The Dell XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 is both a minor and major upgrade over the older XPS 13 7390 2-in-1

From a visual standpoint, the 2021 XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 offers nothing different from the 2019 XPS 13 7390 2-in-1. Users are getting the exact same chassis with the same dimensions and physical features between them. Even their displays are exactly the same despite their launch dates being two years apart. Instead, the major differentiating factor between the two models is what powers them inside.

The XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 runs on an 11th gen Intel Core CPU whereas the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 runs on an older 10th gen Ice Lake or Comet lake-U part. As such, graphics performance when jumping from the Iris Plus G7 on the older model to Iris Xe on the newer model gets a significant boost by well over 50 percent without impacting battery life, temperatures, or fan noise.

Unfortunately, the GPU boost comes with a couple of caveats. Firstly, performance over time is steadier on the older Core i7-1065G7 XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 as shown by our CineBench R15 xT and Witcher 3 tests below. Clock rates would remain steady over longer periods for flatter and more predictable performance. In contrast, the Core i7-1165G7 XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 would have both fluctuating CineBench scores and Witcher 3 frame rates as a result of its fluctuating clock rates. Its performance would be higher on average, but its cycling numbers may be undesirable to some users.

Secondly, CPU performance on the Core i7 XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 can oftentimes dip below the Core i7 XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 due to its aforementioned clock rate cycling behavior. The older model can run up to 30 percent faster in these scenarios meaning users would be paying more for a model that isn't always necessary faster.

If you're in the market for an XPS 13 2-in-1, then we would first recommend determining if the extra graphics power from Iris Xe is needed for your daily workloads. If not, then the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 can offer a near identical user experience for a lower price point.