Dell XPS 16
pros and cons
- Stunning OLED screen
- Top-tier hardware
- 4K webcam
- Few ports available
- Price can quickly get expensive.
apr / 2026
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
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: Lenovo vs. Dell: My buying advice after testing dozens of laptops from both
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.
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.