Dell’s XPS 15 and XPS 17 get a refresh with Intel 12th-gen processors

Today, Dell is announcing the XPS 15 9520 and the XPS 17 9720. The new variants of its larger premium laptops now come with Intel’s 12th-generation processors, up to a Core i9-12900HK in either one. Other than that, the parts remain the same, although the wattage of the graphics seems to be scaled down a bit, offering 40W from the RTX 3050 Ti in the XPS 15 instead of 45W, and offering 60W from the RTX 3060 that’s in the XPS 17 instead of 70W.

Another key change is that they both come with DDR5 memory at 4800MHz, up to 64GB. Naturally, this is something that’s supported by the 12th-gen processors, hence why it’s new to this generation; however, many PCs coming out with 12th-gen chips still use DDR4. That’s because DDR5 is still pretty expensive due to component shortages.

Along with the power, both machines come in a portable package with the smallest footprints possible at their respective screen sizes. The XPS 15 9520 starts at 3.99 pounds for the non-touch model with the 56WHr battery, although there’s an option for a larger 86WHr battery that will bring the laptop in at 4.22 pounds. If you go for wither 4K+ or 4K OLED, you’ll get the larger battery, and they come in at 4.42 pounds and 4.31 pounds, respectively. For the Dell XPS 17 9720, it weighs in at 4.87 pounds for non-touch and 5.34 pounds for touch, both of which come with a 97WHr battery.

As mentioned, the Dell XPS 15 does have an OLED option, while the XPS 17 still doesn’t. This is because 4K OLED 17-inch displays just don’t exist. This isn’t the only product that offers an OLED option in the 15-inch variant and not the 17-inch variant. Of course, Dell makes some of the best displays around with its XPS units, so you’re really not missing out on much.

Dell also focuses a lot on the media consumption experience. It’s not just about great performance, display, and keyboard. The company also focuses on sound with Waves MaxxAudio. It adds up to Dell Cinema, which is all about streaming your favorite movies and TV shows while you’re not working.

The Dell XPS 15 9520 and XPS 17 9720 are available beginning today, starting at $1,449 (CAD $1,799) and $1,849 (CAD $2,299), respectively. Dell noted that the XPS 17 configuration with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 won’t ship until April.

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