Welcome back, Dell XPS 17 — leak reveals key specs

By Phillip Tracy
published

The XPS 17 could make a triumphant return

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

The XPS 13 and XPS 15 are among the best laptops in their respective categories, but what about the XPS 17? That (once 3D-enabled) member of the family went missing years ago, but now it appears the 17-inch laptop could be making a return based on leaked benchmarks. 

Dell hasn't said anything official yet, but these benchmarks along with a leaked product roadmap are good signs for anyone who likes the XPS lineup but wants a larger display. 

According to the listing (spotted by leaker _rogame), one version of the XPS 17 (9700) would be powered by the new Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a max clock of 5Ghz. It's the lowest-tier Core i7 of Intel's new chips, and a notable step down from the 8-core, 16-thread Core i7-10875H. 

Other specs listed in the benchmark include a 3840 x 2400-pixel display, UHD graphics, 32GB of DDR4 RAM (2x16GB) and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. That display checks out; Dell recently starting using a unique 16:10 aspect ratio on its XPS notebooks. 

If the benchmark holds true, this XPS 17 would likely be a higher-end version. We suspect there'd also be the option for a 1080p display and possibly a Core i5 CPU. 

Bigger laptops make sense (thanks to Dell)

Now is a great time to re-enter the 17-inch market, and Dell only has itself to thank. In 2015, Dell released the XPS 13, the first laptop ever with an edge-to-edge display. Our first reaction was to gawk at the captivating display, but we've learned over the years that thin display bezels are also crucial in reducing a laptop's footprint. 

Today, 15-inch laptops are about the size of 14-inch models from a few years ago, and 13-inch models will now fit in the tablet slot of your backpack.  

If Dell goes forward with the XPS 17, expect it to have a similar aesthetic to the current XPS 13 but with the footprint of an older 15-inch laptop. Made of aluminum and carbon fiber, XPS laptops tend to weigh more than others in the same class. I wouldn't expect LG Gram 17 lightweight (2.95 pounds), but I'd be happy if Dell found a way to keep the XPS 17 under 5 pounds.

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.