Is Dell Concealing Secrets About the New XPS 13?

Dell has a valuable opportunity to enhance its marketing strategy, as the company has somewhat overshadowed an exciting feature of the new XPS 13 laptop—the introduction of a Tandem OLED display, confirmed to The Verge.

Tandem OLED technology is gaining traction, especially after Apple debuted it with the iPad Pro M4. The core idea behind Tandem OLED is straightforward: to boost the typically low brightness of traditional OLED panels by stacking multiple layers on top of one another. Currently, the upcoming XPS 13 stands out as the only shipping device utilizing this innovative display technology.

While Dell has not revealed specific specifications for the new display, there have been bold claims about its potential. Recently, TCL showcased a slideable Tandem OLED display that it asserts can achieve brightness levels up to 2,500 nits. For comparison, even top-tier OLED laptops currently max out around 700 nits.

In addition to being the first laptop to feature Tandem OLED, the XPS 13 marks Dell's debut of a Snapdragon chip within its XPS lineup. This laptop is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite CPU and is one of the few new Copilot+ laptops launching on June 18. You can currently preorder the XPS 13 with Tandem OLED touch display, 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM for $1,500.

Despite the promise of Tandem OLED, it is not without its challenges. Users have already reported issues, such as a grainy appearance on the iPad Pro. Additionally, iMore discovered that HDR content on the iPad can cause highlights to blow out, especially in blue shades. As with any pioneering technology, we can anticipate some initial hurdles as companies like Dell and Apple refine their display implementations.

Nonetheless, the Dell XPS 13 is leading the way as the first laptop equipped with Tandem OLED, potentially remaining unparalleled for some time. While the market has seen a surge of OLED laptops in recent years, such as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, none have yet utilized Tandem OLED technology. We may discover more at the upcoming Computex event.