Unlike Apple, Dell does sell a 16-GB model. It’s a $200 increase, but it takes the XPS 13 from being disappointing to something incredibly solid. I can’t, in good faith, recommend that most people buy the $699 model that comes with only 8 GB of RAM. But as a $900 laptop with 16 GB of RAM, the Dell XPS 13 is excellent. In fact, it just might be the best laptop you can buy under $1,000. It’s $100 more than the MacBook Neo with 512 GB of storage, but it’s the superior laptop in nearly every aspect you can measure.
The 2026 Dell XPS 13 is one of the best Neo competitors on the market. Dell succeeded in countering Apple's affordable MacBook with a well-designed device that feels distinctly premium and punches above its price point -- even if using lower-end configurations is more punishing in Windows than MacOS.
At $699, Dell's 2026 XPS 13 serves up flagship-grade metalcraft, a 120Hz touch display, and marathon battery life. Mind the 8GB of memory, but this is today's budget Windows ultraportable to beat.
I know I've been spoiled by living with systems with 32GB and even 64GB of RAM, but I'd have a hard time recommending anyone spend $700 on a PC just to have an experience like this. That's especially true when you can't even upgrade the RAM down the line, as you could with older laptops. Everyone but the most basic users would be better off shelling out the additional $200 to get the XPS 13 with 16GB of RAM. It'll be far more functional, and it's still under $1,000.
