The Dell XPS 13 has long been one of the top recommendations for Windows users looking for a MacBook Air<\/a> alternative. The model I reviewed in 2020<\/a> was one of the best gadgets I\u2019ve ever reviewed; everything from the screen to the build to the performance and battery life was exceptionally strong.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Intel\u2019s 12th Gen and 13th Gen processors have made computers like that a bit of a\u2026 fantasy. Sure, Apple and AMD are doing a great job on both the power and efficiency fronts. But the XPS is an Intel line through and through, and many of Intel\u2019s 12th Gen offerings have shown themselves to be one-trick ponies in that regard. You can get power from the H-series<\/a>, you can get (some degree of) efficiency from the U-series<\/a>, or you can get\u2026 some of both, I guess, from the middle-of-the-road P-series.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In turn, Dell has split up its XPS 13 line. You can get XPS 13 Plus<\/a>, a P-series OLED machine that prioritizes power over efficiency. Or you can get the regular XPS 13, a more traditional and slightly cheaper U-series clamshell with a focus on portability and battery life (our model has an MSRP of $1,149, $350 cheaper than similar Plus SKU). If the XPS 13 Plus is for an eclectic and particular power user, the XPS 13 is for, well, everyone else.\u00a0(The XPS 15 and XPS 17 have 13th Gen options<\/a>, but 12th Gen is still the word when it comes to the 13-inch clamshell.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n So anyway, I\u2019ve been using the regular XPS 13 for the past few weeks. And, like, it\u2019s fine. It\u2019s just fine. It\u2019s worse than its 2020 predecessor in some ways and better in others. It continues to bring some of the best build quality in the 13-inch space. The display is fine. The speakers are fine. There\u2019s an off-purple color option! It\u2019s certainly one of the best Windows laptops you can buy, and it also doesn\u2019t come close to the performance or efficiency that today\u2019s MacBooks can provide, which says a thing or two about the current state of the Windows laptop space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n