This year at CES 2025, Dell is announcing a huge rebranding for all of its consumer and commercial PCs. However, while this change is generally a move in the right direction, I think getting rid of the iconic XPS name is an unforced error.
As a quick recap, Dell’s new unified branding will see its laptops, desktops and other devices divided into three main families. Standard Dell machines are aimed at general consumers and designed for school, work and casual gaming. (Alienware gaming PCs are also getting updated names, but they will remain separate from Dell’s core computing products.) Then there are Dell Pro devices, which are primarily for businesses and meant to support pro-grade productivity. Finally, there is the Dell Pro Max line, which as its name suggests comprises systems built to deliver maximum performance (i.e. workstations).
But it doesn’t stop there, because within each family will be three tiers of products. Base models across the Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max lines will be entry-level machines and won’t get any special monikers. Meanwhile, systems featuring the Plus tag (e.g. the Dell Pro 14 Plus laptop) will serve as mid-range options. And then sitting on top are systems with a Premium label, which denotes Dell’s most powerful and luxurious machines within a given family.
Now while this new scheme might seem awkward at first, the rationale behind it makes sense (mostly). Dell believes that when customers buy gadgets they see the name of the company first (in this case Dell), so that’s what should be front and center on every product. So far so good. Another benefit of this change is that Dell is also ditching a ton of sub-brands like Latitude, Inspiron, Optiplex and others, which were often opaque and meaningless to most buyers. So in essence, the rebrand is providing a more streamlined naming scheme that should be easier to understand. A similar thought process was behind HP’s unifying and rebranding that took place last year, too.
Regular folk should shop for standard “Dell” models, businesses will buy Dell Pro systems and anyone who needs PCs with even more performance can opt for Dell Pro Max devices. Unfortunately, among all this, the XPS name is also getting killed off and in its place will be systems simply labeled Dell
This is my big issue because I truly do not understand why Dell would want to get rid of the one sub-brand that people already know and have loved for more than a decade. For years, some version of the XPS has sat at the top of practically every Best Windows laptop list. The XPS name is an icon and unlike a lot of Dell’s other monikers like Inspiron or Latitude, it actually meant something. (Fun trivia tidbit: XPS officially stands for extreme performance system.)
In a lot of ways, XPS was already the way Dell let people know that one of its consumer devices was a premium system, so to go and replace it with a generic word feels like a step in the wrong direction. I would even argue that in a lot of situations, the XPS name even transcended Dell’s own. Previously when people asked me to recommend an ultraportable Windows laptop, I would simply say “Get an XPS.” No further instruction was necessary. So instead of replacing XPS with Dell Premium, wouldn’t it make more sense to just stick with Dell XPS?
After talking to numerous Dell employees about the name change, the counter-argument I’ve heard the counter-argument is that as someone who covers tech and nerds out about gadgets, I’m more familiar with specific products than the average joe. Dell seems to believe that people who only read reviews every four or five years right before they buy a new laptop just aren’t familiar with the XPS name — which might be true. But my retort is that the XPS line was always meant for enthusiasts — the type of discerning folk who care about design and are willing to pay more for fancier materials, better performance and shaving a couple millimeters or ounces off a device when possible. And to that crowd, the XPS name was a clear indicator that you were getting something way better than just OK.
Another potential problem is that even with Dell’s new unified branding, it still feels like something is missing. Take for example the company’s new 14-inch consumer laptop — the Dell 14 Plus. We know the Plus indicates that it’s a mid-range system and that Dell is clearly the manufacturer that made it. So that means the name of the laptop is the “14?” Or is it “14 Plus?” Either way, that just sounds off. Even Apple, who Dell appears to have cribbed part of its naming scheme from, still has the decency to give each device a proper name. You have MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, Mac Minis, iMacs and so on. And then there’s the issue of doing a full rebranding and ending up with a scheme that sounds a lot like what Dell’s competitors have already done, especially with the Pro and Pro Max lines drawing clear connections to Apple’s range of premium (there’s that word again) iPhones.
I’m not the only one who feels this way, either. We got a chance to learn about Dell’s rebrand during a preview shortly prior to CES. And during the Q&A, at least half of the questions were about why Dell was making this change. In fact, my colleague Devindra also has some more thoughts on this.
Devindra’s thoughts:
Sam, I’m fully onboard with your frustration, but I’d argue you’re still being too kind to Dell here! The company’s argument that this name change is all about simplicity falls apart once you start looking at sub-tiers for each brand. “Dell Pro Max” seems clear enough, but when you try comparing ”Pro Max Plus” and “Pro Max Premium” systems, all logic is lost. We’ve launched ourselves out of the orbits of normal consumers and towards over-priced consultants who likely suggested this name change. Doesn’t Max already mean best?
The situation gets even more hilarious when you look at the company’s desktops: Later this year, we can expect to see the “Dell Pro Max Slim” and “Dell Pro Max Micro” towards. Max Micro! What are we even doing here?! (And yes, you can expect those machines to also have their own plus and premium sub-branding.)
It’s true, most consumers won’t cry over the loss of “Latitude” and “Inspiron,” and they would likely be better off with clearer model names. I just wish Dell had focused more on maintaining clarity without getting bogged down by engineer-brained sub designations. If you’re going to copy Apple’s naming scheme (and let’s face it, that’s what’s happening, despite CEO Michael Dell and other execs telling us otherwise), at least try to stick to Apple’s short and friendly style.
The loss of the XPS brand hurts Dell the most, though. Every PC maker has tried and failed to develop a premium brand that could go toe-to-toe with Apple. Sony’s VAIO PCs were all the rage in the ‘90s and 2000’s, before they threw in the towel. IBM ThinkPads became far less desirable once Lenovo snapped them up. HP’s Spectre machines are great, but aren’t exactly a household name. XPS, meanwhile, means something. Like you said, it was a brand that shone brighter than Dell itself.
XPS laptops started the ultra-thin bezel trend, something even Apple hasn’t fully adopted. The XPS 13 has been one of our highest-rated laptops for over a decade (save for some recent stumbles with its invisible touchpad and disappearing function row). Now instead of leaning on a brand that it built over the years with blood, sweat and cutting-edge hardware, the company is taking the most generic path possible. Dell Premium will just never hit the same as XPS.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/dell-killing-the-xps-name-is-an-unforced-error-200006195.html?src=rss
