The new XPS 13 9370 is supposed to continue the success of the previous years. The old model was hardly outdated and was also up to date in terms of the performance, but the competition never rests. Dell decided to make the new laptop slimmer without changing the basic design of the system. You know this is an XPS 13, especially the black SKU.

However, this is not a criticism since the case is still very sophisticated and well built. The slimmer chassis still resulted in some compromises compared to the previous model. This starts with the stability of the base unit, which is still very good, but the predecessor was stiffer. Our test model also produced some creaking sounds when we tried to twist it. Another disadvantage is the even slimmer display. The stability is remarkable, but this is also achieved thanks to the additional glass layer, which is now used on all models. It does not matter whether you want a touchscreen or not, you will always get a glossy panel. Then there is the problem with the ports. Dell unfortunately replaced the full-size SD reader and all the USB ports are Type-C, so you will probably need an adapter.

There are also other improvements besides the slimmer chassis. The Full HD display is just a bit darker than the more expensive 4K screen, but otherwise it is very decent. We were only surprised by the high response times, but this applies for the 4K UHD SKU as well. Both the system performance and the performance utilization of the quad-core ULV processor are very good. The new cooling solution works well and the fans are not too loud. There is still some coil whine, but it is usually not audible. It seems Dell also listened to the criticism about its dynamic backlight control. It is only active on battery power by default, but you can turn it off completely via BIOS. The effect on the battery runtime is not huge.

The new XPS 13 is still a very good choice for consumers looking for a compact laptop with a high-quality case and sufficient performance. There are some compromises compared to the previous model, but this is the case for many of the rivals as well.

So which model should you get if you are interested in the XPS 13? We already tested both display options and you can definitely go for the standard 1080p model unless you must have a touchscreen or the 4K resolution. The brightness is a bit lower (but still very good), but the other measurements are comparable. There is one big difference though, because the 4K model consumes much more power and the practical battery runtimes are much shorter. The optional Core i7 should not have a big advantage (only in single-core scenarios) over the i5, either. All in all, the entry-level model is the better mobile companion, not least thanks to the better stamina.