Dell just announced a new laptop to take on Apple's MacBook Neo. The Dell 14S is a colorful laptop designed for college students and young adults, which helps the PC compete with the MacBook Neo's colorful range.
The Dell 14S should be a budget-friendly PC, though Dell has not released pricing for the laptop yet. The laptop has an aluminum body and a nice selection of ports, including two USB 3.2 Type-C ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Dell 14S and the Dell XPS 13 released earlier this year both compete with the MacBook Neo, but they do so in different ways. The XPS 13 has a better display, Wi-Fi 7, a backlit keyboard, and is a more premium device.
The Dell 14S promises all-day battery life, is available in several colors, and has a 16:10 display.
People who were intrigued by the low price of the MacBook Neo but want the look of a premium laptop running Windows 11 will likely prefer the newest XPS 13. Those who like the colorful tone of the MacBook Neo but want a lightweight and affordable device running Windows 11 will probably lean toward the Dell 14S.
Dell's confusing naming scheme
Dell is still struggling with naming its products. The company abandoned the XPS lineup and got rid of its entire consumer-focused strategy but has since backtracked and brought back XPS. But the company seems confused on what XPS means to customers.
If you head over to Dell's webpage about the New Dell 14S, you'll see a comparison chart that includes the New Dell 14, New Dell 14S, and Dell 14S. Incredibly, they are quite different from each other.
Listing two laptops side-by-side and having one labeled as "new" is fine. It's somewhat similar to how car companies handle naming, though the automotive industry often just attaches a year within parentheses.
Sticking with that analogy, if you look at a 2025 Honda Civic and a 2026 Honda Civic, they should be somewhat similar vehicles. Barring a complete overhaul, a new version of a model should resemble its predecessor.
If there is an overhaul, it's usually a linear progression, such as when Dell shifted from the old-old XPS to the once-new-but-now-old XPS.
If you did not already know which of the below PCs were XPS laptops, could you easily guess which are in that family of devices?
Zac Bowden / Windows CentralFuture | Daniel RubinoDell
What is an XPS device in 2026? The new XPS 14 is a premium device featuring an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor or more powerful processor. The not-so-new but still great XPS 14 shares a similar design and also has an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip, albeit an older one.
So, XPS laptops are premium machines with high-end processors and a design resembling the XPS laptops from recent years, correct? Nope. The XPS 13 from this year is a budget-focused PC with options powered by an Intel Core Ultra 3 chip.
Other differences stand out, such as the latest XPS 13 having options with 8GB of RAM compared to the 16GB minimum of the new XPS 14.
Please understand, I think the latest XPS 13 and XPS 14 are excellent laptops. I predict the Dell 14S will also be a solid PC. But I don't understand what Dell is doing with its XPS brand. The company seems to have remembered that consumers value the XPS brand and has chosen to etch the XPS logo onto things willy-nilly.
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Omarchy is an omakase Linux distribution based on Arch, the tiling window manager Hyprland, and the desktop construction-kit Quickshell. It ships with everything a modern, savvy computer user needs to be productive immediately. From Neovim (btw) to Chromium, Obsidian to LibreOffice, and Kdenlive to OBS Studio. Hell, even a retro Winamp-style music player is there!
This isn’t just a grab bag of preinstalled packages, though. It’s a complete system designed with both aesthetics and productivity in mind.
[…]
Omarchy isn’t like Windows and it’s not like macOS either. It’s not trying to be as familiar as possible. It’s trying to be beautiful and better.
I do not find this, or Linux on the desktop in general, very appealing. I don’t agree that it’s beautiful, though neither is current macOS. But I do find this effort interesting. The concept—preconfigure a well designed system and try to make it different and better—is good. This is not your average open-source project. It has $10M in backing from the founders of Shopify, Stripe, Dell, Twitter, Cloudflare, Sesame, and 37signals, and now (Hacker News):
And OpenClaw has essentially provided the roadmap for how Omarchy should tackle its explosive growth. How do you deal with PR backlogs that suddenly go parabolic? What about security around plugins?
Run the upstream Omarchy desktop as a native, hardware-accelerated app on an Apple Silicon Mac.
Try Omarchy packages a project-built ARM64 Arch Linux image configured with Omarchy Quattro, a QEMU runtime using Apple Hypervisor Framework, and a small Swift/AppKit launcher into one macOS app.
All projects have security issues but not all projects have such predictable security issues. We know how to deal with untrusted inputs. We know we should not use AI-generated bash scripts for processing untrusted input, particularly with seemingly no review.
And you can’t get to a reasonably secure system by starting with a pile of bash slop and hoping others will catch and fix the issues before they are exploited.
A security issue in Omarchy’s default Docker configuration meant that
essentially every program running in the user’s desktop session could escalate
to root without a password, sudo, or a privilege prompt.
If you use Omarchy, the most important takeaway is
simple: update to 4.0.1.
Omarchy is blowing up. I’ve never been involved with anything in my career that has grown this fast.
[…]
Now it’s time to build a proper institution. Durable, resilient, and competent. That’s what we’re doing here on Basecamp now. I’m spinning up teams for every facet of responsible distro management, and I’m getting an absolute outpouring of interest for all of them.
[…]
There are many people who’d love to see this rocket blow up before it reaches the moon. Aggrieved Linux users who don’t like the sudden attention their exclusive hobby has received. Competing Linux distributions that are seeing our numbers explode. Mac stans who’ve sunk their identity into an apple. And, of course, any of the haters I’ve picked up in my quarter-century career speaking bluntly on the internet.
[…]
[The Year of Linux on the Desktop] has been a joke for two decades. But by the end of the year, nobody at Apple or Microsoft is going to be laughing. They’re going to be scrambling. Because neither of these proud organizations currently has any method to counter the speed, vision, or ambition with which we’re going to accelerate into the future of personal computing.
[…]
For thirty years, we’ve been subject to one OS overlord or another. Dictating how we compute. Choking off competitors through platform malfeasance. Tollboothing the distribution. That ends now. Because Linux is going to win.
Who knows whether they’re going to be the ones to finally do it or whether this will be an embarrassing flameout, but I respect the energy and ambition. For a long time, it’s felt like Apple is more interested in thwarting than enabling and that they kind of resent even having to continue making a desktop OS. These guys actually like computers. However, there’s a big difference between recognizing that the mantle is falling and being able to pick it up.
The Omacom Foundation has its first two Distinguished Corporate Patrons! 1Password and 37signals are each contributing $100,000 a year for the next three years, which takes the foundation’s funding to $12.6 million.
Omarchy Quattro is already the #3 Linux distro by active 1Password users. Even crazier, on the weekends it’s #1, beating out Ubuntu for the first time on Saturday.
Le DELL 14 Plus profite actuellement d’une remise d’environ 38 % sur cette configuration personnalisée, avec un équipement qui associe processeur haut de gamme, 32 Go de RAM et SSD de 1 To.
I highlighted Dell's discount on the XPS 14 recently, and the deal has since gotten even better. I didn't think I'd see a laptop with these specs at this price in 2026. 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 3.2K OLED touch display for $1,549.99 is, quite frankly, ludicrous.
My only concern is that the laptop dropping in price quickly suggests Dell is almost out of stock and wants to clear out 2025 models to push the newer XPS 14 laptops from this year.
This premium laptop has a 3.2K OLED touch display, 32GB of RAM, and a gorgeous design that takes advantage of every millimeter available. It's one year old, but it's still an excellent laptop in 2026.
Note that the review of this laptop was from before the Dell 14 Premium was rebranded to the Dell XPS 14.
The XPS 14 is a pretty laptop built for productivity. At one time, there were a bunch of variations for this PC, but the options have been trimmed down as stock dips. The 3.2K OLED touch display in this model stands out, especially at this price.
The XPS 14 has a zero-lattice keyboard that packs large keys into a relatively small laptop body. The haptic touchpad of the XPS 14 is invisible, creating a clean look when the laptop is open.
That touchpad can take some time to get used to, but it was praised by Tom's Guide in their review:
"The keys have good travel distance and just the right amount of resistance when pressed. Once you get used to how tightly packed they are, typing is a breeze. And now that I’m used to it, the invisible touchpad doesn’t bother me. As before, I like the haptic feedback the touchpad produces, which also helps me know its location."
While I love the design of the XPS 14, it has battery life that's just OK. Our colleagues at Tom's Guide got 8 hours and 16 minutes in their testing. For context, 10 hours of battery life is considered "pretty good" in that same test.
The discounted XPS 14 model I highlighted retails for $2,899.99, but it is from last year. Many laptops from this year with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage cost well over $2,000. The new XPS 14 with those specs is $2,119.99 right now, and that's after a $630 discount. That version also has a 2K non-touch screen rather than the 3.2K OLED touch screen seen in the XPS 14 (2025) highlighted here.
FAQ
Is the Dell XPS 14 (2025) still worth buying in 2026?
Yes. While it is a year old, the XPS 14 featuring 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 3.2K OLED display is more than capable of handling heavy multitasking, content creation, and everyday workloads. At $1,549.99, it outperforms similarly priced 2026 mid-range laptops in both build quality and display specs.
What is the difference between the XPS 14 and the Dell 14 Premium?
They are the exact same laptop! Dell briefly adopted the "Dell 14 Premium" naming convention for its 2025 lineup before reverting to the "XPS" branding and retroactively updating model names.
Can I upgrade the RAM or storage later on?
The 32GB of RAM is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded after purchase, which makes the current deal a great way to future proof your laptop.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Bonne nouvelle pour les joueurs : pas besoin de se ruiner pour s'offrir un bon écran PC. L'Alienware 27 AW2725DM passe sous la barre des 200 € sur le site officiel de Dell. De quoi envisager les futures sessions gaming et garder le budget pour se fournir en jeu ou améliorer la configuration de...
Un écran gaming doit trouver un équilibre entre qualité d'affichage et fluidité pour répondre aux attentes des joueurs actuels, surtout lorsqu'il n'est pas question de dépenser 800, 900, 1000 € ou plus. L'Alienware AW2725QF de DELL, avec sa dalle IPS de 27 pouces, sa résolution 4K UHD et son...
Un casque gaming ne se résume pas à la qualité d'écoute. Le confort, l'autonomie et les possibilités de connexion et de communication comptent tout autant pour accompagner les longues sessions et l'usage à long terme. L'Alienware AW725H, modèle réputé et spécialisé, profite actuellement d'une...
MacBook Neo helped Apple move against the global PC market in the second quarter of 2026, delivering double-digit Mac shipment growth while most leading computer manufacturers sold fewer units than a year earlier.
Preliminary data from IDC estimates that Apple shipped 6.7 million Macs during the quarter, up 10.1% from 6.1 million in Q2 2025. Its worldwide market share rose from 8.5% to 9.9%, placing the company within a fraction of the 10% threshold.
The rest of the industry moved in the opposite direction. Global shipments fell 4.9% year over year to 68.2 million units, ending nine consecutive quarters of growth. A separate Omdia estimate placed the decline at 3.6% and Apple growth at 15.9%, but both research groups identified the same pattern: the Mac gained ground while established Windows PC vendors contracted or remained flat.
IDC directly connected the Apple increase with the arrival of its lowest-priced notebook. MacBook Neo began shipping in March, giving the model its first complete quarter of retail availability between April and June.
MacBook Neo Drives Mac Shipment Growth
MacBook Neo entered the market as an alternative for buyers previously priced out of the Mac lineup.
The 13-inch notebook launched at $599 with an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of unified memory, a Liquid Retina display and up to 16 hours of video playback. It also brought macOS, Apple Intelligence and integration with the iPhone ecosystem into a price range commonly occupied by mainstream Windows laptops and Chromebooks.
That positioning attracted students, families and first-time Mac customers who did not need the performance or display technology of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. The four-color aluminum design also gave the entry model a more recognizable identity than the older Mac notebooks that frequently remained on sale through discounts.
IDC had already identified the computer as an unusual source of strength when it revised its notebook forecast earlier in 2026. Demand exceeded initial expectations in several markets, and reported inventory shortages appeared shortly after the March launch.
The effect became much more visible in Q2. MacBook Neo was available for the entire three-month period, allowing Apple to increase production, expand retail distribution and serve customers who could not obtain the computer during its first weeks.
The entry model also widened the Mac lineup without replacing the MacBook Air. Buyers seeking more memory, faster ports, longer wireless web use or additional external-display support could continue moving toward the M5-powered Air, while the less expensive machine handled education, office work, web browsing and communication.
That separation allowed Apple to reach lower price points without reducing the value of its premium notebooks.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.
Lenovo, HP and Dell Lose Shipments
Apple remained the fourth-largest traditional PC vendor, but its performance contrasted sharply with the companies above it.
Lenovo retained first place with 16.6 million units and 24.4% market share. Its shipments declined 2.1% from the previous year.
HP experienced the steepest drop among the top five, falling 9% to 13 million units. Dell shipped 9.3 million computers, representing a 5% decline. Asus remained nearly flat at 5 million units, up only 0.2%.
Manufacturers outside the five largest brands collectively suffered a 10.5% contraction, indicating that weaker demand and component inflation placed even more pressure on smaller companies.
The figures measure shipments into distribution channels or directly to end users, not confirmed retail purchases by individual consumers. A manufacturer can therefore record shipment growth while some inventory remains unsold in stores or warehouses.
MacBook Neo demand appears to have been strong enough to support Apple production increases rather than simply filling channels. The company reportedly doubled its annual production target after the initial response, although later quarters will reveal how much of Q2 reflected lasting demand rather than launch-period enthusiasm.
Apple also benefits from operating at a scale that provides leverage with memory, storage and semiconductor suppliers. Smaller PC brands face greater difficulty securing components at competitive prices when shortages intensify.
Memory Costs Reverse the PC Recovery
The Q2 contraction arrived after manufacturers and commercial customers accelerated purchases during late 2025 and early 2026.
Buyers expected memory and storage prices to rise, encouraging some businesses to replace computers earlier than planned. Vendors also increased inventories while components remained available.
That activity supported nine quarters of market growth but borrowed demand from later periods. Once the early purchases were completed, the industry faced a more difficult combination of expensive components, cautious consumers and elevated retail prices.
The memory shortage is closely connected to the AI infrastructure boom. Chipmakers are dedicating more production capacity to high-bandwidth memory used by data center accelerators, limiting the supply of conventional DRAM needed for personal computers.
IDC expects little relief before the end of 2027 or early 2028. The research company forecasts an 11.3% decline in worldwide PC shipments across 2026, with the fourth quarter potentially falling 20% from the previous year.
Computer revenue may not decline at the same pace. Manufacturers have raised prices faster than shipments have fallen, allowing them to collect more money from fewer units.
That strategy creates another problem. Retailers and distributors can become trapped with expensive inventory if customers refuse the new prices, forcing promotions or production reductions later.
MacBook Neo initially softened that pressure by giving Apple a new product near the bottom of the notebook market. Its original $599 price made the Mac competitive with midrange Windows machines at the moment many rivals were becoming more expensive.
Image Credit: Freepik
The Price Increase Creates the Next Test
The strongest Q2 MacBook Neo shipments were recorded while most customers could still buy the computer at its introductory price.
Apple raised the U.S. starting price to $699 in late June as memory and storage costs affected the Mac and iPad lineups. The education price remained at $599, preserving the original offer for eligible students and educators.
A $100 increase changes the comparison with discounted Windows notebooks and places the entry model closer to older MacBook Air configurations available through third-party retailers.
Apple must now determine whether the appeal came primarily from the low launch price or from the combination of macOS, battery life, design and iPhone integration.
The company remains better positioned than many rivals to absorb supply disruption, negotiate long-term component agreements and promote several notebooks at different prices. MacBook Neo also uses an iPhone-class A18 Pro processor rather than an M-series chip, providing another way to manage silicon costs and production capacity.
IDC expects the full PC market to deteriorate during the second half of 2026. Apple will enter that period with almost 10% worldwide share, but the September quarter will be the first to measure MacBook Neo demand almost entirely at the higher $699 retail price.
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