Dell XPS 16 (2026) Review: The Reign Reclaimed

Just last year, Dell nearly abandoned its leadership position in premium Windows laptops by announcing the discontinuation of its revered XPS brand. Fortunately, the company swiftly reversed this decision, acknowledging its error, and committed fully to its flagship notebook series. The result is a comprehensive 2026 redesign, featuring exceptionally sleek construction, enhanced performance, and thoughtful refinements to many beloved aspects of its predecessors. While some early units experienced keyboard issues, these appear to be minor flaws in an otherwise triumphant return. The undisputed king of laptops has truly made its comeback.

Design and Display

The redesigned XPS 16 maintains the XPS series' signature blend of glass and aluminum, but Dell has meticulously refined every aspect. The XPS 16 now boasts a remarkable weight of just 3.65 pounds (or 3.85 lbs with the LCD option), nearly a full pound lighter than its 4.56-pound predecessor. This significant reduction brings its portability closer to a 15-inch MacBook Air (3.3 lbs) rather than its traditional rival, the 16-inch MacBook Pro (4.7 lbs). Its reduced thickness, ranging from 0.58 to 0.6 inches (down from 0.75 inches), is also highly noticeable. The laptop’s incredibly sleek profile is best experienced firsthand; it retains an impressively thin feel even after extended use.

The optional 3.2K OLED display on the XPS 16 is simply stunning. It reinforces the laptop's appeal for mobile content creators, featuring vibrant colors and a variable refresh rate that dynamically adjusts between 20 and 120Hz. Despite a rated peak brightness of 400 nits, the display appears significantly brighter in reality, providing an outstanding visual experience.

Dell has preserved key features such as the XPS line’s impressive up-firing stereo speakers. The port selection is also robust, including three USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 2.1, and power delivery. However, a notable omission for a laptop of this size, often favored by photographers and videographers, is an SD card reader, which would greatly simplify media transfers.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The XPS line's most significant alteration comes in its revised keyboard and touchpad, presenting a mix of improvements and drawbacks. Dell retains the elegant glass deck and integrated touchpad from previous models, now enhanced with a subtle perimeter line for improved tactile orientation. A welcome change is the replacement of capacitive function and media controls with physical keys, a positive shift for fans of traditional buttons. However, a concern for serious typists is the apparent absence of anti-ghosting or N-key rollover technology. This can lead to incorrect input registration when keys are pressed rapidly in succession, a problem also observed in the XPS 14 review. Dell states this issue is limited to initial production batches, with newer units already patched and a software update planned for existing devices by March (though not yet received at the time of this publication).

Beyond the ghosting concern, another minor critique of the keyboard pertains to its feel. While the zero-gap layout is acceptable, extended typing sessions reveal a desire for greater key travel and a firmer actuation, similar to the superior typing experience offered by some other Dell models, like the Precision 5680 (2023).

Performance

A key factor in the XPS 16’s remarkably thin and light design is the absence of discrete graphics. Users can select from Intel’s latest Series 3 Core Ultra processors, spanning from the Ultra 5 325 to the Ultra X7 358H (the latter being the review unit's configuration). Despite lacking a dedicated GPU, the laptop capably managed all productivity workflows. Surprisingly, it even achieved 62 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1920 x 1080 resolution on Ultra settings with Intel’s XeSS on Quality. While these figures won't replace a dedicated gaming PC, they are impressive for such a portable notebook.

Battery Life

Equipped with a substantial 99.5Whr battery, the XPS 16 demonstrated superior endurance compared to its smaller counterpart in battery rundown tests, a crucial consideration for potential buyers. In the PCMark 10 Modern Office battery benchmark, the XPS 16 achieved nearly 12 hours (11:53), an improvement of over 1.5 hours compared to the XPS 14 (10:21). This longevity means users can comfortably leave the power adapter at home for most daily tasks or even longer excursions, provided intense usage is minimal.

Wrap-up

Dell’s decision to revive the XPS brand, as confirmed by COO Jeff Clarke’s commitment to "getting back to its roots," proves to be far more than mere corporate rhetoric. The reimagined XPS 16 stands as a remarkable testament to what a premium ultraportable Windows laptop should be.

This device impresses with its exquisitely sleek aluminum chassis, robust performance, dependable battery life, and a superb display, especially when opting for the 3.2K OLED panel. Its connection to the revered XPS legacy runs deep; this model embodies the same quality and spirit that captivated users a decade ago, a fact underscored by the prominent XPS logo on its lid, replacing Dell's standard branding.

While the current keyboard layout is acceptable, a personal preference remains for the chiclet-style keyboards found on earlier 2020s models. Provided Dell successfully deploys the software fix for the observed ghosting issues, the present keyboard setup is more than satisfactory. Priced at $2,349 for the reviewed configuration, the XPS 16 aligns with the cost of other high-end notebooks. However, current discounts, potentially bringing the price down to $1,900, make it an even more attractive proposition.

For those requiring more potent graphics, it might be prudent to await a rumored alternative XPS 16 version later this year, potentially featuring a discrete GPU and, hopefully, an SD card reader. Despite Dell's near-abandonment of the XPS heritage just months ago, the XPS 16 (2026) has unequivocally reasserted its position at the pinnacle of the laptop market.