Looking For A Windows 11 Laptop? This Dell Checks All The Right Boxes For Me

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Dell 16 Premium starts astatine $1,800.
• This is simply a premium laptop tin of handling dense workloads, particularly schematic design, acknowledgment to its top-notch hardware.
• However, it does stock immoderate of nan aforesaid issues arsenic its predecessor, for illustration its inclination to tally lukewarm and power-hungry battery.

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I've been dying to get my hands connected nan latest Dell 16 Premium, chiefly because it is simply a follow-up to nan Dell XPS 16, a laptop that I reviewed backmost successful early 2024 and 1 of my favourite devices I've tested for ZDNET truthful far. Although nan sanction whitethorn beryllium different, it is simply a akin machine pinch cardinal upgrades successful each of nan correct places. However, it shares galore of nan aforesaid issues. 

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At a glance, nan Dell 16 Premium looks astir identical to nan XPS. The zero-lattice keyboard triumphantly returns, stretching astir extremity to end. Each cardinal has a bully springiness to it, providing a accelerated yet comfortable typing experience. Above that is an LED capacitive touch sheet wherever you'll find nan Function and Media keys, a hallmark of nan XPS series' design.

Some acquainted designs

Because it's a solid panel, nan Function keys don't supply immoderate benignant of beingness feedback, which, to me, is wholly fine. Most group don't interact pinch nan Function keys frequently, for illustration they would pinch nan QWERTY keyboard, truthful nan haptic feedback isn't missed here. 

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Contrary to what you whitethorn see, nan Dell 16 Premium does person a trackpad astatine nan bottom. It is simply a solid trackpad that blends seamlessly pinch nan remainder of nan computer. You can't spot it, but you tin consciousness nan haptic feedback. In nan image below, I person highlighted wherever nan trackpad is located. You'll announcement that it takes up a important information of nan wrist rest.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

The only discernible quality that I've been capable to announcement betwixt this exemplary and nan XPS 16 is nan weight. My Dell 16 Premium reappraisal portion weighs 4.65 pounds, whereas nan older instrumentality clocked successful astatine person to 5 pounds. It's a mini change, but it makes a difference. Carrying astir nan Dell Premium 16 crossed aggregate locations is easier.

Jumping retired successful 4K

The Dell 16 Premium has a wonderfully vibrant 4K OLED touchscreen, delivering ultra-sharp image clarity. Since nan show covers nan full DCI-P3 colour gamut, visuals practically leap retired astatine you. On-screen animations are velvety smooth, acknowledgment to nan 120Hz refresh rate. 

It's not conscionable gamers who admit nan accelerated refresh rate; it's besides important for video editing, arsenic it allows nan machine to accurately represent video footage arsenic it is intended. For animations, it's conscionable arsenic crucial. What really impressed maine astir its beingness form, however, is nan InfinityEdge design. Basically, this intends nan bezels astir nan solid are thin, providing ample room for nan show to show disconnected its awesome specs.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Peak performance

My reappraisal portion contained an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, and 32GB of representation -- a configuration that allows it to excel arsenic a schematic creation machine. During my little clip pinch nan 16 Premium, I edited photos, created a mobile website layout connected Figma, and created 3D models connected nan rendering app 3D Render.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Dell's instrumentality performed rather good crossed each 3 tasks. Touching up images was soft arsenic tin be, and I was capable to make AI stickers successful conscionable a fewer seconds. With 3D Render, nan laptop took everything successful stride by rendering each sorts of particle effects, from flames to showers, without skipping a beat. The only downside that I knowledgeable was its power generation. The bottommost of nan Dell Premium 16 quickly warms up, nan heavier nan workload.

Something akin happened pinch my 50-tab browser test. It easy handled aggregate YouTube unrecorded streams successful 4K, looping GIFs, and galore different Amazon listings (among different things), but it sewage lukewarm fast.

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If you're a numbers person, beneath is simply a array comparing benchmarking results from nan Dell Premium 16 to 2 different contemporaries: nan Alienware 18 Area 51m and nan HP EliteBook Ultra G1i. Although nan Alienware laptop is chiefly a gaming machine, it besides doubles arsenic an effective schematic creation system. 

You'll announcement that Dell's exemplary sits successful nan mediate of nan two. I for illustration nan 16 Premium supra nan others because A) its capacity is rather solid, and B) it's cheaper. 

I should constituent retired that nan Dell 16 Premium tin usability arsenic a coagulated gaming laptop. However, I wouldn't urge utilizing it for that purpose, chiefly because, arsenic mentioned earlier, it gets hot. The cooling strategy connected committee this instrumentality isn't arsenic robust arsenic 1 you'll find connected a gaming laptop, and operating nether precocious temperatures for an extended play of clip tin lead to semipermanent damage. 

That said, nan games I tested each ran good connected Dell's machine, though I noticed graphical glitches and dropped framework rates while playing "Monster Hunter Wilds" and "Cyberpunk 2077".

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Unfortunately, nan artillery life is not great. It only lasted astir 5 hours connected a azygous complaint earlier tapping retired -- and that's pinch Energy Saver active. There is simply a redeeming grace; recharge times are beautiful fast. Plugging successful nan powerfulness ceramic for 30 minutes recharges nan artillery to astir 50%.

ZDNET's buying advice

Prices for nan Dell 16 Premium commencement astatine $1,700 for nan guidelines exemplary connected nan company's charismatic storefront. The configuration of my reappraisal portion is not disposable arsenic 1 of nan modular builds. You'll person to build it yourself. There's a "Customize Now" fastener astatine nan bottom. It costs $3,000.

If you want a schematic creation laptop pinch other oomph down it, I urge nan Alienware 18 Area-51. Its Stealth Mode characteristic disables each RGB lighting, allowing nan gaming laptop to fresh correct successful an agency setting. Be mindful of its artillery life because it's not awesome either. Personally, I would spell pinch Dell's laptop. Its capacity is stone solid, and it is simply a much affordable action than nan guidelines Alienware 18, which costs $3,200.

Specifications

Update log

• This reappraisal was first published connected August 5, 2025, and was updated connected October 14, 2025, pinch a thorough truth cheque and updates to buying links and prices.