It took guts for Dell to admit its mistake, here's how XPS will make its big comeback

Last twelvemonth erstwhile Dell decided to termination disconnected nan XPS name, it felt for illustration a large mistake. In fact, we said so multiple times. But astatine CES 2026, Dell is righting wrongs by bringing backmost its iconic laptop marque and it feels for illustration nan correct move for some nan institution and its flagship user devices.

Even much than nan words nan letters XPS are meant to correspond (Extreme Performance Systems), complete nan past decade, Dell’s signature laptop marque stood for fantabulous design, value engineering and apical notch performance. And it was precisely those laptops that landed nan institution astatine nan apical of astir each champion Windows laptop guideline each twelvemonth for nan past decade. So to switch XPS pinch a generic tag for illustration premium felt for illustration a large measurement backwards.

Now if you were surviving nether a stone (at slightest erstwhile it comes to Windows laptops), you tin benignant of squint your eyes and spot nan reasoning down Dell’s misguided rebranding. Premium intends good, typically thing overmuch amended than average. By putting that connection successful beforehand of its top-tier systems, there’s nary measurement anyone could beryllium confused astir what benignant of instrumentality they were buying, right? Take for illustration nan Dell Premium 14, which was nan caller moniker for what was antecedently called nan XPS 14. A laptop for illustration that has to beryllium decent. I mean, it’s correct location successful nan merchandise name. The rumor is that XPS already meant good. Actually, measurement amended than that, if we were conscionable going by nan sheer number of accolades previous-gen models got, for illustration Dell’s 2020-era machines which we called practically perfect (which it was). Going distant from that wasn’t conscionable reductive, it was throwing nan champion portion of Dell’s user business successful nan trash for nary existent reason.

Additionally, Dell’s caller naming strategy was intended to simplify its merchandise portfolio, and it grounded to present connected that original goal. COO Jeff Clarke was refreshingly honorable astir this erstwhile announcing nan return of XPS astatine a CES media preview successful early December. Not only did Dell suffer its signature XPS marque past year, it really made things much confusing for consumers erstwhile it simultaneously created a afloat scope of Dell Pro and Pro Max systems. Unlike Apple’s MacBook Pros and iPhone Pro Maxes, those devices were really meant for endeavor customers alternatively of regular Joes.

Amidst its rebrand, nan institution besides eliminated a batch of its fund and entry-level models. That near a batch of group turning to much expensive mid-range “Plus” systems aliases waiting for a due redesign of its apical tier Premium laptops, which weren’t expected to get until 2026 anyway.

So wherever is Dell going from here? Well arsenic Clarke put it rather succinctly, “We’re getting backmost to our roots.” Starting successful 2026, nan institution is readying to create its broadest PC portfolio ever including, a afloat statement of XPS laptops. This includes an all-new type of nan XPS 13, which is going to beryllium nan thinnest and lightest exemplary to date, on pinch complete overhauls for nan XPS 14 and XPS 16. But Dell isn’t stopping location because connected a descent it showed astatine its property event, location were 2 further placeholders for early XPS systems coming astatine immoderate later date.

Even erstwhile it comes to circumstantial features and components connected individual models, Dell is yet acknowledging immoderate of nan disapproval it has received complete nan past fewer years by returning to segmented touchpads alternatively of seamless all-glass slates and ditching capacitive usability keys for bully ‘ol buttons. Dell isn’t conscionable bringing nan XPS statement back, it’s benignant of connected a revenge circuit (even if nan original coiled was self-inflicted).

On apical of that, nan user instrumentality squad will beryllium reporting straight to Clarke while nan institution retools itself internally. Dell is besides updating its naming strategy to yet present connected nan committedness of making things clear and simple. XPS will erstwhile again beryllium nan company’s flagship user marque pinch nan XPS logo (not Dell’s) beforehand and halfway connected nan lid of each laptop, while everything other will autumn nether nan wide Dell umbrella. Alienware will proceed to do its ain point for gaming and nan Dell Pro family will stay aimed strictly astatine endeavor businesses, master services (like first responders) and education. No much confusion. And underlying each of that is simply a very straightforward motto from Clarke that “great products win.”

In nan end, moreover though Dell’s large scheme from past twelvemonth ended up being a mess, I admit erstwhile a institution is aforesaid alert capable to cognize it messed up and has travel up pinch a scheme to hole things. Regardless of whether it's a corp aliases a azygous person, admitting mistakes is ever hard. Oftentimes, what you study successful nan process is nan existent prize and from what I’ve seen Dell and its iconic XPS statement is poised for a awesome comeback.