I've used Dell's new XPS 16 for a week, and it's the Windows laptop to beat in 2026

pros and cons

Pros

• Stunning OLED screen
• Top-tier hardware
• 4K webcam

Cons

• Few ports available
• Price can quickly get expensive.

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

I've been eager to get my hands on Dell's 2026 XPS lineup. If you don't know, the series briefly disappeared last year during a rebranding effort that replaced the devices with the "Plus" and "Premium" lines. Customer response wasn't the most positive. Fans wanted the old series and its defining features back. For 2026, Dell delivered. 

Also: The best Windows laptops of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

I will admit that I was a little jealous when my colleague and ZDNET editor Kyle Kucharski got first dibs when he reviewed the XPS 14 last month. Now I finally have my turn with the Dell XPS 16 -- and it may be my favorite laptop of 2026. This isn't just a return to form; it's an evolution. Dell refined many aspects of its flagship device, making it a strong case for one of the best computers of the year.

Premium design

I'm a big fan of the laptop's aesthetics. The Graphite finish wrapping the entire chassis gives Dell's device a smooth, refined look. I simply love the color. It does pick up some fingerprints, but nothing too bad or super distracting.

Also: I tested the best laptop docking stations - here's what I recommend for your office setup

One thing you'll notice in the image is how thin this laptop is. The company states the XPS 16 weighs 3.65 pounds and is 14.6mm (0.57 inches) thick, making it easy to slip into a backpack with plenty of room to spare. According to Dell, the machine is made primarily of CNC-machined aluminum, and the display out of Gorilla Glass 3. 

These materials give the laptop a sturdy form factor. I didn't go out of my way to test its durability, although I can confirm it feels solid enough to handle the occasional drop.

The biggest drawback is the port selection. You only get three Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack; nothing more.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Like previous models, the XPS 16 sports a flat keyboard that sits flush with the wrist rest. The keys are a bit mushy. Certainly not the worst I've ever felt, but not on the same level as keyboards with 1.5mm travel distance. One notable change is the removal of the touch-sensitive function row, replaced by traditional physical keys. 

I didn't mind the touch row from before; however, I do think the physical keys are a nice return and should appeal to more people.

In the older XPS series, the trackpad was completely invisible. There were no visual indicators. This time, the trackpad is outlined by faint stripes in a different shade of black. You can see them in the image above. In use, it's excellent: responsive, smooth, and spacious.

Multimedia powerhouse

Above the keyboard sits a stunning 16-inch 3.2K OLED touchscreen. It is easily one of the highlights of the XPS 16. The panel delivers rich, accurate colors with excellent sharpness, making it a great choice for content creators. Its ultra-thin bezels help create an immersive experience. The finer details in objects stand out clearly. I could see individual strands of my hair on the screen while using the webcam.

Also: I used an M.2 PCIe enclosure for data storage, and it made file transfers so much faster

Speaking of which, above the display sits an 8MP camera capable of capturing sharp, vibrant 4K video. Image quality is top-notch thanks to HDR support. Backing all this up is a powerful quad-speaker system comprising dual 3W main speakers and dual 2W tweeters, tuned with Waves MaxxAudio Pro. 

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

There isn't a dedicated subwoofer, but the laptop doesn't need one. The main speakers deliver enough bass. Nothing feels missing. Whether you're listening to spoken word, music, or YouTube videos, audio quality is clear, loud, and well-balanced.

Performance

For the review, I tested the top-end prebuilt configuration currently available from Dell. It housed an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor, 32GB of RAM, an integrated Intel Arc graphics card, and a 1TB SSD. That's a strong, well-rounded setup. It's capable of handling video editing, photo work, and coding projects without any trouble. In day-to-day use, the machine delivers fast, reliable performance that feels close to a top-tier desktop PC.

The table above compares several benchmark scores with those of other flagship laptops, such as Samsung's Galaxy Book6 Ultra and the M5 MacBook Air. You'll notice that the XPS 16 beats most of the other laptops in raw processing power, indicating its top-notch performance. It is beaten by Apple's machine, although not by much.

Also: I found a 'DISM' command that reclaims Windows 11 system storage - but you'll have to use it wisely

In the Cinebench tests, Dell's device falls significantly behind the Galaxy Book6 Ultra and the ThinkPad P1. It's worth noting that those two laptops house dedicated Nvidia graphics cards. So, naturally, they will be better. Still, a Cinebench 2026 score of 4,065 for an integrated Intel Arc GPU is pretty good. These numbers show that the XPS 16 can handle heavy creative workloads quite well. Plus, it's significantly cheaper.

Before I go into the pricing, I want to quickly mention the battery.

My review unit lasted about 14 hours on a single charge, which is solid for a laptop in its performance class. You can get through an entire workday on this machine. If battery life is a top priority for you, the base model may be the better option. Dell claims the lower-end model can last up to 31 hours before tapping out.

ZDNET's buying advice

Pricing for the Dell XPS 16 starts at $1,900. The base configuration includes an Intel Core Ultra 7 325 processor, integrated graphics, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 16-inch 2K display. My review unit has two unique offers attached. 

The $2,350 version includes a copy of Battlefield 6, the survival game Everwind, and access to both Adobe Premiere Pro and the Creative Cloud Photography Plan. The $2,460 Dell XPS 16 includes the same software, plus one year of Adobe Express Premium, McAfee+ Premium, and Dell Care Premium.

I'd recommend the XPS 16 to anyone looking for a premium Windows 11 machine, especially if you're a content creator who wants a reliable workstation on the go.