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Dell has achieved the perfect Ultrabook with the latest XPS 13, no small feat, and while it costs a little more, you should definitely get one if you can.
For
- Micro-thin bezels on all four-sides
- Exceptional 16:10 anti-reflective full HD display
- Magnificent look and design
- Excellent keyboard and audio
- Iris Plus graphics
Against
- More expensive than 7390
Previous gen
The 7390 is still a good laptop, but if your budget allows for the newer model, then you should go for it, because it's a marked improvement on what came before.
For
- More affordable starting price
- Fantastic build quality
- 10th Gen Intel processors
- 4K display option
- Solid performance
Against
- More dated design
- Weaker graphics
- Slower, older spec RAM
The XPS 13 (7390) was a brilliant laptop when it launched, and it's still very good even today. But that only really applies if you currently own one, because the newest incarnation is far and away a better laptop all-around.
Dell XPS 13 (9300) vs. XPS 13 (7390) tech specs
| Category | Dell XPS 13 9300 | Dell XPS 13 7390 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i3-1005G1Intel Core i5-1035G1Intel Core i7-1065G7 | Intel Core i5-10210UIntel Core i7-10710U |
| Display resolution | 1080p non-touch1080p touch>4K touch | 1080p non-touch1080p touch4K touch |
| RAM | 4/8/16/32GB LPDDR4X 3733MHz | 4GB/8GB/16GB DDR3 2133 MHz |
| Graphics | Intel UHDIntel Iris Plus | Intel UHD |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB PCIe NVMe SSD | 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 33.5mm headphoneType-C to Type-A converter included | 2x Thunderbolt 31x USB-C 3.1microSD card reader3.5mm headphone jack |
The XPS 13 (9300) is all-round a better laptop
Listing where the older model has an advantage is an easier place to start; it's basically price and ports. You get a slightly larger port selection on the 7390, including a microSD card reader, and you can buy one for less. That's about it. Sure, it's still incredibly handsome, well-made, and a brilliant laptop. But now the 9300 is here, you shouldn't buy one.
The new XPS 13 is, as quoted in our review, a "perfect Ultrabook."
For one, the hardware inside has been given a lift. It uses the higher-class of 10th Gen Intel processors with the new Iris Plus graphics (on some versions), and the graphics power here is a significant lift on the previous generation XPS 13. Pair that with faster, newer-spec LPDDR4X RAM, and you have quite the performer.
The design has been refined, too, with no more chin around the display, just super thin bezels on all four sides and a 91.5% screen-to-body ratio. The keyboard is improved, the battery life is superb, there's a new, better 16:10 aspect ratio, and it retains options like 4K and touch displays, storage options up to 2TB, and has a 32GB RAM choice thrown in as well.
The XPS 13 9300 is the best non-convertible Ultrabook on the market today and best Dell laptop you can buy. You should definitely get it over the older model.
The latest XPS 13 features a taller 16:10 display, 10th-Gen Intel processor with all-day battery life, and a design unmatched by any other PC on the market. It's flawless in features and functionality, making it the best 13-inch non-convertible Ultrabook around, without question.
If, however, and it's a big if, you're shopping at the entry-level and things like graphics power, fancy fast RAM and the skinniest of bezels aren't so important, or you just want to spend as little as possible, you can still get the older 7390 model XPS 13. It's still a good laptop; it always was. But it now sits firmly in the shade of its successor.
The Dell XPS 13 (7390) sits firmly in the shade of its successor but is available at a discount if you're less fussy over some of the new hardware and design and are buying at the entry-level.
