Review: The 2022 Dell XPS 13 is more than just a pretty face

Enlarge (credit: Scharon Harding)

Specs at a glance: Dell XPS 13 2022 (9315)

Worst
Best
As reviewed

Screen
13.4-inch 1920×1200 IPS non-touchscreen
13.4-inch 1920×1200 IPS touchscreen

OS
Windows 11 Home
Windows 11 Pro
Windows 11 Home

CPU
Intel Core i5-1230U
Intel Core i7-1250U vPro
Intel Core i5-1230U

RAM
8GB LPDDR5-5200
32GB LPDDR5-5200
16GB LPDDR5-5200

Storage
512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x2 SSD
1TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x2 SSD
512GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x2 SSD

GPU
Intel Iris Xe

Networking
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4

Size
11.63×7.86×0.55 inches
(295.4×199.4×13.99 mm)

Weight
2.59 lbs
(1.17 kg)

Battery
51 Wh

Warranty
1 year

Price (MSRP)
$849
$1,499
$1,150

Other
USB-C to USB-A and USB-C to 3.5 mm adapters included

I was treated to a welcome surprise when I first laid eyes on the latest Dell XPS 13 (9315). The color options—a youthful sky blue or a unique purplish brown—are visual candy in a PC world dominated by shimmery silvers, grown-up grays, and boring blacks. Dell’s 2022 XPS 13 doesn’t compromise by offering a more traditional colorway for cheaper, as prior XPS 13 laptops did, either.

After I moved past appearances, I found there was more to enjoy under the hood. While this machine isn’t as wild of a redesign as the one given to the costlier Dell XPS 13 Plus, the company did some tinkering to make the XPS 13 lighter and thinner than ever, all while accommodating quality-of-life upgrades like better speakers and a bigger battery. Unfortunately, it has a dreadfully limited and dongle-dependent port selection.

There are flashier alternatives for a thin-and-light laptop, but the 2022 XPS 13 is an admirable clamshell with more to offer than a couple of unique hues.

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