Dell's new 14S laptop aims for a sweet spot between premium features and a more accessible price, but in today's market, it's a tough balance to strike. With a starting price of $1,270, it positions itself below the high-end XPS 14 but significantly above its predecessor.
Building on the legacy of the Dell 14 Plus, the 14S boasts a more premium aluminum build, a slim profile, and the option for an OLED display. While it feels like a premium device, mirroring the size of a 14-inch MacBook Pro, there are compromises. Shiny plastic edges, mediocre 2-watt speakers, and a noisy webcam are hints that it's not quite top-tier. The keyboard is functional, but the key presses require a bit more effort than ideal.
Connectivity is a strong point, with two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack. However, the absence of an SD card slot and the placement of Thunderbolt 4 ports might irk some users. The higher-end configurations, like the $1,469 model with an Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage, also face stiff competition, costing more than comparable MacBook Air models.
Performance-wise, the Core Ultra 7 355 chip offers solid multicore performance, roughly on par with Apple's M4/M5 chips, and is more than capable for everyday tasks. However, its predecessor, the Dell 14 Plus with a Core Ultra 7 258V, is still available for a much lower price of $860 and offers comparable performance. The 14S does see a slight boost in graphics performance, but it's unlikely to be a noticeable upgrade for most.
Where the Dell 14S truly shines is its battery life, delivering an impressive 20 hours in video playback tests thanks to the efficiency of the new Core Ultra Series 3 chips. Standby battery life, however, still lags behind Qualcomm-powered laptops. A frustrating quirk is the "Smart Charging" feature, which defaults to an 80% battery cap and is difficult to disable, requiring a dive into the MyDell app or BIOS settings.
Despite its impressive battery life, the Dell 14S struggles to justify its price, especially when up against more affordable options like the HP OmniBook 5, which offers similar specs and an OLED display for half the cost. The Dell 14S's main advantage over cheaper rivals lies in its superior touchpad quality. While the OLED display is a great upgrade, offering vibrant colors, its 300-nit brightness and glossy finish can be an issue under bright lights. The 1920x1200 resolution is also a step down from the previous 14 Plus, which offered a sharper 2560x1600 panel for less money.
Ultimately, the Dell 14S finds itself in an awkward spot, overshadowed by both the more affordable Dell 14 Plus and the premium Dell XPS 14. In 2026, its pricing feels inflated, making it a tough recommendation in a market where last-generation models often present a better value proposition.
