Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: A MacBook Neo alternative that needs more RAM

There’s a lot to like here, but most people should shell out for 16GB of RAM.

After reviewing the MacBook Neo , I've been eager to see which PC maker could match Apple's difficult balance of low cost and high quality hardware. Could anyone actually deliver a Windows laptop that works well with just 8GB of RAM? Dell's latest XPS 13 comes close. The company touts it as the thinnest and lightest XPS yet, weighing in at 2.2 pounds and 12.7 millimeters thick. And with a starting price of $700, it competes directly with the MacBook Neo's new pricing (unfortunately, that $600 launch price was short-lived).

To reach that price point, though, Dell inevitably had to make some compromises. The new XPS 13 still features an all metal case, but its more basic design resembles the company's mainstream Inspiron line instead of the premium XPS family. Its Intel Core hardware is more efficient than before, but significantly slower than the last generation of XPS 13. And the more I use it, the more frustrated I am with its mechanical trackpad, which feels like a major step back from Dell's recent haptic trackpads.

And perhaps the biggest issue? I still don't think 8GB of RAM is enough to comfortably use Windows 11, especially if you plan to keep the XPS 13 for more than a few years. All that being said, if you're hyper-focused on getting a new $700 Windows PC that can vaguely compare to the MacBook Neo, then the XPS 13 is currently your best option.

Dell got the basics right with this XPS 13. Its aluminum case feels smooth and sturdy, with none of the case flex we typically see on $700 laptops. It doesn't feel as high-end as the XPS 14 and 16's aluminum finishes, but it's similar to the MacBook Neo. The XPS 13 is also a half-pound lighter than the 2.7-pound Neo, and it has a faster 120Hz display, both decent feathers in Dell's cap.

Stylistically, the XPS 13 is a step back from the last generation, which sported the same invisible trackpad and edge-to-edge keyboard as the current XPS 14 and 16. But the last few XPS 13 models also started at $1,300 and $1,400, so it's hard to expect the same level of quality on a $700 laptop. The real downside of this redesign, though, is that it looks more basic than the XPS 13 I reviewed in 2019 .

I suppose the realignment of the XPS 13 makes sense, though. If you want a premium and still very portable Dell laptop, the XPS 14 remains a viable option (especially now that Dell has fixed the annoying keyboard issue from my review unit). Now at least there's more differentiating Dell's smaller premium systems, and the company finally has something to offer customers looking for a sub-$1,000 "premium" system.

To reach that price point, Dell also had to bring back something I praised them for dropping years ago: A base model with 8GB of RAM. It's a step back, no doubt about it. But in the era of ever-increasing memory prices and the MacBook Neo's proven usefulness with the same amount of RAM, I can't blame Dell for going down this path. But is 8GB of RAM really enough for a modern Windows 11 system? Sort of.