Skip the new XPS 16 Core Ultra 7 option and just go for the far superior Core Ultra X7 ^↺

The 2026 XPS 16 can be configured with three Panther Lake processors at the moment: Core Ultra 5 325, Core Ultra 7 355, and Core Ultra X7 358H. One might expect the performance deltas between each CPU jump to be somewhat linear, but this couldn't be further from the truth.

Our charts below compare the performance differences between the XPS 16 Core Ultra 5, XPS 14 Core Ultra 7, and XPS 16 Core Ultra X7 configurations. The XPS 16 Core Ultra 7 is not included here as we have yet to benchmark that specific configuration, but its performance levels should be nearly identical to the XPS 14 Core Ultra 7. Jumping from the XPS 16 Core Ultra 5 to the XPS 16 Core Ultra 7 brings almost no advantages even though the latter option is more expensive. If you're in the market for the new XPS 16, then you might want to consider skipping the Core Ultra 7 and invest in more storage or the OLED panel instead.

Jumping from the Core Ultra 5 or Core Ultra 7 to the Ultra X7 is where the XPS 16 really shines. CPU and GPU performance would increase by up to 70 percent and 150 percent, respectively, while consuming just 35 percent more power in the process. One could argue that Dell should have dropped the Core Ultra 7 option entirely as buyers would be paying more money for essentially the same performance as the Core Ultra 5.

More benchmark comparisons can be found on our review on the XPS 16 Core Ultra X7 configuration.