Dell reverses XPS retreat after brand backlash

Dell has acknowledged that withdrawing its XPS laptop range damaged customer trust and weakened its premium credentials, prompting the company to restore the line with new models unveiled at CES 2026. The admission marks a rare public reversal by a major technology manufacturer and signals a recalibration of Dell’s strategy in the high-end personal computer market.

Speaking during product briefings in Las Vegas, Dell executives conceded that the decision taken in 2025 to phase out the XPS brand underestimated its emotional and commercial value. XPS had long served as Dell’s flagship consumer notebook, associated with minimalist design, high-resolution displays and close competition with Apple’s MacBook range. Its removal was intended to simplify Dell’s portfolio and shift focus towards broader Inspiron and Latitude offerings, but the move triggered criticism from loyal users and reviewers who saw it as an erosion of identity.

The revived XPS 14 and XPS 16 laptops are positioned as a direct response to that backlash. Both models return to the clean aluminium chassis and near-borderless screens that defined earlier generations, while integrating the latest Intel processors, advanced thermal management and upgraded OLED display options. Dell said the machines are designed to meet demand from creative professionals and power users who felt underserved after the XPS name disappeared.

Executives described the earlier phase-out as a misreading of consumer sentiment rather than a failure of engineering. Internal analysis showed that although overall notebook volumes held steady after the change, engagement among high-value customers fell, and brand perception surveys reflected confusion about Dell’s premium proposition. Restoring XPS was therefore framed as a corrective step aimed at rebuilding clarity rather than chasing short-term sales.

Industry analysts view the move as emblematic of a broader shift across the PC sector, where manufacturers are re-emphasising distinct sub-brands to stand out in a crowded market. As hardware performance differences narrow, branding and user experience have become critical differentiators. For Dell, XPS offered a shorthand for quality that no generic naming scheme could easily replace.

The timing of the revival is also significant. Global PC shipments have stabilised after a prolonged downturn, and demand is increasingly concentrated at the upper end of the market, driven by hybrid work, content creation and the integration of on-device artificial intelligence features. Dell’s refreshed XPS models are built to support AI-accelerated workloads, aligning the brand with emerging expectations around productivity and creative tools.

Competitors have taken varied approaches to similar pressures. Apple has maintained a tightly defined premium line, while others such as HP and Lenovo have invested heavily in sub-brands to signal innovation and design leadership. Dell’s retreat from XPS briefly placed it at odds with this trend, making the return an attempt to regain parity rather than leap ahead.

Customer reaction at CES suggested cautious optimism. Long-time XPS users welcomed the acknowledgement of error, seeing it as validation of their loyalty, though some questioned whether trust could be fully restored after a year of uncertainty. Dell responded by emphasising continuity, noting that the revived models are not a one-off gesture but the foundation of a renewed roadmap.

The episode has broader implications for corporate decision-making in technology. Streamlining product lines can reduce costs and complexity, but it also risks severing emotional connections that take years to build. Dell’s experience illustrates how data-driven portfolio rationalisation can clash with less tangible aspects of brand equity, particularly in mature markets where differentiation relies on perception as much as performance.