Windows Central Verdict
There’s no denying that the latest Dell XPS 16 looks stylish.
However, it sometimes trades aesthetics for function.
You’ll either love or hate the capacitive buttons along the top and the invisible touchpad.
This is relatively thick laptop in order house its powerful components, but the design makes it look slim.
1.Pricing & specs2.Design & build3.Software4.Display5.Performance & thermals6.Battery life7.Keyboard & touchpad8.Camera, mic, & audio9.Competition10.Scorecard11.Should you buy it?
When naming top-of-the-line laptops,Dellis quick to jump to my lips.
I’ve used the Dell XPS 16 regularly for over a week to get a feel for its capabilities.
In addition to that, I’ve run thisAI PCthrough several tests to read its performance quantitatively.
It’s an impressive laptop, but not always in ways that people will like.
Here’s what I’ve discovered.
This review was made possible thanks to a review unit provided by Dell.
The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.
Review updates
UPDATE Nov 11, 2024:Added an optional solution for the keyboard problem.
The thing is, that also usually means that its laptops tend to be more on the pricey side.
The same is true for the performance of the XPS 16 (9640).
However, only particular configurations will be available at specific stores.
This is relatively thick laptop in order house its powerful components, but the design makes it look slim.
Plus, having 32GB or RAM with 1TB SSD provides plenty of space for files and functions.
However, its flagship XPS line is sometimes a bit future-forward in ways people might not like.
I’m not sure I like this."
I can confirm that these capacitive buttons always respond whenever I tap them.
Still, I prefer the tactile confirmation I receive when pressing a traditional key.
So, instead, I will now talk about the laptop’s general design and functionality.
Thin vents send hot air out to the sides of the laptop.
The XPS 16 will look good in both professional and casual environments.
I cannot tell you how much I love the soft feel of the material used around the keyboard.
Another perk to this design is that it creates the illusion of a slimmer laptop.
Some common keyboard buttons have been turned into capacitive buttons.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
So, what ports does the laptop have?
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether or not this port selection will fit your needs.
I can always rely on them being intuitive and easy to navigate.
It can feel strange when going from pressing keyboard keys to capacitive buttons.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
Plus, they usually offer all the tools or options I want to use.
Here, I can adjust audio, battery life, video, and overall system performance.
Between Killer Command Center and MyDell, most of your laptop needs should be met.
There is a microSD card slot, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack on the right side.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
I was likewise unsurprised in the brightness and contrast testing to see that the OLED display offered fantastic contrast.
Overall, it proved to be an excellent performance, especially with the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU.
It mainly produced similar results to the latest XPS 14 Core Ultra 7 model, which were also impressive.
There are two USB-C ports on the left side.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
If interested, you could learn more about NPUs in ourNPU guide.
Meanwhile, the vents themselves got to a peak of about 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius).
To my surprise, the XPS 16 lasted 10 hours and 16 minutes before it ran out of juice.
There are no HDMI or USB-A ports on the laptop, but it comes with this accessory that does provide those connections.
So, basically, it is around the same amount as the PCMark 10 Battery test.
Dell states explicitly that the FHD+ display version of the XPS 16 can last up to 28 hours.
However, the battery length for the OLED model isn’t listed.
Between MyDell and Killer Command Center, all of your laptop settings options should be met.
In total, it lasted a little more than 10 hours once again before losing power.
The touchpad area is intentionally not outlined to give the laptop a more minimalistic appearance.
It’s also worth mentioning thatthis touchpad is haptic, meaning it has no moving parts.
Instead, touch is simulated, just like on Apple MacBooks.
This design results in better accuracy and one less failure point after repeated use.
You also can adjust the click force to personalize it via Windows prefs, which is great.
In a color gamut test, the Dell XPS 16 (9640) produced 100% of sRGB, 89% of Adobe RGB, and 100% of P3.
Then there’s the keyboard.
I’m also not a massive fan of the keyboard design itself.
Still, everything works and responds the way it should.
In Cinebench R23, the Dell XPS 16 (9640) earned a single-core score of 1,781 MB/s and a multi-core score of 14,126.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It might just take some time to adjust to this layout.
So, that might be something to try.
Thank you for the suggestion, Doug!
In Geekbench 6 the Dell XPS 16 (9640) earned a single-core score of 2,183 and a multi-core score of 12,435.(Image credit: Windows Central)
As such, this laptop camera captures better video quality than previous XPS laptops.
The colors look accurate, and the images captured are plenty crisp.
It’s a nice feature that you’ll quickly appreciate having access to.
In PCMark 10, the Dell XPS 16 (9640) earned a 6,586 score.(Image credit: Windows Central)
It’s a nice feature that you’ll quickly appreciate having access to.
Something to note is that Dell still hasn’t included a webcam shutter.
If you want extra privacy, you might always purchase a small adhesive shutter and apply it later.
In CrystalDiskMark, the Dell XPS 16 (9640) scored a write speed of 5,715 MB/s and a read speed of 6,946 MB/s.(Image credit: Windows Central)
I can be rather picky regarding laptop speakers since many of them don’t sound all that good.
I could listen to some of my favorite music tracks without getting frustrated.
Specifically, he noted its powerful performance thanks to the CPU, GPU, and NPU trio.
The Dell XPS 16 (9640) earned a CrossMark score of 1,821.(Image credit: Windows Central)
Still, this is what is expected of this kind of equipment.
This laptop will look good anywhere you go.
This might be a turn-off to some.
While this is definitely not a gaming laptop it can hold its own while running video games.(Image credit: Windows Central)
However, it was not designed for extremely graphically demanding tasks such as gaming.
If you want something that specifically runs graphical tasks more efficiently, you should look at a gaming laptop.
So, should you buy the Dell XPS 16 (9640)?
(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
It’s elegant-looking and offers solid CPU performance, a fantastic display, and great speakers.
It should still handle demanding software, just not as well as some competitors.
You’ll need to weigh these design choices against your preferences to determine if this laptop fits you.
(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The Dell XPS 16 (9640) has great battery life to keep up with your work or school needs.
The Dell XPS 16 (9640) charges with a USB-C charging adapter.
Capacitive buttons run along the top of the keyboard.
It can be hard to know there to put your fingers to right-click or left-click.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
The Copilot key instantly brings up Microsoft’s AI program.(Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
There is not shutter, but the webcam does capture crisp and colorful imagery.
Speaker quality is better than average for a laptop on the Dell XPS 16 (9640).
Dell XPS 14 (9440) is a less expensive, but equally impressive 2024 laptop.
The Dell XPS 16 (9640) has a very classy design.
