The new XPS 13 is Dell’s answer to the MacBook Air, with a $699 starting price

Dell has been selling premium thin and light laptops under the XPS 13 brand for more than a decade, but now the company is extending the brand with new lower-cost options meant to compete with Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo.

The new Dell XPS 13 (2026) is the company’s thinnest, lightest model yet, and Dell says it ships standard with a few features that Apple’s cheapest laptop lacks, like a backlit keyboard and touchscreen display. Prices start at $699 for consumer models or $599 for student versions.

Entry-level models will ship with Intel Core Series 3 5 320 “Wildcat Lake” processor, 8GB of LPDDR5x-7467 memory, and 512GB of storage. That chip features a 6-core CPU with 2 Performances cores and 4 Low-Power Efficiency cores plus dual-core integrated graphics.

But Dell still considers this a premium laptop, and higher-priced models support 16GB or 32GB of RAM, up to 1 TB SSD, and up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 “Panther Lake” processor. There will also be an option for a smaller 256GB SSD in the future, which raises the possibility of even cheaper models.

All models notebook features a 13.4 inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel IPS LCD touchscreen display with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, up to 500 nits brightness, and a variable refresh rate ranging from 30 Hz to 120 Hz.

One feature that’s probably going to rub some folks the wrong way is the limited port selection – while the laptop’s two USB Type-C ports support data, video, and charging, they’re the only ports on the notebook. There’s not even a headphone jack – Dell says the laptop is designed for folks who want to use a Bluetooth headset, although I sup pose you could also use a USB-C to 3.5mm audio adapter.

On models with Intel Panther Lake chips, those ports are Thunderbolt 4, while Wildcat Lake models are USB 3.2 Type-C.

The new Dell XPS 13 has an aluminum chassis that measures 12.5mm (0.5 inches) at its thinnest point, and weighs just 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). It comes in “sky” and “storm” color options.

Dell says the new XPS 13 laptop will be soon, starting with models featuring Wildcat Lake chips. Versions with higher-performance Panther Lake processors will be available “later this summer.”