We've practically run out of superlatives for Dell's XPS 13, the company's flagship ultraportable that sparked the slim bezel trend and has remained one of our favorite notebooks for years. So where does Dell go from here? Say hello to the XPS 13 Plus, a more powerful and ambitiously designed notebook with a lattice-less keyboard (read: no space between the keys) and a glass haptic touchpad that blends right into the palm rest. It's a laptop that looks so sleek, it practically begs to be touched. It's just a shame that in its frenzy to create a modern masterpiece, Dell also removed the headphone jack. Sigh.
Gallery: Dell XPS 13 Plus | 9 Photos
Gallery: Dell XPS 13 Plus | 9 Photos
But before we dive into the many problems with that, let's take a look at what's good: The XPS 13 Plus pushes Dell's design capabilities to new heights. There's a focus on clean lines and minimalism, as if Dell carved a computer directly out of a slab of polished metal. In addition to that attractive new keyboard (which also sports larger key caps), the XPS 13 Plus is also powered by Intel's 28-watt 12th-gen processors. That's a healthy jump from the standard XPS 13's 15-watt chips, and it means you can expect a lot more performance from its 2.73-pound frame.
There's also a row of capacitive touch function buttons above the keyboard, which look as if they're embedded right into the computer's metal case. I'm sure some may prefer sticking with physical function buttons, but losing the extra row of keys adds to the air of simplicity Dell is striving for.