Thinner XPS 13 Laptop Uses Dell’s Smallest Ever Motherboard

Dell launched a new XPS 13 today, which not only counts as its thinnest and lightest 13-inch laptop, but utilizes a motherboard that's 1.8x smaller than last year's model.

As with other laptop brands recently, Dell updated the XPS 13 to take advantage of Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake processors. However, Dell's engineers also took the opportunity to carry out a major design rethink inside the laptop. In the process, they developed and manufactured the smallest motherboard Dell has ever created, allowing more tech (and bigger speakers) to be packed into its tiny frame. The XPS 13 9315 is only 0.55-inches (13.99mm) thick and weighs 2.59lbs (1.17kg). To put that in context, the previous XPS 13 was 0.58-inches thick and weighed 2.64lbs.

Inside you'll find either an Intel Core i5-1230U or a Core i7-1250U processor with Iris Xe graphics and between 8-32GB of LPDDR5-5200 dual-channel RAM. Storage options include a 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB PCIe SSD. The 13.4-inch InfinityEdge display is available in either 2400p or 1200p resolutions with 500 nits of brightness and optional touch input. Dell says the 51Whr battery offers up to 12 hours of battery life and can be recharged using the included 45W USB-C adapter.

The XPS case is machined (low carbon) aluminum available in either Sky or Umber, and ships in packaging made from 100% recycled or renewable content. Prices start at $999 with immediate availability(Opens in a new window), and for those of you who don't like Windows 11, Dell will be offering a Developer Edition which comes with Ubuntu 20.04 installed instead.

Dell also updated the XPS 13 2-in-1, which counts as the first XPS model with optional 5G connectivity. The spec is very similar to the XPS 13, except for the RAM options topping out at 16GB and there only being a single, 1920p touch display. The battery is also slightly smaller at 49.5WHr.

As it's a 2-in-1 hybrid, Dell offers a magnetic XPS Folio to turn the tablet into a laptop, allowing three angles of adjustment (100, 112.5, and 125 degrees). There's also support for the XPS Stylus for those of you who like to sketch directly on the screen. Dell hasn't released pricing for the XPS 13 2-in-1 yet, but it's expected to launch in the summer.