Dell XPS 16 9640 Review – A Huge and Appealing Premium Laptop

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Highlight

  • The Dell XPS 16 9640 OLED Laptop is available in India at a starting price of ₹3,15,090.
  • Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060.

Dell launched XPD 16 9460 laptop in India earlier this year and we have finally managed to spend some time with this high-end machine. Sleek design, a beautiful OLED touchscreen display, powerful Intel core ultra processor and AI integration! Dell is basically offering everything that you expect from a modern premium heavyweight laptop. Here’s our in-depth review to help you understand whether this is your next laptop or not.

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Key Specs

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Key Specs
  • 3-inch 4K+ (3840 x 2400) OLED InfinityEdge touch display
  • Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 185H (16-core, 24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz)
  • Microsoft Windows 11 Home 64-bit
  • 32GB LPDDR5x Dual Channel at 7467 MT/s
  • 1TB PCIe 4 SSD
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6 (50W)
  • 5Whr battery (integrated)
  • ExpressCharge 1.0
  • 130W AC adapter – USB Type-C
  • FHD (1080p) webcam
  • 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with DisplayPort 2.1
  • Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7* 1750 (BE200) 2×2
  • Bluetooth 5.4 Wireless Card

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Pros & Cons

Pros Cons
●       Sleek, minimalistic design

●       Excellent 4K OLED touchscreen display

●       Intel Core Ultra 7

●       GeForce RTX 4070

●       High performance

●       Good battery life

●       Good I/O

●       Expensive

●       Too heavy

●       Keyboard and trackpad difficult to get used to

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Design, Build Quality and I/O

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Design, Build Quality and I/O

The design of the Dell XPS 16 9640 is sleek and minimalistic that is something we love. Dell has clearly put thought into keeping it simple but also elegant.

As we started using the Dell XPS 16 9640 the one thing that immediately stands out is its premium build quality. You can immediately feel solid construction.

The CNC-machined aluminium body feels incredibly sturdy. However, the weight is an issue. Weighing 2.2kg it is definitely not the lightest laptop we have used. While Dell has tried to strike a balance between being portable and feeling robust, its heaviness is sometimes hard to ignore.

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XPS family laptops have the highest level of sustainable materials. (Image credit – Dell)

We had the silver colour variant for this review and its tone-on-tone colour match between the interior and exterior looks seamless. It’s a design choice that keeps the laptop looking clean and modern.

The huge display only adds to the overall look of the laptop.

The OLED screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, so you don’t have to worry about scratches or damage. Moreover, the palm rest is made from Gorilla Glass 3. It feels smooth but solid under the hands. It gives confidence that this laptop can handle everyday use without showing too much wear and tear.

In terms of ports, the XPS 16 9640 has added everything that is essential

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  1. Down firing speaker
  2. Thermal Intake
  3. microSDXC card reader v6.0 UHS-I/UHS-II
  4. Thunderbolt™ 4 (USB Type-C™) with DisplayPort 2.1 and Power Delivery
  5. 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack

We mostly use the Thunderbolt 4 ports for connecting to external displays and fast charging. They were reliable and quick. The laptop has three of these ports, which means you will never feel limited.

There is also a microSD card reader, which is great for transferring files quickly. There is a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack.

For those times when we needed an HDMI or USB-A port, we found that Dell had an adapter in the box.

Overall design-wise, using this laptop feels great.

It is clear that Dell focused on making something durable. It may look sleek from afar, but you will feel the sturdiness as soon as you pick it up. The practical I/O setup makes it a perfect laptop for all work needs as well.

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Display

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Display

The display on the Dell XPS 16 9640 is one of the major highlights. The 16.3-inch InfinityEdge touch display looks stunning. The 4K+ resolution (3840×2400) stands out.

It offers an edge-to-edge view that gives a perfect immersive experience.  The laptop feels smaller than we thought a 16-inch screen would look and feel at first. Dell has managed to make it more portable than we expected.

The colour quality is also good too. The display delivers a wide range of vibrant and accurate colours because of the 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage. We tried editing some photos on the laptop and noticed a big difference. The colours pop on the screen and make the photo appear more lifelike. 

The refresh rate can go up to 120Hz. The screen adjusts automatically based on what you’re doing.

We tried different activities on the laptop including watching videos, playing games or just browsing the web.  Everything looked smoother when we were watching fast-moving content. At the same time, when we tried to read something on the same display, it was more static images. The refresh rate drops to save battery.

It’s one of those features that you don’t always notice. However, it makes a big difference in overall performance and battery life.

The visuals appear sharp on this display without needing to zoom in.

The XPS 16 9640 comes with Dell’s Eyesafe technology. It reduces harmful blue light without changing colour accuracy.

It has Dolby Vision making the visuals look even more immersive with deeper blacks and brighter whites.

The display basically unlocks the full potential of HDR. You can depend on it for everything starting from movies to photos to other dynamic and vivid visuals.

Perfect for both creative work and entertainment.

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Keyboard and Trackpad

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Keyboard and Trackpad

The keyboard and trackpad on the Dell XPS 16 9640 are smooth. Not only in terms of looks but also in touch and feel.

The laptop’s interior is clean and minimalist because of the unique design choice Dell has made. Everything feels well thought out.

The larger keycaps and slightly deeper dish (0.3mm) make typing feel soft. There’s no space between the keys. This makes everything feel more closely connected. Typing on this laptop can be fast once you are used to it. The key presses are not too loud or clunky.

It’s a great balance of tactile feedback and comfort.

The trackpad comes in a seamless glass design. It stretches across the entire palm rest area and gives plenty of room to move around.

The glass surface feels silky smooth under the fingers. It makes scrolling and clicking feel effortless.

Everything is responsive and accurate.

However, typing or navigating on this keyboard didn’t come naturally to us. The design is so unique from any regular laptops we have used to, this felt is little odd. We can safely say that getting used to this design will take some time.

Dell has also adopted the capacitive touch function row. So, you have a touch-sensitive strip instead of traditional physical keys for the function row. How you feel about this is completely subjective. We honestly aren’t comfortable with touch buttons on the keyboard yet. But it can be us. Some users may like this modern “touch.”

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Performance and Features

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Performance and Features

The Dell XPS 16 9640 is powered by Intel Core Ultra 9 processors and NVIDIA RTX 40-series graphics.

This laptop handles everything.

Multitasking feels effortless with lightning-fast LPDDR5x memory.

What stood out for us for how it is noticeably faster than the previous XPS models. It gives up to 80W of sustained performance. We tried every possible task from editing videos, playing games and running multiple programs at the same time. We didn’t face any particular lag or slowdowns as we used it. The laptop stayed smooth and responsive.

We also didn’t notice any heating issues or excessive downward firing of fans. It basically balances power with efficiency well. The Intel Evo platform ensures that the laptop wakes instantly.

Dell has managed AI-driven optimisations that give a boost in performance while saving power. 

The NVIDIA RTX™ 4060 graphics will make a big difference if you are a content creator. It’s also an NVIDIA Studio-validated system. What this means is that it has been designed to handle tough workflows with ease.

Overall, the XPS 16 9640 delivers a fast and reliable in terms of performance. As we mentioned above, it is perfect for both work and play.

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Benchmark Results

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Dell XPS 16 9640 – Battery Life

Dell XPS 16 9640 – Battery Life

The battery life on the Dell XPS 16 9640 has been impressive while we used it. We could comfortably get through a full day of work without constantly reaching for the charger with its large 99.5Whr battery.

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Our Dell XPS 16 review unit lasted about 8 hours as we used it for different tasks. We had the display brightness set at 50% and the audio volume at 70%. So, you can expect a fully-charged Dell XPS 16 9640 to go on almost half of your working day even with heavy use.

It is important to note that this performance is better than many of the best Windows laptops.

Verdict – Should You Buy Dell XPS 16 9640?

Verdict – Should You Buy Dell XPS 16 9640?

The Dell XPS 16 9640 is durable and has a sleek design. The Intel Core Ultra processors and NVIDIA RTX graphics make it perfect for demanding tasks such as content creation, gaming or even multitasking.

The keyboard and trackpad are unique and responsive. And the battery life holds up well for all-day use.

The heaviness could be an issue for some users. We also can’t forget the price tag, which makes it one of the most expensive laptops in the category.

However, the overall experience makes it an excellent choice for professionals and creators.

So, if you want a high-end laptop that promises both power and style, the XPS 16 9640 could be one of the choices to consider.

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Buy
  • Stunning Display
  • Powerful Performance
  • Premium Build Quality
  • Unique Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Long Battery Life

Reasons Not to Buy

Reasons Not to Buy
  • Weight
  • Price
  • Limited Upgrade Options

Alternatives

Lenovo Legion 9i 13th Gen, 40.64cms – Intel i9 (Carbon Black)

Lenovo Legion 9i 13th Gen, 40.64cms – Intel i9 (Carbon Black)

Features –

  • 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-13980HX Processor (E-cores up to 4.00 GHz P-cores up to 5.60 GHz)
  • Windows 11 Home Single Language 64
  • NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4090 Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6
  • 32 GB DDR5-6400MHz (SODIMM, Over Clock) – (2 x 16 GB)
  • 2 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC (2 x 1 TB)
  • 64cms (16) 3.2K (3200 x 2000), Mini-LED, Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, HDR 1000, 100% Adobe RGB & 100%DCI-P3, 1200 nits, 165Hz

Price – ₹4,49,991

Asus Zenbook Duo UX8406MA-QL961WS Convertible Laptop

Asus Zenbook Duo UX8406MA-QL961WS Convertible Laptop

Features –

  • Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 185H 2.3 GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 16 cores, 22 Threads), Intel AI Boost NPU
  • RAM: 32 GB
  • Internal Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • Operating System: Windows 11 Home
  • Microsoft Office included: Yes
  • Graphics Card: Intel Arc Graphics

Price –  ₹2,40,999

FAQs

Q1. What type of display does the Dell XPS 16 9640 have?

Answer. The Dell XPS 16 9640 features a stunning 16.3-inch OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, offering vibrant colours and deep blacks for an immersive viewing experience.

Q2. What processors can I find in the Dell XPS 16 9640?

Answer. The Dell XPS 16 9640 is powered by up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processors, delivering exceptional performance for demanding tasks and multitasking.

Q3. Does the Dell XPS 16 9640 have dedicated graphics?

Answer. Yes, the Dell XPS 16 9640 includes NVIDIA RTX™ 40-series graphics, providing powerful performance for gaming and content creation.

Q4. What is the battery life like on the Dell XPS 16 9640?

Answer. The Dell XPS 16 9640 features a 99.5Whr integrated battery that provides long-lasting power, along with ExpressCharge technology for quick recharging.

Q5. Is the keyboard comfortable on the Dell XPS 16 9640?

Answer. Yes, the Dell XPS 16 9640 has a comfortable keyboard with larger keycaps and a smooth touchpad, making it ideal for long typing sessions and everyday use. However, it may take a while to get used to it.

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