XPS 13 Plus

A Laptop That Looks as Good as It Performs

The Dell XPS 13 Plus is one of those laptops that makes you feel good just opening it up. It's thin, it's light, and it looks like the future. But here's the real question: does it actually work for real life?

Yes, it does. The Intel Core i7 processor handles whatever you throw at it, from video calls to photo editing to juggling 20 browser tabs. The 16GB of RAM means you won't hit a wall, and the 1TB SSD gives you plenty of space without slowing things down. For writers, designers, developers, and anyone doing serious work on the go, this laptop delivers. It won't choke, and it won't make you wait.

The display is genuinely lovely. At 13.4 inches with FHD+ resolution, it's sharp enough for detail work but not so massive that it defeats the purpose of a portable laptop. Colors look natural and punchy, which matters if you're editing photos or just want to enjoy your streaming shows. The brightness is solid even in moderately bright rooms.

Here's where it gets honest: the keyboard is a love-it-or-hate-it situation. It's flat and minimal, which looks incredible but feels shallow compared to traditional laptop keyboards. Some people adjust in a day, others take a week. The trackpad, though? That's excellent. It's large, responsive, and never gets in the way.

Battery life is one of the best things about this machine. The 15-hour claim is real-world achievable if you're doing light work. Even with heavier tasks, you're looking at 10-12 hours, which means you can genuinely skip the charger for a full workday or travel day. That's huge for people who move around.

Now, the hard part: the price. At $1,300 to $1,600 depending on where you buy, you're paying a premium. You're not paying for specs that blow other laptops away, you're paying for that gorgeous design and that portability. That's fine if those things matter to you. But if you just need a laptop that works and doesn't need to turn heads, you can save $400 and get something just as powerful.

The port situation is also worth mentioning. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack. That's it. If you use USB-A devices, external hard drives, or lots of peripherals, you'll need an adapter. It's a tradeoff for the slim design, but it's worth knowing upfront.

The Design Tax is Real

Dell's XPS 13 Plus is a masterclass in prioritizing aesthetics over pragmatism. The minimalist edge-to-edge design, invisible keyboard, and ultra-thin profile are undeniably striking. But here's the problem: you're paying $1,599 for a laptop that forces you to buy adapters just to connect to a projector or external drive.

The Intel Core i7-1365G7 is competent but unremarkable. It's the same generation that powered last year's models, and there's no meaningful performance leap. For productivity work, it's fine. For anything demanding, you'll hit thermal walls in this chassis. The fanless design sounds great in marketing but creates real-world compromises.

Let's talk ports. Two Thunderbolt 4 connections and a headphone jack. That's it. In 2024, this is inexcusable at this price. You can't simultaneously charge and use an external monitor without buying a docking station. USB-A is dead to Dell, apparently, even though professionals still use it constantly. This isn't innovation, it's artificial scarcity designed to sell dongles.

The keyboard is where form truly defeated function. The capacitive escape key and power button are gimmicks that slow you down. Real escape keys exist for a reason. The shallow travel is typical of ultrabooks, but combined with the weird edge-to-edge layout, typing feels less natural than competitors. The trackpad is excellent, but that doesn't compensate.

Battery life is genuinely strong at 15 hours, and the build quality is solid aluminum throughout. The weight under 3 pounds is impressive. If you're flying weekly and value thinness above all else, there's an argument here.

But the value proposition breaks down immediately. The MacBook Air M3 costs $1,299 at many retailers, offers better performance, superior thermal management, and more practical connectivity. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 undercuts this on price while delivering better ports and keyboard. Even the previous XPS 13 generation offers similar performance for less money.

Dell positioned this as a design statement. It is. But design statements shouldn't require dongles to be functional.

The Verdict

The XPS 13 Plus is a beautiful laptop for people who prioritize beauty over practicality. If you work entirely in cloud apps, never use external displays, and value portability above all else, it works. For everyone else, it's a $1,300 compromise masquerading as innovation. The market has better options at this price point.