The end of an era: Dell will no longer make XPS computers
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Someone has let the idiots in marketing take control. The XPS line is easily Dell's most recognisable and respected product class. I've had 3 myself.
Personally I would never buy a laptop with 'Max' in the name, so they won't be getting any more business from me.
Personally I would never buy a laptop with 'Max' in the name, so they won't be getting any more business from me.
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The XPS line unfortunately already died with its current gen, where thy removed the tactile function keys, replaced the good keyboard with flat keys, removed user replacable RAM and removed the additional NVMe slot that was present in the 15 inch model.
They essentially removed everything that made their XPS lineup great! I have the gen 12 intel 15 inch XPS, and besides the always one missing USB C port (it really should have 4, as you always lose one for the proprietary 140W PSU), it's a great machine!
They essentially removed everything that made their XPS lineup great! I have the gen 12 intel 15 inch XPS, and besides the always one missing USB C port (it really should have 4, as you always lose one for the proprietary 140W PSU), it's a great machine!
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I have a 2019 XPS13 which has been fantastic. Newer models haven't quite been up to scratch in terms of the simple features I have come to appreciate.
I also have a 2022 Latitude and I hate the keyboard on that with a passion (it's the dual purpose function keys that mean F11 is shared with Home and F12 is shared with End). This annoys me on a daily basis and is the sole reason why I won't buy another one.
If the new models have a sensible keyboard, and allow for USB C charging from both sides of the device (XPS13 does this, Latitude does not), then I'll consider another Dell when my XPS13 dies (which it is showing no sign of doing - the Latitude is flaky, the XPS13 is super reliable).
I also have a 2022 Latitude and I hate the keyboard on that with a passion (it's the dual purpose function keys that mean F11 is shared with Home and F12 is shared with End). This annoys me on a daily basis and is the sole reason why I won't buy another one.
If the new models have a sensible keyboard, and allow for USB C charging from both sides of the device (XPS13 does this, Latitude does not), then I'll consider another Dell when my XPS13 dies (which it is showing no sign of doing - the Latitude is flaky, the XPS13 is super reliable).
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I used Dell computers for years (supplied by work) and never knew which line was which. I think you overestimate the interest of someone who just needs to buy a computer every 3-5 years, and doesn't spend their free time scoping out the latest offerings.
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It's like Windows Vista all over again: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate, plus a few other variants and two embedded options.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista_editions#Editions_for_personal_computers
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Since you had no choice in the matter, it makes sense that it doesn't matter to you.
But for those who make those decisions, either for themselves, their family, their friends, or as their career, I imagine you can see how it might -- and it seems that this category makes up a majority of the Ars readership.
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Given that USB-A has a 5v
Ah, the trick is the humble "Flat White" - it should only be offered in one size - Even Starbucks is like this. - When it's offered in multiple sizes it's an indication it's probably not a good coffee spot.
The espresso/milk can't fit in a small and it's too watered down in a large.
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The odd thing here for me is "USB A" - as far as i'm aware, that's only a 5V output - Even the blue USB 3.1 A plugs could only send 5V of current .
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USB A by the spec I believe is only 5V but things like Quick Charge and such existed that bumped the voltage up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quick_Charge
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You missed the Pro Rugged options, in 13 or 14. The bigger one has more features, while the smaller is more ruggedder. I’m not sure which should be considered Premium or Max.
It’s not a big shift for the line - same sizes, same specs, same swappable components, now with AI!
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Ah yes, I forgot to acknowledge that in the previous comment, This does circles back around to the original Dell using non-standard things (such as a USB A wall charger - USB C port ), Dell was setting a customer expectation that this adapter for this purpose was normal and OK when in-fact it shouldn't have been encouraged. (of course adapters for data transfer made sense)
Whereas the whole time (since 2016ish) it could/should have been using USB-C adapter all along. - making a few assumptions, giving benefit of doubt to the OP..
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Let's help them name their base tier! I'll start.
My First Dell
Dellettante
Dell Aspiron
Dell Adequon
Dell Pro Min
Dell Pro Minus
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Dell doesn't use a USB A wall charger, they typically provide a standard wall brick that terminates in a USB C end. The OP was talking about a type C to A adapter to plug in things like a mouse dongle or something.
Personally if I had to bet on who is following the USB spec correctly: Dell vs Some adapters that were less than $10 for 4. I would bet on Dell.
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All I need to know is which tier has the silver finish that scratches off.
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araczynski
Ars Scholae Palatinae
They all (Dell/HP/etc) carry WAAAY too many skus in their lineups. Way too confusing to shop for a laptop in the windows world, they should take a few cues from Apple and keep it a bit simpler.
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Previously they had five or six lines of laptops. As a Mac user for more than 10 years, when I was hired somewhere with Dell I had no clue if Vosotro was better than Precision or Latitude. How do Inspiron and XPS stack up? They had no guidance on their website for what each line meant. Now they have three lines of laptop, which is a good consolidation.
This is an upgrade, but they could have done better. Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max is a clear hierarchy and Base, Plus, and Premium is another clear hierarchy. It's confusing when they get mixed together. A Dell Pro Max Base shouldn't be an offering. Max should only apply if it's the top spec. (Also a critique of Apple - the M4 Max should be the top spec, not the M4 Ultra.)
Dell could have done better with Dell, Dell Plus, and Dell Pro then another clearly different hierarchy that's something like Essential, Enhanced, and Elite.
I think they have the right idea, they just used the wrong words.
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So if I want a laptop for my business with a smartcard reader (my business requires them) and upgradeable RAM and SSD, which one do I order? As of yesterday, that would have been a Latitude. Because I need to know that I'll still have the ability to order something that makes sense for field use and isn't a consumer toy.
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My guess is sales are down. I really haven't seen them be price competitive for the product supplied in awhile.
It seems the new lower product line names are designed to encourage people to buy upwards. Who wants the standard model? But a "Max" model. YEAH!!!
It seems the new lower product line names are designed to encourage people to buy upwards. Who wants the standard model? But a "Max" model. YEAH!!!
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When I see moves like this, I generally assume that the technical "reasoning" is just an excuse -- the real reason is office politics and/or so that someone can have another line item on their resume "Oversaw successful, corporate-wide transition from 'X' to 'yY'."
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Well ”maximum” means as much as possible, while “ultra” means beyond. So it’s like having infinity and then more than infinity. As in little kids arguing over how much of something they’re going to have. There’s no logical satisfaction to be had here.
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No big deal, it is just a name change. I have an Inspiron 16 Plus, but the silly name never meant anything to me. I bought it based on the components and specifications and it was on sale. I keep the shiny chrome DELL sticker on it so I can recall the name if I have to. I have been very pleased with its performance and durability. The 16" 3K display and the GeForce RTX 3060 make it great for watching and editing 4K video.
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Yes. I’ve helped this along by standardizing what I buy. I only buy USB-C PD chargers and cables above the minimum spec needed to charge what I own.
Once that is done, I haven’t had to pay much attention to what USB-C device gets plugged into what cable or charger, they all work. I travel with a single USB-C PD wall charger with 4 ports on it. That thing has enough wattage to charge my MacBook Pro, iPad, phone, and almost every camera and gadget I travel with, except the oldest which is still stuck on the awful USB Mini-B connector and needs a USB-C adapter cable.
(Yes, having one charger for everything is a single point of failure for charging. In case it fails, I keep a second charger packed away in my carry-on.)
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Dell only updates system firmware (BIOS) for bug fixes though, while HP often also brings new functionality to older systems. Like when HP retrofitted NVMe boot support to z420/z620/z820 or REBAR support to z4/z6/z8 G4 workstations, while Dell did nothing to their equivalent models.
Dell is admittedly still better in this regard than Lenovo, but that's a pretty low bar.
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"...go-tos for consumer and business users seeking reliable performance and pricing."
Pricing is anything but reliable. Like Lenovo, the pricing is all over the place, seemingly by the day.
Makes purchasing for a business a nightmare - raise the PO and the price has gone up before it's all approved, or has gone down a chunk (which is almost as bad when trying to convince those above i'm competent).
Pricing is anything but reliable. Like Lenovo, the pricing is all over the place, seemingly by the day.
Makes purchasing for a business a nightmare - raise the PO and the price has gone up before it's all approved, or has gone down a chunk (which is almost as bad when trying to convince those above i'm competent).
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You added "standard" just to make sense of it. But there is no "standard" in Dells wording at all.
Dell Premium vs Dell Pro.. i'd think the Dell Premium is wat better.
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I tend to turn Sleep off everywhere and just use Hibernate. Sleep has never been particularly stable in the windows environment, whereas whilst hibernate takes a little longer it tends to be pretty solid.
If I were you I'd be making loud noises at your IT department and your manager. Someone made the decision to go XPS and I'd put money on it not being the direct support guys. My experience was always that XPS were expensive toys and not good business stable machines.
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Agreed. I was replying to an email where it looked like someone was attempting to manually repair the device themselves (ie PCB soldering chips etc)
Personally I quite liked the Optiplex units. They were pretty nifty how they came apart, and whilst it could sometimes be tricky the first time you do it, it usually made sense. They make good units for sitting in a corner running dedicated gaming servers as well once we have retired them from use.
Sadly most of our staff are on Laptops now. So my exposure to the Optiplex units is usually relegated to a few kiosk type machines nowadays.
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They have a technical Name as well. PT#####
Where P is the Product, T is the Tier.
First 2 ## is Form factor (screensize for Laptops for example)
Second 2 ## is generation
and final # is CPU Vendor. 0 for Intel.
I don't know the specific codes but you might end with something like PA14250, which is a 14" generation 25 with an Intel cpu.
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Dell Pro
I have seen this around which seems to describe the new naming scheme based on the old.
XPS – Dell Premium
Inspiron Plus – Dell Plus
Inspiron – Dell (base)
Latitude – Dell Pro (Pro Plus, Pro Premium)
Precision – Dell Pro Max (Pro Max Plus, Pro Max Premium)
So we get Latitude 7000 series in my company, and we are expecting that we will be getting the Dell Pro Plus. Though it might be a Dell Pro Premium. We'll be reviewing once they are available.
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I wouldn't necessarily think that. It really depends on what you are after.
Dell is the retail line.
Dell Pro is the Business line.
Whilst Premium is the top end(read most expensive) of whatever line you are looking at.
So a Dell Premium and a Dell Pro Premium could be very similar machines, but the Dell Pro comes with all the stability of product benefits and similar that businesses want.
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That is the worst looking new laptop design I think I have ever seen in my life.
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I have an XPS 17 (17 inch) laptop, purchased in 2011-12, upgraded to Win10 (from 7), added additional RAM to 16g max. (from 6gb), SS drive of 500gb. Works perfect, tried couple HP laptops and returned them, just not the same feel. Need new computer for Windows 11 by October 2025. I will miss this Laptop.
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The value of the XPS brand has melted away by a series of overheating, dogspit quality laptops. They are trapped in Wintel low margin hell and instead of finding an alternate exit out like Apple did when they created Apple silicon, Dell is going to cycle through fresh names one by one as each has a couple years before the same low quality stink attaches itself and they move on to the next.
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I had the 2008 model and after tiring of always charging extra batteries to make it through a single flight switched to a MacBook and never looked back.
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They're waiting until the release of their new line of inkjets, because they'll be branded as...
The Fresh Printerz of Dell Air
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