Almost perfect with a score of 90%: Verdict on the Dell Pro 13 Premium

"AI" in the name does not automatically make a laptop better or more productive, just as "Premium" does not automatically indicate top workmanship or quality. Nor does "Pro" in the name indicate professionalism or high-end. As reviewers, plenty of past experience means that we have a healthy degree of skepticism as soon as we have a "Pro" or "Premium" product in front of us.

The Dell Pro 13 Premium is a pleasant exception, not because of its dubious name, but because our skepticism proves to be largely unwarranted in this case. The business laptop impresses in the vast majority of our tests.

This starts with the casing, which is made of magnesium (90% recycled), making the Dell Pro 13 very stable, compact and light. The workmanship is excellent, and the 180-degree hinges also pack a punch. Then we have the high-resolution webcam, which provides 8 MP for photos. Video calls can be made in 1440p, with the rest available in reserve for AI enhancements.

In contrast to many other laptops with a small 13-inch design, the Dell Pro 13 uses two fans instead of one. On the one hand, this prevents the typical one-sided heat build-up of many other laptops and keeps the device generally quite cool, while noise emissions remain at very acceptable levels; the fans are mostly inactive under low load.

Thanks to the Lunar Lake processor, the Dell Pro 13 has made big gains in terms of battery life: The laptop now lasts almost 24 hours at reduced brightness, which means Intel is finally catching up with Snapdragon-powered devices in this respect.

Other positive features of the Dell 13 "Premium" include the two Thunderbolt 4 ports and Wi-Fi 7. Whether the almost ideal business companion also has disadvantages can be found in our detailed review.