Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite) Review - Editor's Choice
The Dell XPS 13 combines formidable performance and remarkable battery longevity in an ultralight frame, but this design marvel comes with trade-offs.
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Pros:
- Sleek, refined design
- Luminous display
- Robust performance
- Outstanding battery life
- Reliable webcam
Cons:
- Limited to two ports
- Subpar color accuracy
- Compact keyboard
- Average graphics performance
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Quick Navigation:
- Specifications
- Pricing and Configurations
- Design
- Ports
- Display
- Keyboard and Touchpad
- Audio
- Performance
- AI Performance and Features
- Graphics
- Battery Life
- Webcam
- Thermal Management
- Software and Warranty
- Conclusion
Are you in search of the pinnacle of ultraportable laptops for global adventures? The latest Dell XPS 13 might just be your ideal companion.
Priced at $1,299, this iteration of the XPS 13, equipped with Qualcomm’s cutting-edge Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 processor, delivers exceptional performance and impressive battery longevity in an astonishingly lightweight chassis. The 13.4-inch display is brilliantly bright and is paired with a competent webcam.
However, this slim-and-light build necessitates some compromises. Notably, the scarcity of ports and the tight keyboard are immediately noticeable. Moreover, while the display is bright, it lacks vivid color. Lastly, the Qualcomm Adreno graphics significantly lag behind the competition in our tests.
Despite these drawbacks, the innovation in the CPU and the enduring battery life heavily favor the XPS 13. But does it warrant a spot among the best laptops with the longest battery life? Let's delve deeper.
DELL XPS 13 9345: SPECIFICATIONS
- Price: Starting at $1,299
- CPU: Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
- GPU: Qualcomm Adreno
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 13.4-inch, 1920 x 1200, 120Hz
- Battery: 19:01
- Dimensions: 11.62 x 7.84 x 0.6 inches
- Weight: 2.6 pounds
DELL XPS 13 9345: PRICING AND CONFIGURATIONS
I reviewed the base model of the sleek new Dell XPS 13, featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 13.4-inch, 1920 x 1200, 120Hz display.
For those looking to enhance the specs, upgrades include 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for $1,599, or 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for $2,199. Add $300 to any configuration for either a 2560 x 1600, 500-nit display or an OLED, 2880 x 1800, 60Hz, 400-nit display.
Looking for a more budget-friendly option? Check out our best laptops under $1,000.
DELL XPS 13 9345: DESIGN
The moment a laptop so lightweight and slim landed on my desk, I realized we had entered the future of technology. The Dell XPS 13 is precisely the leap forward I anticipated. Gazing at its graphite anodized metal lid feels like peering into an ethereal realm. The curves and angles are reminiscent of a sculptor's masterpiece in marble.
The interior of the XPS 13 illuminates with a pristine glow, akin to unveiling the Batmobile's engine. The function row is absent, and the keys lay flat, as if the keyboard board was entirely removed. The touchpad is integrated seamlessly into the flat deck. Dell's InfinityEdge display continues to impress with its incredibly thin bezels.
Weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring 11.62 x 7.84 x 0.6 inches, the Dell XPS 13 is one of the lightest laptops I’ve ever tested, even lighter than the MacBook Air 13-inch M3 (2.7 pounds), Asus Zenbook 14 OLED Q425M (3 pounds), and HP Spectre x360 14 2024 (3.2 pounds).
DELL XPS 13 9345: PORTS
The Dell XPS 13 comes with only two ports, a clear limitation for users needing more connectivity options. There's a USB Type-C port on each side of the device. For additional connectivity, consider our recommended USB Type-C hubs and best laptop docking stations.
DELL XPS 13 9345: DISPLAY
The 13.4-inch, 1920 x 1200, 120Hz panel of the Dell XPS 13 is indeed shiny but falls short in color vibrancy. Watching the Borderlands trailer, the contrast was lackluster, reducing the deep orange canyons to a lifeless pale yellow. While it is sharp enough to capture intricate details like strands of hair, the high refresh rate primarily enhances desktop experience rather than gaming.
Our colorimeter results showed the Dell XPS 13 covered only 66.9% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, significantly lower than the average premium laptop (86.8%), and also trailing behind the MacBook Air (77.8%), Zenbook 14 (79.8%), and Spectre x360 (85.8%).
However, at 456 nits, the XPS 13’s brightness is commendable, close to the average premium laptop (467 nits), just slightly dimmer than the MacBook Air (476 nits), but brighter than the Zenbook 14 (339 nits) and Spectre x360 (366 nits).
DELL XPS 13 9345: KEYBOARD AND TOUCHPAD
Despite its aesthetic appeal, the compact design compromises typing comfort. The keys are not particularly clicky, but the small and compact layout makes typing challenging. I typed 76 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, slightly below my usual 81 wpm average, mainly due to the smaller backspace button and the cramped layout.
The touchpad, though subtly distinct from the deck, still feels like dragging a finger across the deck. The haptic feedback is adequate, but the lack of haptic feedback in the function row is disappointing.
DELL XPS 13 9345: AUDIO
The side-firing speakers of the Dell XPS 13 produce sharp and hollow sound. Listening to Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” revealed sharp highs without the bass to balance it. While vocals were clear, the background synths and percussion clashed.
DELL XPS 13 9345: PERFORMANCE
Equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 processor and 16GB of RAM, the Dell XPS 13 experienced noticeable lag on initial boot-up but performed well afterward. It handled multiple Google Chrome tabs, YouTube videos, and Spotify simultaneously.
In the Geekbench 6.3 performance test, the Dell XPS 13 scored 14,635, outperforming the average premium laptop (8,927), MacBook Air’s M3 (12,087), and Intel Core Ultra 7 155H in the Zenbook 14 (12,707) and Spectre x360 (12,358).
The XPS 13 transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in 4 minutes and 41 seconds on our HandBrake benchmark, significantly faster than the average premium laptop (7:21), MacBook Air (6:32), Zenbook 14 (6:36), and Spectre x360 (7:30).
Dell’s 512GB SSD had a transfer rate of 1,342 megabytes per second, close to the category average (1,416 MBps), slightly faster than the Zenbook 14 (1,236 MBps) and slightly slower than the Spectre x360 (1,363 MBps). Remarkably, the XPS 13 outperformed the MacBook Air in some aspects, scoring 3,129/3,782 MBps on the BlackMagic Read/Write test compared to the MacBook Air's 3,030/3,058 MBps.
DELL XPS 13 9345: AI PERFORMANCE AND FEATURES
The Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 CPU is a key highlight of the Dell XPS 13, providing exceptional performance and energy efficiency. The Snapdragon X Elite chipset, with its Qualcomm Oryon CPU and Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, balances processing speeds and power consumption, contributing to the laptop's impressive battery life.
In the Geekbench ML 0.6 AI performance test, the XPS 13 scored an ONNX/CPU score of 2,953, surpassing the Spectre x360 (2,876) and nearly matching the Zenbook 14 (2,971). However, this test doesn't fully capture the NPU capabilities where Qualcomm excels.
DELL XPS 13 9345: GRAPHICS
While the Snapdragon X Elite processor shines, the Qualcomm Adreno graphics chip falls short. The XPS 13 scored 5,635 on the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic graphics benchmark, much lower than the average premium laptop (9,218) and trailing behind the Zenbook 14 (8,064) and Spectre x360 (6,986).
On the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark (Medium, 1080p), the XPS 13 averaged 23 frames per second, below the playable threshold of 30 fps and lagging behind the MacBook Air (41 fps), Zenbook 14 (31 fps), and Spectre x360 (36 fps).
DELL XPS 13 9345: BATTERY LIFE
The most impressive feature of the XPS 13 is its battery life. In the battery test, the XPS 13 lasted 19 hours and 1 minute (20:51 after the BIOS 1.7.0 update), significantly outperforming the MacBook Air (15:13), Zenbook 14 (15:52), Spectre x360 (11:01), and the average premium laptop (11:13). It even surpassed the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2023), which previously held the longest battery life record at 18:05.
DELL XPS 13 9345: WEBCAM
The 1080p webcam of the XPS 13 manages to stand out in a sea of mediocre laptop webcams. It captures a good amount of detail and balances contrast well, even with challenging lighting conditions.
DELL XPS 13 9345: THERMAL MANAGEMENT
Under light usage, the XPS 13 can get warm in certain areas. After streaming a 15-minute video, the underside reached 94 degrees Fahrenheit, just below our 95-degree comfort threshold, while the keyboard and touchpad measured 96 and 89 degrees, respectively. However, the top underside near the hinge reached an uncomfortable 120 degrees.
DELL XPS 13 9345: SOFTWARE AND WARRANTY
The My Dell app and Dell SupportAssist handle all crucial settings and support needs. The My Dell app allows for adjustments to power, display, and audio system settings, while Dell SupportAssist provides warranty information, troubleshooting, and optimization tools. The XPS 13 comes with a one-year limited warranty.
CONCLUSION
The Dell XPS 13 is an exceptional ultrabook for those prioritizing design, battery life, and performance. However, the display and keyboard may be deal-breakers for some. For a more spacious keyboard and vivid display, consider the MacBook Air 13-inch. But if you're comfortable with a more compact layout and subdued display, the Dell XPS 13 offers many strengths worth considering.