Dell XPS 16 OLED configuration brings some interesting advantages and disadvantages

Alongside the CPU, the display is one of the most important selections one can make when configuring a new laptop. The new Dell XPS 16 offers two: IPS at 1200p or OLED at 2000p for an additional $150. Luckily, the manufacturer is not tying the OLED option to any particular processor and so users can configure even the lowest-end Core Ultra 5 SKU with OLED instead of IPS if so desired. Is the extra cost worthwhile over more RAM or storage?

The table below lists the pros and cons of OLED for the XPS 16. Aside from the obvious pros like more vibrant colors and a higher contrast ratio than IPS, the OLED XPS 16 benefits from some unique advantages as well including a slightly thinner and lighter chassis that travelers might appreciate.

The disadvantages, however, cannot be ignored. While it's common knowledge that OLED is generally more power demanding than IPS, the battery life deficit is wider than expected. We're able to record a WLAN runtime of 10.3 hours versus 26.6 hours on the IPS configuration even with both test units set to the same Balanced power profile and 150-nit brightness setting with Windows VRR enabled. Maximum brightness is also not any brighter than IPS and it will even be dimmer at just 400 nits on SDR mode versus 500 nits on the IPS option.

More benchmarks and comparisons can be found on our review on the Dell XPS 16 OLED configuration.