Choosing the best Dell laptop is not an easy task as the company produces several excellent laptops every year, some of which are the best budget laptops or even the best laptops overall. The affordable XPS 13 – which packs an almost magical amount of power and features into one of the smallest chassis of them all – is one such example and our top pick.
There are, however, other excellent Dell laptops to consider. We’ve tested a good chunk of what the laptop giant has to offer, with hundreds of hours of practice with each one. Here are the best from Dell, plus some great alternatives.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9315
A new competitive 2-in-1 detachable tablet
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Dell XPS 13 9315
Table of Contents
One of the best XPS laptops is also the most affordable
Advantages
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Aggressive pricing
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Very compact design
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Great battery life
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Comfortable keyboard
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The display is bright and high quality
The inconvenients
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No headphone jack
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Performance is lacking
Why should you buy this: This is the most affordable XPS laptop.
Who is it for: Pretty much anyone except gamers.
What we thought of the XPS 13 9315:
We’ve been big fans of the XPS 13 for years now, and the 2022 version has received a major update. The chassis lost the carbon and fiberglass palm rest options and was converted to a more modern but less standout all-aluminum design. The build quality remains excellent. The laptop has also been updated to 12th generation Intel processors, specifically the 9 watt versions of the 12th generation Intel U-series processors.
Primarily, the new XPS 13 9315 competes head-to-head with Apple’s MacBook Air M1, offering an affordable machine with a 13.4-inch 16:10 display and the same excellent keyboard and touchpad as previous models. The XPS 13 offers a solid mix of performance and battery life, making it a good choice for anyone looking for a great 13-inch laptop.
Ports include two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports but no 3.5mm audio jack, and Wi-Fi 6E support is also included.
Dell XPS 13 9315
One of the best XPS laptops is also the most affordable
Dell XPS 13 Plus
Innovations abound on a well-built 13-inch laptop
Advantages
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Irresistibly fresh design
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Large OLED display
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Useful Performance Modes
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Excellent haptic touchpad
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The webcam has been improved
The inconvenients
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Heats up downstairs
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No headphone jack
Why should you buy this: It’s powerful, has a spectacular screen and is the most innovative XPS to date.
Who is it for: Anyone who wants a high-tech 13-inch machine.
What we thought of the XPS 13 Plus:
Dell split the XPS 13 into two machines in its latest revision. The XPS 13 9315, featured above, is a more affordable option, and the XPS 13 Plus takes the iconic machine in new directions.
The first XPS 13 Plus innovation is a haptic touchpad, a first for the XPS line. It’s a solid implementation that offers the ability to click anywhere on the touchpad surface with a haptic engine that closely mimics physical buttons. The edge-to-edge keyboard is also a first, and it’s shallower but offers precise, fast switches and large keys. Finally, the LED tactile function keys are thicker and offer a more modern look.
While the XPS 13 9315 focuses on quiet, cool, and efficient performance with 9-watt processors, the XPS 13 Plus features more powerful 28-watt 12th Gen Intel U processors. This makes it much faster while being less efficient. The XPS 13 Plus also offers higher resolution displays, including a 13.4-inch 16:10 OLED panel with spectacular color and contrast.
Dell XPS 13 Plus
Innovations abound on a well-built 13-inch laptop
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Dell XPS 15 9520
A very portable and powerful widescreen laptop
Advantages
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Simplified and solid construction
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aesthetically perfect
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Strong productivity and creative performance
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Above-average battery life
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Excellent keyboard and touchpad
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Superior OLED display
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Exceptional sound
The inconvenients
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Dear
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Performance ceiling limited by thin chassis
Why should you buy this: Its screen is beautiful and its overall performance is fantastic for creators.
Who is it for: Creative professionals looking for portable power and panache.
What we thought of the Dell XPS 15:
What the XPS 15 loses in portability compared to the 13-inch laptops above, it more than makes up for in performance and screen space. Built on solid components that promise excellent performance for productivity and gaming, the XPS 15 is one of the best full-size laptops on the market.
There’s new hardware inside, including 45-watt 12th Gen Intel processors. It has an affordable starting price of $1,449 which jumps to $1,899 for a discrete GPU (the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050). The larger display is gorgeous – and color true – in 1080p and 4K IPS with a 3.5K OLED panel that looks stunning.
Storage options range from 256GB to 4TB PCIe SSDs while RAM can be upgraded up to 64GB, and ports include two Thunderbolt 4s, USB-C, and a full-size SD card reader. It’s a bigger, badder version of the XPS 13, and it’s still one of Dell’s best laptops on the market.
Dell XPS 15 9520
A very portable and powerful widescreen laptop
Dell Inspiron 15 3000
An affordable business laptop
Advantages
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Solid keyboard and touchpad
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Big screen for multitasking
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Quality build
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Affordable price
The inconvenients
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Full HD 16:9 display
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11th generation processors
Why should you buy this: You want Dell quality at a low price.
Who is it for: Anyone who wants the latest Intel processors but doesn’t want to spend a lot.
What we thought of the Dell Inspiron 15 3000:
While not as high-end as the XPS line of laptops, Dell’s Inspiron laptops are a far cry from the budget laptops of yore. The newer Inspiron 15 3000 is a prime example of this, with incredibly affordable prices paired with good components for great value. This includes an 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB PCIe NVMe SSD.
You won’t get the same small bezels as on Dell’s XPS line or the all-metal construction. But even so, this is a well-built laptop with reasonable dimensions for the money. The laptop also incorporates several improvements that are welcome at these prices, including improved thermal performance for better performance and a hinge that raises the bottom of the chassis from the desktop for better airflow.
You’ll likely suffer display quality and battery life, but the overall performance of the Inspiron 15 3000 is solid.
Dell Inspiron 15 3000
An affordable business laptop
Dell G15 Gaming Laptop
An affordable gaming machine
Advantages
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Fast AMD processors
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Up to RTX 3070Ti
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Fast refresh rates
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Solid build quality
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Affordable
The inconvenients
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No RGB lighting per key
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Below-average battery life
Why should you buy this: It’s an affordable gaming laptop with real power.
Who is it for: Players with a (relative) budget who want to play with a lot of detail.
What we thought of the Dell G15 gaming laptop:
The Dell G15 Gaming Laptop is a powerful gaming laptop at prices that are easier for gamers to accept. For example, the G15 gaming laptop can be configured with the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX processor for the fastest CPU performance.
But the real gaming power comes from the GPU options. Buyers can choose up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, which will run at 1080p with all features, such as ray tracing, enabled. Display options include an up to 165Hz panel that ensures tear-free gaming. Other options include up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB PCIe SSD for optimal performance.
The G15 is also a solid choice for anyone who wants to do more than just game on their laptop. The keyboard is decent for productivity and the battery life is decent considering the components and the target market.
Dell G15 Gaming Laptop
An affordable gaming machine
Editors’ Recommendations