Enlarge / Dell's 2023 XPS desktop. (credit: Dell)

Dell has begun refreshing its popular XPS lineup of desktops and laptops with the latest mobile processors and GPUs. These updates mostly focus on chip upgrades, suggesting only mild improvements to the series that shouldn't make owners of last year's models very envious.

Dell's XPS 17 and 15 laptops will be available on March 2, a Dell rep confirmed to Ars Technica. Dell will offer each with up to an Intel Core i9-13900H but also support i5 and i7 options.

Intel's 13th Gen H-series mobile chips don't bring massive upgrades over their 12th Gen counterparts. The i9-13900H has six Performance cores, eight Efficient cores, 20 threads, and 24MB of cache. It supports clock speeds of 1.9-5.4 GHz. The i9-12900H we tested in last year's Dell XPS 15 has similar specs but clock speeds of 1.8-5 GHz.

Enlarge / Dell's 6K USB-C monitor was the one of the most tantalizing displays at CES 2023. (credit: Scharon Harding)

The Consumer Electronics Show ( CES ) never fails to deliver a pile of new gadgets and gizmos, but finding products that bring something new and valuable to the table can be a real challenge. CES 2023 had its share of product refreshes, clones, and minor updates, but this year also proved there's still some "wow" factor to be found at the tech show.

And that includes the event's PC monitor selection. All the monitors on this list are promised to be real products coming out this year. Better yet, they all have some unique features that aren't readily available to consumers today.

Here are the seven most intriguing monitors from CES 2023.

Enlarge / Dell's upcoming UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB). (credit: Scharon Harding)

Today, Dell announced a beefed-up monitor to expand the limited options available to creative professionals who want more pixels. With 6144×3456 resolution, the Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) places itself firmly in the professional category, right alongside the likes of Apple's 6K Pro Display XDR . We briefly checked out the U3224KB in person in New York, and it showed strong contrast through IPS Black technology, plus several built-in extras that help it stand out. And we're not just talking about the graciously included stand.

6K resolution

Dell’s U3224KB is a 31.5-inch monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 60 Hz refresh rate. When we saw it at a press event, a company spokesperson said the monitor's form factor is based on power users' preference for 220–260 pixels per inch (ppi) in high-end notebooks. Dell wanted to incorporate that same level of pixel density in a 32-inch-class screen, a popular size among its users.

The U3224KB has a pixel density of 223.79 ppi, to be precise, making it noticeably more pixel-dense than a 31.5-inch, 4K (3840×2160) monitor like the Dell UltraSharp U3223QZ (139.87 ppi). The Dell monitor also gets you more pixels per inch than a 27-inch, 5K (5120×2880) monitor like Apple’s Studio Display (217.57 ppi), and even the Pro Display XDR monitor. Apple’s display is a hair bigger, at 32 inches, with a slightly lower resolution of 6016×3384, giving you 215.7 ppi.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images )

In a world of shiny clamshells and showy convertibles, laptop releases can feel repetitive. Some of the most successful, well-known designs don't always see massive overhauls from one year to the next. Stick in the latest CPUs or GPUs, maybe claim a slightly cooler build, and call it a day (or year). After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

The problem with that is, well, it gets boring. And for technology enthusiasts interested in developments that could change how we work, play, repair, and upgrade, it's imperative that PC makers be willing to take risks.

The laptops below all tried something more adventurous than a components upgrade in 2022. We'll break down the groundbreaking designs, ideas, and capabilities these systems seek to deliver—and whether or not the risks they took paid off.

Enlarge / Concept Luna taken apart. (credit: Scharon Harding)

Dell continues tinkering with what it hopes to be a repairable laptop like the Framework Laptop . Last year , it showed off Concept Luna, a clamshell designed to easily disassemble for easy repairs, upgrades, and harvested components. This year, Dell showed the press an updated Concept Luna that could support more power while being even simpler to dismantle. The vendor is also exploring how to automate the process, from disassembly to parts diagnostics, on a broad scale.

Now more repairable (still unavailable)

Dell's Concept Luna laptop is comparable in size to a Latitude with some Dell XPS 13 Plus -like stylings. In person, it looked similar to the Concept Luna demoed last year, including appearing to be a functioning PC. But Dell's representative was able to open this year's version up and pull out internal parts much more rapidly—well under 60 seconds.

The computer was easier to take apart because it doesn't have screws (last year's Concept Luna had four). Dell's rep simply stuck a pin (it could be anything that fits, they said) into a hole in the security lock slot on the right side of the system's deck.

Enlarge (credit: Scharon Harding)

I was treated to a welcome surprise when I first laid eyes on the latest Dell XPS 13 (9315). The color options—a youthful sky blue or a unique purplish brown—are visual candy in a PC world dominated by shimmery silvers, grown-up grays, and boring blacks. Dell's 2022 XPS 13 doesn't compromise by offering a more traditional colorway for cheaper, as prior XPS 13 laptops did, either.

After I moved past appearances, I found there was more to enjoy under the hood. While this machine isn't as wild of a redesign as the one given to the costlier Dell XPS 13 Plus , the company did some tinkering to make the XPS 13 lighter and thinner than ever, all while accommodating quality-of-life upgrades like better speakers and a bigger battery. Unfortunately, it has a dreadfully limited and dongle-dependent port selection.

There are flashier alternatives for a thin-and-light laptop, but the 2022 XPS 13 is an admirable clamshell with more to offer than a couple of unique hues.

Enlarge / Dell's UltraSharp U3223QZ 4K monitor. (credit: Scharon Harding)

I get it; not everyone finds monitors as exciting as I do. For most people, a little extra color or a larger range of tones don't really differentiate one screen from another. So I don't blame Dell for stuffing the UltraSharp U3223QZ 4K monitor with fluff like motion-activated controls, monstrous speakers, and a webcam with presence detection. But after weeks with the monitor, I found none of those extra features as exciting as the monitor's IPS Black panel.

The U3223QZ has a lot to prove. For one, it debuted at the same MSRP as the 5K Apple Studio Display (starts at $1,600 ). Since then, Dell has made the price more competitive ( $1,280 as of writing), but it's still expensive for a 31.5-inch monitor. Dell's U3223QZ is also one of the few monitors to use IPS Black technology, which is supposed to yield about twice the contrast as the typical IPS monitor. I confirmed this with a colorimeter and, more enjoyably, with my eyes.

The bonus features on the U3223QZ have their pluses. The speakers are louder than average and the webcam can automatically log you in and out. But for many people, it makes sense to save money and buy the version of this monitor without the webcam ... and without a dedicated Microsoft Teams button.