-Review-Performance-Meets-Elegance.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
.png){kind=logo}
It is popularly known that the Dell XPS series happens to be one of the best designs with premium looks and high-end hardware, frequently in most top 'best ultrabooks to buy' lists. Currently, the company is refreshing its popular Dell XPS 13, which this time will have a more recent Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. Keeping the same design and build as last year's variant, the new Dell XPS 13 claims to be much faster and more efficient with the ARM chipset.
Starting at Rs. 1,39,990 in India, the Dell XPS 13 9345 can be fitted with a tandem OLED display—an innovation on laptops. A week of testing later, including performance and battery life tests, it would be assessed if this is the best Ultrabook in the business.
One word would have to be 'gorgeous' if used in describing the design of the Dell XPS 13 9345. In short, it is a matte black color, build quality, slim and compact form factor, and minimal styling. But even as it looks a lot like last year's Intel Core Ultra model 9340 from a distance, the same exterior design still works very well.
The CNC-machined aluminum build means there's no flex whatsoever, and the hinges are sturdy it requires a bit of pressure to open and close them. The laptop is one of the lightest and most compact 13-inch offerings out there, coming in at just 1.18 kg and 14.6mm thick, yet it has just two USB Type-C ports one on either side.
There are also speaker slits and intake vents along the sides. The minimal branding includes the Dell logo on the lid, an XPS logo at the bottom, and a Snapdragon CPU sticker at the bottom right side of the keyboard. This color variant Graphite does a good job of not showing fingerprints. The display is stunning.
The display on the Dell XPS 13 9345 is nothing short of stellar. For instance, the Dell XPS 13 9345 Review unit carried a 3K Tandem OLED touch display with 400 nits brightness, 60Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision certification, HDR support, and touch functionality. Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protects the panel.
The device has slim bezels around it and no branding on the display whatsoever. With these slim bezels at all ends and no display branding, it seemed to do well in bright environments due to an anti-reflective coating.
The brightness is more than adequate for indoor use, as he never had to go beyond 50 percent brightness. Brightness is boosted by the Tandem OLED technology without draining the battery. There is also a full-HD+ IPS panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz available. The display is color-rich with deep blacks and bright HDR visuals, though the touch response is good but less used than expected.
The keyboard on the Dell XPS 13 is slim, and compact, and comes with a touch function row that doubles as a fingerprint scanner. This keyboard enables great typing; however, keys are also quite closely spaced, and sometimes register presses on the adjacent keys. The backlight is OK but not blindingly bright. The touch function row, toggling between the F functions and action keys, doesn't travel much and doesn't work in sleep mode, though it works in full-screen mode.
The touchpad has quite a handsome implementation into the Gorilla Glass 3 surface, which makes it striking to the eye but a little awkward to use because it all but disappears. Haptic feedback is decent, and the multitouch gestures are smooth. The quad-speaker setup with dual 2W woofers and tweeters delivers a clear sound with good bass and Dolby Atmos support; there was no crackling at higher volumes.
The webcam on paper, a 2-megapixel sensor supporting 1080p video recording and Windows Studio effects does pretty well in the light but struggles in low light. It has infrared sensors supporting Windows Hello face recognition, which works even in very low-light conditions. Though there's no camera shutter or quick disable key, it's okay.
Sprinkled with AI Goodies Running Windows 11 Home, the Dell XPS 13 (9345) incorporates several AI features. With this being a Copilot+ laptop, there's a dedicated key for the Copilot+ chatbot. Microsoft Paint utilizes the Cocreator feature, and productivity is better thanks to the built-in Copilot in Microsoft 365 Office tools.
The Windows Studio effects enable better quality video calls with blurred backgrounds, cutting out the noise, and adjusting lighting. The Live caption provides instant English subtitles for any video service or app. Though Microsoft has plans to add Recall a feature that allows searching for text within a video it won't be until privacy concerns are sorted out. Other areas where the MyDell app comes into play include the simplification of power modes and display color settings.
The Dell XPS 13 comes with an ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset that sports a 12-core CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and Qualcomm Hexagon NPU that goes up to 45 TOPS. The CPU enables sustained performance up to 25.5W max power. It performed admirably with everyday tasks and multitasking during testing.
However, it showed some hanging issues while waking the laptop from sleep using the browser. Other software usages were smooth though, but with very minimal lagging. The Dell XPS 13 9345 performance analysis shows that it is outstanding in various tasks but has little room for improvement.
Dell has, with the Snapdragon X Elite chipset, optimized battery life on the XPS 13 significantly, saying it is capable of up to 35 hours of video playback with the full-HD+ display variant. The unit that has in Dell XPS 13 9345 review with a 3K Tandem OLED display can easily sail through a full workday and at least an extra hour of YouTube streaming.
From 10% to 100%, charging takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Of that time, users can get around 50% charge within 30 minutes. Bundled with the laptop is a compact 60W charging adapter. Again, it is really good in terms of battery life, which reflects the work done in efficiency improvement.
The Dell XPS 13 9345 review carries on a tradition of extreme performance bolstered by its new Snapdragon X Elite chipset. It has a sleeker form factor and better battery life than the Intel CPU equivalents. However, at this point, while AI capabilities are yet to mature, the XPS 13 remains an excellent option for anyone who wants an elegant, high-performance ultrabook with very good battery life and a bright, colorful OLED touch display within a very compact design. Those looking at Dell laptops appreciate the fact that the XPS 13 9345 is something special.
1. What are the key features of the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
The Dell XPS 13 (9345) features the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, a 3K Tandem OLED display, a slim design, a lightweight build, and enhanced battery life. It also includes AI-driven features like Copilot+ and Windows Studio effects.
2. How does the Dell XPS 13 (9345) compare to its predecessor?
While maintaining a similar design to the previous Intel Core Ultra model, the Dell XPS 13 (9345) offers significant performance improvements with the new Snapdragon X Elite processor and better battery efficiency.
3. What is the battery life of the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
The Dell XPS 13 (9345) with the 3K Tandem OLED display can last a full workday plus an additional hour of streaming. It supports up to 35 hours of video playback with the full-HD+ display variant.
4. Does the Dell XPS 13 (9345) have a good display?
Yes, it features a 3K Tandem OLED touch display with 400 nits brightness, Dolby Vision, HDR support, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, delivering vibrant colors and deep blacks.
5. What is the build quality of the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
The Dell XPS 13 (9345) boasts a CNC-machined aluminum build with a sleek and sturdy design, minimal flex, and a slim profile, making it one of the lightest and most compact 13-inch laptops.
6. How is the keyboard and touchpad experience on the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
The keyboard is compact with decent key travel and a touch function row, but the keys are closely spaced. The touchpad is integrated into the Gorilla Glass surface, providing smooth haptic feedback but can be challenging to use due to its seamless design.
7. What are the performance capabilities of the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
The laptop is equipped with a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU, offering strong performance for daily tasks and multitasking. Some issues with the browser hanging when waking from sleep were noted.
8. What software features come with the Dell XPS 13 (9345)?
It runs Windows 11 Home and includes AI features such as Copilot+, Cocreator in Microsoft Paint, built-in Copilot in Microsoft 365 tools, Windows Studio effects, and Live captions.
9. How many ports does the Dell XPS 13 (9345) have?
The Dell XPS 13 (9345) is equipped with two USB Type-C ports, one on each side.
10. Is the Dell XPS 13 (9345) a good choice for frequent travelers?
Yes, its lightweight and compact design, combined with impressive battery life and durable build, make it a suitable option for frequent travelers.
