Digimagaz.com – In the tech industry, rebranding can either strengthen a product’s identity or dilute years of recognition. Dell recently made a bold and controversial move by retiring its iconic XPS 14 branding in favor of a new name: Dell 14 Premium. While the shift has raised eyebrows, the bigger question remains: does this ultraportable laptop still deliver the hallmark performance and design that defined the XPS legacy?
A Familiar Design with Subtle Refinements
Despite the rebrand, Dell has chosen not to reinvent the wheel with the 14 Premium’s chassis. The notebook maintains the same refined aluminum body and Gorilla Glass 3 surfaces that helped make the XPS line one of the most admired laptops of the last decade. Its minimalist aesthetic, clean edges, and balanced port selection three USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack make it a practical yet elegant machine.
At 3.66 to 3.79 pounds, depending on the configuration, the 14 Premium is slightly heavier than rivals such as Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro, but the difference is negligible in daily use. Importantly, Dell has preserved features that competitors often sacrifice in the pursuit of slimness, making this model more versatile for professionals and creators alike.
Display Options That Impress
By default, the laptop ships with a 14.5-inch 2K 120Hz IPS display, but the standout choice is Dell’s optional 3.2K 120Hz OLED panel. For an additional $200, users gain richer contrast, deeper blacks, and a wider color gamut, making the upgrade worthwhile for designers, editors, and anyone who prioritizes visual fidelity.
Although the OLED version peaks at 400 nits versus the IPS panel’s 500 nits, the enhanced color reproduction easily outweighs the drop in brightness. For those who spend long hours editing photos, watching content, or even gaming, the OLED upgrade is arguably a must-have.
Performance That Balances Power and Portability
The Dell 14 Premium is powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 255H processor, paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage in its base configuration. Higher-tier models offer up to 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an optional NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU.
While the RTX 4050 is a generation behind, it remains capable for light gaming and creative workloads. In testing, the laptop delivered smooth 60 fps gameplay in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with high settings, making it an attractive option for those seeking performance beyond office tasks.
The massive invisible glass touchpad deserves a mention too spanning nearly the entire wrist rest, it ensures ample tracking space without the cramped feel of smaller pads. However, Dell’s shift to capacitive touch buttons for keys like Escape and Delete may divide users, particularly those accustomed to physical key feedback during shortcuts.
Battery Life: Respectable, but Not Class-Leading
With a 69.5WHr battery, the 14 Premium manages 8 hours and 30 minutes in productivity benchmarks. That runtime beats gaming-focused rivals such as the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Razer Blade 14 but falls short of endurance champions like the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED and Dell’s own XPS 13, which both surpass 12 hours.
For most professionals, the battery life is sufficient to get through a standard workday, though heavy creatives may want to keep the charger close.
Pricing and Value
The Dell 14 Premium starts at $1,650 and climbs to $1,850 with the OLED panel upgrade — an option well worth considering. Fully loaded configurations, including expanded RAM, storage, and the RTX GPU, retail for around $2,450, though Dell frequently runs discounts that make the laptop more accessible.
Given its premium build quality, versatility, and balanced performance, the pricing remains competitive in the high-end ultraportable market.
Final Verdict
While Dell’s decision to abandon the XPS 14 branding in favor of the “Premium” label may be puzzling, the laptop itself continues to embody the excellence that defined its predecessor. The Dell 14 Premium is sleek, powerful, and adaptable qualities that professionals and creatives alike will value.
Rebranding aside, this model ensures that Dell’s flagship 14-inch ultraportable remains among the best Windows laptops available in 2025.
