Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15 InfinityEdge with Intel Skylake Overview

We start with the revised Dell XPS 15. Currently, there are four different configurations from Dell in the German online shop. Prices start from 1479 Euros (~$1679) all the way up to 2399 Euros (~$2723), but this is only for the hardware. You can increase the prices significantly by warranty extensions, software and various accessories (only 1-year standard warranty).

Dell offers options for the processor, memory and storage devices, while every model gets the Nvidia Geforce GTX 960M with 2 GB GDDR5 video memory. This is a powerful upper mainstream or entry-level high-end chip. Except for some complex games, the chip is usually powerful enough for smooth gameplay in FHD and high details. Gaming in 4K on the other hand is too demanding for this graphics solution.

There are two processors you can choose from, but they are linked to the display choice. The FHD model gets the i5-6300HQ, which seems to be very interesting from a price-performance point of view, while the other three configurations with the 4K display are always equipped with the Intel i7-6700HQ. Both chips are native quad-core processors, but the i7 supports Hyperthreading with four additional virtual cores. The i7 has slightly higher clocks. In a first comparison based on known benchmarks of the i5-6300HQ, we can see an advantage of up to 50% over the previous entry-level CPU of the XPS 15, the i5-4200H, in the multi-core Cinebench test. Based on the test, the Intel i7-6700HQ on the other hand does not have such a big advantage over the i7-4712HQ in the old XPS 15.

The memory is also linked to the display (FHD: 8 GB, 4K: 16 GB). However, Dell uses SODIMM modules, so you might be able to upgrade the memory later. 
The selection of the storage drive simply comes down to your expected requirements as well as your wallet. The standard solution is a conventional 1 TB hard drive in combination with an SSD cache, which is not recommendable. We would recommend a version with a PCIe-SSD to ensure a snappy system. The additional cost of 300 Euros (~$340) for the standard configuration seems a bit steep, but corresponds roughly with the current market price of a comparable flash storage. The same applies to the 1 TB SSD for an additional 320 Euros (~$363).

The choice of the right model of the updated XPS 13 could be more complicated, because there are now seven configurations. Unlike the XPS 15, the XPS 13 is targeting mobile users that have just as high expectations for the performance and quality, particularly in terms of the display.

There are five different processors listed in the specifications (i3-6100U, i5-6200U, i5-6300U, i7-6500U and i7-6600U), but only two models are available in Germany. The entry-level chip is the i5-6200U, which replaces the i5-5200U of the predecessor. Performance enthusiasts can get the i7-6500U, the predecessor of the i7-5500U or the i7-5600U, respectively. 
According to the initial benchmarks of the new i7-6500U, the performance gains over the i7-5500 and i7-5600 in the previous XPS models are very small at just a few percent. Unfortunately, there are no results for the i5-6200U yet, but you can expect a similar advantage for the i7 over the i5, which was already the case for the predecessor. This would translate into roughly +10% for the CPU in multi-core scenarios.
Office users can safely choose the i5. The i7 will only be noticeably faster in extreme situations if at all, and this will only be the case if the chip can maintain its full performance. We will have a look at this in our reviews.

In addition to the display and CPU, the amount of memory and storage could be another important aspect when you select a configuration. The XPS 13 will be shipped with 4, 8 or 16 GB of RAM. It is soldered to the motherboard so there is no chance of upgrading it, which means you should consider some headroom. The 4 GB version is therefore not recommended, while 16 GB might be interesting for some users with special applications (Photoshop, virtualization).
We recommend versions with a 256 GB SSD (PCIe) or more depending on your requirements. Interesting: Dell charges 250 Euros (~$284; plus 8 GB memory) for the jump from 256 to 512 GB, and 350 Euros (~$397) from 512 GB to 1 TB.
Based on the current configuration, we think that the package with the i5-6200U, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB PCIe SSD in combination with the matte FHD display is the most interesting version for price-conscious office users, while multimedia users could be happy with the QHD+ version with the i7-6500U CPU, 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB PCIe SSD.

Dell advertises a runtime of up to 17 hours for the new XPS 13 (MobileMark 14, adjusted settings) and up to 14 hours video playback or 7 hours web browsing, respectively. The battery capacity has been slightly increased from 52 to 56 Wh. We determined up to 10 hours for the FHD predecessor in our Wi-Fi test, while the models with QHD+ display did not last that long. It can be expected that the new XPS 13 with Skylake processor will manage between 7 and 10 hours in practice depending on the components. We will provide the final results in our upcoming reviews of both display and CPU versions.

www.dell.com/de/p/xps-15-9550-laptop/pd
www.dell.com/de/p/xps-13-9350-laptop/pd