Dell Launches $699 Laptop XPS 13 to Challenge Apple MacBook Neo
Claire Weston
Dell unveiled the XPS 13 at a $699 starting price, targeting the same students and young professionals Apple's MacBook Neo courts — this means the sub-$1,000 ultrabook segment is now a direct battleground between the two giants.
What does the XPS 13 actually offer?
Starting price is $699; during back-to-school season, students 16 and older get it for $599.
Dell says this is its thinnest, lightest model — roughly half a pound lighter than the MacBook Neo, with a larger display.
This means → Dell is not just competing on price; it wants to beat Apple on weight and screen size too.
Why is Dell making this move now?
Apple launched the MacBook Neo in March at $599 (students: $500); Reuters reported it boosted Apple's fiscal Q2 results.
At the same time, global memory-chip supply is tightening, making the PC industry more cost-sensitive.
In plain terms = Apple already grabbed the low-price market, and chips are getting more expensive — if Dell doesn't respond, it loses this segment by default.
How does Dell view this rivalry?
I have to give Apple credit. It's a good product, and it validates the market need we've been talking about. Students and consumers deserve quality at a fair price, and we agree.
Jeff Clarke
Dell Chief Operating Officer
(commenting on Apple's MacBook Neo)
What does this mean for consumers and the market?
Students and young professionals now have a head-to-head choice: Apple at $599 vs Dell at $599.
This means → with both giants pushing prices down, specs and build quality at the low end will rise.
In plain terms = when giants wage a price war, consumers win — the same money buys a better machine.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.