Is there anything wrong with it? Not particularly. Its 4K panel is neither the brightest nor the dullest in its weight class, and the price tag may make your eye twitch. Neither of these are outright dealbreakers, though. If you’re a professional looking for a monitor that doesn’t skimp on features, this is the one.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Specs

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 32-inch QD-OLED monitor with a 4K UHD resolution
• Who is it for? For professional photographers, editors, creatives and everyone in between
• How much does it cost? It ain’t cheap — the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q costs $2,499 / £2,404
• What do we like? The built-in colorimeter, outstanding color coverage and accuracy, 120Hz refresh rate, and the wide array of ports
• What don’t we like? The eye-watering price tag

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: The ups

The question isn’t, “What can the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q do?” It’s what it can’t do. Excellent color coverage and accuracy, a built-in colorimeter, plenty of color modes and ports, 120Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time. It’s got it all.

Pro features for the pros

There’s no doubt that the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is a pro monitor meant for pros, and one quick glance at its specs sheet tells you as much. Alongside outstanding color coverage and accuracy (more on that shortly), the U3226Q features seven color factory-calibrated modes as well as six customizable ones. The seven modes include DCI-P3, Display P3, sRGB, BT.709, BT.2020, and Adobe RGB (with D50 and D65 white points). These make the U3226Q excellent for digital as well as print editing.

The U3226Q is a self-calibrating monitor, which means that it features a built-in colorimeter that automatically tests and adjusts the display’s color accuracy. You can choose between Express and Comprehensive self-calibration via the U3226Q’s menu. Once you’ve selected it, the U3226Q will calibrate itself to maintain its outstanding performance day in and out. This is very handy for professional editors, and it’s something that isn’t even offered by expensive monitors, like the Apple Studio Display XDR ($3,299).

Other key features for those who plan on staring at the screen for up to eight hours a day include a TÜV 4-star certification for enhanced eye comfort, and low blue light technology which reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35%. The 4K UHD panel features an anti-glare coating, too, which ensures clear visuals and consistent colors in any lighting conditions. Having used the monitor for a week, I can confirm that my eyes didn’t feel fatigued at all.

Dell also includes a monitor hood in the box which you can magnetically snap on to the U3226Q’s bezels. It helps minimize glare from overhead lighting, negates visual distractions, and helps improve color accuracy. All in all, the U3226Q is a fantastic package and really doesn’t give you much to complain about.

Outstanding color coverage and accuracy

Now we’re on to the meat of this review. How’s the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q’s color coverage and accuracy? Outstanding, in one word. The U3226Q’s 4K QD-OLED panel has a resolution of 3840 x 2160, and it’s gorgeous to look at. It features 10-bit color depth which means it’s capable of displaying 1.07 billion individual hues.

Dell says that the U3226Q “delivers vibrant visuals and true-to-life colors,” and my lab tests confirmed it. I’ve lab-tested plenty of monitors, and the U3226Q boasts the best color coverage and accuracy. As you can see from the table above, it covers 188.8% of the sRGB space and 133.7% of the wider DCI P3 gamut. It upstages the Apple Studio Display XDR (which doesn’t even cover 100% of the DCI P3 color space), and all of BenQ’s monitors on the list.

Color accuracy is phenomenal, too. The U3226Q achieved a Delta-E score of 0.08 in my lab test. Delta E is a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, and it tells you how close the color relayed on the monitor is to the output from the source or laptop. You ideally want the score to be as close to zero as possible. 0.08 is, then, excellent, as it ascertains that the colors the U3226Q is displaying are extremely accurate. Again, Dell’s offering trumps the pricier Apple Studio Display XDR. The only monitor that beats it is the Dell Pro P3426WEV ($749) with its 0.05 score — but the difference is negligible.

In real-world use, I’ve loved using the U3226Q for work, watching 4K YouTube videos, and playing games. Colors appear bright and vivid. Blues and greens are deep; reds are rich; and blacks are inky and deep. Highlights don’t appear too sharp in 4K videos either, making for an enjoyable and immersive watching experience. I used the monitor to edit some photos for my photography Instagram account, too, and knowing that the colors were as accurate as they could be helped me color-grade confidently.

Ports galore!

Dell hasn’t skimped on the UltraSharp U3226Q’s ports, and you get everything you could ask for and more. Most of the ports are located on the back. There’s obviously a power port and located next to it are two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. One of the Thunderbolts is an upstream, DisplayPort Alt Mode port with 140W of power delivery, while the other is a downstream, daisy-chaining port with 15W of power delivery.

Just like on the Dell Pro P3426WEV, the DisplayPort Alt Mode enables the USB-C port to receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol. It offers higher data bandwidth, and allows you to daisy-chain multiple monitors from a single port, too. Not only does this help you cut down on cables (who doesn’t love a bit of effective cable management?), it’s also handy if you’re routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C as you can continue accessing DisplayPort’s high resolutions and refresh rates.

In addition to that, two USB-A downstream ports with 10Gbps speeds are also located on the back, as well as an RJ45 Ethernet one. Similar to the P3426WEV, the U3226Q features a pop-out port housing on the monitor’s bottom edge. Pushing it reveals a panel with a downstream USB-A and two USB-C ports (27W power delivery), each with 10Gbps speeds.

Similar to the BenQ Creative Pro PD2732U ($799), the U3226Q packs Smart KVM, too, which enables you to use a single keyboard and mouse with two computers when they’re hooked up to the monitor. It’s great for those who work across multiple computers.

For the casual gamers, too

Though the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is a monitor for professionals, it’s a competent gaming machine, too. It packs a 120Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time, which is more than sufficient for most casual gamers.

Motion isn’t as silky smooth as on monitors with extremely high refresh rates, like the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 (360Hz, $949) and the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 (500Hz, $749), but it’s still excellent. I didn’t notice any choppiness while playing Forza Horizon 5 and Counter-Strike 2, and I was comfortably running 100-115fps in the latter. Thanks to the 0.03ms response time — same as on the MSI X36 — I didn’t experience any motion blur or noticeable ghosting either.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: The downs

The Dell UltraSharp U3226Q doesn’t have many flaws. It’s expensive, and the 4K panel’s brightness is neither the best nor the worst.

Middle-of-the-road brightness

The Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is neither the brightest nor the dimmest monitor — it does well against some competitors while not performing that formidably against others. In my lab tests, the U3226Q achieved a peak brightness of 295.4 nits in SDR and 425 nits in HDR (10% window size).

When it comes to both SDR and HDR results, the U3226Q upstages the BenQ PD2732U, the Dell Pro P3426WEV, the BenQ PD2730S ($1,199) and the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099), as you can see in the table below. The P3426WEV doesn’t even support HDR, giving the U3226Q a leg-up.

However, the BenQ MA270S ($999), the Apple Studio Display ($1,499) and the Apple Studio Display XDR outperform the U3226Q when it comes to Standard Dynamic Range. It isn’t surprising that the Apple Studio Display XDR does this (as it’s more expensive) but it’s disappointing that the U3226Q doesn’t get as bright as the MA270S, which is half the U3226Q’s price.

I don’t think this is necessarily a dealbreaker as you shouldn’t have your brightness turned all the way up anyway when editing photos, and this is a professional studio monitor after all. In real-world use, I had no problem using this monitor and clearly seeing what was on screen under bright studio lights. Of course, if you want a monitor with a brighter panel, I can’t recommend the MA270S enough.

Ridonculous price

As you’ve seen so far, the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q is not your average monitor, and it packs pro features that make it suitable for professionals… and it’s got a price tag to match. The U3226Q doesn’t come cheap. It has a retail price of $2,499 at B&H Photo / £2,404 at Dell U.K., making it one of the most expensive monitors I’ve tested so far.

This makes the U3226Q more expensive than some of the other productivity- and photography-focused monitors I’ve tested, like the BenQ MA270S ($999), the BenQ PD2732U ($799), the Dell Pro P3426WEV ($749) and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide ($1,499). The U3226Q is slightly cheaper than the Apple Studio Display XDR ($3,499), though, if that’s any consolation.

Dell UltraSharp U3226Q review: Verdict

For professional photographers, colorists and editors, the Dell UltraSharp U3226Q checks nearly every box. Stupendous color accuracy and coverage, self-calibration, a stunning QD-OLED display, and more ports than you could ask for make it a winner. For casual gamers, there’s a 120Hz refresh rate and response time of 0.03ms, too, so what more could you want?

You’re paying a premium for all the pro features, though, and the U3226Q costs $2,500. While it’s a lot, I think the U3226Q does plenty to justify it. The built-in colorimeter for self-calibration ensures color accuracy over time, thereby increasing the monitor’s lifespan. At the end of the day, the U3226Q is the monitor for professionals, and it’s the display I’d personally buy.

Dell is jumping on the latter bandwagon at IFA 2026 with its new Dell 14S. The company already has the XPS 13, which sits as its more premium MacBook Neo competitor, but the Dell 14S is targeting a slightly different buyer.

Dell tells me this laptop will sit one tier below the XPS 13, aimed primarily at pre-college and high school students who want something sturdy and capable without spending too much money.

On first inspection, the Dell 14S feels extremely similar to the more expensive XPS 13 in the hand. You get an all-aluminum build that feels premium, and unlike some other thin-and-light laptops I've tried here at IFA, there isn't much flex in the keyboard deck when you press down hard. The display lid doesn't feel flimsy either.

It's certainly not the lightest laptop I've used at IFA this year, but I'll happily take some extra weight when the trade-off is a machine that feels this solid.

I also really like what Dell is doing with the colors. Similar to Apple with the MacBook Neo, Dell isn't sticking with the usual dark finishes. The 14S comes in four much more playful colors: Linen (beige-silver), Dusty Rose (pink), Washed Denim (light blue), and Velvet Green.

Washed Denim (the one on the top in the image below) is easily my favorite of the bunch, although all four look much better in person than their names might suggest.

And despite being positioned below the XPS 13, Dell isn't cutting too much when it comes to performance either. The Dell 14S will be available with Intel's Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" processors, with options including Core 5 and Core 7 chips.

Other internal hardware includes up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Those aren't exactly flagship specifications, but they're pretty much what you'd expect given the price range Dell is targeting and with the ongoing RAMageddon. The port selection is also surprisingly good. You get two USB-C ports, but Dell has also included a full-sized HDMI port, something you don't even get on the more expensive XPS 13.

In terms of display options, you're getting two options. The higher-end model comes with a 2.8K panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the other configuration drops down to a 2K display running at 60Hz.

The biggest question right now is the price. Dell hasn't announced U.S. pricing yet, but the company tells me the 14S will sit below the XPS 13 in its lineup. Considering the XPS 13 starts at around $699, I wouldn't be surprised if the Dell 14S lands somewhere around the $599 to $649 mark.

And if Dell can actually hit that price, I think the 14S could be a very interesting MacBook Neo competitor. There's no exact launch date for now, but Dell tells me that the 14S will launch in the U.S. sometime this fall, with pricing to be announced closer to availability.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tore apart Acer’s £1,599 Vero 16 with my bare hands — Framework finally has a lethal rival
• We benchmarked the MacBook Neo vs budget Windows laptops — here's the truth
• I tested 6 RTX Spark laptops for gaming — and the winner completely shocked me

Boasting good sRGB color coverage and accuracy, as well as a 100Hz refresh rate for gaming, the P3426WEV doesn’t give you much to complain about… unless you’re a professional colorist, as the monitor doesn’t have the best DCI P3 coverage. There’s no HDR support either.

For the complete breakdown, read my full Dell Pro P3426WEV review.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Specs

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 3440 x 1440 curved monitor for productivity
• Who is it for? Office workers who want one large monitor instead of two
• How much does it cost? The Dell Pro P3426WEV is available for $749 / £505
• What do we like? The low-key design, sRGB color coverage and accuracy, integrated USB hub, and built-in webcam
• What don’t we like? No HDR support, and not the best for color grading

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: The ups

From its inconspicuous low-key design and handy built-in webcam, to its integrated USB hub and excellent sRGB color coverage and accuracy, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is a great productivity monitor.

Inconspicuous design, perfect for the office

If you want a monitor that’s designed for the office and doesn’t draw attention to itself, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is a great choice. Sporting an all-black screen with a silver stand, no garish RGB lighting, and minimalist branding, the P3426WEV fits right into the office space.

As the numbers in its name suggest, the P3426WEV is an ultrawide (and curved) 34-inch display — and it’s wide enough to negate the need for two separate monitors. You can also get a flat 22-inch, 24-inch, 27-inch or 43-inch version.

I tested the 34-inch model which measures 32.11 x 22.57 x 9.03 inches, including the stand. It weighs 21.96lbs when it’s fully assembled, so it’s a chonky boi, and it’s designed to stay put in one place. The P3426WEV has a 21:9 aspect ratio and in my testing, I found this to be more than plenty for navigating multiple windows and applications, and multi-tasking. I didn’t really miss having two separate monitors — which I used prior to testing the P3426WEV.

The P3426WEV is also perfect for those who spend up to eight hours, five days a week, staring at a screen — like me. The monitor is TÜV 4-star certified for eye comfort, so it reduces eye fatigue while you work. It features low blue light technology too, and Dell says that it “reduces harmful blue light emissions to ≤35% for enhanced eye comfort without sacrificing color.” Having used the monitor for more than a week, I can confirm that my eyes haven’t felt uncomfortable or tired.

Integrated USB hub

If, like me, you don’t like cables cluttering your desk, and you don’t want to bother with a dedicated USB hub, the Dell Pro P3426WEV is the answer to your woes. It functions as a single-cable docking station thanks to its integrated USB hub. There’s a plethora of ports for essentially all your peripherals — keyboards, mice, desktop speakers, headphones, you name it.

Naturally, you get a power port as well as HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports for hooking up your MacBook, Windows laptop, or consoles. Around the back, you’ll find two downstream USB-A ports, an upstream USB-B port, and an upstream USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode ports — all of these pack 5Gbps transfer speeds.

If you’re wondering what DisplayPort Alt Mode means, I’ve got you covered. It means the monitor’s USB-C port can receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol, offering higher data bandwidth, and the ability to daisy–chain multiple monitors from a single port. The P3426WEV’s rear USB-C port can help you cut down on cables and is also handy if you're routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C (you can still access the high resolutions and support refresh rates of DisplayPort). I used this USB-C port and the included cable to hook up my MacBook Air M2. It’s similar to the one you’ll find on the BenQ MA270S ($999).

And that’s not all. Located on the bottom edge, you’ll find a pop-out port housing. When you gently push it, it extends downward to reveal a USB-C port with 15W of power delivery, and a USB-A port. Both downstream ports feature 5Gbps speeds. There really is no dearth of ports or connectivity options on the P3426WEV.

Handy built-in webcam

Adding to the Dell Pro P3426WEV’s office-first design is its built-in webcam which sits right on top of the panel — something that those who take a lot of work calls will find useful. The webcam is fitted with a Sony Starvis 5MP f/3.4 sensor and features three different resolutions — 2K/30fps, FHD/60fps, and HD/60fps — which can be adjusted via the onboard menu.

It has an 81° field of view (FoV) which, in my testing, felt just enough to frame me properly while also including some of the background for added context. Additionally, it features an AI Auto Framing function and once the webcam has detected you, it zooms in and out (2x digital zoom) even if you’re moving within the FoV, ensuring that you’re the center of attention at all times. You’ll need to download Dell Display and Peripheral Manager to enable AI Auto Framing.

The photo above was captured using the P3426WEV’s webcam while the monitor was connected to my MacBook Air M2. The colors and my skin appear true to life, though the sunlight coming in from the windows behind me appears blown out. I was expecting this as the webcam has a very small sensor. The shot itself is backlit, and the webcam has done what it needed to: it has adjusted the exposure correctly and lit up my face.

I also tested the webcam’s AI Auto Framing capabilities. As you can see in the clip above, the webcam is a little slow to shift focus but when it finally does it, it frames me accurately.

When you aren’t using the webcam, you can use the lock slider on top to cover the lens. If you’re using a Windows laptop, you can also configure Windows Hello to work with the P3426WEV. Via Windows settings, you can set up the P3426WEV’s webcam to recognize your face and unlock when you sit down in front of it (Wake On Approach).

Excellent sRGB color coverage and accuracy

The Dell Pro P3426WEV’s integrated USB hub and built-in webcam wouldn’t account for much good if the monitor didn’t boast good color coverage and accuracy. After all, those are the most important aspects of any monitor. Fortunately, the P3426WEV doesn’t give you much to complain about when it comes to sRGB color coverage and accuracy.

I ran my usual lab tests and as you can see in the table above, the P3426WEV covers 122.8% of the sRGB color gamut. The P3426WEV upstages the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide ($1,499) which costs a lot more than Dell’s offering. While the P3426WEV doesn’t score as highly as the BenQ MA270S and the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099), anything over 100% (or on the mark) is great, so the P3426WEV still goes above and beyond.

I watched a couple of 4K YouTube videos and was pleased with the colors I saw on the monitor. Reds didn’t appear oversaturated or neon, but just vivid enough to be eye-catching. Greens looked punchy while deep blues appeared clean and rich. As the P3426WEV is a work monitor, I primarily tested it by browsing the web and getting on with my daily tasks. In those activities, the color coverage gave me nothing to whine about.

I then tested color accuracy, represented by a Delta-E number. It’s a numerical representation of how much two colors differ, giving you an idea of how close the color relayed on screen (the monitor) is to the color output from the source (the computer). The closer the Delta-E number to zero, the better.

The P3426WEV boasts outstanding color accuracy, having achieved a 0.05 score in my lab tests. You can see how the monitor fares against its competitors in the table above. It outperforms the BenQ PD3226G (0.16) and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide (0.08). The 0.05 score means that the colors displayed on the P3426WEV are near-identical to the ones being sent to it by the laptop.

My lab tests went a long way in reassuring me that the colors I was seeing were as accurate as they could be, and this gave me a lot of confidence when editing photos for my photography Instagram account. In addition to that, the P3426WEV features 10-bit color depth, too, which means that it’s capable of displaying 1.07 billion individual hues. This makes the monitor good for creatives — although professional color graders may be left feeling shortchanged (more on that shortly).

Decent for gaming, too

If you like gaming casually between tasks, the Dell Pro P3426WEV should suffice. It’s got a 100Hz refresh rate so it offers smooth motion in RPGs and racing games. I tested the monitor by playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5, and across both titles I appreciated the visual experience offered by the P3426WEV. The 21:9 aspect ratio and wide field of view enabled me to see more of the game worlds, resulting in me feeling immersed in both titles.

Because you have so much screen real estate, you can also run different apps side-by-side. I had Slack running in a small space on the side of the display to ensure I didn’t miss any time sensitive messages from my colleagues while I tested the monitor for gaming.

If you want an ultrawide monitor specifically for gaming, the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 with its 360Hz refresh rate should be right up your alley. At $949, it costs a pretty penny but it isn’t that much more expensive than the P3426WEV. There’s also the LG UltraGear 45GR75DC with its 5120 x 1440 resolution and 32:9 aspect ratio, and it costs $899. Again, only a $100 price hike compared to the P3426WEV.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: The downs

While the Dell Pro P3426WEV is great for most things, its SDR mode is dim and there’s no HDR support. Also, DCI P3 color coverage isn’t ideal for professional photo editing.

Dim SDR and no HDR

The Dell Pro P3426WEV doesn’t feature a high dynamic range or HDR mode. This means that it can’t display deeply dark shadows and ultra-bright highlights at the same time. Video games and movies mastered for HDR will not look the way the creators intended either.

While this isn’t a massive drawback for a productivity-focused monitor, it would have been nice to have it, especially given that some of the P3426WEV’s competitors do. The P3426WEV isn’t the brightest in its standard dynamic range (SDR) mode either. It achieved 284.8 nits in my lab tests, as you can see in the table above. The BenQ MA270S and the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide are brighter at 387.4 and 417 nits respectively, and they both feature HDR modes, too.

In real world use, I didn’t have any problems viewing the P3426WEV’s screen under bright office lights and with the blinds behind me drawn. But when I opened the blinds and sunlight flooded the room, the monitor looked a little dim.

Not the best for professional color grading

While the Dell Pro P3426WEV’s sRGB color coverage is great and doesn’t give you much to complain about, the same can’t be said for its DCI P3 coverage. DCI P3 is a significantly larger color space compared to sRGB, and it’s heavily used in cinema, and professional color grading. Unfortunately, the P3426WEV falls just short of being perfect here.

In my lab tests, the P3426WEV covered just 87% of the DCI P3 color gamut. Essentially, the monitor dips its toes into wide-gamut territory but doesn’t deliver the deep, rich reds and greens required for color grading and professional video work.

The P3426WEV is outdone by its productivity-focused competitors, such as the BenQ MA270S and the BenQ PD3226G with their respective 158.7% and 104.1% coverage. Surprisingly, the much cheaper Lenovo L27I-4B ($109) covers slightly more of the DCI P3 than the P3426WEV.

For general office workers who mostly deal with documents, spreadsheets, charts and low-stakes graphics, these will still render sharply with natural colors. Even casual editors who post their photos primarily on Instagram and social media should face minimal impact. Professional video editors and colorists, though, may want to consider alternatives for precise color grading. I’d recommend the BenQ MA270S or the BenQ PD3226G. If you want a curved but capable monitor, you’ll need to splurge on the Alogic Edge 40-inch 5K Ultrawide.

Dell Pro P3426WEV review: Verdict

The Dell Pro P3426WEV is a superb ultrawide monitor, and anyone who spends eight hours a day in front of a screen will thoroughly appreciate it. Equipped with an integrated USB hub for great cable management, and a built-in 5MP webcam that records video in 2K at 30fps, the P3426WEV is an all-in-one solution for office goers. It boasts wide sRGB coverage and color accuracy, too. Oh, and there’s a 100Hz refresh rate for casual gamers.

But the P3426WEV isn’t perfect. There’s no HDR support and the monitor isn’t the brightest even in SDR. DCI P3 color coverage falls short of 100% too, which means the monitor isn’t the best for color grading and professional colorists.

If neither of those feel like dealbreakers to you, and you just want a curved monitor with plenty of screen real estate, then the P3426WEV shouldn’t give you any trouble.

The star of the show is the four-stack, three-subpixel RGB stripe tandem OLED panel, which is the first of its kind to hit the market. Thanks to that, you get higher brightness, richer colors, sharper text, and superb contrast. The crisp 5K resolution also ensures that everything looks absolutely stunning. And if that weren’t enough, you can also switch to 330Hz refresh mode for fast-paced competitive shooters.

Other than being a tad too big for some setups, the Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) is about as perfect a gaming monitor as you can get. Find out why in my full review.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Alienware 39 5K2K OLED (AW3926QW) is a feature-rich gaming monitor.
• Who is it for? It’s for folks who want a gaming monitor with dual refresh rates to balance visual fidelity and performance.
• What does it cost? The AW3926DW costs $1,099.
• What do we like? We like the classy design, vivid OLED panel, fast and smooth gaming performance, and easy-to-use UI.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like that you need a relatively large desk to comfortably use this 39-inch monitor.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Specs

Alienware AW3926QW review: The ups

From its minimalist design, crisp visual quality, and smooth performance, there’s a lot to love about the Alienware AW3926QW.

Sleek design

The Alienware AW3926QW has a design reminiscent of the AW3426DW, but it’s larger, with a 39-inch panel instead of 34. I’m glad the design matches its smaller sibling, as it looks equally great in an office as it does in a gaming den.

The panel’s 1500R curvature conforms nicely to the curvature of your eyes and draws you into whatever game you’re playing. The 21:9 aspect ratio is similarly immersive for gaming and also gives you more desktop space for windows and apps for when you’re working.

Over on the back, you’ll find the Alienware logo, which is the main thing that tells you this is a gaming monitor — especially if you enable the AlienFX RGB lighting. The back isn’t flush, unlike on the AW3426DW, because it has a gap for the air vents. It also includes a VESA mount for one of the best monitor arms, if you prefer.

Like the AW3426DW, this monitor has a flat stand to keep it in place. Since its profile is relatively small, you’ll still have plenty of room on your desk for the best gaming keyboards and best gaming mouse.

The shaft has a cutaway for clean cable management. Lowering and raising the monitor along the shaft is seamless, as is tilting and swiveling it to your preferred viewing angle. And while the monitor weighs 22 pounds, I found it light enough to easily move around when I needed to access the ports on the back.

Speaking of ports, this monitor has a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort, two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and a USB-B port. There’s also an OSD (on-screen display) joystick underneath the ports for navigating the monitor’s display settings.

Vibrant display

There’s a lot of fancy technology under the hood of the AW3926QW, especially the four-stack, three-subpixel RGB stripe tandem OLED panel. Thanks to that and the 5K resolution, this monitor delivers a stunning picture quality.

Cyberpunk 2077 looks incredible on the AW3926QW. I drove around the city during the day and marveled at how the glass towers and the river gleamed in the sunlight. The neon signs and colorful holograms were vivid and sharp. You can also see more of your surroundings because this game supports 21:9 monitors.

There are two display modes here: 5K resolution and WFDH. Naturally, you get the best image from 5K (5120 x 2160), which is perfect for cinematic games like Cyberpunk 2077. WFHD (2560 x 1080) lowers the resolution but bumps the refresh rate to 330Hz. I’ll cover that shortly, but suffice it to say that 1080p resolution doesn’t look as sharp as 5K, but is still clear enough for the competitive gamers this mode is for.

The AW3926QW delivered strong results in our lab tests. In its standard display mode, the AW3425DW produces vivid colors (sRGB and DCI-P3) and solid color accuracy (Delta-E). These values are comparable to the Samsung Odyssey G8 G80HS in its Standard mode, though the Asus ROG Swift OLED produces more oversaturated hues.

HDR brightness is pretty strong for an OLED monitor. In dedicated HDR modes, the AW3926QW reaches around 500 nits at 10% of the display and about 300 nits across the entire screen. OLED gaming monitors are finally delivering brighter HDR, and I’m glad to see that the Alienware AW3926QW hasn’t missed the party.

There are 11 display modes available. This includes dedicated modes for game genres like FPS, RTS, Sports, and more. As with the AW3426DW, there’s a Creator Mode with better color accuracy for video and photo editors. Aside from that mode, the other options differ only slightly from one another, such as FPS being brighter and Sports being more colorful.

Smooth and fast performance

Whether you’re playing at 165Hz or 330Hz, everything runs smoothly on this monitor. Compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, along with the ultra-low 0.03ms response time, ensures that games run buttery smooth with no perceptible input lag. You’ll get much faster performance from the LG UltraGear 27GX790B-B, which can run at 540Hz and 720Hz, but unless you’re a professional gamer, you likely won’t notice a difference.

To test the AW3926QW, I connected it to the HP Omen Max 45L, a monstrous gaming PC packing an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU, an Nvidia RTX 5080 (18GB), 64GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. You’ll need a similarly powerful PC to take advantage of the monitor’s insane performance.

Whether it was at 165Hz or 330Hz, Cyberpunk 2077 ran buttery smooth. Sure, I wasn’t quite able to hit 165 frames per second to match the lower refresh rate, but the extra headroom let me enjoy the 65-70 fps I did get without any hiccups like screen tearing.

Simple UI

The Alienware AW3926QW uses the same interface as the AW3426DW. As before, the UI features a black-and-gray background with blue-and-white lettering. This is where you’ll find all the available display modes and other settings. There are many menus and submenus to sift through, but it’s easy enough to find whatever setting you need.

The OSD joystick, located just beneath the ports, is easy to find by touch. The stick itself is responsive and has the right balance of rigidity and looseness.

Alienware AW3926QW review: The downs

The Alienware AW3926QW is a nearly perfect gaming monitor for most folks, but it does have one drawback that might make it inconvenient to own for some.

A bit unwieldy

This likely won’t be a dealbreaker for most, but if you have a small workspace, you may not have enough room to comfortably fit this 39-inch monitor into your setup.

I’ve reviewed much larger gaming monitors, such as Samsung’s 49- and 57-inch Odyssey monitors. Alienware’s device is much smaller in comparison, but I still needed a relatively deep desk to use it comfortably. Thanks to the panel’s size and curvature, you’ll want to sit a good distance away.

Alienware AW3926QW review: Verdict

The Alienware AW3926QW delivers a phenomenal gaming experience thanks to its immersive, vivid, and sharp curved panel. The tech behind the display is so impressive that I fully expect competitors to ape what Alienware has done.

Even if there are monitors with higher resolutions and refresh rates, the AW3926DW beautifully balances visuals and performance. Sure, it’s a tad pricey, but it’s worth it for the features it offers. This is exactly the kind of gaming monitor I’d want to own. It’s that good!

But it’s worth keeping in mind that the mount and the camera are heavier than most others on the market, and the color replication is poor. I also think you can get better for the price tag.

To find out more, you can keep reading this full Dell Pro 7 Webcam review.

Dell Pro 7 Webcam review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 4K webcam with smart modes for auto-adjustment
• Who is it for? At-home office workers who want to upgrade their setup
• What does it cost? The Dell Pro 7 Webcam is available for $199 / £190 from the Dell online store
• What do we like? It’s easy to set up, automatically adjusts exposure and white balance, has good microphone quality and a privacy lens
• What don’t we like? The mount is very heavy and the color replication is poor

Dell Pro 7 Webcam review: Specs

Dell Pro 7 Webcam review: The ups

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam has a lot to like. With its effortless setup and intelligent features, it’s a breeze to integrate into your existing work routine.

Easy to set up

Setting up the Dell Pro 7 Webcam with your computer couldn’t be easier (once you balance it, but more on that later). The camera comes with a 10-foot USB-C cable, plus a USB-A converter for compatibility with older devices. Simply plug this into your computer, and you’re done.

I had to switch from my built-in laptop webcam to the external one, but you won’t need to do this if you’re using a PC. I did the same for the microphone to make sure I was using the Dell camera’s mic.

Intelligent features

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam offers a few intelligent features to make things a little easier. The camera uses Advanced AI-Imaging with Smart Enhancement, but this is just a fancy way of saying that it considers your face, environment, and movements to apply the best exposure settings to the camera.

It automatically adjusts exposure and white balance using Smart Scene Detection, which mostly worked well. However, other webcams, like the Logitech MX BRIO 750 for $199, perform better in low-light conditions.

If you want something a bit more high-tech for presenting, with impressive gimbal tracking and whiteboard focus settings, you should look at the Insta360 Link 2 Pro ($249). It’s a little more expensive, but it opens up a whole new level of possibility when taking work calls and presenting ideas.

Good microphone

The on-board microphone of the Dell Pro 7 Webcam replicated my voice clearly. I sounded slightly crisper than when I use my Apple AirPods 3. It effectively reduced ambient sound around me and didn’t pick up any typing sounds from my keyboard.

Privacy lens

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam has a built-in privacy lens that is controlled by a switch at the top. This quickly shuts off the camera view during meetings, so you don’t need to fiddle with settings on your computer.

Dell Pro 7 Webcam review: The downs

While the Dell Pro 7 Webcam has a lot to love, there are a few things that put me off. The color replication in particular made my saturation-loving self shy away from this camera.

Heavy mount

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam mount is very heavy and is made even heavier by the camera. This meant that I found it difficult to balance, and it was actually pulling down my laptop screen.

The effect of this isn’t as bad if you’re mounting it to a larger monitor, but it still makes it tricky during the initial setup to get the right balance. The whole unit weighs 8.5 ounces. In comparison, the Insta360 Link 2C Pro (with more capabilities) weighs just 4 ounces, while the Opal Tadpole weighs just 1.2 ounces but only works with laptops.

Color replication

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam made me look gaunt. Haunting. Ghostly. Despite being pretty pale, even in the height of summer, this camera somehow made me appear even more washed out.

The image on the left is taken with the Dell Pro 7 Webcam, and the image on the right is taken using the built-in camera on my MacBook Pro M2. The MacBook image has a lot more life and color in my skin, and I think this makes me seem more personable on-screen and means I engage with the person on the other end of the call a lot better.

Dell Pro 7 Webcam review: Verdict

The Dell Pro 7 Webcam is a decent choice for at-home office workers — it has a lot to offer. The effortless setup means you can have it recording in an instant, and the auto-adjustment settings mean I didn’t have to mess around with my camera settings.

The microphone quality is great for ensuring my voice is clear on calls, and the privacy lens added a layer of security and meant I could easily turn my camera off if I needed to.

However, the camera and mount are very heavy, making it hard to balance on a computer screen. Also, I thought the color replication was poor in comparison to my usual webcam. At $199, I would expect a little more. You can get better for the price, such as the Insta360 Link 2C Pro, but it’s perfect for anyone who needs something reliable for everyday use.

The answer is a qualified yes, but the devil is in the details. The Dell 14S looks and feels far more like the XPS 14 than its predecessor, which featured more than a dash of plastic compared to the new three-piece aluminum chassis. It can go toe-to-toe with its pricier sibling’s outstanding battery life and delivers solid performance even in its lower configurations.

However, RAMageddon pricing is muddying the waters as per usual. Starting at $1,269, the 14S is a modest increase on paper from the listed $1,099 that the Dell 14 Plus commanded last year. But the reality is that Dell offered the 14 Plus starting at $699 almost immediately, while the lowest discounted configuration on the 14S is $999. That’s roughly a 43% price increase and changes the value proposition.

Let’s dig in a little deeper and put the Dell 14S on the adjusted value scales for 2026 to see if the upgrades outweigh the price increase and earn it a spot among the best student laptops that you can buy right now.

We lab tested both the Dell 14S and Dell 16S, and while I used both laptops, the majority of my time was spent on the 14S, and that will be the primary focus of this review. The look and feel of the laptops are nearly identical outside of the 14-inch versus 16-inch display size. The 16S adds a numberpad to the keyboard, and the option to upgrade to a QHD+ display resolution, while the 14S maxes out at FHD+. The majority of what I have to say about the 14S will apply to the 16S as well, but I will also include the test results for both laptops in each chart.

Dell 14S: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The Dell 14S is a Dell XPS-Lite that delivers numerous premium features at a mid-range price.
• Who is it for? It’s a dream laptop for students or anyone who needs a long-lasting laptop with solid performance.
• What does it cost? The Dell 14S starts at $1,269 on Dell's website and maxes out at $2,169.
• What do we like? The otherworldly battery life, strong performance, bountiful ports, and premium build quality.
• What don’t we like? The dim display, relatively thick bezels, and the price increase.

Dell 14S: Specs

Dell 14S: The ups

The Dell 14S impresses thanks to its stellar performance, great design, and epic battery life.

Battery life is beyond belief

Intel’s Panther Lake processors have been a revelation for Windows laptop battery life this year, and Dell appears to have taken it to its pinnacle. In our testing, which involved continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi on the laptop with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, the Dell 14S lasted 20 hours and 41 minutes!

That obliterates the MacBook Air 13-inch M5, which called it quits more than 5 hours earlier in the same test. Among the current laptops with the best battery life, only the MacBook Pro 16-inch M5 Pro narrowly outlasts the Dell 14S with 21 hours and 10 minutes. The Dell 16S didn’t come close to its little sibling in this regard, with 11 hours and 59 minutes, but keep in mind our 16S review unit featured a QHD+ display compared to FHD+ on the 14S.

The lone Windows laptop that can keep up is perhaps unsurprisingly the Dell XPS 14, which matched the Dell 14S result exactly. However, it is worth noting that it was the non-OLED XPS 14, whereas the OLED version lasted only 12 hours and 23 minutes.

The Dell 14S achieving this record-setting battery life with an OLED is frankly astounding.

Ports a plenty

In last year’s review of the Dell 14 Plus, Jason England called it “the beige cardigan of laptops — not stylish, not exciting, but somehow always reliable.” Much of this energy carries over to the Dell 14S, but I think Dell made just enough positive changes to the design while also delivering the expected durability that this now falls in the plus column. They put a nice pattern on the beige cardigan if we’re keeping with the analogy.

Everything just has a more premium feel than the 14 Plus offered. The new hinge gives it a cleaner look inside and out, while the three-piece aluminum chassis eliminates any flex in the laptop. The keyboard and trackpad also have an upgraded look and feel from last year, which is typically a dead giveaway for a budget laptop.

The Dell 14S design may be generic, but it blends in with more premium laptops, rather than budget offerings.

Solid performance for the price

My review unit of the Dell 14S came with an Intel Core Ultra 7 355, and while it’s not a powerhouse, it will crush most people's typical workloads. I live most of my computing life drowning in Chrome tabs, which was not a problem for the 14S, even when I l ran a 4K YouTube video in the background. Jumping in and doing some light photo edits in Photoshop and Lightroom was a similarly smooth experience.

If you have more demanding needs, such as consistent work in any of the Adobe Suite or other creative tools, particularly video editing, I would recommend a higher configuration. As you can see in our testing below, the Dell 14S didn’t fare well in our video-editing Handbrake test, but upgrading to the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H configuration, which includes Intel Arc Graphics and 32GB of RAM, would significantly improve those results.

Comfortable keyboard and trackpad

The Dell 14S keyboard is a joy to type on; across multiple tests I was in my typical range of 92 words per minute at about 98% accuracy. It does feature fairly shallow key travel at around 0.8mm, but the keys are bouncy and responsive, so I didn’t come away feeling fatigued after lengthy typing sessions.

The trackpad is far better than I had hoped for a more budget-focused laptop. Dell says it is glass-like, and I’ll grant them that it comes pretty close to that smooth glass trackpad experience. It’s also nice and clicky, avoiding the mushy feel that some cheaper trackpads suffer from, so you can leave your mouse at home.

Dell 14S: The downs

The Dell 14S is great but it has some drawbacks that could make you reconsider, especially given its price.

Dim display is a downer

The OLED panel on the Dell 14S has some ups and some downs, but ultimately it tipped into the disappointing category to me due to the brightness. This is also notably where the Dell 16S outperformed its smaller sibling and even bests the XPS 14 in brightness. If you are using the laptop indoors, this won’t present an issue for you, but if you are trying to work outside or near a large window, the sunlight will overpower this display.

Brightness aside, it is an otherwise solid OLED display that produces a colorful and sharp image. I watched the Dune: Part Three trailer, and the fight between Paul and Hayt looked outstanding with the flecks of color in the halo effect around the two fighters. While the display may not be able to get too bright, the scene with Chani walking across the dunes certainly delivers a suitable feeling of the eye-searing brightness of Arrakis.

I blame the Dell XPS 14 for my feeling that the bezels are slightly large on the Dell 14S, in truth they are at least in line with other laptops in this price range, but the InfinityEdge on the XPS 14 spoiled me.

Pricing problems

I want to be clear on this point: the pricing on the lower configurations of the Dell 14S represents a solid value in today’s admittedly elevated laptop pricing. If you are spending less than around $1,500 on either the Dell 14S or 16S, you are likely landing in this range. You just need to keep a careful eye on your customizations, as you can quickly move into territory where you should just move to the Dell XPS 14 or 16.

Dell has done an admirable job of capturing some of the premium look and feel of the XPS line in the 14S and 16S, but there is no denying that the XPS 14 and XPS 16 represent a higher quality product. This isn’t a unique problem for Dell, but it’s one to be wary of when you are customizing what is meant to be a mid-tier option in any lineup.

Dell 14S: Verdict

The Dell 14S does a solid impression of the XPS 14 at a more affordable price, and that’s no simple feat. Dell made the necessary upgrades to justify its price increase over last year’s 14 Plus, particularly given the general inflation in tech pricing this year.

Largely matching the look and feel of the XPS, while still delivering solid performance and otherworldly battery life at this price point, is what makes this such a compelling laptop for students. The one backslide is the display brightness, which was already a weakness last year, so it’s one that we’ll certainly look for Dell to correct in the next model.

If the display brightness is a dealbreaker for you, the most obvious answer is to consider the Dell 16S. Otherwise, sticking within a similar price range, you could jump to a MacBook Air M5 or spend up a bit and go for the Dell XPS 14.

With that said, this is a laptop that I would have been thrilled to use as a student. Just make sure you look for Dell’s typical deals; you should be able to find a solid configuration of the Dell 14S for around $999-$1,200. If not, then wait for the deals to return.

Unlike most budget Windows laptops, the XPS 13 has a CNC aluminum chassis built to the same standards as its more expensive XPS counterparts. Not only does it look great, but it’s also the thinnest XPS laptop ever. Toss in other features, such as a vivid 2.5K touch display, a backlit keyboard, and fast performance, and you have a winner.

I’ve spent 48 hours with the Dell XPS 13 and find that it lives up to the hype. To be clear, I tested the model with 16GB of RAM, which retails for $899. I’ll review the model with 8GB of RAM soon, but for now, here’s what I think of the new Dell XPS 13.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Specs

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Design

“Wow, that’s light,” was the first thing I said when I picked up the XPS 13. And that wasn’t just my brain playing tricks on me. At 2.2 pounds, this laptop is lighter than the 2.7-pound 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Neo. This is exactly the kind of laptop I want to travel with since it’s so light — a fact that was very clear when I barely felt it in my backpack when I brought the XPS 13 from the office to my apartment.

The smooth aluminum chassis also ensures that the XPS 13 is plenty sturdy, as it doesn’t easily bend or flex. This is a far cry from the plastic laptops I’m used to in this price range. I’m glad that Dell didn’t sacrifice build quality to drop the price, as the aluminum casing is an important selling point here.

Another big selling point for anyone deciding between the XPS 13 and the MacBook Neo is the former’s backlit keyboard. This is something some folks don’t think about, since many laptops have backlit keyboards, but if you work at night or just need help seeing the keys, it’s a crucial feature.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Display

The Dell XPS 13 has a 13.4-inch 2.5K-resolution touchscreen display. Though it’s not an OLED panel, everything looks bright and colorful to me. When running a video featuring colorful animals, I was impressed by the color representation and accuracy. Naturally, text-heavy websites are very clear.

As you can see from our display benchmarks, the XPS 13 delivers solid color representation (sRGB and DCI-P3) and color accuracy (Delta-E). While Dell’s notebook has higher resolution and touch support, the MacBook Neo matches the XPS 13 in color representation and accuracy. However, the Neo's display is overall brighter, especially with SDR content.

While the 13-inch MacBook Air has a slightly taller display at 13.6 inches, everything is still clear on the XPS 13’s display. This is a big win, especially since laptops in this price range tend to have duller displays.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Performance

The XPS 13 features the new Wildcat Lake CPU and gives me my first chance to test a laptop with Intel’s lower-end Series 3 processor. Our review unit also has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. While these specs aren’t mind-blowing, they get the job done.

Even with 15 Microsoft Edge tabs open and a YouTube video running in the background, the XPS 13 didn’t noticeably slow down. My experience aligns with our CPU benchmarks, which show solid single- and multi-core scores.

Even with its 8GB of RAM, the MacBook Neo has a slight edge in CPU performance, underscoring the incredible efficiency of Apple’s affordable laptop. As for the Handbrake video transcoding test, the MacBook Neo performed the task about 10 seconds faster.

We haven't run our battery life test yet, but Dell claims up to 17 hours of streaming battery life for the XPS 13. We’ll see if the XPS 13 can match the Neo’s 13.5-hour endurance in our lab tests. If Dell can match or exceed that, it would be another big reason to buy.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Outlook

For what it offers, the Dell XPS 13 is an excellent budget Windows laptop. It’s extremely rare to find such a solid notebook at this price point. I’ll have a full review for you soon, but based on my experience so far, I’m very impressed with what Dell has delivered.

As for the MacBook Neo comparisons, they’re even more relevant now, given Apple’s price hikes, which have put the Neo at the same starting price as the XPS 13. If you’re married to a specific platform (macOS or Windows 11), the decision should be easy. However, if you just want the best value, you now have two strong options.

Stay tuned for my full XPS 13 review, along with a deeper face-off between Dell’s laptop and the MacBook Neo to help you decide which one is best for your needs.

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched the MacBook Air for a MacBook Neo for 48 hours — and I'm shocked
• We benchmarked the MacBook Neo vs budget Windows laptops
• How to maximize your MacBook Neo for peak performance

Eight premium notebooks are launching — each with their own unique features and quirks that I’m keen to share, so that when the launch date arrives, you know which one is best for you. Of course, this is personal preference, and certain systems I put in a lower grade may be better suited for you!

These are all incredible-feeling laptops, but grading them allowed me to get brutally honest with where I’d put them. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

While the Microsoft Surface Laptop was used in the demos, other models were turned off. This was something Nvidia required to ensure journalists (like me) don’t sneakily benchmark the laptops! That being said, these notebooks are basically pre-existing laptops but with RTX Spark inside and some tweaked cooling, so I can use past experience to fill in some gaps.

Nvidia RTX Spark laptops: Tier list

S-Tier: Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra and Asus ProArt P14

I’ve already shared my experience with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — it’s a spectacular-feeling laptop in terms of a premium build quality, fantastic mini LED screen, tactile keyboard and a utilitarian aesthetic.

But the big showcase feature here (that no other Spark system has) is that breakthrough touchpad, which is able to communicate back to you with haptics across the UI. It’s a unique sensation like when snapping apps to the sides of the screen.

That being said, it is a 16-inch beast of a system, and the reason why I love my 14-inch MacBook Pro is the power paired with portability. Enter the Asus ProArt P14, and when I say Apple’s pro notebook is in trouble, this is the most direct competition to it in terms of premium build, fantastic ergonomics, port array and that RTX Spark chip.

Throw in an OLED display, and you’ve got a phenomenal ultraportable that I’d be willing to trade off a little bit of battery life to get — but hopefully Nvidia’s “all-day battery life” comes true to make this less of a fear.

A-Tier: MSI Prestige Flip N16 AI+, Asus ProArt P16 and HP Omnibook X 14

Kicking off with the Prestige Flip N16 AI+, I’ve already gone hands-on with the Intel version of this system back at CES 2026, and I’m a huge fan of it. This is the only 2-in-1 in the lineup, and that flippable hinge has a smooth glide and strong staying power at all angles.

On top of that, the touchscreen OLED panel on the pre-existing model is gorgeous; the keyboard is nicely tactile; and the touchpad is absolutely massive. Plus, there’s a stylus stowed in the bottom of the shell magnetically.

Then there’s the ProArt P16 from Asus, which is the same as that P14, but only bigger. If 16 inches is more than your speed, this is a fantastic option. But I’ll always opt for something more portable.

And finally in the A-tier is the HP Omnibook X 14, which immediately tickled my inner love for 14-inch laptops. Premium build quality, good I/O and a top notch OLED panel up top — so why the lower grade? Well, it comes down to that keyboard.

Whenever I’m typing on laptop boards, I’m more of a fan of a subtle dish that my fingers can fall into, whereas the keys on here are much more pronounced. It definitely has its fans, but I’m a little more mixed towards them.

B-Tier: HP Omnibook 16 Ultra, Lenovo Yoga Pro 9N and Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition

Now for the B-tier. Again, not any real slight, and this is my way-too-early impressions based on holding the systems. But personal taste made this an easy decision.

The HP Omnibook 16 Ultra felt like the heaviest laptop of the bunch, and while it has all those same winning specs as other options like an OLED display and a ton of I/O, that keyboard has those odd raised keys again and the edges can feel a bit sharp on the wrists when leaning on this to type.

Next, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9N. From my time going hands-on with the Yoga Pro 9i (the same laptop shell), it’s a real prosumer piece of hardware with a nice aluminum build and those classic Lenovo ergonomics (a phenomenal keyboard for example).

But amongst a bunch of laptops that have some real unique elements that make these devices shine, it’s a rather unremarkable option. Not to say that’s a bad thing — I’m all for laptops that nail the fundamentals, but some just reinvent those fundamentals.

And then, there’s the Dell XPS 16 Creator Edition. In many ways, this is very much a Surface Laptop Ultra alternative, and another chapter in the book of Dell’s XPS apology tour for ditching the brand for a weird year back in 2024. The screen’s great, the touchpad is massive, and the I/O is plentiful.

My only main gripe is the keyboard — chiclet keys with no gaps between them. In my time testing XPS 16s of old, it took me a while to get used to a board like this, and I found myself often losing my place and making a couple of spelling errors.

Outlook

Of course, there's a lot more we need to find out first — not just actually testing these systems, but the big question of price. In a Q&A session, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang did say this is the top-tier chip as part of a whole family.

That does mean we could get cheaper, lower-end models too. But looking at what we tested, we can get a somewhat decent guess of the price based on the fact its essentially the same silicon (and RAM) as the DGX Spark mini AI PC — a device that costs $5,000.

So if you want the top-tier model, this could get real pricey! But all I can say is I hope there are more reasonably priced RTX Spark laptops, which in the midst of RAMageddon may be tricky.

More from Tom's Guide

• Best of Computex 2026: The 17 greatest gadgets from the world’s largest computing show
• I gamed for 250 hours on AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE — it’s a $549 nightmare for Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — it leaves ROG Xbox Ally in the dust with breakthrough Intel Arc G3 power

But these companies are not taking things lying down. A lot of Neo competitors just got announced — all premium thin-and-lights that target that $6-700 price, and launching just in time for back-to-school.

And even better? Each of them offer a little something that the MacBook Neo doesn't, so the value fight is now officially on! Here are four budget-friendly laptops that I think could give Apple some serious competition.

Dell XPS 13

Dell's XPS revival started earlier this year, and it took another significant step forward at Computex with an all new XPS 13 aimed squarely at the MacBook Neo.

It continues to use a premium aluminum chassis, retaining the high-end feel that people expect from the XPS brand. You can really feel that in the hands, with a nice sturdy hinge, good ergonomics and a nice-feeling keyboard to boot.

Dell says this is also the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop it has ever made. And unlike the Neo, this is upgradeable too — configurable with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 3 processor and 32GB of RAM.

Pricing starts at $699 for the base model with Intel's new "Wildcat Lake" chip, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage ($599 with an education discount). Technically, that puts it in the same ballpark as the MacBook Neo if you spec the latter with 512GB of storage, but even from a base-model comparison, the XPS 13 offers a few advantages.

The four key ones are a silky smooth 120Hz touchscreen display with a non-reflective coating, USB-C ports on both sides of the laptop, a backlit keyboard, and support for Windows Hello face unlock.

From what I experienced testing it, the Dell XPS 13 feels like the most serious MacBook Neo competitor out there, and it could genuinely challenge Apple's dominance in this category once it launches later this year.

Asus Zenbook 14

Asus told me they couldn't make the Zenbook A14 any cheaper, so the company rewrote the rulebook, changed the materials and internals and made a banger of a value system.

On paper, the bad news is it starts a little higher at $799. But the good news in person is that it does offer one massive upgrade over the Neo right from the get-go: an OLED 120Hz display. Colors are mesmerizing on this panel with inky blacks to boot.

Beyond the display, you also get a premium all-metal build made from Asus' Ceraluminum material, which is basically a blend of ceramic and aluminum, along with a lightweight design that comes in at around 2.6 pounds.

The keyboard and touchpad feel solid on it with minimal flex on the board, and the colors look amazing with Komodo Coral being a personal favorite of mine.

Unlike some of the other laptops on this list that rely entirely on Intel chips, the Zenbook 14 is available with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, with the Snapdragon variant starting at the lowest price point. That means a claim of 21 hours of battery life, which I can't wait to properly put to the test.

Port selection is also better than what you get on the MacBook Neo (or, in fact, all other laptops on the list). You get two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, and a full-sized HDMI port as well!

Acer Swift Air 14

Acer also wasn't holding back when it came to taking on the MacBook Neo. At Computex 2026, the company unveiled the Swift Air 14 (2026), another laptop that starts at a competitive $699 price point and focuses on delivering as much value as possible while still maintaining a premium feel with an all-metal chassis.

That said, I did notice a bit of flex around the keyboard deck when pressing down on it — something you don't experience on the Neo. But it's all about making the right compromises too.

Much like the XPS 13, it's got a 120Hz screen (though it's 14 inches for the Swift Air), powered by Intel's lower-cost Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" chips. And if you thought the Dell XPS 13 had a solid port selection, the Acer Swift Air 14 takes things a step further with a full-side USB-A too.

Another thing the Swift Air 14 appears to have going for it is that massive 70Wh battery. That's nearly double the 36.5Wh battery inside the MacBook Neo, and it'll be interesting to see how that translates into real-world battery life once we get more time with the device.

MSI Modern 14S AI+

First showcased at CES 2026, MSI has now shared more details about the Modern 14S AI+, and it's looking more and more like a legitimate MacBook Neo competitor. There's the aluminum alloy chassis (except for the bottom), a thin profile and a light weight of roughly three pounds.

Intel's "Wildcat Lake" CPU makes a reappearance again, and the port selection gets even better here with MSI throwing in an Ethernet socket too alongside the HDMI, USB-A and two USB-C.

In use, the keyboard deck has a small amount of flex and the touchpad can feel a little mushy in the corners, but again, it's all about balance, as the Modern 14S AI+ also comes with a 14-inch OLED panel too.

But arguably the most impressive thing about it is durability. MSI says the laptop is MIL-STD-810H certified, which should make it tougher and more resilient than most of the other laptops on this list.

Bottom line

The budget Windows laptop market had been unchallenged for so long by Apple that they'd got too comfortable — cutting corners in materials and making one too many compromises in the knowledge that if you had $5-700, they were the only options you had.

Now the Neo is here, Computex 2026 showed they've woken up, and have truly come to play. There are now plenty of compelling Windows alternatives entering the space as well, and I can't wait to review them all real soon.

That said, if you're looking for a premium Windows machine and don't mind waiting a bit longer, it might be worth holding off for the upcoming RTX Spark-powered laptops. From everything we've seen so far, things are looking pretty promising on that side of the market too.

More from Tom's Guide

• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall
• Intel Arc G3 is here to shake up handheld gaming, and AMD should be terrified — Acer Predator Atlas 8, a new MSI Claw and more launching soon
• I built a touchscreen MacBook Pro using this snap-on accessory, and I'm baffled why Apple hasn't made its own for years

We've reached day 2 of Computex 2026, and from holding every Nvidia RTX Spark laptop to comparing all the new budget systems competing with the MacBook Neo, I have so much to update you on!

Beyond that, I got to talk to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about Spark, properly tested the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (spoiler alert: AMD gaming handhelds are cooked), and went on a mission to find every budget laptop that competes with the MacBook Neo.

But that's not all, as my team is out here too — running around the exhibition center and finding all the best (and weirdest) tech of Computex. So follow along with us for all the latest.

Read the latest from Computex

• I just tested Nvidia RTX Spark laptops for video editing, gaming and AI — and the MacBook Pro is in trouble
• I held the MacBook Neo in one hand and the new XPS 13 in the other — and Dell’s affordable laptop is surprisingly lighter
• I just tested Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — Nvidia RTX Spark brings life to one of the best laptops I’ve ever tried
• I spoke to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark — he is ‘willing to work’ on an RTX gaming handheld, N2X and N3X are already planned and the chip is 'more like R2D2’ than a laptop CPU
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — Intel Arc G3 is a breakthrough for handheld gaming, but at what cost?
• I thought Asus' massive 32-inch OLED would be my favorite Computex 2026 monitor — but I found one that was even better
• I tested the Acer Predator Atlas 8, and played a game Intel told me not to — the numbers are staggering

LIVE UPDATES

After briefly discontinuing its iconic XPS brand, Dell brought it back at the beginning of this year. Now, alongside the new XPS 13, the company is also releasing a more powerful XPS 14 alongside its new XPS 16. While I also got to go hands-on with both of those more powerful and premium laptops, just like with the Neo, the XPS 13 feels like a breath of fresh air when it comes to the best laptops for students.

With a starting price of $699, it is slightly more expensive than the MacBook Neo. However, to make up for this, Dell is throwing in a few extras that Apple’s more affordable MacBook lacks like a backlit keyboard, a touchscreen and two full-featured USB-C ports (with one on either side).

Here’s why I think the XPS 13 could be the ideal MacBook Neo alternative for Windows users who aren’t ready to switch to macOS and one of the best budget laptops, especially if you prefer to travel light.

Dell’s take on the Neo

Although we brought our own MacBook Neo on this trip, Dell did too to make comparisons between these two budget laptops even easier. Side by side, they’re both technically 13-inch laptops, even though the XPS 13 actually has a slightly larger 13.4-inch screen.

In addition to having a touchscreen, the XPS 13 also sports a faster, 120 Hz display. However, it features a variable refresh rate that can go all the way down to 30 Hz to help conserve battery life during less intensive tasks. They both top out at 500 nits of brightness.

While I had both laptops side by side, I was quite impressed with the XPS 13’s screen even though the Neo’s appeared to pop a bit more. Personally, I think this comes down to Apple equipping the Neo’s display with a more glossy finish.

Though you can’t see it here since our own Paul Antill has a retro-style skin on his personal MacBook Neo, both laptops have aluminum shells. However, while Apple went with anodized aluminum for the Neo, Dell used CNC-machined aluminum chassis for the XPS 13. This makes the XPS 13’s case feel smoother overall while the Neo’s is more textured.

With direct side to side comparisons out of the way, it was time to open up the XPS 13 and take it for a spin.

XPS for the rest of us

Historically, Dell’s Extreme Performance System or XPS line was reserved for its premium laptops and the first XPS 13 heralded the arrival of ultrabooks. Now though, the company’s giving everyone a chance to experience XPS at a much lower price point.

Right off the bat, I really like how XPS is front and center on the back of the XPS 13’s lid. To find the Dell logo, you need to flip it over. Just like with the Neo, the aluminum case gives this new laptop a more premium feel.

When you open the XPS 13 up, you can see where Dell had to cut a few corners to hit that $699 price point. While the XPS 14 and 16 come equipped with Dell’s zero-lattice keyboards, the XPS 13 has a chiclet-style one.

Honestly, I didn’t mind this at all. In fact, when I switched between typing on the XPS 13 and the Neo, I actually preferred Dell’s chiclet keyboard over Apple’s. The keys felt more satisfying to press down and there wasn’t nearly as much wiggle.

The XPS 13 and the Neo have similarly sized trackpads but what stuck out to me immediately was the differences between their notches. While the Neo has that same smaller notch you find on the rest of the best MacBooks, the one on the XPS 13 stretches across the width of its trackpad. It’s also not nearly as deep.

One thing you won’t find on the XPS 13’s keyboard is a fingerprint reader. However, instead of charging $100 extra for one (and some additional storage) like Apple does, Dell equipped this laptop with Windows Hello for quick logins.

In the picture above, you can barely see it though thanks to Dell’s InfinityEdge design. The XPS 13 has incredibly thin bezels all around and they make the Neo’s look massive when you see them next to each other.

Light but not lacking

It wasn’t until I was holding the two laptops in either hand that I realized just how light the XPS 13 was. At 2.2 pounds, it’s half a pound lighter than the Neo despite sporting nearly identical dimensions and this all comes down to cooling.

The MacBook Neo has a fanless design while the XPS 13 features two active fans. Of course, we’ll have to get one into our lab for testing to see whether or not they ramp up to the point of being distracting under load. However, in my time with the XPS 13, I didn’t notice them at all.

The other more important difference between the two is upgradeability. Now I don’t mean long-term as you’re not going to open either of these devices up like you would with a Framework Laptop. Instead, if you want configuration options, Dell has plenty.From RAM to storage, you can pay more to turn this student-focused laptop into quite a powerful machine. For instance, you could outfit the XPS 13 with 32GB of LPDDR5X, a 1TB SSD and an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor.

Don’t get me wrong, the MacBook Neo is a fantastic laptop but it won’t be for everyone. With its new XPS 13, Dell has given the Windows diehards among us an excellent alternative.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just tested Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra — Nvidia RTX Spark brings life to one of the best laptops I’ve ever tried
• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall and what they can do
• I just tried Asus’ upgraded Xbox Ally X20 for ROG’s 20th anniversary — and it isn’t just another special edition handheld

Computex 2026 is fully underway, and besides asking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark, I just tested the laptops of the future from Team Green!

But that's not all, as Intel's having a ball dunking on AMD with its Arc G3 gaming handheld chip in the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, we've been going hands-on with every Windows laptop that's facing off with the MacBook Neo (including the new Dell Xps 13), and much more.

Follow along with us for live updates from the ground, and keep us bookmarked throughout the week. You're going to want to see what we're up to!

Read the latest from Computex

• Nvidia RTX Spark is here, and it's going to 'reinvent the pc' — here's everything you need to know about this all-new laptop chip
• I spoke to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about RTX Spark — he is ‘willing to work’ on an RTX gaming handheld, N2X and N3X are already planned and the chip is 'more like R2D2’ than a laptop CPU
• All 8 laptops launching with Nvidia RTX Spark this fall — and what they can do
• I just tested the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ — Intel Arc G3 is a breakthrough for handheld gaming, but at what cost?
• I gamed for 250 hours on AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE — it’s a $549 nightmare for Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti
• I thought Asus' massive 32-inch OLED would be my favorite Computex 2026 monitor — but I found one that was even better
• I just held the most beautiful laptop, but I’m not sure Vincent van Gogh would be happy with his name connected to AI
• I tested the Acer Predator Atlas 8, and played a game Intel told me not to — the numbers are staggering

LIVE UPDATES

June 2, 2026 – 7:54 AM

Reporting from the show floor!

Computex is the biggest computing industry event of the year, and in among the flagship keynotes it's always fun to roam the halls and see what's on offer.

So far this year, we've spied a holographic PC that uses AI to answer your questions, a custom-built GTA VI PC that could be outdated before the game itself actually arrives and the forthcoming Wireless Touchpad Keyboard from sustainable laptop company Framework.

This includes a CNC aluminum chassis built to the same standards as every XPS, a 2.5K InfinityEdge touch display, and a backlit keyboard. The starting configuration also features the new Intel Wildcat Lake CPU, which promises smooth performance for everyday tasks and up to 17 hours of streaming battery life on a single charge.

I’ve long been a fan of Dell’s 13-inch XPS laptops, so it’s great to see the latest model not only adopt a more traditional design but also go head-to-head with the MacBook Neo in terms of price and premium features. Here’s everything you need to know about the new Dell XPS 13.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Specs

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Price

Dell XPS 13 with Intel Core Series 3 CPUs will be available sometime in June 2026 in the Sky colorway, with a starting price of $599 for students and $699 for everyone else.

Later this summer, we’ll see models with more powerful Intel Panther Lake processors, as well as the Storm colorway.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Design and display

The new Dell XPS 13 might be a MacBook Neo competitor, but thanks to its thin, lightweight design, it could also be mistaken for a MacBook Air rival. Dell says it’s the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop ever. While the Neo and Air weigh 2.7 pounds, the XPS 13 weighs 2.2 pounds. Thanks to its ultraportable design, it should be an ideal notebook for travel.

Like the Neo, the XPS 13 has an aluminum chassis instead of the cheap plastic typical of laptops in the $600 price range. If it’s as durable as its other XPS siblings, it’ll certainly feel more like a premium product. This is important if you’re a student running between classes or working on the go.

The XPS 13 has a backlit keyboard, one of the biggest things the Neo lacks. If you frequently work at night or in low-light settings, the XPS 13 would be a better fit. And speaking of the keyboard, the XPS 13 ditches the zero-lattice keyboard of the XPS 14 and XPS 16 in favor of a standard one.

While the Neo packs a 13-inch 1080p display, the XPS 13 has a larger 13.4-inch display with a 2.5K resolution. The display also has touchscreen functionality, which the Neo lacks. Dell says the display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and supports variable refresh rates of 30Hz and 120Hz. Of course, we’d need to get the XPS 13 into our testing lab to see what its display is truly capable of.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Performance and battery life

The XPS 13 features Intel’s new Wildcat Lake CPU, the lower-tier version of Intel’s Core Series 3 chips. We haven’t yet tested laptops with this processor to compare them with Panther Lake laptops, but Dell says the XPS 13 can handle “multitasking without friction.” The up to 32GB of RAM should also help with that.

Later this summer, we’ll see XPS 13 models with the beefier Panther Lake chip. These will no doubt be more expensive than the Wildcat Lake models, but hopefully, they can remain around $1,000.

In terms of endurance, Dell promises up to 17 hours of streaming battery life for the XPS 13. The Panther Lake laptops we’ve tested have generally lasted around 12-15 hours, so it’ll be interesting to see if Wildcat Lake can match or exceed that. If this claim is true, you won’t have to panic if you accidentally leave the XPS 13’s power plug at home.

Dell XPS 13 (2026): Outlook

Dell’s XPS apology tour keeps rocking with the XPS 13. Like the latest XPS 14 and XPS 16, this smaller laptop is a strong return to form for the iconic brand. That it’s competitively priced with the MacBook Neo without sacrificing the distinctive features of an XPS makes it even more enticing.

I’ll need to get hands-on with the new XPS 13 to see if it lives up to its promises. If it does, it should make an excellent alternative to the MacBook Neo.

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• Qualcomm's Snapdragon C chip is here to take on the MacBook Neo — do these $300 laptops stand a chance?
• I checked out the world’s first 6K gaming monitor — and it's a sight to behold
• The new Microsoft Surface Laptop 8 is great — but it's hard to recommend to most people

As spotted by Neowin, Dell’s own SupportAssist software (the company calls it “your personalized PC support experience”) is causing some Dell PCs to hit a BSOD every 30 minutes after a recent update. So far, we’re seeing confirmation that the following laptops are affected:

• Alienware M16 R2
• Dell Pro 16 Plus
• Dell Pro 14 Plus
• Dell XPS 16
• Dell XPS 15
• Dell XPS 14
• Dell XPS 13

This is based on what Dell forum members are saying, but given it’s widespread, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a far wider problem than this. If you’re one of these folks who just installed the Dell software update and are seeing this issue, there is a simple fix.

Just uninstall SupportAssist

The situation was revealed after keen-eyed users took a look into the system log to see what was going on. It was identified after some people reported their laptops “kept randomly rebooting” roughly every 30 minutes. This suggests that the SupportAssist is trying to check system health on a regular half-hour schedule, where it hits a corrupted piece of code and crashes it.

As you can see, there’s a lot of critical errors at the Kernel-Power level — basically the system level — and after a check, the critical process that dies has consistently been the “Dell SupportAssist Remediation” service. Giving a “CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED (0xEF)” code, it’s taking down the entire operating system with it.

And it’s not the first time this has happened, with a similar SupportAssist problem happening at the end of 2024. Luckily, just like the last time, the issue is simple. Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, find Dell SupportAssist, select More > Uninstall.

Users who have already done this are reporting that it fixes the issue and they’re not seeing any more random BSOD crashes.

Can we cool it with the bloatware?

Windows 11 already has a RAM problem. It’s inherent to how the OS prioritizes preloading parts of apps into system memory before you click them, but what that means is all these little additions actually harm the experience rather than enrich it.

Things like Dell SupportAssist take up another chunk of that precious RAM that could be better used elsewhere on apps people actually use. And while the Windows K2 project may be aiming squarely at tackling some of these challenges at an OS-level, I can only imagine that the additional bloatware won’t help the situation.

So I beg of you, Dell and others, please just let us have a clean install, so we don’t have to uninstall all the unnecessary heft!

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• I loved Asus’s Zenbook A14 and A16 — but a $200 price hike changes everything
• AI is changing how we transcribe, and this might be the best example of it on Mac yet

Graphics are beautiful thanks to NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series too. The 16X Aurora also sports a premium, good-looking design with plenty of ports for hooking up several peripherals. But it’s worth noting that its battery life can be described as mediocre at best, and the top level configuration will cost you an arm and a leg.

Is this the best gaming laptop for you? Read my full Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review to find out.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Specs

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A (slightly bulky) gaming laptop boasting outstanding performance in gaming and productivity
• Who is it for? Gamers who want a high-performing laptops
• How much does it cost? The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora starts at $2,499 / £2,199 and goes all the way up to $4,299 / £3,299
• What do we like? The premium design, excellent gaming and productivity performance, and great color coverage and accuracy
• What don’t we like? The mediocre battery life and premium price point

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: The ups

From its fantastic design and numerous ports, to its excellent gaming performance and wide color coverage, the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a superb machine.

Fantastic design and connectivity

Ever since I first heard about Alienware laptops back when I was 12, I’ve always loved the design — the alien logo is a treat. The Alienware 16X Aurora is, then, a rather good-looking laptop, wrapped in dark blue and purple-ish colors, officially called “Interstellar Indigo.” Its smooth aluminum chassis feels premium, and the matte finish lends the 16X Aurora a classy look.

The 16X Aurora packs a 16-inch (2560 x 1600) non-touch screen, so it measures 14.05 x 10.45 x 0.92 inches, making it a little bigger than the Dell XPS 16 ($1,749). While not exactly compact, it still fits into most regular-sized backpacks with ease — although its weight (5.66lbs) might put you off from traveling with it for long.

I’ve really enjoyed using the 16X Aurora’s keyboard and trackpad too. The keys on the keyboard have enough space between them that you don’t accidentally hit an unintended key, but they’re also close enough that you don’t have to spread your fingers too much to type. The keyboard features single-zone RGB lighting only, which I don’t personally mind — and you can change the colors and effects via Alienware’s Command Center software. The touchpad also feels highly responsive and pans smoothly. No complaints there.

Ports-wise, the 16X Aurora is packed, and features basically everything you’d need to hook up a plethora of peripherals to it. Alongside the laptop’s left edge, you’ll find a USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, an ethernet jack, as well as a 3.5mm jack for plugging in gaming headsets.

There are no ports on the right edge; instead, the others are located on the rear. There’s another of the same USB-A port, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4), the port for the power adapter, and an HDMI port.

A vivid display

I’ve used the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora extensively and for a number of tasks: gaming, testing gaming keyboards and mice, conducting lab testing on the best monitors, and everyday work-centric tasks too. And there’s plenty of performance here to enjoy.

The 16-inch screen, first of all, has a refresh rate of 240Hz, which ensures silky smooth performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5. The 2.5K panel is plenty of resolution that makes games feel immersive, and there’s also an OLED configuration if that’s more your speed.

In addition to gaming, which I’ll get into in the next section, the 16X Aurora delivers bright, vivid colors across the board. I was stunned at how rich all the different shades and hues looked in the World Wildlife 4K YouTube video. Lush, green meadows appeared highly detailed, as did darker scenes filmed at night.

My lab testing confirmed what my eyes saw, as you can see in the table above. The 16X Aurora covers 98.3% of the sRGB spectrum and 99% of the wider DCI P3 color gamut. While both values are just a touch off 100%, the difference is barely noticeable, and you get an enjoyable viewing experience.

A Delta-E score of 0.6 is good too. It basically determines color accuracy, and the closer the score to zero, the better. 0.6, in this regard, is great, and I found the colors to be accurate in real-world use too.

The Razer Blade 16 ($2,999) and the Alienware x16 R2 ($2,099) boast better color accuracy making either a slightly better option than the 16X Aurora for those who do, say, color-intensive work, like photo and video editing. However, the 16X Aurora is much brighter than both with a measured brightness of 450.8 nits, so you shouldn’t have any issues seeing the screen in lit-up rooms. The MacBook Pro M5 ($1,599) upstages them all, though, with its 558 nits of brightness.

Performance aplenty

In addition to excellent color coverage and accuracy, the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora packs a powerful chip too. Depending on the configuration you go for, there are a few processing chips you can go for. My review unit came fitted with the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX chip, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Regardless of the task I did, the 16X Aurora performed admirably. Having multiple applications and browsers with 20 tabs open wasn’t an issue for the 16X Aurora. I didn’t experience any noticeable lag or unresponsiveness. Though there were a few instances where the laptop sounded like it was going to take off — particularly while playing the CPU-intensive Cyberpunk 2077 — I didn’t find it too jarring.

On Geekbench 6, which tests overall CPU performance, the 16X Aurora pulled in an excellent multi-core score of 18,697, outclassing both the Razer Blade 16 (2024) and the Alienware x16 R2. The MacBook Pro M5 performs slightly better than the 16X Aurora in our HandBrake video editing test (transcoding a 4K video to 1080p), but only by a very small margin.

On the BlackMagic Disk Speed test which measures the write and read speed in MBps, the 16X Aurora performed stupendously, with 4,233 write and 5,045 read speeds. The MacBook Pro M5 outperforms the 16X Aurora here with its fast 6,068 write and 6,323 read speeds, but in everyday use, Dell’s offering is more than enough.

Great for gaming

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a beast for gaming. The model I tested packs an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card, with the top level configuration featuring an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti card.

At a native resolution of 2560 x 1600, this laptop can run the best Steam games without breaking a sweat. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve used the 16X Aurora extensively to test the best gaming monitors, and the laptop has always performed admirably.

I played Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Horizon 5 and F1 25 with the highest graphics settings enabled. In Cyberpunk 2077 with features like Ray-Traced Lighting set to Ultra, the benchmark results showed an average of 63fps. Meanwhile, in Forza Horizon 5, I hit 150fps in Extreme mode, while F1 25 ran at a silky smooth 109fps in Ultra High graphics mode. Counter-Strike 2 achieved a maximum FPS of 235, so close to the screen’s 240Hz refresh rate, and it ensured ultra smooth performance.

Benchmark results are great on paper and can tell you a lot about the laptop’s performance, but how do the games really run? Well, really well. The user experience is sublime, with stunning visuals, vivid colors, and non-existent lag or ghosting. When the driver in front of me hit the brakes in F1 25, I could see the sparks flying from underneath the tyres in great detail — just like you would while watching a race on TV. In Cyberpunk 2077, the neon lights appeared saturated enough that they made me feel immersed in the streets of Night City.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: The downs

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a highly competent laptop, but there are a couple of flaws, namely its high price point and mediocre battery life.

Can get very expensive

The rule of thumb when buying a laptop is that the more things you add to its internal hardware, the more expensive it becomes — and the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora can get very pricey, especially when you deck it up with the best graphic card available and fit the biggest SSD possible.

The standard configuration I tested, at the time of writing, costs $2,499 / £2,199. If you go for the top level configuration with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 card, a 4TB SSD, and an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, you’re looking at an expenditure of $4,299 / £3,299. That’s a lot. I also say “at the time of writing” as prices may vary and fluctuate with the ongoing RAM crisis. It’s also worth noting that neither of these configurations feature an OLED panel.

For the OLED model, you’ll need to settle for 32GB RAM, 1TB storage and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HZ process, and this model costs $2,919. It’s also not available in the U.K., at the time of writing.

Mediocre battery life

One of the first things I noticed during my early testing time with the Dell Alienware 16X Aurora was that its battery life seemed very short. I was having to constantly recharge the laptop while playing games. Having conducted a benchmark battery test, I can now confirm that the 16X Aurora’s battery life leaves a lot to be desired.

Due to lab testing limitations, I wasn’t able to conduct our specialized in-house battery testing, so I used UL Procyon’s battery benchmark test instead. I calibrated the 16X Aurora’s brightness to 150 nits and let the software play videos until the laptop ran out of charge, and that took three hours and one minute, which is awful.

This is poor but it isn’t exclusive to the 16X Aurora. As you can see in the table above, the Razer Blade 16 and the Alienware x16 R2 gaming laptops also have subpar battery lives, especially when compared to the behemoth MacBook Pro M5.

Chances are, your gaming laptop will be plugged in while you play anyway, and the 16X Aurora isn’t really a portable laptop either, so does the suboptimal battery matter that much? I don’t believe so.

Dell Alienware 16X Aurora review: Verdict

The Dell Alienware 16X Aurora is a very capable gaming laptop, and one of the best you can buy today. The laptop boasts a lovely, premium design, and it’s built well too. There are plenty of ports for connecting the laptop to a monitor or plugging your favorite peripherals into it.

Performance-wise, the 16X Aurora features a vivid display with great color coverage and accuracy, and its 240Hz refresh rate makes it ideal for gaming. It’s perfect for general productivity as well. While its battery life isn’t industry-leading, and the laptop can get very expensive depending on the configuration, neither drawback should stop you from picking up the 16X Aurora. It looks good and performs even better.

Nikkei Asia is reporting that many of the major PC makers like Asus, HP and Lenovo are being forced to raise prices thanks to astronomical memory prices. Plus, the unwarranted U.S. attacks on Iran are actively affecting the oil industry which will cause shipping and manufacturing prices to increase as well.

"There is only so much PC companies can do to absorb the costs and we have to pass on the surging costs to consumers,” an unnamed gaming PC executive told Nikkei Asia.

Yep, AI is the problem

I’m getting tired of saying the same thing over and over, so I’ll just cut to the chase. The demand for AI compute is getting out of hand — with DRAM demand accounting for 50% of the globe’s memory consumption in 2025.

That has left PC and smartphone makers scrambling for supply, and that demand is driving the prices up to lofty numbers. Acer’s Chairman Jason Chen has said the cost of memory and storage chips had risen “between 50 to 100%,” and companies would have to “reflect” this in their prices to us.

And over the course of this year so far, we’ve had:

• A roughly 20% increase in Asus prices
• Dell jumping by around 20-25%
• Lenovo warning that prices will start to go up this month
• HP confirming its prices will rise
• And Acer flagging price increases of 10-20%

And we’re only in March?! I’m tired, boss, and so are the companies. “I am very pessimistic about the PC industry this year,” a gaming PC company executive told Nikkei Asia. “January was my final call for friends to buy PCs this year before facing more expensive price tags."

Ditching the budget end

Most interestingly in this report, the writers spoke to an executive at ELAN Microelectronics — a company that makes the controller chips for touchpads across laptops from brands like Lenovo and Dell. Basically, a critical part of the manufacturing process that can be the eyes and ears of what’s happening on the ground.

“We are seeing laptop builders shift to prioritize…higher-end commercial notebooks rather than entry-level products to boost revenue and make better use of the limited memory supply,” the executive commented. “Overall shipment volumes are still declining but the value per unit is increasing.”

You see, companies started stockpiling memory chips in the third quarter of last year, which has quickly started to run out.

Advantage, Apple MacBook Neo

Apple recently announced the new $599 MacBook Neo, an attempt by the Cupertino company to directly compete with budget-friendly Chromebooks and low-end Windows notebooks. Whether Apple read the tea leaves or is launching at the most opportune time, the company is going to benefit massively.

As Nikkei reports, many PC manufacturers are turning away from their cheapest offerings in favor of premium laptops and PCs to make the most of the RAM they have available. It’s a matter of survival as the companies attempt to recoup more profit from higher-priced laptops over reducing specs and memory in cheap sets.

Even Apple has been forced to raise prices on its higher-end MacBooks. The just-announced MacBook Pro M5 Pro starts at $200 more than the previous generation. Additionally, Apple just discontinued the six-month-old 512GB MacBook Pro M5 in favor of a starting model with 1TB of storage.

It’s so dire that one PC maker declined to even make an estimate for 2026 due to the memory shortage and rising prices.

Meanwhile, Apple locked the Neo to 8GB of RAM and 256 or 512GB storage. These aren’t spectacular numbers, but they are more than adequate for the target audience.

More from Tom's Guide

• The RAM crisis is out of control: Here's the most alarming tech products affected (so far)
• Your computer is slow because the RAM is full — 7 ways to free it up
• I edit video for a living — and this is how much RAM you need in 2026

If you need help choosing, I have my eye on the Dell XPS 13 for £999. The XPS 13 series has long been one of our computing team's favourite models, and this one is a steal with £200 off. You get solid specs and speedy performance with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.

Want to add accessories? You can get 20% off monitors, keyboards and more when you get a new PC. Just use code "PROMO20" at checkout to bundle and save.

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We recently received two XPS 14 models — one with a lower-end Panther Lake chip and an LCD panel, and a more premium model with a Core Ultra X7 chip and a tandem OLED screen. I’ve spent the past 24 hours with the latter, and let me tell you, it’s impressive so far. Not only is it fast and efficient, but the design finally gets back to basics. I’ll have a full XPS 14 review for you soon, but for now, here are my initial impressions of this sleek (and refreshingly retro) laptop.

Dell XPS 14: Specs (as tested)

A lovely new design that fixes my biggest complaints

The new XPS 14 design is the best kind of apology Dell could have given us. The team clearly took some inspiration from the 14-inch MacBook Pro M5, featuring more rounded corners and a refined CNC-machined aluminum chassis that feels dense and premium.

But the biggest wins are the ones that fix the previous generation’s "innovations." The controversial capacitive touch row is dead; in its place is a standard function row with physical keys.

Even better, the invisible trackpad is gone. While it’s still a seamless glass haptic touchpad, Dell added subtle tactile etching around the active area. I can finally feel where the touchpad ends without having to look down. It's the little things...

At 3 pounds, this machine is significantly lighter than last year's Dell 14 Premium (3.7 lbs), making it much easier to travel with. You still get three USB-C ports (all Thunderbolt 4), but the overall package feels much more grounded and practical. It successfully combines the best aspects of previous XPS models with the functional basics you expect from the best Windows laptops.

Strong Panther Lake performance

While I didn't have the maxed-out Core Ultra X9 chip in my test unit, the Core Ultra X7 inside this XPS 14 held up perfectly during my workday.

I spent the afternoon at the office with dozens of Chrome tabs open, a Slack window constantly buzzing, and a 4K YouTube video playing in the background. Through it all, the laptop remained snappy and responsive.

Looking at our lab results, the XPS 14 shows a healthy jump over the 2025 model. While it still can't touch the MacBook Pro M5 in single-core speeds or video transcoding, the gap is closing.

For everyday productivity, you simply won't feel this machine struggle. While this configuration doesn’t deliver mind-blowing benchmarks, it has more than enough power for both work and play.

Good gaming performance for an iGPU

Since this laptop relies on integrated Intel Arc graphics rather than a dedicated GPU, I kept my expectations in check. However, the new Panther Lake architecture shows some serious gaming prowess for an ultraportable.

While the raw numbers are lower than last year's model (likely due to the lack of a discrete RTX chip), the real story is in the playability. When I dropped the resolution to 1080p and enabled Intel XeSS, I was able to get a surprisingly smooth experience in titles that would have been unplayable on integrated graphics just two years ago.

The Panther Lake chip allows it to run modern titles as well as a budget gaming laptop would — and as I’ve said before, that’s a big win for integrated graphics.

The Tandem OLED display is gorgeous

Besides the new design and Panther Lake power, the headline feature on the XPS 14 2026 is the Tandem OLED display, the same tech Apple uses on the latest iPad Pro M5. By stacking two OLED layers, you get inky blacks, vibrant whites, and contrast levels that are quite pleasing to the eye. It's easily one of the finest screens I’ve seen on a laptop.

I love the way colors pop on this panel, especially when you have something rich in front of an all-black background. If you plan to watch movies or YouTube videos on the XPS 14, you’re going to have a great time.

You’ll notice that this Tandem OLED doesn't get as bright as the previous year's model or the MacBook Pro in our testing. This is likely because Dell tuned this specific panel for power efficiency and longevity rather than raw peak brightness. By using two layers to share the workload, the screen should resist burn-in much longer, even if it doesn't "pop" quite as much in direct sunlight.

Impressive battery life gains

We were only able to run one battery test on the Dell XPS 14 (we always do three minimum), but the initial result is pretty impressive. In our battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, the new XPS 14 lasted for an average of 12 hours and 23 minutes.

While the XPS 14 doesn’t quite hit the numbers of other OLED-equipped Panther Lake laptops we’ve tested—falling behind the Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro (15:17) and the Asus Zenbook Duo (14:23)—it’s still a huge step forward for Dell. It still lasted four hours longer than its predecessor. Still, the MacBook Pro M5 reigns supreme with its epic 18-hour runtime.

I should note that the Tandem OLED panel likely plays a role here. While the dual-layer tech is designed for efficiency and long-term durability, as Dell said, powering two layers of pixels still demands more juice than a standard LED or single-stack OLED panes.

The Dell XPS 14 with an 1200p LED display lasted 21 hours and 20 minutes, which is one of the longest runtimes ever. But it has a less powerful processor and lower-res screen than the OLED model.

Outlook

I’ll have a full review once I’ve put this laptop through more stress tests, but after 24 hours, the XPS 14 is already one of my favorite Windows laptops of 2026.

I appreciate Dell’s willingness to return to the drawing board and acknowledge that they dropped the ball with the previous generation. By listening to users and bringing back the basics, they’ve built a machine that should win people back. Stay tuned for my full review!

More from Tom's Guide

• Intel Core G3 ‘Panther Lake’ handheld chips reportedly delayed
• DDR4 in 2026? These kits can help you beat the RAM crisis
• Nvidia won't release new gaming GPU for 'first year in three decades'

I’ve also had a tricky time with a Dell monitor in recent times, which I had to send off for replacement no less than three times, with all subsequent replacements sent to me under warranty turning up damaged.

As you can no doubt understand, I’d vowed not to use another Dell-made monitor for a while. Then the Alienware AW2725D dropped on my desk (metaphorically) for testing, and I rather quickly realized my own words needed eating.

I’ve been testing this 280Hz QD-OLED 27-inch gaming monitor for around two months now, and it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it: work, gaming, production, you name it. I think this is one of the best gaming monitors you can buy in the mid-range price bracket. Read my full Alienware AW2725D review to find out why.

Alienware AW2725D review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A mid-range 1440p QD-OLED gaming monitor
• Who is it for? Gamers (...duh), although it’ll suit some light production too
• What does it cost? $499 / £509
• What’s good? The beautiful QD-OLED panel, speedy performance, vibrant and accurate colors, and strong contrast
• What’s not? Not a lot, although I wish it had more ports and built-in speakers

Alienware AW2725D review: Specs

Alienware AW2725D review: The ups

From its beautiful 27-inch QD-OLED panel, through to its high 280Hz refresh rate, premium design and suitability for tasks beyond gaming, this is an excellent mid-range display.

Beautiful QD-OLED panel

The Alienware AW2725D features a 1440p QD-OLED panel, which is frankly gorgeous. You can also buy the 27-inch monitor in different sizes, from 25 inches up to 34 inches; and different resolutions, from 1080p to 4K. Naturally, this affects price, as well as refresh rate, with the 27-34-inch 4K models topping out at 240Hz instead of the 1440p’s 280Hz refresh rate.

Given my desk setup and the games I play, 1440p at 27-inches is the sweet spot for me. 27-inches is wide enough for a fairly immersive experience, while also avoiding me having to turn my head to see different ends of the display. That said, if you want a truly immersive experience, an ultra-wide display like the Lenovo Legion Pro 34WD-10 ($1,199) is where you’ll want to look.

I find 1440p is plenty of resolution for 27-inches, and the panel relays plenty of fine detail and looks extremely sharp. You can also buy the 27-inch model with a 4K panel, which is the Alienware AW2725Q ($899). As I mentioned above and will cover below, you lose some performance (and more of your cash) by stepping up to 4K, but the differences aren’t huge.

Rich color, strong contrast, decent brightness

Helping that panel look so lovely, of course, are the rich colors and deep contrast from the AW2725D’s QD-OLED pixels. This is an OLED display, meaning each pixel lights itself rather than needing a backlight, resulting in true blacks as each pixel can turn itself off completely — this results in more contrast than IPS or VA (both LCD) panels which use a backlight to illuminate their pixels.

The ‘QD’ slapped on the front stands for ‘Quantum Dot’ — these little dots are essentially tiny semiconductors that produce extremely vibrant colors and also enhance brightness. So, with a QD-OLED, you’re getting better brightness than a standard OLED, and even more vivid colors.

I tested this display by playing a variety of games, three of which were Cyberpunk 2077, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (KCD2) and Total War: Rome II. Cyberpunk's vivid, contrasty scenes looked awesome on the AW2725D, with super inky shadows contrasting against bright neon signage. I tended to leave this game in the monitor’s standard mode, which maintains bright highlights — otherwise (in RPG mode) the game felt a little too dark.

KCD2 and Total War: Rome II also looked fantastic, with their warm, saturated palettes done full justice by the monitor’s standard color mode. I switched out the monitor’s color mode to RPG for KCD2 though, which clips the highlights a little to aid in that warmer, historical and cinematic feel. I tried the display’s warm mode, but this felt a little too yellow.

Across the board, there’s tons of contrast on offer, while colors look fantastic and nicely saturated, while still feeling fairly natural in the standard display mode.