Dell XPS 13 7390

Dell XPS 13 7390 – First impressions

I recently bought a brand new Dell XPS 13 7390 laptop, and I would like to share my impression with you. The Dell XPS series is their premium line. If you are someone who always wants the latest features, look no further than the XPS line. Yes, they are expensive, and yes, you can certainly buy the same power for less money if you are on a lower budget.

In my view, before buying, give close thought to what you want from your laptop. What features are essential for you? What will the primary use be? A valuable tip from me: always go for more power than you currently need, especially when it comes to memory and storage. Your demands will grow not decrease during the lifetime of a laptop. I speak from personal experience.

So let’s jump right into my Dell XPS 13 7390 first impressions review. There are many different models available. See the table below with the exact specification of the Dell XPS 13 7390 I will be reviewing here.

This Dell XPS 13 is a powerhouse, but still lean and light. It weighs a mere 1.23 kg or 2.84lbs. It has a 13.3inch screen with a gorgeous UHD display and a touchscreen. Netflix UHD movies or TV-shows appear crystal clear. The colors are incredibly vibrant. The graphic chip is an Intel UHD. With this chip, you won’t have any issue playing the most modern of games.

Dell XPS 13 7390 Wireless and Bluetooth

Of course, the Dell XPS 13 7390 ships with Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. Wifi 6 is the latest wireless standard; speedier than ever before with increased capacity and reduced latency to support a higher number of users and devices. The AX1650W wireless chip is backward compatible with all Wifi standards.
Bluetooth 5.1 brings new “direction-finding” features that will let Bluetooth devices pinpoint physical location to the centimeter, aiding in indoor positioning. Version 5.1 includes features that will make for more reliable Bluetooth connections, too.

Dell XPS 13 7390 connections

There are two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) connectors on the left side, of which one is for power. The right side has another USB-C connector. This model doesn’t have a full-size USB connector, but the XPS ships with a USB to a USB-C adapter. On the right side there is also a headset plug and a slot for a memory card. You can buy the Dell DA200 USB-C to HDMI/VGA Ethernet/USB3 adapter at a small additional cost. It extends the Dell XPS 13 7390 with the necessary ports. The adapter is very convenient to carry and since the cable is integrated, you’re unlikely to lose it.
You’ll find the fingerprint reader on the power button, and it’s compatible with Microsoft Hello. The same is true for the front camera. LED signals when the camera is on.

Dell XPS 13 7390 – real world impressions

After working for one week with my XPS, I have to say I’m very impressed. The touchscreen is a brilliant, very sharp picture. Netflix movies are available in UHD, and it is a joy to watch them on the XPS screen. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of watching movies on a small screen. But this image quality is a game changer! Navigating the screen using just a finger is a joy. Much against my original belief that a touchscreen has no special benefit for a laptop when a keyboard is available, I gladly admit here that the touchscreen is indeed very helpful.

And what about the keyboard? Well, I found typing to be comfortable even for extended periods of time. No issues with aching wrists. This could vary for others of course, depends on typing style and positioning of hands. In contrast, the touchpad felt a bit awkward to work with, for me. For sure, I have seen better touchpads than what the Dell XPS 13 7390 delivers. Use a small external mouse as a workaround if you don’t manage to come to terms with the touchpad like me :).

I connected the laptop to an external case that holds a powerful gaming graphics card. Even if you are someone who is unlikely to buy a laptop for high-speed gaming, I can vouch that with an external graphic card, the Dell XPS 13 7390 is a pretty decent gaming machine. The laptop connects with the Thunderbolt 3 port, which blazing fast.

Dell XPS 13 7390 – Coming to the end

If you have the budget, you cannot really go wrong buying the Dell XPS 13. I recommend purchasing a service plan alongside. That way you can be sure that if something breaks, you’ll get a hassle-free repair. Dell offers premium support plans for up to 4 years. In addition, there are Dell service plans with damage insurance too. Don’t forget to buy the Dell DA200 USB/HDMI/LAN adapter at a small additional cost.

See also my best laptop deals with some buying advice