ZDNET’s comprehensive analysis reveals that the Dell 16 Premium, starting at a base price of $1,800, represents a high-caliber addition to Dell’s line of performance notebooks. Designed with demanding users in mind—particularly those engaged in visually intensive fields such as graphic design, digital illustration, and 3D modeling—this machine combines advanced hardware with a refined aesthetic aimed at professionals who prioritize both productivity and sophistication. Still, it’s not without its drawbacks: some of the heat and power-consumption issues that characterized its predecessor persist, manifesting as a tendency for the system to run warm and deplete its battery rapidly under pressure.
The author’s enthusiasm for the Dell 16 Premium stems largely from its legacy. As the successor to the highly regarded Dell XPS 16 reviewed earlier in 2024, this model carries forward much of what made the XPS line exceptional while implementing thoughtful refinements across its internal architecture and build quality. Despite the name change, the connection between the two is undeniable. Indeed, the 16 Premium is essentially an evolved form of the XPS 16, preserving its core design principles but enhancing performance, responsiveness, and visual appeal through selective upgrades. Yet, the familiar issues—chiefly thermal efficiency and aggressive energy consumption—remain present to a degree.
When observed from a distance, the new model could easily be mistaken for its predecessor. The industrial design remains nearly identical, which, in this case, is a compliment to Dell’s craftsmanship. The zero-lattice keyboard—stretching virtually from one edge of the chassis to the other—returns, maintaining the tactile springiness that gives users a satisfying and rapid typing experience. Above the keyboard sits a sleek LED-based capacitive touch panel that accommodates both Function and Media keys, reinforcing the trademark XPS aesthetic of minimalism paired with intuitive control.
Because this secondary key area is constructed entirely from glass, the Function keys lack tangible feedback when pressed. For most users, however, this design choice is not a disadvantage. Unlike the main QWERTY layout, Function keys are typically used sporadically—for quick actions such as adjusting volume, brightness, or screen output—making the absence of mechanical resistance an acceptable trade-off for a cleaner, modern interface.
Another interesting facet of Dell’s minimalist approach lies in the trackpad’s design. At first glance, one might even assume the absence of a trackpad altogether; it’s so seamlessly integrated into the smooth glass surface of the palm rest that it disappears into the laptop’s visual flow. Nonetheless, haptic feedback beneath the surface allows users to navigate and click with satisfying precision. The trackpad itself occupies a significant portion of the wrist rest area, a practical decision that enhances usability and contributes to the laptop’s premium feel.
The most noticeable physical difference between the Dell 16 Premium and the earlier XPS 16 lies in their respective weights. The current review unit weighs approximately 4.65 pounds—slightly lighter than the nearly five-pound XPS model. Though this difference may appear marginal on paper, it translates to greater convenience in real-world scenarios. Transporting the device between offices, meeting spaces, or creative studios becomes perceptibly easier, ensuring that power users don’t compromise mobility for performance.
Visual performance constitutes one of the Dell 16 Premium’s most striking accomplishments. The laptop features a radiant 16.3-inch 4K OLED touchscreen that produces remarkably sharp imagery. Covering the full DCI-P3 color gamut, its color reproduction ensures vivid, lifelike artistry suited to professional visual work as well as entertainment. The 120Hz refresh rate further refines the experience by providing fluid motion, which is equally valuable for gaming, animation, and video editing alike. Complementing these attributes is the signature InfinityEdge display design, eliminating bulky bezels and maximizing screen real estate. This nearly borderless construction not only enhances immersion but reinforces the sense of modern luxury that defines Dell’s presentation.
Inside, the review model is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU and 32GB of RAM. This configuration is exceptionally capable in creative workflows that demand substantial computational muscle. During tests, the laptop delivered flawless performance when editing high-resolution photographs, crafting responsive web layouts via Figma, and rendering complex 3D scenes with detailed particle simulations. These exercises demonstrated the machine’s ability to handle diverse workloads simultaneously—managing intensive software without lag or instability.
Nevertheless, thermal buildup remains one of its few notable shortcomings. The chassis, particularly the underside, rapidly grows warm under sustained activity. The same trend emerged during a demanding multitasking test involving an array of browser tabs—over fifty—running live 4K YouTube streams, animated GIFs, and a range of e-commerce and productivity sites. While performance remained solid, the heat output escalated predictably, echoing the energy-hungry behavior observed in the XPS lineage.
Benchmarking results position the Dell 16 Premium squarely between specialized gaming and business-oriented machines. Compared against the Alienware 18 Area-51m and HP EliteBook Ultra G1i, Dell’s offering maintains a strong balance, delivering formidable computational results without the premium price tag of the Alienware. For designers and digital professionals, its value proposition lies in its combination of reliable processing strength and comparatively approachable cost.
Although the Dell 16 Premium performs competently as a gaming system, it isn’t purpose-built for such use. The internal cooling is optimized more for creative workloads than for prolonged gaming sessions, which can produce sustained thermal stress. Extended exposure to such heat could shorten hardware longevity. Nevertheless, in moderate gaming trials involving modern, graphics-intensive titles such as ‘Monster Hunter Wilds’ and ‘Cyberpunk 2077,’ the experience remained impressive—albeit punctuated by occasional frame drops and visual anomalies.
Battery endurance remains the most significant limitation for this otherwise accomplished device. Under normal mixed-use conditions, the system delivers around five hours of runtime, even when Energy Saver mode is enabled. This figure reflects both the power demands of its high-resolution display and its potent internal components. The compensating advantage lies in the rapid recharge capability: a mere thirty-minute session restores about half the battery’s capacity, enabling longer work stretches after brief charging breaks.
Pricing details reveal that the entry-level Dell 16 Premium begins at $1,700 on Dell’s official storefront, although the reviewed configuration—with its advanced processor and discrete GPU—is a custom build valued around $3,000. Users seeking to personalize specifications can do so through Dell’s ‘Customize Now’ interface, allowing precise control over processor, memory, storage, and visual options.
For professionals seeking comparable graphic design performance, the Alienware 18 Area-51 represents a compelling alternative. Its inclusion of Stealth Mode, which disables RGB lighting, allows the gaming unit to blend discreetly into office environments. However, potential buyers should note that its limited battery life mirrors that of Dell’s workstation. Ultimately, the reviewer prefers the Dell 16 Premium for its steadier performance-to-price ratio: it delivers consistently solid output while remaining a more budget-conscious alternative to the Alienware’s $3,200 base configuration.
In terms of technical specifications, the Dell 16 Premium offers a 16.3-inch 4K OLED touchscreen (optionally non-touch), an Intel Core Ultra 7 or Ultra 9 CPU, graphics options spanning from integrated Intel Arc 140T to dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPUs, memory configurations from 16GB up to 64GB, and storage capacities ranging from 512GB to 4TB—all powered by a 99.5Whr battery and running either Windows 11 Home or Pro editions. The review, initially published on August 5, 2025, was subsequently updated on January 21, 2026, to verify the listed specifications and ensure pricing accuracy.
In sum, Dell’s 16 Premium represents a refined continuation of the company’s design ethos—balancing breakthrough visuals, professional-grade build quality, and dependable performance with a few inherited drawbacks. It is a machine that dazzles as easily as it demands respect, intended for discerning users who accept a little extra warmth and power usage in exchange for exceptional capability and aesthetic accomplishment.
Sourse: https://www.zdnet.com/article/dell-16-premium-review/
