Dell brings back XPS with redesigned 14-inch laptop and Panther Lake chips

Dell used CES 2026 in Las Vegas to reverse one of its most criticized laptop moves: bringing back XPS after a year in which the brand had been folded into the Dell Premium name. The new XPS 14 and XPS 16 are not a badge swap. Dell said both models were rebuilt from the ground up, and the XPS logo has returned to the lid for the first time, a clear signal that the company wants premium laptops to feel like a distinct part of its consumer strategy again.

That matters because the premium PC market is still defined by replacement decisions made after the pandemic-era buying surge. Dell is asking shoppers and employers to pay more for a machine that is slimmer, lighter, and more efficient, but also visibly more expensive. The XPS 14 starts at $2,049.99 in launch configurations, the XPS 16 at $2,199.99, and Dell said the XPS 13 will return later in 2026 as the most accessible XPS ever.

The hardware is meant to support that pitch. Dell said the new models measure 14.6mm thick, with the XPS 14 weighing about three pounds and the XPS 16 at 3.6 pounds. Both use Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and Intel Arc graphics with 12 Xe cores. Dell also claimed battery life of up to 27 hours of Netflix streaming and more than 40 hours of local video playback, figures that speak directly to workers and students who want one expensive laptop to last through a full day, and then some.

Dell is also trying to make the redesign feel less disposable. The company said the XPS 14 includes modular USB-C ports, an easy-to-remove keyboard, recycled steel hinges, and batteries made with recycled cobalt and recycled copper. Those details fit a broader effort to frame the laptop as a more repairable and sustainable purchase, even as its price moves further into the luxury tier.

Early reviews suggest Dell has fixed more than its branding. PCMag said the XPS line was gone for a year under Dell Premium and noted that the new XPS 14 can start at $1,599.99 in some configurations with Intel Core Ultra 5 325 or Core Ultra 7 355 options. Engadget said early samples had a keyboard issue, but Dell said a small batch of early units was affected and that the problem was resolved for shipping machines. The result is a sharper XPS than Dell has offered in years, but also a reminder that the question for premium laptops is no longer whether they look better. It is whether they justify the premium at all.