The Dell XPS 13 Plus is a powerful machine, but it costs more than my car

It's interesting to see the Dell XPS 13 Plus. A tiny, mighty, futuristic device. As you'd expect from a Dell laptop in 2022, the 13 Plus packs a bit of everything you'd expect, from one that's portable to one that somehow rethinks what you're used to in a laptop.

This reimagining of Dell's signature XPS 13 range was first announced at CES in January. The XPS 13 Plus weighs only 1.24kg and features a 13.4-inch screen. It measures 15.28mm thick and feels beautiful.

Reviewing the XPS 13, we declared it to be basically perfect and called it the best all-rounder laptop. Dell has gone even further this year. In this case, Dell took a more minimalist approach to design. The interior has been simplified, the function row moved to a capacitive one, and the keycaps have been enlarged.

As a result of Dell's XPS 13 Plus, more components can be fitted into a smaller chassis because the motherboard is smaller. Taking a closer look,XPS 13 models featured a two-tone silver lid and black carbon-fibre interior in addition to an edge-to-edge screen. XPS now comes in two monochrome color options, a departure from Dell's previous releases

A full-sized keyboard and touchpad match the lid and deck in terms of colour. It's stunning. A zero-lattice keyboard runs the full length of the device, with practically no gaps between keys.

It has a stunning display. In my day-to-day life, I use an Apple MacBook Pro 2021, which has a miniLED Liquid Retina XDR screen that can adjust refresh rates up to 120Hz.

The XPS 13 Plus has a 3.5K OLED display that produces the darkest blacks you can imagine. It's important not to ignore the clarity. The OLED display is stunning. I'm fine with the 60Hz lock, but honestly, it's not that bad. Particularly when we play games.

The XPS 13 Plus also ran Stray via Steam. It sounded like a small plane preparing to take off, but it kept up. It was very impressive - there was no lag, no thinking, just getting on with it. In spite of its best efforts. Despite this, it got very hot underneath.

Using my face to unlock the laptop is always a joy, but it struggled when my fringe wasn't pinned up. XPS 13 Plus users will have access to many Windows features, but it's worth noting that these work beautifully.

The only thing that annoyed me was Windows-related, but I can't blame Dell for that. It is important to run a device such as a laptop as we would during a typical workday when reviewing it. It brings annoyances to productivity and efficiency, but the XPS 13 Plus was very easy to get used to. The Plus held up to my tab hoarding.

I was unimpressed with the battery when I tested it. After watching Avengers: Endgame at full brightness, high resolution, high volume, and streaming from Disney+, the battery died after about an hour.

The percentage dropped from 100 to 30 over the course of the movie. After one hour, the battery was down to 83 per cent, and after two hours, it was down to 55 per cent. There was a lot of heat generated by the Dell XPS 13 Plus. Despite wanting more from the battery, it lasted nearly the whole day for basic work use. If battery life is a big concern for you, you should opt for a non-OLED model.

The XPS 13 Plus has just two ports, both USB-C. It doesn't have a headphone jack either. My Samsung M8 Smart Monitor had one port left after connecting the XPS.

In terms of what I would like to use the ports for, I don't really know, but I want the luxury of having them, you know? In the box Dell ships the XPS 13 Plus, however, there are USB-C to USB-A adapters and USB-C to 3.5mm adapters.

It may not be for everyone, but you can never please everyone. The machine worked perfectly for my day-to-day needs, and I enjoyed playing games on it. It delivers professional performance in a portable package.

There is no noise from the XPS 13 Plus, but it gets very hot. The battery life could be better, but the OLED display is beautiful. It's an expensive machine, almost too expensive for daily use.

Besides checking email and opening many tabs, it has more power than you would need. The laptop fits somewhere in the middle, allowing it to be used for both work and pleasure without being too bulky or noisy.