Laptop, Opinion

Starting at RM4,499, The Dell XPS 13 Is the Default Premium Productivity Laptop

A premium productivity laptop, as its name suggests, usually cost a premium. But in recent times, the prices of these high-end laptops have steadily dropped, and the Dell XPS 13 is the latest one that caught our eyes. Retailing from only RM4,499 now, you’re getting an excellent productivity laptop for that kind of money.

Of course, we’re talking about the new Dell XPS 13 (9305) that was quietly launched here in Malaysia. Now, despite this being a “new” model, its design and feature set are actually very similar to the 2019 XPS 13. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course: it still looks quite sleek, and it has upgraded internals as well.

By (seemingly) using the same chassis as the older model, Dell is able to offer this variant of the XPS 13 at a lower price point. In my opinion, this is quite a smart move on Dell’s part. If you want a premium productivity laptop with good value for money, consider this new model of the XPS 13.

What Are You Sacrificing?

So what is the main difference between the XPS 13 (9305) and the higher-end, more costly XPS 13 (9310)? Well, you get a slightly narrower and smaller 16:9 display with the former, which may not be a big sacrifice to certain folks. Of course, the XPS 13 (9310)’s taller 16:10 screen does look sleeker (it’s also better suited for productivity tasks), but a 16:9 display is still plenty good.

After all, you’re getting a high quality panel with the more affordable XPS 13 (9305). Its 13.3-inch 1080p or 4K InfinityEdge screen still offers 100% sRGB colour coverage, and it even has a peak brightness of 400 nits, which should be bright enough for most use case scenarios. While it has a rather noticeable bottom screen bezel than the XPS 13 (9310), I would argue it’s still a handsome-looking machine.

More Importantly, It’s Far More Affordable

Now this is really the biggest reason to get the XPS 13 (9305). As mentioned, it retails from only RM4,499, which makes it one of the most affordable premium-class productivity laptops in the Malaysian market now. To put this into context, the XPS 13 (9310) starts at RM5,399 – that’s a RM900 price difference.

But are you getting your money’s worth with the RM4,499 XPS 13 (9305)? Definitely. For that kind of money, you’re getting Intel’s latest 11th generation Core i5-1135G7 processor paired with 8GB of RAM – the very same chip that powers the costlier XPS 13 (9310) – an integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 512GB of SSD storage, as well as a 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 InfinityEdge screen.

If you want even more processing power and RAM, you can opt for the RM5,899 model. Not only does it feature a faster Core i7-1165G7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM, you’re also getting a much sharper 13.3-inch 3840 x 2160 InfinityEdge touch-enabled screen. In comparison, a similarly configured XPS 13 (9310) would set you back a whopping RM6,999. Yes, you have to pay RM1,000 more.

Different Target Audience, Same Premium Laptop

That being said, the XPS 13 (9305) and XPS 13 (9310) are meant to appeal to different audiences. The more affordable 9305 model is made for folks that want a premium productivity laptop without breaking the bank, while the higher-end 9310 variant is for those that are looking to get the best productivity laptop Dell has to offer right now.

Regardless, both variants of the XPS 13 are still premium laptops through and through. They are some of the sleekest laptops in the market now, they have stunning displays, and of course, they provide more than enough processing power for the average user with Intel’s latest 11th generation processors.

By offering two distinct models of the Dell XPS 13 at different price points, the premium productivity laptop is that much more appealing to a wider audience. If your budget permits, I reckon you won’t be disappointed with either one of these two laptops.

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