Dell XPS 13 Undercuts at $700 as 8GB RAM Hampers Windows 11
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Aug 10
Dell XPS 13 Undercuts at $700 as 8GB RAM Hampers Windows 11
3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Aug 10
Summary
$700 buys Dell’s lightest XPS 13 yet at 2.2 pounds, but the review says the base 8GB model feels cramped for Windows 11 and is hard to recommend.
Memory pressure drives the biggest complaints: Windows used about 80% of RAM at boot, climbed to 95% with normal browser tabs, and caused visible slowdowns and 30-second app stalls.
Dell offsets those compromises with a 120Hz 1440p display, 512GB of storage and nearly 16 hours of battery life, giving it some advantages over Apple’s MacBook Neo.
Performance still trails older XPS 13 models sharply, with the 2024 Intel version up to 3 times faster in graphics and the mechanical trackpad seen as a clear downgrade.
The review’s bottom line is to skip the base model and spend $200 more for 16GB RAM, which keeps the XPS 13 under $1,000 while making it far more usable.