A year ago, Dell shocked long-time fans when it announced the retirement of several iconic laptop brands at CES 2025, including the much-loved XPS lineup. Now, in a sharp and somewhat unexpected reversal, Dell has brought XPS back from the dead.
At CES 2026, Dell confirmed that XPS is once again its flagship premium laptop brand, starting with two completely redesigned models: the XPS 14 and XPS 16. And unlike past generations that leaned heavily on iterative updates, Dell says these new machines are rebuilt from the ground up.
This isn’t nostalgia. It’s a reset.
A complete redesign, not a refresh
Dell is keen to point out that this isn’t just a dust-off of the old chassis. The 2026 XPS models have been rebuilt from the ground up.
Visually, the biggest change is the branding; for the first time, the XPS logo sits proudly on the outer lid—a long-requested feature from fans who felt the premium machine deserved more distinction. The chassis is crafted from CNC aluminum with “integrated sidewalls” for rigidity and Gorilla Glass for protection.
Perhaps most importantly for power users, Dell has brought back the traditional function row. After flirting with capacitive touch bars in previous iterations (to mixed reviews), the return to physical keys offers the tactile feedback that professionals rely on. The keyboard also features improved travel, and the glass touchpad now has subtle etching to define the active area.
Performance: Intel Core Ultra Series 3
Under the hood, both the XPS 14 and XPS 16 are running on the latest Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors.
Graphics are handled by built-in Intel Arc graphics featuring 12 Xe cores. Dell claims this setup delivers massive performance jumps over previous generations, specifically 57% faster AI performance on the XPS 14 and 78% faster on the XPS 16.
For creators, this means the new XPS line is marketed as a “Copilot+ PC,” capable of faster image editing and lighter gaming without needing a dedicated GPU for many tasks.
Tandem OLED display is here, and so is insane battery life
Display technology has always been an XPS strong suit, and 2026 is no different. Users have two choices:
- Tandem OLED: Available for both models (2.8K on the XPS 14, 3.2K on the XPS 16). This offers higher brightness and better lifespan than traditional OLED panels.
- 2K LCD: This is the battery champion. It features a variable refresh rate that can drop from 120Hz down to 1Hz for static content.
Battery anxiety might be a thing of the past if Dell’s lab tests translate to the real world. By using new 900ED (energy density) battery cells, Dell has managed to pack a 70Wh battery into a thinner chassis.
The result? Dell claims the LCD models can hit up to 27 hours of battery life, with local video playback stretching past 40 hours. If accurate, this would make the XPS the undisputed battery king of the Windows world, finally rivaling Apple’s MacBook silicon.
Repairability wins
In a nod to sustainability (and perhaps the right-to-repair movement), the new XPS is significantly more modular.
- Modular USB-C ports: If a port breaks, you can replace just the port, not the motherboard.
- Easy-to-remove keyboard: No more tearing the whole laptop apart to fix a sticky key.
- The batteries use recycled cobalt and copper, and the hinges use recycled steel.
Dell XPS 2026 pricing and availability
The new laptops are available for purchase in the US as of yesterday, January 6, in limited configurations.
- XPS 14: Starts at $2,049.99 (approx. KES 265,000 before taxes/duties).
- XPS 16: Starts at $2,199.99 (approx. KES 285,000 before taxes/duties).
While these entry prices are steep, Dell has promised that additional configurations starting under $2,000 will arrive in February. The laptops launch in a “Graphite” colorway, with a “Shimmer” option coming later.
For those wanting something more portable and affordable, Dell confirmed an XPS 13 is coming “later this year.” It is expected to be under 13mm thick and will serve as the entry point to the new series.
