Dell unveiled a major overhaul of its XPS premium laptops at CES 2024, with new XPS 14 and XPS 16 models taking over for the traditional XPS 15 and XPS 17. The new 2024 laptops also received the same design refresh that we first saw in the XPS 13 Plus, with a lattice-free keyboard, seamless glass haptic touchpad, and capacitive touch function row.
Although the XPS 14 and XPS 16 are awesome laptops that received a Windows Central Best award in our reviews, not everyone likes the new design. There’s also the matter of pricing, with the XPS 14 starting at $1,699 even without discrete graphics or a high-res OLED display.
That’s where the XPS 15 (9530) comes in. It’s the last XPS 15 model that Dell made, and it’s still available to buy until stock runs out. It remains a stellar Dell laptop with high-end features and strong performance, and it retains the classic design that some prefer.
Dell currently offers an XPS 15 (9530) with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H processor (CPU), integrated Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of upgradeable DDR5-4800MHz RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and 15.6-inch FHD+ display at a $300 discount. That brings the total down to $999.
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Dell XPS 15 (9530) review highlights
Dell’s XPS 15 (9530) is actually only just more than a year old, so it’s not like you’re buying an ancient piece of hardware that will soon be outdated. It’s still easily one of the best Windows laptops on the market even with the release of the next-gen XPS PCs.
It has Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7-13620H CPU with 10 cores, 16 threads, and a Turbo clock up to 4.9GHz. Along with 16GB of dual-channel (and upgradeable) DDR5-4800MHz RAM, this laptop will crush just about anything you throw its way.
A lack of discrete GPU means you probably won’t want to use it for gaming or other graphically intensive purposes, but the Iris Xe integrated chip will put up a strong fight. You’re also getting a speedy 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, which you can upgrade after purchase should you need more storage space.
In our XPS 15 (9530) review, Windows Central Editor Rebecca Spear highlighted strong performance, elegant and thin design, and superb battery life as strong points, going on to say, “It was clear from the moment I pulled the laptop from the packaging that Dell’s sleek design and thin chassis are designed to impress in an understated form of elegance.”
The laptop’s aluminum and carbon fiber chassis weighs in at just more than four pounds and measures about 0.71 inches (18mm) thin, both impressive specs for a 15-inch device. The Platinum Silver exterior is sleek on the outside, and it’s offset nicely by a black finish for the keyboard surround. Ports include dual Thunderbolt 4, USB-C 3.2, 3.5mm audio, and an SD card reader for removable storage.
The touchpad, which is still mechanical instead of haptic on this last-gen model, is enormous and provides smooth and accurate pointing. The keyboard makes it easy to type even for long hours, further adding to the laptop’s productivity appeal. The camera might not be particularly impressive at 720p, but quad speakers provide “one of the best laptop audio experiences I’ve ever had the privilege of hearing,” according to Spear.
The 15.6-inch display has a 1920×1200 (FHD+) resolution for the taller 16:10 aspect ratio, which provides plenty of space for screen-splitting when multitasking. It has an anti-glare finish, and it hits up to 500 nits brightness to help with outdoor work.
And even though we tested a model with an OLED display and discrete GPU, we found that the laptop could hit more than 10 hours of runtime in PCMark 10’s Modern Office rundown benchmark. Real-world use brings that number down by at least a couple of hours, but the lower-res FHD+ display and lack of GPU should help you get through a day on a charge.
