo until Nov 2) |
Dell plans to ship the Wildcat Lake configurations in silvery sky finish later this month. Upgraded models with storm finish and Panther Lake chips will follow later this summer.
Source: Dell
