2026 Dell XPS 13 Review (DX13260)

About the Dell XPS 13 (DX13260)

• CPU: Intel Core 5 320 (1.50 GHz)
• RAM: 16GB (our review model). Also sold with 8GB
• Storage: 512GB, M.2, PCIe NVMe, SSD
• Graphics: Intel Graphics (128GB)
• Operating system: Windows 11 Home (64-bit)
• Display: 13.4-inch Touch 2.5K (2560x1600 resolution; 16:10 aspect ratio; 120Hz)
• Ports: 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C with DisplayPort and power delivery
• Size: 0.5 (H) x 11.69 (W) x 7.9 inches
• Weight: 2.2 pounds

How we tested

After joining the laptop to a Wi-Fi network to download some Windows updates, I charged it to 100% with the included cable, then unplugged it to run battery tests. As you'll see in the next section, it blew past expectations.

I also loaded the Dell XPS 13 with productivity software, like Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), as well as a Chrome web browser, VLC media player, WhatsApp (desktop version), and Audacity (for audio editing).

For testing its performance, I also installed and ran benchmarking software, including Maxon Cinebench 2026 and Geekbench 7 (I decided against 3DMark, as this laptop isn't designed for gamers).

I used the laptop at home, in a local coffee shop, and on a short business trip to New York City.

What we like

Battery life

One of this laptop's greatest assets is its battery life—it even outperformed Dell's own estimation.

At 40% brightness, I played a movie continuously in a loop, via VLC player, for 19.5 hours.

A day later, I played the same video at 50% screen brightness, and it, too, went through just shy of 5% battery per hour. Impressive.

This is especially notable given the relatively low price of the laptop—and given that it's an Intel processor, which generally trails Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip in laptop battery life.

Design and material

Much like other Dell XPS 13 laptops, this value-priced model looks and feels like a quality product—one that's also cool to the touch, which I like.

It features an ultra-thin, highly rigid CNC-machined aluminum chassis with a modern, minimalist aesthetic. It may be an inexpensive laptop, but it doesn't feel like the cheap plastic used in some entry-level Windows laptops and Chromebooks available today. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

It's available in two color options: a light metallic gray with blue tint (called "Sky") and a darker metallic gray (called "Storm"). Too bad it doesn't have more (and more "fun") colors, like the Apple MacBook Neo does.

At just 2.2 pounds and measuring 0.5 inches thick, Dell says it's the lightest and thinnest XPS design to date. The trackpad is large and supports gestures, while the backlit keyboard is comfortable to type on. Audio is loud and clear, with decent bass.

Display

While it has a bit of bezel (border) around the four sides of the display (despite it being called "InfinityEdge"), the 13.4-inch display offers impressive brightness (up to 500 nits of peak brightness), fluid motion (30 to 120Hz variable refresh rate), and vibrant color with its 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage (with greater accuracy than sRGB, says Dell).

And unlike the similarly priced MacBook Neo, the Dell DX13260 has a touchscreen display, which I prefer, so it's more bang for the buck than Apple in this regard.

Oh, and it has a backlit keyboard, too, which isn't available on the MacBook Neo.

What we don't like

Not too powerful

The laptop is great for basic tasks, but it noticeably slowed down when I multitasked and/or ran more advanced software, like some Adobe photo and video editing tools.

And this was on the 16GB RAM model—not the 8GB option.

As for benchmarking, the Dell XPS 13 DX13260 had a Geekbench CPU score of 2,078 (single core) and 7,213 (multicore), compared to the higher 2,737 (single core) for the MacBook Neo, and a lower score of 6,353 (multicore) for the Mac. In the GPU (graphics) department, the Dell's OpenCL score was 12,215, compared to the Mac's much higher score of 17,939.

I don't always put a lot of faith in benchmarking numbers compared to the experience of running software, but it was aligned in this instance. The Maxon Cinebench 2026 benchmarking was also conducted on both the Dell and the MacBook Neo, with comparable numbers. I was prompted to download an update for Microsoft Copilot (as it said the version that shipped with the Dell was outdated), but after reinstalling it, I didn't have many performance issues while interacting with the AI.

Interestingly, for games—like Gameloft's Asphalt 8: Airborne, available for free at the Microsoft Store—load times and graphics performance were surprisingly good. I didn't think it would be able to handle high-resolution textures on cars driving fast and effects like an avalanche crashing snow down on the track, but it did.

The fan can get noisy

When browsing the web or typing in a word processing document, the Dell laptop is quiet. It's also quiet while watching movies. But once you start running software that's more demanding on system resources, such as benchmarking programs, an audible hiss emanates from the sides of the Dell.

The computer didn't get warm to the touch, mind you, but it was noticeably louder than the MacBook Neo.

Missing a couple of things

Especially for the aggressive price, this Dell laptop has so much going for it. But only one USB-C port on each side is a disappointment. And there's no headphone jack.

While the MacBook Neo also only has two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports (two on one side), it at least has a headphone jack for private listening.

For the Dell, you'll either need to use Bluetooth headphones or one of the two USB-C ports (maybe with an adapter). With only 8GB of single-channel, non-upgradeable RAM for the lowest-cost version, don't expect much performance or multitasking ability.

Warranty

The Dell XPS 13 (DX13260) offers a one-year limited hardware warranty.

Should you buy the Dell XPS 13?

Yes, for those looking for a lightweight laptop with great battery life

Starting at $599 (for students) or $699 (for everyone else), the Dell XPS 13 (DX13260) (available at Dell) is a heck of a buy for those on a budget.

From its small and light form factor and premium materials to its responsive touchscreen and backlit keyboard, this laptop impressed in multiple areas. Battery life, too, is excellent—at nearly 20 hours of video playback. Its processing and graphics limitations may slow it down when running demanding software, but curiously, it handled many games remarkably well.

For basic tasks, this ultra-portable PC is more than ideal, and despite lacking any meaningful color options, it stands up to the trendy MacBook Neo in almost every area—and bests it in most, thanks to its touchscreen and backlit keyboard. Dell has a winner on its hands with this one.