Dell updates popular XPS 13 laptop with 16:10 screen, IR camera

It's time to usher in the new year with a slew of consumer electronics slated for formal introduction at next week's CES 2020, but Dell is already dishing out product news. Today, the company announced the newest version of its popular XPS 13 laptop, an update to last year's model that is currently our favorite Windows ultrabook. Dell didn't change much about the XPS 13, though it did adjust the display aspect ratio to 16:10 and included an infrared camera for Windows Hello.

That first change makes a big difference in the overall look of the XPS 13 9300. Previously, the wide chin at the bottom of the 16:9 display panel took up a lot of space and made the screen area feel smaller than it actually was. Now, Dell has expanded the display and shrunk all of its bezels to fit the new 16:10 panel, and it's a welcome improvement.

I got a few minutes with the new XPS 13, and the experience of using the device—particularly a model with a 4K display—feels much better. When the old and new XPS 13 are placed side by side, it's hard to imagine using the squished panel on the old XPS 13, as the new 16:10 panel looks like it was always meant to sit in its place.

The top bezel still holds the minuscule webcam, but it also now has an IR camera for Windows Hello. This complements the fingerprint reader embedded in the XPS 13's power button, giving users two methods of biometric authentication. Dell still hasn't incorporated a webcam shutter, though, which is disappointing, but we're glad to see the IR camera fit into the XPS 13's overall design.

The XPS 13's keyboard has also been improved. It's not the controversial MagLev keyboard found on the XPS 13 two-in-one, although it looks quite similar. According to a Dell representative, the keys have 1mm of travel and use rubber dome technology that's thinner and shaped differently from those used in the MagLev design.

This feature means the keys need a bit more force to actuate, which isn't a bad thing—in fact, it will likely be harder to accidentally press the keys on this laptop than the XPS 13 two-in-one. I personally like that the keys take up more space than those on last year's Dell XPS 13 laptop. It makes for a more comfortable, less cramped typing experience, which is helped by the fact that the new keyboard also extends toward the right and left edges of the device.

Otherwise, Dell focused on improving the stability of the XPS 13 with better materials and a slightly modified internal construction. The new model has thicker aluminum at the corners to make the entire machine more durable, and the chassis components are now CNC cut to keep construction more consistent. The XPS 13 still has dual fans, dual heat pipes, and GORE thermal insulation to keep it cool under pressure. Dell estimates that this model will get up to 19 hours of battery life when configured with an FHD+ display. The new model will also support Wi-Fi 6. Overall, this seems like a thoughtful update that fixes a couple of the pain points some users had with last year's XPS 13.

Some aspects of the XPS family have also made it into a new line of Latitudes that debuted ahead of CES. The new 9000 series is the most premium (premium-est?) Latitude line Dell has ever produced, featuring sleek all-metal designs and features like optional vPro and a wider variety of ports.

The new Latitude 9510 is a 15-inch machine in a 14-inch chassis, and it will be available as a laptop and a two-in-one. Both models will be available with Core i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB PCIe SSD, a battery that can last up to 30 hours on a single charge, and ports that include a smart card reader, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 3. The machine will also support optional LTE and Dell Optimizer, an AI-based program that learns how you use your machine and does things like open your most used apps faster, adjust audio settings automatically when conferencing, and more.

The updated Dell XPS 13 9300 will be available on January 7 starting at $999. Dell will also produce a Developer's Edition of the XPS 13, but its pricing and availability have not been released yet. The new Latitude 9510 laptop and the two-in-one model will be available on March 26.

Listing image by Valentina Palladino