Dell began selling 16- and 14-inch XPS laptops again today, reversing a decision made in January 2025 to discontinue the line. The move comes after Dell abandoned its XPS, Latitude, Inspiron, and Precision PC lineups a year ago, replacing them with Dell Premium, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max series.

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and COO at Dell Technologies, announced the return of the XPS line at a press event in New York City previewing Dell's CES 2026 announcements. Clarke stated that the company recognized the need for change. While the XPS line is being resurrected, Dell will continue to sell its Dell Pro models, according to the company.

The XPS line was known for its thin, lightweight designs, modern features, and decent performance, making it a popular choice for consumer ultralight laptops prior to its discontinuation. The revival of the XPS line signals a potential shift away from the industry's current focus on "AI PCs," which integrate dedicated hardware and software for artificial intelligence tasks.

The "AI PC" trend involves incorporating neural processing units (NPUs) directly into laptops and desktops to accelerate AI-related workloads, such as image recognition, natural language processing, and machine learning. These NPUs allow devices to perform AI tasks locally, reducing reliance on cloud-based processing and potentially improving performance and privacy. However, some industry observers have questioned the immediate necessity and practical benefits of AI PCs for the average consumer, suggesting that the technology is still in its early stages of development and adoption.

Dell's decision to bring back the XPS line, while continuing its Pro offerings, suggests a strategy of catering to both the traditional ultralight laptop market and the emerging AI PC segment. The company has not yet released specific details regarding future AI integration plans for the XPS line.