Dell unveiled a massive collection of PCs and monitors at CES 2025. The company also unveiled a new naming structure for its devices. With new names flying around and AI PCs galore, there's a lot to digest. Sitting at the top end of Dell's new PCs are the new Dell Pro Max laptops and Dell Pro Max desktops.
Dell Pro Max hardware represents the best Dell has to offer, at least in terms of performance (you could argue that Dell and Dell Pro are better in terms of value). Dell Pro Max PCs and monitors are consumer/commercial devices with high-end specs. For example, the category includes PCs with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, AMD Ryzen chips, and AMD Threadripper processors.
What is Dell Pro Max?
Before diving into all the specifics of the new Dell Pro Max hardware announced today, it's worth going over what Dell Pro Max is. Dell completely rebranded its consumer PCs recently, getting rid of well-known brands like XPS, Latitude, and Precision (Alienware is unaffected by the change). Anything with "Dell Pro Max" in the name is a device designed for maximum performance. They're consumer/commercial devices that best equate to the old Precision branding by Dell.
Within Dell Pro Max, there are three tiers: Base, Plus, and Premium. Those tiers indicate the price range of a device within a category. That same tier structure exists within the "Dell" and "Dell Pro" categories as well. Assuming someone knows the meaning of each category and tier by heart, they could tell a lot about a device simply by its name.
Other details about devices, such as screen size and form factor are included in names as well.
To translate the new branding and naming structure to a real device, I'll break down the Dell Pro Max 14.
Dell Pro Max: Designed for maximum performance
14: Indicates the screen size of the device (14 inches)
The naming structure is straightforward in terms of its rules, but I imagine it will cause confusion when more devices ship. For example, explaining the difference between a hypothetical Dell Pro Max 14 Base 2-in-1 and a Dell Pro 14 Premium 2-in-1 will probably take a few minutes. Typing those out reminds me of calling plays in American football, which require studying to memorize.
Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino breaks down the rebranding further and explains why Dell decided to revamp its consumer laptop names now. The long-in-short is that the change was made to usher in the age of AI PCs and to simplify branding. Very few people could rattle off the differences between Dell's Inspiron, Latitude, XPS, and Precision lineups off the top of their heads. The new branding breaks things into clear categories with tiers within each category.
The change is controversial and it's not clear how consumers will react to it. While I agree that few everyday laptop shoppers know the difference between every Dell brand, I know quite a few respect and understand specific brands. For example, many know what to expect when they purchase an XPS laptop. Will that brand recognition translate to loyalty to an interest in "Dell Premium," which is the closest equivalent to XPS? Will people clamor for a Dell Premium 14 laptop review the same way they rushed to read our Dell XPS 14 review?
Dell Pro Max laptops
Dell unveiled two Dell Pro Max laptops at CES 2025. Both will run on Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor at launch and gain AMD Ryzen versions later this year. Specifically, the Dell Pro Max 14 and Dell Pro Max 16 will be available with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 paired with NVIDIA RTX 500-class graphics. The Dell Pro Max 14 will come with up to 2TB of storage, while the larger Dell Pro Max 16 will be available with up to 4TB of storage.
Both laptops feature displays with 16:10 aspect ratios and up to QHD+ resolution. The webcams that sit above the screens are 8MP in both new Dell Pro Max laptops.
In terms of connectivity, the Dell Pro Max 14 and Dell Pro Max 16 have Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
Dell Pro Max desktops
Dell shared less about its Dell Pro Max desktop PCs, but we still know some key information about them. They will be powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors and NVIDIA RTX professional graphics (unspecified).
Micro, slim and tower form factors will be options for Dell Pro Max desktops, giving customers a wide range of options when looking for high-end devices.
