Dell takes on Apple’s MacBook Neo with the new XPS 13 at an affordable price

The Computex 2026 has officially kicked off in Taiwan, and Dell is all set to take on Apple with its new budget laptop. The company has launched the Dell XPS 13 for just $599 (about Rs 56,832) for students, bringing premium features at an affordable price. This new device takes a direct hit at Apple’s MacBook Neo (review here), as the XPS 13 also targets casual users and students looking for a reliable everyday laptop. Here’s what you need to know about the new Dell XPS 13. 

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Dell XPS 13: Specifications and features

The Dell XPS 13 is touted as the slimmest and lightest XPS laptop, with a 12.7mm thickness and weighing around 997 grams. It features a CNC-machined aluminium chassis, comes with a 2.5K touchscreen display that offers up to 500 nits of brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. It also offers a backlit keyboard and WiFi 7 for smooth productivity, and features two USB-C ports for connectivity.

For performance, the Dell XPS 13 is powered by the Intel Core Series 3 processor paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. In addition, it is also equipped with a dual-fan cooling system. In terms of battery life, the laptop claims to offer up to 17 hours of video playback.

Dell XPS 13 price

The Dell XPS 13 is priced at $700 (around Rs 67,900). For comparison, the Apple MacBook Neo is priced at Rs 69,900. For students under 16, the laptop will cost $599 (about Rs 56,832). However, the Indian price for the Dell XPS 13 is yet to be confirmed.

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Dell XPS 13 vs MacBook Neo: How do they compare?

The Dell XPS 13 comes with slight bigger 13.4-inch touchscreen display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, but the MacBook Neo (review here) misses out on the touchscreen display and offers a 60Hz refresh rate. Dell offers a fully backlit keyboard, which is critical in low-light environments, whereas Apple’s Neo does not, which feels like a drawback. 

Dell XPS 13 is also slightly lighter, making it more portable, and it also offers two high-speed USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) ports. However, in terms of price, the MacBook Neo is more affordable compared to the Dell XPS 13.