The New XPS 16: Slim, Fast and Still a Top Pick

Dell has bounced back from almost dropping its XPS line, and the 2026 model shows why the brand still matters. The new laptop drops almost a pound from its predecessor, weighing just 3. 65 pounds for the standard build and 3. 85 for the heavier LCD version. That makes it lighter than a typical 16‑inch MacBook Pro and close to the slim 15‑inch Air, while also getting thinner from 0. 75 inches down to about 0. 6 inches. Inside, the design keeps the familiar glass and aluminum look but trims excess weight with a slimmer chassis. Dell still offers the solid stereo speakers that have always been a highlight, plus three USB‑C ports that support Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 2. 1 and power delivery. One feature missing is an SD card reader – a handy tool for mobile editors who move photos and video from cameras to the machine. The optional 3. 2K OLED panel gives bright, vibrant colors and a variable refresh rate between 20 and 120Hz. Although its peak brightness is listed as 400 nits, it looks noticeably brighter in real life, making the screen a great choice for on‑the‑go editing. Keyboard and touchpad changes are noticeable. Dell kept the glass deck but added a subtle outline around the touchpad to make its boundaries clear. The function row of capacitive buttons has been replaced with regular keys, which many users appreciate for the tactile feel. However, early units had a ghosting issue where quick double‑presses could register in the wrong order. Dell says this only affected first‑batch machines and that a software patch will be released soon.Typing comfort remains a point of debate. The zero‑gap layout is still present, but some users feel the keys lack enough travel and actuation force compared to other Dell models like the Precision 5680. Still, the laptop’s overall performance is strong thanks to Intel’s latest Core Ultra chips; the top model handled everyday productivity tasks with ease and even hit 62 frames per second in a demanding game at full settings, proving it can handle light gaming without a discrete GPU. Battery life benefits from a larger 99. 5‑watt hour pack, giving the XPS 16 just under twelve hours in a modern office workload test—longer than its smaller sibling by more than an hour and a half. That makes it suitable for most day‑to‑day use without needing to carry the charger. Overall, Dell’s return to the XPS name feels genuine. The new 16‑inch model delivers a premium build, solid performance, respectable battery life and an excellent display, especially with the OLED upgrade. The price is on the higher side at about $2, 349, but discounts can bring it closer to $1, 900. The main downside for some is the lack of a discrete GPU option and an SD card reader, though Dell may add these in later revisions. For anyone looking for a lightweight, high‑quality Windows laptop, the new XPS 16 remains a top contender.