Dell's premium and powerful XPS laptop models are quite important to the PC industry. This iconic Dell line usually precipitates attractive, adaptable and slick machines - and in their best years can set new trends. I think we saw this with the 2020 XPS 13 refresh which we saw unveiled at CES 2020. It is no big secret that Dell is beavering away on its 2020 XPS 15 design, as well as a 17-incher this year. Now thanks to a Dell France slip-up, via NotebookCheck (XPS 15 and XPS 17), we have a very good idea of the specs that the new XPS machines will come packing.
Dell XPS 17 9700
Some will be excited to see a new XPS with a 17.3-inch screen. Looking at the specs it seems like Dell has striven to use the extra chassis room wisely (other than eschewing a keyboard numpad?). However, given this is an XPS, you can be sure Dell has kept to the recipe targeting high performance but in a slim, light and attractive chassis. It measures 374.5 x 248.0 x 19.5mm and weighs between 2.1 and 2.5 kg depending upon your choice of components.
Starting with the screen, Dell will sell the new XPS 17 with a choice of FHD+ 1920 x 1200 panel or UHD+ 3840 x 2400 touch panel. Whichever you choose these are InfinityEdge minimal bezel designs with 100 per cent sRGB or better , 500 nits, wide-viewing angles, and 60Hz refresh. Inside the screen bezel is a 720p at 30 ps HD RGBIr camera with dual array microphones.
Inside you will be able to spec a choice of Comet Lake H-series Intel Core processor up to the Core i9-10885H. Buyers can configure up to 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of SSD storage using the dual PCIe NVMe slots, and there is a choice of GPU too. In addition to the Intel UHD graphics built into the Intel processor you will have the choice between the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6 or the GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6. Interestingly the source says this is the first XPS using a new vapour chamber cooler.
For ports there are 4x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort ports, 1x Headset (headphone and microphone combo) port, 1x Power-adapter port, 1x SD-card slot, 1x wedge-shaped lock slot.
Other things you should know are that there is a choice of Killer Wi-Fi 6 card with BT 5.1, there is a choice of ExpressCharge battery (3-cell 56WHr, 6-cell 97WHr), and the laptop includes a Stereo woofer 2.5 W x 2 and stereo tweeter 1.5 W x 2 = 8 W total peak and Waves Nx 3D audio for speakers.
Dell XPS 15 9500
Of the XPS updates from Dell in 2020 we know of this year, this is the most subtle, or you could rather say disappointing. It gets similar but smaller screen choices, the same choice of Comet Lake H processors and up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM. However, this time it tops out at an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB GDDR6, a single PCIe SSD slot for 2TB storage, and quite a cut in the number of ports (just 2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort ports, for example).
Other key specs worth mentioning are the max battery size of 86Whr, and the physical qualities of the machine. The 2020 Dell XPS 15 measures 345 x 230 x 18mm and weighs in at 1.83kg and upwards.
We don't have pricing and availability for the 2020 XPS 15 and XPS 17 laptops but with this leak they are expected to become official shortly.
