Laptops

Dell XPS 13 (2018) Review: Still the best in its class

The benchmark of portable laptops

Published

August 3, 2018

Daniel Morial

When talking about premium laptops, the flagship models of PC manufacturers are automatically part of the list. You’ve probably already heard of Dell’s XPS line of notebooks. If you haven’t, maybe you’ve seen it before in a cafe or at a store because it’s pretty distinct. Just look for the notebook with an incredibly thin display bezel, and that’s most likely the Dell XPS 13.

Since its introduction in 2012, the design of the XPS 13 hasn’t changed much. It was in 2015 that the Ultrabook (the name of premium Windows notebooks before) got its recognizable bezel-less display. Dell is not yet ready to give the XPS 13 a major makeover, so the 2018 version only has slight changes. Is it still the XPS 13 we know and love? Here’s my review.

The edge-to-edge design lives on

Let’s first talk about the display because it’s the first thing one would notice about this notebook. Since the introduction of the InfinityEdge display on the XPS line, we’ve been wanting other laptops to have the same design. Dell is able to achieve an 80.7 percent screen-to-body ratio with the XPS 13.

My particular XPS 13 comes with a 4K Ultra HD IPS panel with touch input, but it also comes in Full HD with the base configuration. Dell already claims to have covered 100 percent of the sRGB color space with a 1500:1 contrast ratio. Not only that, it’s got a Corning Gorilla 4 with an anti-reflective coating and it can reach 400-nits of brightness which guarantees optimum screen visibility outdoors.

Watching Final Space on Netflix is way more fun with this notebook

Basically, there’s nothing to complain about the XPS 13’s display: It’s color accurate, bright, and immersive. I can’t say the same for the side stereo speakers, though. While the display excels, the speakers do fall a bit behind. They do sound quite pleasant but distort a bit at max volume.

As with smartphones, there’s a catch to borderless designs. Thankfully, nobody has tried releasing a notebook with a notched display, but the webcam has to go somewhere, and here it’s at the bottom of the display. I’ve been using the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S as my daily driver which also has its selfie camera in an unusual position, so this camera placement isn’t weird for me.

It could be also be called the knuckles cam since fingers get in the view when typing

To be frank, I don’t use the webcam that much. Most of the time, I open it to act as a mirror. When I do need to call someone on Skype or any video-calling service, the camera is looking right up my nose and the quality is so-so.

Good thing it’s not a plain webcam. It has an additional infrared sensor that’s fully compatible with Windows Hello. I never had to type my password or PIN to unlock the XPS 13 because the facial recognition unlock is nearly instant.

Windows Hello works great with the infrared camera

Aside from face recognition, there’s also a fingerprint reader embedded into the power button. So when I wake the notebook from sleep by pressing the power button, it already authenticates and automatically unlocks the device. Pretty neat!

The power key and fingerprint sensor in one button

Moving on to the left side, there’s a couple of USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 3 and four lanes of PCI Express Gen 3. So, an external GPU (eGPU) will be able to turn the XPS 13 into a graphics powerhouse.

This will make the XPS 13 both a great laptop on the go and a workhorse when docked. There’s also a 5-LED battery indicator and a Noble lock slot beside these ports.

The battery indicator is a small feature but useful when on the go

On the other side, there’s another USB-C port. This one doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3, but it’s DisplayPort-compatible for external monitors. Thankfully, there’s also a 3.5mm port for headphones and microphones but I’m disappointed about the microSD card reader.

It would have been 100 percent better as a full-size SD card reader

The bottom of the laptop hides the unsightly grilles for ventilation and maintenance screws. There are two long rubber feet to keep the laptop in place when on a surface. The back foot is raised a bit higher, making the XPS 13 slightly inclined. You don’t notice this but it actually gives you a better angle when typing.

The heat dissipates away from the user

Speaking of typing, it’s easy to adjust to the layout of the XPS 13’s keyboard. Every key is where I like it to be with a good amount of spacing, and the travel of each key is just right. Overall, the whole keyboard never felt cramped.

What I like more is the touchpad. Despite being a bit constrained due to the size of the notebook, it’s smooth, responsive, and has full Windows Precision Touchpad support. Windows 10 now has many useful gestures and they’re a breeze to flip through.

This notebook has one of the best touchpads on a Windows notebook

The new rose gold exterior with white interior variant is also new on the 2018 version of the XPS 13, and it’s more than a new tint. We’re looking at an “alpine white woven glass fiber palm rest” which claims to be UV- and stain-resistant to prevent yellowing over time and staining. Just like last year’s XPS 13, it’s body is cut from a single block of aluminum.

A powerful yet compact notebook

Now onto the specs, the XPS 13 (2018) is powered by the latest eighth-gen Intel Core processors. The model I have has a quad-core Intel Core i7-8550U processor paired with 8GB DDR4 RAM and Intel UHD Graphics 620. The base clock speed of the new ultra-low power processor is 1.8GHz with a turbo boost to 4GHz when needed.

It’s a specced-out notebook for everyday use and it can handle Adobe Photoshop and some video editing with Adobe Premiere Pro. Gaming is also not an issue for the XPS 13, but don’t expect it to play AAA titles at high frame rates. The likes of CS:GO and League of Legends on low to medium settings is what it can handle.

The XPS 13 boots fast and is zippy. There are some minor hiccups from time to time but that’s pretty normal when Windows 10 is under stress. What grabbed my attention though is how fast apps load. This is probably due to the fast read times of the notebook’s 256GB M.2 SSD storage.

Moreover, the base of the XPS 13 feels pretty cool when on my lap, yet it does get really warm while being charged. Its fans are relatively quiet unless I’m running a game or benchmarking software. Overall, I have nothing to complain about the laptop’s fan noise even when it’s under heavy load.

Long-lasting on a single charge

We buy 13-inch notebooks for portability, but that normally comes at the cost of battery life. Fortunately, the XPS 13 is able to last long on a single charge.

I consider my use of the laptop as moderate, which includes constant Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, Chrome with multiple tabs, and brightness levels staying around 50 percent most of the time. On average, I get about seven and a half hours of power. The longest I got was around nine hours when I mainly used the notebook to binge-watch the whole day.

When it’s time to fill up, the XPS 13 charges through any of the USB-C ports. Ain’t that convenient? It takes about two hours to fully charge the notebook using the included small 45W charger. Maybe a bigger charger with a 65W output can charge the notebook faster.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

If you’re looking for the best 13-inch Windows laptops out there, the Dell XPS 13 (2018) should top your list. Why? I have three reasons.

First, the display and design alone will make you want an XPS 13. Second, it’s a portable powerhouse because it can also be an editing and gaming machine with the help of an eGPU. Ideally, I’d use the XPS 13 when I’m on the road, then plug it in at home to a bigger monitor and eGPU to transform it into a capable desktop PC. Lastly, after my more than two weeks of use, I didn’t have any negative experience that left a bad impression.

The lack of full-size ports might turn off some, but living the dongle life is pretty unavoidable with new laptops, especially when they’re this small. As long as it’s got Thunderbolt 3, you’re safe and there are a number of quality and useful adapters already available in the market.

The Dell XPS 13 (2018) starts around US$ 999 in some markets with the base configuration. The particular variant I have here retails for US$ 1,450 in the US, SG$ 2,399 in Singapore, and PhP 99,990 in the Philippines. It’s quite pricey, but you’re getting a premium notebook and not just another Windows 10-powered laptop.

Related Topics:Dell Dell XPS 13 featured XPS 13

Laptops

MacBook Neo officially arrives at Power Mac Center

Nationwide limited-time offers available

Published

April 24, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The all-new MacBook Neo has officially arrived in the Philippines through Power Mac Center. Simultaneous launch events were held at Greenbelt 3 and SM Megamall.

Customers who lined up for the launch received an event-exclusive bundle which includes an AirPods Pro 2 and AirTag 4-pack, as well as over PhP 12,000 worth of freebies for those with qualified pre-orders.

In addition, those in Greenbelt and SM Megamall who lined up until the evening got a chance to win up to PhP 600,000 worth of prizes (PhP 300,000 per location).

And great news even for those unable to attend: PMC is extending its opening promotions over the coming days.

Now available in Power Mac Center stores nationwide, the MacBook Neo comes with these exclusive offers:

Up to 50% off on a wide selection of accessories until April 30 for sstraight payments
Redeem up to Php 5,000 off (2,500 points) through the 1 Infinite program, no minimum spend, until April 26
UpTrade: Score up to PhP 4,000 additional trade-in value with a MacBook Air (M2 or earlier) until May 10
Complimentary 90-day software fix and free Basecamp training for purchases until April 30

For flexible financing, the MacBook Neo is also available through 0% interest installment plans of up to 36 months. This is through major banks and other financial institutions.

Laptops

Intel launches the new Core Ultra Series 3 processors

Expect new laptops all throughout the year.

Published

April 23, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The next generation of processors are here. After announcing the new series at CES 2026, Intel has now launched the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors for laptops, bringing the next level of AI-based computing to modern laptops.

All built using the Intel 18A process, the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chipsets will come with an integrated NPU that can deliver up to 50 TOPS. And this is all native to the PC; Intel demonstrated that a laptop infused with the chipset can still operate all of its AI capabilities without an internet connection.

Additionally, Intel is touting the generation’s integrated Xe3 graphics architecture. Already touting the capabilities of graphics on its own, the architecture can also improve performance through the new XeSS. A competitor to NVIDIA’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, Intel’s XeSS boosts framerate without sacrificing image quality.

Finally, the chipsets work extra hard in the background by extending battery life, despite high workloads. Intel touts that the Series 3 can deliver the best battery life among all Intel-powered AI PCs.

Devices with the chipset are expected to roll out all throughout the whole year. In the Philippines, you can expect new laptops from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI.

SEE ALSO: Favorite Laptops of 2025

Laptops

ASUS Zenbook S14 (2026) review: The perfect portable buddy

At only 1.1cm thin and 1.2kg light, the Zenbook S14 fits in any daily kit.

Published

April 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As a gamer, thin notebooks are difficult to love. Despite the loss of convenience, the thought of playing all my favorite games in one machine is still more tantalizing. However, with commute times getting longer by the day, it’s now impossible to ignore the importance of portability. Once again, with an ultrathin 1.1cm profile, the ASUS Zenbook S14 makes the perfect everyday commute buddy.

A laptop light enough to run with

The Zenbook S14 weighs only 1.2 kilograms. Just from handling it, you can tell that this weight (or lack thereof) makes so much of a difference. You can hardly tell that you’re holding a laptop. The Zenbook series has been known for ultrathin portability, so it’s no surprise that the new S14 has this down to perfection.

If that’s not enough, we put the laptop through a run test. That is, I tried running a 5K with the laptop on my back. It wasn’t a difficult time at all. In fact, I had to pack in more things inside my backpack just to make it feel more impactful.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter how heavy the backpack was. The Zenbook S14 barely contributes to your daily pack. If you had to face a long commute every day, this ultrathin laptop is a perfect match for you.

Ceraluminum: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

I’ve said this the last time I had my hands on a Zenbook. Ceraluminum remains one of the most consistently good features of the series. The matte texture once again adds a look that simply stands out.

Though the gray is similar to the shade common today, Ceraluminum feels pleasantly tactile and smooth to the touch. Plus, it’s also durable.

When I stuffed the notebook with an umbrella inside my pack, I intentionally left the notebook without a sleeve to see how the chassis would react with other things. Lo and behold, after running a few kilometers, the Zenbook S14 had no discernible scratches. Besides the portability, it’s a durable beast that fits in any pack.

Fourteen inches of fun

Normally, I prefer larger screens for my laptops. However, the Zenbook S14’s 14-inch 3K Lumina screen was more than enough for what I needed the laptop to be.

Color accuracy was almost spot-on but leaned a bit towards the vivid side. This wasn’t a huge problem for me, but it might be a consideration for those who need absolute accuracy.

Also, while I was doing my run, I did test the screen under the sunlight. In bright situations, the glare became a bit of an issue. The 1100 nits of peak HDR brightness overcame this, though.

The touchscreen capabilities is another useful tool. I don’t usually need touchscreens on laptops, but it’s still useful to have. The experience was smooth and responsive. It was particularly useful for small games like Balatro.

A machine good enough for most things

The Zenbook S14 is no slouch. Under the hood, the notebook touts an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H. For a work device, this seems like overkill. Do you really need a robust processor to get through your workday?

Well, it’s a matter of not knowing what you’ve got until it’s there. This powerful chipset is a godsend for multitasking.

Personally, I prefer working with a lot of windows up at the same time: a word processor, a bunch of tabs for research, another bunch for music or videos, and the usual slew of chatting apps. Despite having so many things up at once, the laptop never seemed like it was struggling to keep up.

The performance is beefed up with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. It’s smooth for everyday use and can last for a long time without needing a cleanup.

That said, the chipset is not enough for gaming, especially for power-hungry games like Call of Duty. However, it’s just enough for lighter fare like Balatro. It’s no great loss, though. Rather, it’s an assurance that you can leave the heavy gaming rig at home but still have a decent machine for quick fixes.

Also, if you’re coming from the previous model, this new version doesn’t really offer much in terms of upgrades. This doesn’t take away from the current model’s capabilities as its own device, but it’s a consideration if you already own the previous model.

The battery life to keep you going

For such a light laptop, the Zenbook S14 still touts a sizable 77Whr battery. ASUS claims that a full charge can last up to 27 hours. On paper, that’s enough to last two working days with some change.

From personal experience, the notebook does last a good amount of time. As I mentioned above, I usually work with several windows up at the same time. Of course, that means more of a load on the battery. When I worked in a café for an entire afternoon, the laptop lasted handily.

While I’m confident that the battery can last from morning to evening based on my experience, I’d still take a charger with me because of the heavy nature of my work. That said, if you’re more used to normal office work, this notebook can get you through the day with no issues.

If you do need a charger, the package comes with a compact brick that barely makes any dent on your kit’s total weight. It’s also rated for 68W wired charging, which can fill the battery up from empty in just around 90 minutes.

Is the ASUS Zenbook S14 your GadgetMatch?

Alas, here’s the rub: The Zenbook S14 isn’t friendly on your wallet. The notebook costs PhP 129,995. For what the notebook is, the price tag feels a bit too much. At that price, you might want to get a hardier device with more robust specs.

Swipe Left if you prefer a daily notebook with top-of-the-line specs, or if you’re a gamer looking for a platform to play on.

However, if you’re looking for the ultimate portable buddy for your daily kit, the Zenbook S14’s impressive weight and profile makes this a Swipe Right.