New Dell XPS Laptops Get ‘Built-In AI’ Thanks To Intel Core Ultra Chips

Dell says the new XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16 come with ‘AI-enabled features’ thanks to Intel Core Ultra processors and experiences enabled by Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant for Windows 11. The new designs even come with a key to instantly access Copilot.

Dell Technologies’ next wave of XPS laptops are getting new 14-inch and 16-inch options along with “built-in AI” capabilities thanks to the Intel Core Ultra chips going inside the systems.

The Round Rock, Texas-based IT giant revealed the new XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16 laptops on Thursday ahead of CES 2024 next week and said its trio of flagship consumer notebooks adopt the fresh minimalistic design of last year’s XPS 13 Plus model.

This minimalist design ethos will extend to all XPS models in the future to “eliminate distractions and place the focus on productivity,” according to the company. The company has also decided to depreciate the XPS 13 Plus name and simply call this year’s model the XPS 13.

The three new XPS designs are powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra processors, which launched last month. Previously known under the code name Meteor Lake, each chip comes with a CPU, GPU and, for the first time in an Intel chip, a neural processing unit (NPU).

Intel has said in recent months that the Core Ultra processors will “usher in the age of the AI PC” because of how AI applications with different performance and power requirements will take advantage of each chip’s CPU, GPU and NPU—rather than relying on the cloud.

As CRN reported for AI PC Week in December, some of the biggest IT vendors in the channel, including Intel and Dell, believe AI PCs will reinvigorate the computer industry and lead to new opportunities for solution providers. However, while some “killer apps” already exist, vendors are still on the hunt for many more that will make AI-enabled PCs indispensable.

Dell said the new XPS 13, XPS 14 and XPS 16 come with “AI-enabled features” thanks to Intel Core Ultra processors and experiences enabled by Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant for Windows 11. The new designs even come with a key to instantly access Copilot as part of Microsoft’s push for OEMs to include a Copilot key for new laptops.

With Core Ultra’s NPU, Dell said the PC “no longer needs to rely solely on the CPU or GPU for processing and performance.” This, in turn, will enable faster performance and longer battery life for applications that can take advantage of the low-power AI engine.

“Imagine you are a creator who is always on the go and editing photos in Adobe Lightroom. This new technology automatically leverages the right compute engine for your workload, in this case letting you edit images faster than before while preserving battery life,” wrote Donnie Oliphant, senior director of XPS product marketing, about the laptops’ AI capabilities.

The XPS 16 comes with an Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU, supporting up to a RTX 4070 model, and the XPS 14 has the option for a GeForce RTX GPU, supporting up to a RTX 4050 model.

Both the XPS 16 and XPS 14 are validated by the Nvidia Studio program to deliver “industry-leading performance for demanding creative tasks such as 3-D rendering, video editing and live streaming, while offering exclusive access to the Studio AI-powered suite of tools and enhanced stability with Nvidia Studio Drivers,” according to Dell.

Other features in the new XPS laptops include a “touch function row to switch between media and function keys easily, a seamless glass touchpad with haptic feedback, and larger keycaps that provide a comfortable and smooth typing experience with every keystroke,” Dell said.

For the display, the laptops come with InfinityEdge Panels, variable refresh rates, “stunning color” and Dolby Vision along with options for high-resolution and OLED touch screens.

The notebooks also feature ExpressCharge, which lets batteries recharge to 80 percent capacity in just an hour, a quad speaker design with Dolby Atmos support and 3-D stereo sound, plus a new “intelligent” FHD 1,080p webcam.

All three laptops will be available soon. The XPS 13 will start at $1,299 while the XPS 14 and XPS 16 will have starting prices of $1,699 and $1,899, respectively.