Dell unveils redesigned XPS 13 at $699 at Computex 2026, $599 for students

Dell Technologies (DELL) unveiled a redesigned XPS 13 laptop at Computex 2026, pricing the device at $699 for the general public and $599 for students during a back-to-school promotional period running through early September. The machine, model number DX13260, is the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop Dell has produced, weighing 2.2 pounds and measuring 12.7mm thin. The base configuration ships with Intel Core processors, 8GB LPDDR5x RAM, and 256GB of PCIe Gen 4 storage, along with a 13.4-inch 2560x1600 LCD touchscreen featuring a 120Hz variable refresh rate and up to 500 nits of brightness. Dell states the device will last up to 17 hours when streaming video.

Dell positioned the XPS 13 as a direct answer to Apple's (AAPL) MacBook Neo, which debuted in March 2026 at $599 and carries a $499 student price. Apple's entry-level laptop had prompted weeks of online debate about the relative cost and quality of Windows PCs. Dell, Microsoft (MSFT) and others are unveiling new laptops to compete directly with the MacBook Neo, according to Wired. Dell plans to launch the XPS 13 initially with Intel's (INTC) 'Panther Lake' Core 5 320 CPU, with a higher-specification Core Ultra 7 355 option to follow at a later date.

Dell Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said the company is 'not racing to the bottom on price' with the new XPS 13 [Source: PCWorld]. The $599/$699 pricing arrives in an environment of inflation and tariffs, and PCWorld reports the pricing is expected to put pressure on other PC vendors and the new Googlebooks category to hold prices down. Acer has also recently showcased a low-end laptop featuring Qualcomm's new Snapdragon C chip, reflecting broader industry movement toward the entry-level segment.

The launch marks a notable strategic reversal for Dell. The company discontinued the XPS brand in 2025 in a rebranding effort it later admitted was a mistake, before reviving the XPS 14 and XPS 16 at CES 2026 and teasing a less expensive XPS 13. The new 13-inch model is meaningfully lighter than the 2024 XPS 13, which weighed 2.6 pounds, and is priced well below Dell's recent 14- and 16-inch XPS models with OLED displays and higher-end Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips, which have retailed at closer to $3,000.

Sources: The Verge, Bloomberg, Wired, Windows Central, PCWorld, The Shortcut, XDA Developers, Gizmodo