Review: Is the Latest Dell XPS 15 Pro Worth the Upgrade?

The Dell XPS 15 has long been the reigning champion of Windows laptops for creative professionals. For years, it has set the standard with its stunning display, powerful performance, and sleek, minimalist design, making it the default MacBook Pro alternative.

But in the age of rapid AI advancements and major leaps in processor efficiency, the bar is higher than ever. Dell has just released its latest iteration, the XPS 15 for 2025, and it comes packed with Intel’s newest chips and a host of AI-powered features.

We’ve spent the last week with this new machine, and the big question for anyone using last year’s model is a familiar one: is it actually worth the upgrade?

The Design: If It Ain’t Broke…

At first glance, the 2025 XPS 15 looks nearly identical to its predecessor. It features the same iconic CNC-machined aluminum chassis and carbon fiber palm rest that has defined the lineup. The build quality remains second to none—it’s a dense, premium-feeling machine.

While some may have hoped for a radical redesign, Dell has focused on subtle refinements. The port selection is the same, and the excellent keyboard and massive glass trackpad are unchanged. This is a design that works, and Dell has wisely chosen not to mess with success.

The Display: A Brighter, More Vibrant OLED

The XPS line has always been famous for its display, and this year is no exception. The flagship configuration now sports a new 3.5K QD-OLED touchscreen with a variable 120Hz refresh rate. The core technology is similar to last year, but the panel is noticeably brighter, making it much more viable for working in sunny environments. The colors pop with the incredible contrast we expect from OLED, and the smooth 120Hz refresh rate makes everything from scrolling through websites to editing video timelines feel incredibly fluid. It remains one of the best displays you can get on any laptop, period.

Performance & The AI Engine

This is where the real upgrade lies. The new XPS 15 is powered by Intel’s latest Core Ultra 2 Series (“Lunar Lake”) processors and can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 mobile GPU.

In our testing, the raw performance gains over the previous generation were modest—around 10-15% in most creative benchmarks. However, the real story is the new NPU (Neural Processing Unit). This is a dedicated AI engine on the chip designed to handle artificial intelligence tasks with incredible efficiency.

This means AI-powered features in apps like Adobe Photoshop (like Generative Fill) or video conferencing apps (like background blur and noise cancellation) now run directly on the NPU, consuming very little power and freeing up the main CPU and GPU for other tasks. The result is a laptop that runs cooler, quieter, and has significantly better battery life, especially when using these new AI tools.

The Verdict: Who Should Upgrade?

So, is the Dell XPS 15 (2025) worth the upgrade? The answer depends entirely on who you are.

• You SHOULD upgrade if: You are a creative professional whose workflow is increasingly reliant on the new wave of AI-powered features in your software. The dedicated NPU will provide a noticeable boost in battery life and system responsiveness when using these tools. If you’re coming from a model that’s three years or older, the leap in performance and the stunning new display make this a massive, worthwhile upgrade.
• You should HOLD OFF if: You own last year’s model (the 2024 XPS 15) and your work doesn’t heavily involve AI features. The modest 10-15% jump in traditional performance isn’t significant enough to justify the high cost of a new machine. Your current laptop is still a powerhouse.

The Dell XPS 15 (2025) is less of a revolution and more of a smart, forward-looking evolution. It’s a powerful refinement of an already class-leading machine, thoughtfully designed for the new era of AI-powered creative work.