The Dell XPS 13 (9350 & 9345) is an icon of both high-end design and ultra portability; a notebook that looks as stylish as it is compact and lightweight. And Dell’s latest model is now available from official distributor DCC Technologies in two processor families - one from Intel and the other from Qualcomm.

Apart from what is found underneath the hood, the minimalist design of the XPS 13 remains the same for both variants. Crafted from machined aluminium and Gorilla Glass 3, this is the thinnest XPS from Dell yet, measuring a mere 14.8 mm for the OLED model. It is also super lightweight - starting at only 1.8 kg, complete with features such as a platinum backlit keyboard, a seamless glass touchpad and a touch function key row which brings forward only the keys needed.

Dell’s XPS 13’s sleek design is further complimented by a stunning screen. At the top end, users can feast their eyes on the gorgeous 13.4” OLED touch-enabled InfinityEdge display with up to 120Hz variable refresh rate. This edge-to-edge display picks up every detail thanks to the (up to) 2880 x 1800 resolution.

As mentioned, Dell’s XPS 13 9350 now comes in two versions. The Intel version sees the Core Ultra 7 256V Series 2 chipset doing the heavy lifting. This is part of Intel’s latest processor releases, with eight cores running up to 4.80GHz, complete with Arc Graphics 140V.

The Qualcomm version of the Dell XPS 13 9345 is one of the first laptops locally to feature the Snapdragon X Elite 12C processor. There has been a lot of talk about Qualcomm’s new processors, with the Elite 12C containing 12 cores running up to 4.0 GHz, plus onboard Adreno Graphics. This Snapdragon version is also Dell’s first Copilot+ XPS machine, offering helpful generative AI experiences such as Cocreator and Windows Studio Effects.

The choice between which model to pick might be a challenging one, but both options will provide the muscle needed for multitasking, while at the same time carefully looking after battery life. Each version also comes with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit, there to enhance onboard AI tasks such as improved video conferencing abilities and MyDell, the onboard AI-based optimisation software.

Users are further able to choose between either 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and options for 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage, meaning multitasking needs never be of concern.

In terms of connectivity options, the minimalist design of the Dell XPS 13 allows for two Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery through each. WiFi 7 is also featured, providing lower latency and higher throughput when connected to Wi-Fi. Plus, a 1080p infrared webcam with temporal noise reduction takes care of the most challenging of online meetings.

Finally, the XPS 13 contains a 55Whr integrated battery that will power the machine well throughout the working day and beyond, alongside ExpressCharge 1.0 capable of charging the laptop up to 80% in only one hour.

“When it comes to the mix between high-end design and robust performance, there are very few laptops that can compete with Dell’s XPS 13,” says Heinrich Pretorius, Dell EMC Consumer Product Specialist at DCC Technologies. “Whether users opt for the Intel or Qualcomm variant, the XPS 13 guarantees a seamless balance of power, portability and a sleek design, combined with long lasting battery power that beats any expectations,” Pretorius notes.