Dell XPS 14 (9440) Product Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1360P |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Display | 14.5″ 3.5K (3456 x 2160) OLED, Touch, Anti-Reflective |
| Graphics | Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR5 RAM |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Battery | 6-cell 86Wh lithium-ion |
| Weight | Starting at 3.08 lbs (1.4 kg) |
| Ports | 2 x Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB Type-C™), 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1 x Headphone jack |
| Connectivity | Intel® Killer™ Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2×2) and Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Dimensions | Height: 0.57″ (14.5 mm), Width: 12.32″ (313 mm), Depth: 8.83″ (224 mm) |
| Color | Platinum Silver with black carbon fiber palm rest |
For more detailed information, you can visit the Dell product page.
Review
The Dell XPS 14 (9440) has sparked quite the debate among tech enthusiasts. Despite some negative reviews, I believe it stands out as one of the best laptops of 2024. With a stunning design, excellent battery life, and impressive performance, this 14-inch laptop is worth considering. Let’s dive into the details.
Design and Build Quality
Elegant and Robust
The Dell XPS 14 boasts a sleek design, featuring an all-aluminum and glass construction that feels premium and sturdy. The laptop has very little flex in the lid and chassis, making it rock solid and substantial.
Compact and Portable
Weighing in at 3 lbs 14.6 oz, the XPS 14 is relatively lightweight and easy to carry around, especially with its compact 100W USB-C power adapter.
Display and Graphics
Stunning 3.2K OLED Display
The 14.5-inch 3.2K OLED display (3200 x 2000 resolution) is one of the highlights of the XPS 14. It offers Dolby Vision and a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz, making it perfect for watching high dynamic range content and performing content creation tasks. The display delivers deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent color accuracy.
Graphics Performance
Equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 discrete GPU, the XPS 14 handles graphics-intensive tasks and even some light gaming quite well. While it’s not a gaming laptop, it provides a significant boost over integrated graphics options.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Zero-Lattice Keyboard
The keyboard on the XPS 14 is comfortable to type on, with good tactility and key travel. However, the capacitive function row might not be to everyone’s liking, as it lacks haptic feedback.
Sensel Haptic Touchpad
The glass haptic touchpad, powered by Sensel, offers excellent responsiveness and smooth gestures. It’s a significant improvement over previous models and adds to the overall premium feel of the laptop.
Performance and Upgradability
Powerful Specifications
The XPS 14 comes with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, making it a powerhouse for multitasking and storage. The Intel Meteor Lake processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU ensure smooth performance for various tasks, from video editing to everyday computing.
Limited Upgradability
While the storage is upgradeable, the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard, which might be a drawback for some users. However, the faster 7467 MHz RAM offers a performance boost over slower configurations.
Connectivity and Ports
Thunderbolt 4 and More
The laptop includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack. Dell also includes a dongle in the box for HDMI and USB-A connectivity, which is a thoughtful addition.
Battery Life
Impressive Longevity
The 70Whr battery in the XPS 14 delivers excellent battery life, with up to 10 hours and 21 minutes on the PCMark 10 Modern Office test. This makes it a reliable choice for long work sessions and travel.
Audio and Webcam
Quality Audio
The quad-speaker setup provides good volume and decent sound quality, although it may not match the MacBook Pro’s audio fidelity. It’s still one of the better audio experiences available on Windows laptops.
1080p IR Webcam
The 1080p IR camera offers clear video quality and supports Windows Hello face recognition. The inclusion of AI-enhanced features like auto-framing and background blur adds to the webcam’s utility.
Conclusion
The Dell XPS 14 (9440) for 2024 is a stunning laptop with a beautiful display, solid performance, and excellent battery life. While it has a few drawbacks, such as the lack of upgradable RAM and the absence of Wi-Fi 7, it remains one of the best 14-inch laptops on the market. If you’re looking for a premium, portable laptop that excels in design and functionality, the XPS 14 is worth considering.
Pros:
- Stunning 3.2K OLED display
- Excellent haptic touchpad
- Strong performance
- Good battery life
- Premium build quality
Cons:
- RAM is not upgradable
- No Wi-Fi 7
- Capacitive function row lacks haptic feedback
- A bit on the expensive side