Dell Targets Students With Budget-Friendly XPS 13, Here's How The $599 Laptop Compares With Apple's MacBook Neo

On Sunday, Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) unveiled the XPS 13 laptop, priced at $699, with students ages 16 and older eligible for promotional pricing as low as $599 during the back-to-school season.

Dell Targets Students With Lower-Priced XPS 13

The move places Dell more directly against Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) introduction of a lower-cost laptop lineup, as PC makers compete for younger buyers seeking premium devices at more accessible price points.

Dell said the new XPS 13 is its thinnest and lightest model to date, weighing roughly half a pound less than Apple's competing offering while also featuring a larger display.

Dell Expands Affordable Laptop Push Amid Rising PC Market Pressure

The aggressive pricing strategy comes as PC manufacturers face slowing demand expectations and rising component costs, particularly for memory chips, which are expected to pressure shipments later this year, Reuters reported.

Earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas, Dell said it planned to compete across multiple consumer price tiers while reviving its XPS lineup to broaden its market reach.

"I’ll give them credit. ‌It’s ⁠a good product and it validates the market we’ve been talking about," Dell Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said, referring to Apple's lower-cost approach, the report noted.

"Students and consumers deserve better options at accessible price points, and we agree," Clarke added.

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Neo starts at $599 and is available to students for $499. It makes Apple's ecosystem more accessible to budget-conscious buyers who were previously priced out.

Here's how the Apple MacBook Neo compares with the Dell XPS 13 on pricing, battery life, performance and portability:

New XPS 13 Availability And Processor Options

Dell said the XPS 13 model powered by Intel Corp (NASDAQ:INTC) Core Series 3 processors will launch first. In contrast, variants featuring Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors and a new Storm color option are expected later this summer.

Dell Raises Fiscal 2027 Guidance After Strong Q1 Earnings

Last week, Dell reported first-quarter revenue of $43.84 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.86 per share, beating analyst estimates of $35.45 billion and $2.94 per share, respectively.

For the second quarter, Dell forecast revenue of $44 billion to $45 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.80 per share, both above analyst expectations of $34.99 billion and $2.98 per share.

The company also raised its fiscal 2027 outlook, projecting revenue of $165 billion to $169 billion, up from its prior forecast of $138 billion to $142 billion and ahead of analyst estimates of $142.25 billion.

Price Action: Shares of Dell rose 32.76% to close at $420.91 on Friday and declined 0.093% to $420.52 in after-hours trading, according to Benzinga Pro.

Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings place DELL in the 97th percentile for Momentum, with the stock showing bullish signals across short, medium and long-term trading periods.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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