I’m always on the lookout for major discounts on laptops during Black Friday, and this one on the Dell XPS 13 (9345) is a doozy. This is Dell’s flagship Copilot+ PC, capable of running the latest AI tools built into Windows 11. That’s thanks to the ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite SoC inside, which is joined by 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
The discounted model, available at Best Buy for $500 off the regular price, also comes with the coveted OLED display that greatly improves the color and contrast no matter how you’re using the laptop. Not even Dell’s Black Friday sale can top this deal at Best Buy, which has it down to $999.99.
🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃
Dell’s XPS 13 is one of my favorite laptops, and the Copilot+ update only makes it better
Dell announced the XPS 13 (9345) as one of the world’s first Copilot+ PCs in May 2024, arriving with a now-familiar design that first came to the XPS 13 Plus. It’s a design that leans more into the future than any other laptop on the market, complete with a lattice-free keyboard (meaning there’s minimal space between keycaps), seamless glass haptic touchpad, and capacitive touch function buttons above the keyboard.
Windows Central Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino reviewed the XPS 13 Plus in 2022, and the design has remained largely the same for the XPS 13 (9345) Copilot+ PC. In his review, Rubino says regarding the keyboard:
“Besides looking futuristic, the keyboard is one of the best I have used. As a touch-typist, I had zero problems adjusting to the layout and feel. Indeed, I was typing away with confidence within a minute, requiring no learning curve for adjustment.”
He also comments on the overall look and feel of the premium Windows laptop:
“The Dell XPS 13 Plus, like previous XPS 13 laptops, has again set the bar for design. There’s no way to get around that, and it’s undeniable. And while some people have concerns about the usability of those function keys, keyboard, and touchpad, it seems like a nothing-burger from my usage. Real function keys would be better, but the keyboard and touchpad are exceptional.”
Considering my main warning to potential buyers is to be certain you can adjust to the design changes, Rubino’s words should instill some extra confidence. If you want more information, here’s an interview Rubino had with Dell experts regarding the updated design.
The Copilot+ part of the XPS 13 (9345) ties in heavily with the Snapdragon X Elite System-on-Chip (SoC) inside. It’s an ARM-based chip with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of running Windows 11’s latest AI tools, and the SoC’s overall supreme efficiency means you can expect true all-day battery life with minimal performance sacrifice.
More early Black Friday deals
Yes, Dell offers the less powerful Snapdragon X Plus chip as an option, but Best Buy cut straight to the good stuff with this deal. The XPS 13 (9345) discounted by $500 includes the Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80) SoC, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a 13.4-inch OLED touch display with a crisp 2880×1800 resolution.
Another common complaint about the XPS 13 is that it costs too much, but that’s easily solved with this deal at Best Buy. A similar configuration at Dell’s Black Friday sale, albeit with 32GB of RAM, currently costs $1,700. If you’d like to give Windows on ARM a try and want one of the most premium AI PCs on the market today, spending $999.99 at Best Buy should be quite tempting.
