Laptops · Ranked #19 of 43 · Best budget Windows laptop

Dell XPS 13 (2026)

81
Well liked
Average of 6 professional reviews
4 of 6 recommend it · broad agreement
Where the 6 reviews landedRange 70–90

Exact average 81.3 · all scores printed by the outlets

Dell XPS 13 (2026)Image: Dell

6 professional reviewers tested the Dell XPS 13 (2026), and 4 recommend it. Most praised: picture quality and battery life. Most common complaint: price.

Reviewed by Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, CNET and 3 more

The catch: The 8GB base model struggles, so plan to pay extra for 16GB.

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What 6 critics said

Highest score first · all converted to 0–100
  1. 90
    Tom's HardwareHands-on review · 2026

    An excellent budget-to-midrange Windows laptop that is light, slim and outlasts the MacBook Neo on battery.

    Read Tom's Hardware review
  2. 90
    Tom's GuideHands-on review · 2026

    Named the best budget Windows laptop at present, with strong battery life and fast storage.

    Read Tom's Guide review
  3. 83
    CNETHands-on review · 2026

    A strong budget Windows alternative to the MacBook Neo, though the reviewer slightly prefers the Neo.

    Read CNET review
  4. 80
    WIREDHands-on review

    A compelling laptop with a great display, keyboard and touchpad, but the 8GB base model is too limited.

    Read WIRED review
  5. 75
    EngadgetHands-on review · 2026

    A light, slim, long-lasting budget laptop, but the 8GB base model struggles badly with multitasking.

    Read Engadget review
  6. 70
    TechRadarHands-on review · 2026

    A portable, premium-feeling laptop that falls short of being a MacBook Neo beater.

    Read TechRadar review

"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates

What critics praise most

Picture quality3 of 6
Battery life3 of 6
Performance2 of 6

What critics dislike most

Price2 of 6

Other laptops critics rate highly

Apple MacBook Air (M4)Image: Apple
Best overallApple MacBook Air (M4)7 reviews · broad agreement91
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)Image: HP
HP Spectre x360 14 (2024)4 reviews · critics agree89
Apple MacBook Air (M5)Image: Apple
Best all-round laptopApple MacBook Air (M5)8 reviews · broad agreement88
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)Image: Apple
Runner-upApple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4)7 reviews · critics agree87

Compare head to head

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Also reviewed, not yet scored

Common questions

Is the Dell XPS 13 (2026) worth it?

Critics are divided: 4 of 6 recommend it. The 8GB base model struggles, so plan to pay extra for 16GB.

Do critics agree about the Dell XPS 13 (2026)?

Broad agreement: scores range from 70 (TechRadar) to 90 (Tom's Hardware), a spread of 20 points across 6 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.

What do critics dislike about the Dell XPS 13 (2026)?

Price (2 of 6 reviews).

What is the best alternative to the Dell XPS 13 (2026)?

The Apple MacBook Air (M4) (critic score 91), best overall.