I've seen many entrepreneurs who expect the highest levels of tech innovation from their companies but don't really put the same thought process into the laptop they use. In some cases, it's a MacBook they bought in the Dark Ages. Or it's a clunky old Windows 7 machine that is running on a wing and a prayer.

Recently, a new 13-inch laptop arrived in my office that is a major step up in form and function. It's a better fit for entrepreneurs who can appreciate a finer piece of tech gadgetry. And, although we're only a couple of months into 2015, it takes my unofficial award for best laptop of the year so far.

The Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook is a redesigned version of the original XPS notebook from 2012 (and 2013). XPS stands for Xtreme Performance System, which might be overstating things a bit. (I'd use that nomenclature to describe a sports car, not a laptop.) Yet it's an exceptional laptop and what I would consider Dell's best product to date.

Before I dive into the details, you should know that this means Dell is two for two this year with brand-new "halo" products for business. I reviewed the Dell Venue 8 7000 recently, which I lauded as an exceptional eight-inch tablet with more impressive features than the Apple iPad Mini. The Venue won me over with its impressive speed, extra accessories (including the ability to mirror the screen on a television using the Dell Cast add-on), and unusually high build quality.

The XPS 13 falls in the same category. The first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box is that the laptop just feels solid and well made, not flimsy like a bargain laptop. The overall size matches up with most 11-inch notebooks, but the screen is actually 13.3 inches (mostly due to how the screen runs out to the edges of the bezel). The screen is also remarkably thin, matching up nicely with the Dell Venue tablet.

My test system has the typical configuration--it runs on a speedy Intel Core i5-5200U processor, has 8GB of RAM with a 256GB flash storage drive, and has a 3200 x 1800 pixel screen. It costs $1,399. The base model costs $799, with 4GB of RAM and an Intel Core i3 CPU.

I camped out at a coffee shop for several days using the laptop, because I wanted to find out how long it would last and if it would ever start chugging along as if it were overloaded. (Some Windows 8 laptops tend to do this--it's probably the bloatware or the fact that I tend to have 14 tabs running in Google Chrome at all times, plus a bunch of extra apps.) I was pleasantly surprised to find the laptop lasted all day (it's rated for 15 hours) and ran smoothly without any slowdowns. I kept the Dell Power Companion battery pack (which costs $80) at the ready, too. It adds another seven hours of battery life and works like a backup battery for your phone.

At 2.8 pounds for the touchscreen version I tested, the Dell XPS 13 felt light enough to stick in a messenger bag and tow around to meetings all day. The nontouch version weighs 2.6 pounds. My biggest finding, though, is that the laptop just feels like it will last. It's not chintzy. The keyboard felt just right for a fast typer like myself, but not too springy like the keys on an HP EliteBook or a Lenovo ThinkPad.

I'm not a Dell fanboy. After 14 years of reviewing tech gadgets, I keep an open mind about the brand name and specifications for any product, even if it has an Apple logo on the hood. It might be tempting to dismiss my findings since I sang the praises of the Dell Venue tablet so loudly. Yet this is an exceptional laptop, one that fits the design ethic and innovative mindset of someone who takes the risk of starting a company and isn't afraid to embrace something new. Both the laptop and tablet are winners.