Engadget Recaps 5 New Reviews, Flagging Fold 8 Ultra and 8GB XPS 13

Q: Is Dell’s cheaper XPS 13 (2026) a smart premium-laptop reset, or a short-term bargain with long-term compromises?

Dell’s cheaper XPS 13 (2026) looks more like a short-term bargain than a true premium-laptop reset unless buyers move up to 16GB of RAM. The value case is real. At $699, or $599 for eligible students, Dell delivers an unusually polished package for the price: a thin 1kg aluminum body, 13.4-inch 2.5K 120Hz touch display, backlit keyboard, Wi‑Fi 7, Windows Hello, quad speakers and strong portability. Several early hands-ons and reviews said it feels far more premium than most sub-$1,000 Windows laptops and compares well against Apple’s MacBook Neo on features. But the main compromise is not cosmetic; it is longevity. Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar said the base model does not have enough performance to be an easy recommendation and specifically warned against the 8GB version for long-term use. In practice, Windows 11 already consumes much of that memory, causing slowdowns and hiccups under normal multitasking. Other reviews echoed that concern, noting the Intel Core 5 320 is efficient but modest, and that the mechanical trackpad is a downgrade from Dell’s recent haptic designs. That leaves the XPS 13 in an awkward middle ground. As a budget-premium laptop for students or buyers with light workloads and a short upgrade cycle, the base model is appealing. As a machine meant to last several years, it risks aging quickly. The smarter buy is the 16GB configuration, even if that weakens the headline affordability that makes this XPS 13 so interesting in the first place.

2 articles · Updated · Engadget · Aug 15

Five recent Engadget reviews led by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Dell’s 2026 XPS 13 and Insta360’s X6 were highlighted in a summer roundup of tested devices.
Samsung’s premium foldable drew the sharpest critique: the Z Fold 8 Ultra was seen as solid hardware that falls short of what an “Ultra” model should have delivered.
Dell’s XPS 13 was judged too weak in its 8GB base version, while the 16GB model was presented as the safer buy against Apple’s MacBook Neo-led budget premium benchmark.
Samsung’s QS90H soundbar won praise for delivering strong bass without a separate subwoofer, and Insta360’s X6 was framed as a worthwhile upgrade for users coming from an X4 or older.
The roundup also pointed to Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition as an impressive but pricey alternative, with more Google device reviews expected soon.