Dell XPS 13 (2026): The Premium Windows Challenger to Apple’s MacBook Neo

By Elliot Nash - News

Updated: 2 June, 2026

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Readtime: 6 min

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• Dell has unveiled the new XPS 13 (2026), its thinnest and lightest XPS laptop yet
• Standard features include a 2.5K touchscreen, backlit keyboard, Intel Wi-Fi 7, Windows Hello and quad speakers
• Buyers can upgrade to Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage

Dell’s new XPS 13 for 2026 is the company’s thinnest, lightest and most accessible XPS laptop yet, and its answer to Apple’s MacBook Neo is pretty straightforward: more choice.

It brings the premium Dell badge down to a lower price point, while still giving buyers room to add more memory, more storage and more capable Intel hardware. And that’s all inside a tiny 12.7mm thin chassis that weighs only 1kg.

That makes it a very different kind of affordable premium laptop from the MacBook Neo. Apple’s machine is the cheapest way into a new MacBook, and if you want something more capable, the path is obvious: Air, then Pro.

Dell takes the Windows route. The XPS 13 (2026) gives buyers more choice from the start, which is useful, but choice always comes with a follow-up: how far down the upgrade rabbit hole do you go before the affordable option starts nudging you towards the next tier of laptops?

XPS 13 vs MacBook Neo: Key Specs Comparison

Dell XPS 13 Design and Features

The XPS 13 (2026) has the hardware to make Apple’s cheapest MacBook look deliberately restrained.

Dell is all too happy to lean into that comparison, calling out the 2.5K touchscreen, backlit keyboard, faster USB-C, Intel Wi-Fi 7, Windows Hello and quad speakers as standard features “you won’t find on a MacBook Neo”.

Of those, the display is the biggest win. The XPS 13 (2026) doesn’t just have a touchscreen for the sake of it; it pairs it with a 13.4-inch LCD with 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour coverage and a variable refresh rate ranging from 30Hz to 120Hz for smoother scrolling.

The spec sheet gets more interesting around the edges. Dell gives the XPS 13 two USB-C ports with faster USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds, while the MacBook Neo splits its two USB-C ports between one USB 3 connection and one slower USB 2 port. Step up to the higher-end XPS 13, and Dell will also offer two Thunderbolt 4 ports, though Apple keeps the simpler everyday win with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Dell also takes a cheeky extra point on battery life, at least by the numbers. The XPS 13 (2026) is rated for up to 17 hours of Netflix streaming, one hour longer than the MacBook Neo’s 16-hour video playback rating, and it gets there with a larger 53Wh battery compared to Apple’s 36.5Wh unit. The thing is, Apple is running an A18 Pro chip that started life in an iPhone, while Dell uses a proper laptop processor to do the work. So, outside those controlled lab tests, your mileage will vary.

RAM is the same kind of question. You can get away with 8GB on macOS more comfortably than you can on Windows, but Dell at least lets buyers step up to 16GB. Even if that should be the baseline for Windows.

Apple Makes It Simple. Dell Gives You Options

The two laptops aren’t perfect substitutes. Most Mac buyers are buying macOS, and most Windows buyers are staying in their lane. Still, the comparison matters because Apple has made the affordable premium laptop feel credible again. Other brands were always going to respond.

Apple’s MacBook Neo is clearly an entry-level Apple laptop. It’s specced that way, costs about as much as an iPhone, and sits in a clearly defined product hierarchy. For many buyers, that’s the whole appeal. They’re buying the ecosystem as much as the laptop, and if they need more power, Apple’s next steps are easy to understand.

That simplicity extends to the chip. The MacBook Neo runs on Apple’s A18 Pro, a mobile-derived processor that has more than enough power to run a laptop. Dell skips the mobile processor in favour of the Intel Core Series 3 at launch, with Core Ultra Series 3 options arriving post-launch.

Dell’s XPS 13 (2026) certainly gives Windows buyers more room to move. It starts as an accessible entry point, then lets buyers upgrade to Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. Dell’s answer to Apple is more: more storage, more memory, and more ways to make the machine your own.

That flexibility is useful, but it also muddies Dell’s entry-level pitch. Once you start adding more RAM, more storage and a higher-end processor, buyers have to ask whether they’re improving the affordable option or edging into the wrong tier.

That also puts more pressure on the base model. If the whole point is accessibility, the entry-level XPS 13 (2026) needs to make sense before the upgrades begin.

Australian Pricing Will Decide the Story

The biggest unanswered question for Australians is price. In the US, the 2026 XPS 13 starts at USD$699, with a temporary student offer bringing it down to USD$599. That puts it directly in the MacBook Neo conversation overseas. Locally, though, Dell hasn’t yet confirmed Australian pricing, so we can’t say whether it’ll genuinely compete with Apple’s AUD$899 starting price.

The touchscreen, backlit keyboard, Wi-Fi 7 and lightweight design all help the case, but price will decide how strong that case is in Australia.

For now, the XPS 13 (2026) gives Dell a proper answer to Apple’s cheapest MacBook. Apple has already decided what an entry-level MacBook is supposed to be. Dell gives buyers more say in the matter. Whether that flexibility feels like freedom or another spec-sheet maze will depend on where the Australian price lands.