Dell XPS 15 9500 vs. 9570: Which should you buy?

Dell Xps 15 9500
Dell Xps 15 9500 (Image credit: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central)

The newer XPS 15 9500 was one of the best Windows laptops before it was replaced, rocking 10th Gen Intel processors (with the choice of an Intel Core i9 CPU), a 4K OLED panel option, as well as the newer NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti dedicated GPU. While the 9570 could be considered the worse laptop here merely because it's the older model, it shouldn't be overlooked, especially if having the latest features offered by the 9500 doesn't necessarily interest you.

Still, we'd recommend going for the latest XPS 15 9510 if your budget can stretch as it's the same price as the 9500.

Dell XPS 15 9500 vs. XPS 15 9570: Specs

This refresh was a small evolution for the Dell XPS 15, adding the latest processors, newer dedicated graphics, and a 4K OLED panel option. Comparing the new 9500 against the older 9570 shows just how similar the two laptops are, aside from the now-confusing model numbers.

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Header Cell - Column 0 Dell XPS 15 (9500)Dell XPS 15 (9570)
OSWindows 10Windows 10
CPUUp to 10th Gen Intel i9-10885HUp to 8th Gen Intel Core i9
RAM8GB DDR4-2933MHz16GB DDR4-2933MHz32GB DDR4-2933MHz64GB DDR4-2666MHz8GB DDR4-2666MHz16GB DDR4-2666MHz32GB DDR4-2666MHz64GB DDR4-2666MHz
GPUUp to NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti (4GB GDDR6)Intel UHD Graphics 630NVIDIA GTX 1050 (4GB GDDR5)NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti (4GB GDDR5)
Display15.6-inch IPS3840x2160500 nitsTouch support15.6-inch 1920x1080 InfinityEdge15.6-inch UltraSharp 4K 3840x2160 InfinityEdge
Storage256GB PCIe SSD512GB PCIe SSD1TB PCIe SSD128GB SATA SSD + 1TB HDD1TB SSHD256GB PCIe SSD512GB PCIe SSD1TB PCIe SSD
Ports2x Thunderbolt 3 with power delivery & DisplayPort1x USB-C 3.1 with power delivery & DisplayPort1x Full-size SD card reader v6.01x 3.5mm combo jack1x Wedge-shaped lock slotHDMI 2.0USB 3.0 (x2) with PowerShareHeadset jackSD card reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC)USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3
Webcam720p720p
Battery56Whr86Whr56Whr97Whr
SecurityWindows Hello fingerprint readerWindows Hello fingerprint reader
WirelessKiller AX1650Bluetooth 5.0Killer 1535Bluetooth 4.1
Dimensions0.71 x 13.57 x 9.06 inches(18mm x 344.72mm x 230.14mm)0.45-0.66 x 14.06 x 9.27 inches(11-17mm x 357mm x 235mm)
WeightUp to 4.55 pounds (2.05kg)Up to 4 pounds (1.8kg)

Same beautiful XPS 15 design

Dell XPS 15

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Dell made sure not to touch the dimensions or weight of the XPS 15 (read our full Dell XPS 15 9500 review for all the details), and the design team failed to spend any time switching up the design. These are both excellent points for the new XPS 15 since the older generations' design was (and still is) amazing. It's one of the best-looking laptops out there. What makes this even better for owners of both models is you won't be able to tell them apart. If you stick with (or purchase) the older 9570, people will be hard-pressed to tell it apart from the new 9500 unless you know what to look for.

Visually speaking, the newer XPS 15 comes rocking smaller bezels, larger keys, and more touchpad surface that all make a considerable difference. The dimensions, weight, and overall look of the laptop looks similar to the older 9570. Internally, both laptops differ somewhat. The new 10th Gen Intel processors provide a substantial boost in performance over the older 8th Gen processors, and the GTX 1650 Ti is a step up from the GTX 1050 Ti.

There's also the inclusion of a fancy new 4K OLED panel, should you choose it as an option when configuring your new XPS 15. This is why it's also possible to recommend the older 9570 to those who don't require the additional headroom offered by the new Intel CPUs and NVIDIA GPU, saving some money in the process.

Should you need immense performance, Dell lets you configure the newer XPS 15 with a 10th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, NVIDIA GTX 1650 Ti, all accompanied by a 1TB PCIe SSD.

Don't upgrade unless you need more power

As great as the new specs of the 9500 are, we can still recommend some owners to stick with their trusty XPS 15 9570. If it's still working just fine, the older processor handles everything you throw at it, and you don't technically require the advancements present in the newer 9500, stick with the older notebook.

Still, for most people, there's not much here that warrants another $1,400 to be dropped for such a similar portable PC. We'd even go as far as to recommend choosing the newest XPS 15 9510.

Choosing the very best from Dell

This iteration of the XPS 15 is the 9500, which was released in 2020 and confused everyone with the new model number. This notebook was refreshed with upgraded internals while retaining that stunning iconic XPS design. Not only are you getting more recent processors from Intel, but also a faster GTX 1650 Ti GPU and an optional 4K OLED panel. It was a strong contender for the best Dell laptop.

Go with the older XPS 15 to save a little

There's really no reason to choose the 7590 over the 9500 unless you're getting a solid deal on one. Whether a retailer needs to get rid of one or if you can find one on the used market, there are strong chances you can knock a few hundred off the original retail price of the older XPS 15.

Just watch out for some listings that cost a little more than the XPS 15 9500.

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Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.