I Can’t Believe I Liked This… - Dell XPS 13 Plus Review

The Dell XPS 13 Plus is pitched as a bold attempt by Dell to fit a 14-core CPU into a 13-inch ultrabook, a goal the reviewer frames as both ambitious and risky. The opening segment argues that Dell borrows from Apple aesthetics yet pushes ahead with a high TDP CPU, setting up the central question of whether the performance gains justify the design compromises. The reviewer notes that the XPS 13 Plus treads a fine line between innovation and usability, highlighting the decision to drop a traditional function row in favor of a capacitive, glassy control surface that doubles as the new interface for media controls and power management. The discussion emphasizes that the function row is thin yet results in significant cooling gains, and that the transparent glass design also benefits WiFi antennas by enabling better RF performance. In the mid section, the keyboard receives focused praise for its dish-shaped keys and tight spacing, with the reviewer remarking that it may be one of the most satisfying ultrabook keyboards, albeit with caveats for users with larger hands or a preference for tactile feedback. The trackpad, integrated into a seamless palm rest of Gorilla Glass and featuring piezoelectric buzzers for a click, is celebrated for its responsive feedback, while also noting configurability in Windows and a potential durability caveat if a buzzer fails. The discussion then pivots to I/O, limited to two Thunderbolt 4 ports and no headphone jack, framing consumer trade-offs against a 28-watt CPU and the need for dongles. Performance testing follows, with the Core i7 14-core model delivering substantial speed improvements over the M1 MacBook Pro in similar form factors, though temperatures spike under sustained load and the cooling solution is a critical point of reference. The reviewer also compares display options, praising the OLED panel for contrast and brightness while calling out its battery life drawbacks, compared with the LCD option that provides near all-day battery performance. Speaker performance is improved over prior generations, with a more robust output that remains surprisingly usable even at higher volumes, though some resonance in the upper midrange can be noticeable. The video concludes with a pragmatic assessment of repairability, acknowledging that while some components are easily replaceable, others are not, and speculating about future iterations of the XPS 13 lineup. Overall, the reviewer positions the XPS 13 Plus as a powerful, well-built machine that is not without notable compromises, especially for headphone jack enthusiasts, and ends by noting pricing starting points and the rationale for choosing configurations beyond the base model.

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