Dell is bringing back the XPS 13 as a MacBook Neo competitor — with a temporary discount to $599 | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Dell is bringing back the XPS 13 as a MacBook Neo competitor — with a temporary discount to $599NotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsDell is bringing back the XPS 13 as a MacBook Neo competitor — with a temporary discount to $599It’ll start with just 8GB of RAM and an Intel Wildcat Lake chip.It’ll start with just 8GB of RAM and an Intel Wildcat Lake chip.by Antonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoReviewer, LaptopsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. Di BenedettoMay 31, 2026, 11:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftDell is aiming for students like Apple did with the MacBook Neo. Image: DellAntonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. Di Benedetto is a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.Dell is making good on its tease from CES and finally announcing a new XPS 13. The XPS 13 returns as a budget-friendly option, launching in July at a promotional student price of $599 — though that introductory deal only runs until September for back-to-school shopping; it’ll start at $699 for everyone else. The $599 promo exactly matches up with the MacBook Neo’s starting price, but students can actually get Apple’s budget laptop for $100 less. That means Dell has its work cut out proving that the XPS 13 is worth the extra money.This will be Dell’s thinnest and lightest XPS to date, measuring 0.5 inches / 12.7mm thick and weighing just 2.2 pounds / 1kg. It’ll have just two USB-C ports and no 3.5mm audio jack, just like the last XPS 13 that cost much more. It sadly won’t even have a dedicated audio jack on higher end configurations set to arrive later with Intel Panther Lake chips and Thunderbolt 4 — which will go up to 32GB of RAM.PreviousNext1/6The new XPS 13 in its silver and gray colors, which Dell calls “sky” and “storm.” Image: DellThe entry-level configuration will get you a six-core Intel Core 5 320 “Wildcat Lake” chip, 512GB of storage, and a lowly 8GB of RAM. (I’m noticing a trend.) But the good news is that every config of the new XPS 13 will have a 13.4-inch anti-glare touchscreen with 2560 x 1600 resolution, 30-120Hz variable refresh rate, 500 nits of brightness, and 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color space.The XPS 13 will also have a backlit keyboard and a claimed “streaming” battery life of up to 17 hours. Dell reps say it should be efficient enough to last a student’s full day of classes. There was no mincing of words about what Dell is targeting with the XPS 13, as COO Jeff Clarke called out the MacBook Neo by name in an early media briefing. But while the XPS 13 is lighter than the Neo and has some extras the MacBook lacks like a backlit keyboard and higher-end configurations, using 8GB of RAM on Windows 11 remains the gorilla in the room.The three sizes of Dell XPS for 2026: 16-inch, 14-inch, and soon 13-inch. Image: DellDell also teased one more thing it’ll show at Computex this week: The return of an XPS with discrete graphics. It should sport some level of Nvidia RTX GPU, an extra-bright tandem OLED screen, a dedicated HDMI port, and an SD card slot. There are no further details so far, but that sounds like a bigger and beefier XPS to compete with some MacBook Pros while the new XPS 13 guns for the Neo.The XPS 14 and XPS 16 models Dell reintroduced at CES corrected some of the company’s past mistakes when it killed the XPS brand in 2025. But competing at $599 / $699 with the MacBook Neo will be a tougher test for the revitalized brand.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Antonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoReviewer, LaptopsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. 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Dell is reintroducing the XPS 13, positioning it as a direct competitor to the MacBook Neo, with an initial promotional discount offered to students at $599, which runs until September. This introductory price point is set to match the MacBook Neo’s starting price, offering students a significant saving compared to the standard retail price of $699 for general consumers, compelling Dell to demonstrate the value of the XPS 13. The entry-level configuration will be equipped with an Intel Core 5 320 Wildcat Lake chip, 512GB of storage, and 8GB of RAM.

The physical design of the renewed XPS 13 emphasizes portability, making it Dell's thinnest and lightest XPS model to date, measuring only 0.5 inches thick and weighing 2.2 pounds. In terms of connectivity, this model retains only two USB-C ports and omits the 3.5mm audio jack, mirroring the design of previous, more premium XPS 13 iterations. Although the base model features 8GB of RAM on Windows 11, the overall specifications are competitive, including a 13.4-inch anti-glare touchscreen boasting a 2560 x 1600 resolution and a 30-120Hz variable refresh rate. Display quality is further enhanced with 500 nits of brightness and full coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. Furthermore, the laptop incorporates a backlit keyboard and is marketed with a claimed battery life of up to 17 hours, suggesting efficiency suitable for full academic use.

Higher-end configurations of the XPS 13 are slated for future releases, anticipated to feature Intel Panther Lake chips and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, potentially supporting up to 32GB of RAM. Dell has also teased the return of an XPS model incorporating discrete graphics, which is expected to include an Nvidia RTX GPU, an extra-bright tandem OLED screen, a dedicated HDMI port, and an SD card slot, suggesting a more powerful and robust offering aimed at competing with higher-end MacBook Pros. While the XPS 14 and XPS 16 models were reintroduced at CES, the competitive challenge remains proving that the XPS brand can successfully compete with the MacBook Neo in the budget-friendly laptop market, especially considering the established market presence of 8GB of RAM on Windows 11.