A portable, high-performance laptop with a display big enough to replace a PC desktop–wishful thinking or reality? Can the 2024 Dell XPS 16 be that perfect Windows-based laptop? Let’s find out.
| PROS | CONS |
| Larger screen for improved productivity | Lacking ports |
| Elegant design with improved cooling vents positioning | Noisy fan |
| Good battery life | The keyboard and touchpad are challenging to get used to |
Related: Dell XPS 13 Plus vs Macbook Pro 14 (2024 Edition)
Dell XPS 16: First Look
Introducing a 16-inch model in the XPS line was undoubtedly a great idea. And at less than five pounds, the laptop is as light as it can be. Like its 13-inch counterparts, the new Dell XPS 16 sports an immaculate aluminum chassis and looks expensive. The laptop has a well-designed airflow; its glass trackpad is large and offers good haptic feedback. However, some argue that the 92.9% screen-to-body ratio is what makes the 16-inch XPS notebook stand out.
16.3-inch Display
The laptop comes with a large 16.3-inch matte screen panel and can be purchased in one of two configurations:
- Non-Touch, FHD+ (1920×1200), 500-nit, InfinityEdge Anti-Glare, or:
- Touchscreen, UHD+ (3840×2400) OLED panel, Anti-Reflect, Anti-Smudge, 400-nit, InfinityEdge.
While the FHD+ is decent, we recommend splurging on the OLED version if the budget allows it. With the 4K version, you get better color accuracy, perfect brightness levels, and the touchscreen feature comes in quite handy. But despite its Anti-Reflective matte coating, the panel does have a bit of glare in direct light.
Notes on Performance
Like most 2024 Intel-based models, this computer is powered by the latest high-efficiency Core Ultra processors: 7-155H and 9-185H versions. Both are 16-core CPUs (six performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and two low-power cores) varying in clock speeds.
As for graphics, the following options are available:
- Intel Arc graphics
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 8GB GDDR6
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, 8GB GDDR6
The integrated Arc graphics chip allows for basic office workloads, handling spreadsheets and intense web surfing well. At the same time, the discrete NVIDIA ones are better suited for power-hungry tasks like video editing or even AAA gaming.
One of the biggest XPS 16 letdowns is the number of I/O ports, which is not at all surprising, given the laptop’s thin profile.
You get a headphone/microphone 3.5mm combo jack, a Thunderbolt 4, and a microSD card reader ports on the right. On the left side, you will find two additional Thunderbolt 4. And that’s it. Dell does supply a USB Type-C to USB Type-A and HDMI adapter dongle to make up for the lack of connectivity options.
Battery Life
As for the battery, it is not the best in class, but it still yields a pretty decent charge time. We estimated approximately five to six hours of web browsing and video playback. Realistically, you can get through your workday on a single charge if you reduce screen brightness and turn off the backlight. In other words, the Dell XPS 16 beats any gaming laptop but still lags behind the MacBook Pro 16 battery-wise.
Cooling
Even though the XPS 16 vents provide great heat redistribution, its cooling fan can get rather audible, especially in Performance mode. Nevertheless, the laptop rarely gets hot despite its aluminum surfaces, and most users will find the fan noise manageable.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The XPS 16 gridless keyboard and “invisible” trackpad may require some user adjustment.
Similar to the Apple MacBook’s Touch Bar feature, its Fn keys are touch-activated. The rest of the keyboard features flat-surface keys with marginal spacing in between. Given the size of the laptop, you’d expect nicely spaced-out keys, yet many users report that the XPS 16 keys feel smushed together, affecting typing accuracy.
As for the trackpad, it is virtually built into the palmrest and appears borderless. Having used it a few times, it is nicely sized and has a very good tactile response.
Dell XPS 16 Pricing
As with all XPS laptops, the 16-inch lineup is not exactly cheap. Still, it is far more affordable than its Apple counterpart, which the model is supposed to compete against.
The base XPS 16 configuration (Ultra 7 CPU, Arc graphics, non-touch) is priced at $1499 online. Users can customize their hardware at the time of purchase, but the most expensive XPS 16 version can run up to $2,844.99.
For those looking to upgrade their older models, please note that you can sell your Dell XPS laptop through the Gadget Salvation buyback platform to offset the cost of the new XPS 16.
In Conclusion
The new Dell XPS 16 9640 is a great and stylish laptop that can replace your work and gaming rig with some adjustments. Those who travel a lot will appreciate added screen space and portability, as well as the efficiency of Core Ultra processors and decent battery life. Still, many users express their frustrations over the futuristic but uncomfortable keyboard and trackpad. All in all, the 2024 XPS 16 model is good for what it can offer, but our quest for the perfect Windows-based laptop continues.
