Introduction
Generally, Dell XPS laptops are the flagship products of the company. Dell Inc. has unveiled its 2021 edition of the Dell XPS 13 laptop sporting OLED display in the UK and US markets. The visually appealing Dell XPS 13 had a stylish and sleek chassis to catch the imagination of gadget lovers. With the coming of the OLED display, this flagship product has added another feather in its cap. The genuine users of the Dell laptops ask whether the company has forgone some key features to introduce this option? In this article, we will be giving the first-hand experience and impressions of the Dell XPS 13 OLED laptop.
First Impressions
1. Look and Feel: Like the earlier varients, Dell XPS 13 OLED laptop has a compact and lightweight body. At a weight of 1.2kg, its mass is comparable to that of the M1 MacBook Air. The Arctic White variant of this laptop is quite striking in appearance with a brushed silver lid, palm rests made of woven-glass fiber, and premium inside finish. The new Dell XPS 13 debuts with the borderless InfinityEdge display and the OLED screen. The presence of the OLED panel further improves its look.
2. Storage: Building up to its premium laptop feel is its storage options. The 2021 edition of Dell XPS 13 comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage for excellent performance.
3. Display: Though we have reviewed the 4K screens of the predecessor variants, the bezels studded around the screen of the OLED variant make its appearance stunning. XPS 13 OLED sports an eye-catching display that the company chooses to call 3.5K. Its display area is 3456 x 2160 pixels. The vibrant colors of its OLED provide high clarity, which is lacking in non-OLED screens. Thus, watching the Netflix series of The Crown in visual richness of the OLED display gives the real-life feeling visually. The Dell XPS 13 OLED offers a visually responsive touch-screen option like its predecessors. Its maximum brightness is at 400 nits.
4. Battery Life: On a single charge, the battery supports various operations of the laptop for about 7 hours. However, playing for a while in Fortnite drains the battery faster than expected. The charge in the battery can be conserved while using the laptop in the dark mode.
5. Ports: 2021 edition of XPS 13 has a limited number of ports. Its ultra-thin aluminum chassis provides a jack for headphones, two ports for Thunderbolt 4, and a micro SD card slot. Instead of a port for Type-A USB, the company comes with Type-A to Type-C dongle.
6. Speakers: Located in the small cut-outs of the underside of the Dell XPS 13 OLED, the speakers give out a loud and punchy sound when placed on an even and flat surface. This sound further builds up to the fabulous media experience.
7. Keyboard and Touchpad: It seems the company has worked upon the keyboard to improve the user experience. Since the keys are neither rigid nor clicky, typing using the improvised keyboard is comfortable and easy. Furthermore, two-stage backlighting on this keyboard provides an aesthetic experience against its white finish. The reactive and silky smooth touchpad measures 4.4 x 2.5 inches.
8. Processor and Graphics Support: The 2021 edition of the Dell XPS 13 laptop comes packed with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU and 16GB RAM. This configuration is good enough for supporting day-to-day tasks such as streaming high-definition videos and opening multiple web pages. Intel Xe Graphics card present in the Dell XPS 13 OLED makes playing games and editing videos an easy task. However, users can play games like Fortnite only in lower graphics settings.
9. Webcam: An inconspicuous webcam is underneath the bezel. Its output is slightly grainy when operated in low light. This output is ok considering the size of the camera.
Verdict
The 2021 version of the XPS 13 performs well while executing day-to-day tasks like video streaming and opening multiple web pages. However, the battery configuration makes a dent in its image build-up as a must-look-for model. The excellent color reproduction and screen quality will force the visual enthusiasts to shell out $1,599 or Rs. 1,19,000 to own this laptop. Users who require memory customization and RAM may go for UHD and FHD options.