The XPS 13 Is Likable, But Most Buyers Should Opt for 16GB of RAM

There's a lot to like about the XPS 13, but most people should shell out for 16GB of RAM. After reviewing the MacBook Neo, I've been eager to see which PC maker could match Apple's difficult balance of low cost and high quality hardware. Could anyone actually deliver a Windows laptop that works well with just 8GB of RAM?

Dell's latest XPS 13 comes close. The company touts it as the thinnest and lightest XPS yet, weighing in at 2.2 pounds and 12.7 millimeters thick. And with a starting price of $700, it competes directly with the MacBook Neo's new pricing (unfortunately, that $600 launch price was short-lived).

To reach that price point, though, Dell inevitably had to make some compromises. The new XPS 13 still features an all metal case, but its more basic design resembles the company's mainstream Inspiron line instead of the premium XPS family. Its Intel Core hardware is more efficient than before, but significantly slower than the last generation of XPS 13. And the more I use it, the more frustrated I am with its mechanical trackpad, which feels like a major step back from Dell's recent haptic trackpads. And perhaps the biggest issue is that the base model ships with only 8GB of RAM, which proves insufficient for multitasking in real-world use.