Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition release brings Broadwell power boost

Dell has updated its range of XPS 13 Developer Edition Ubuntu Linux-ready laptops with a speedy Broadwell chip that elevates it above the heavily praised consumer edition

The new machines start off at $949 (around £639, or AU$1,240) and come with Ubuntu 14.04 installed in addition to an Intel Core i5 Broadwell processor and 8GB of RAM that offers a boost compared to the XPS 13 range.

Dell's XPS 13 Developer Edition entry level machine also has a 13.3-inch, 1,920 x 1,080 pixel matte display, and a 128GB SSD as standard. For those that want more power, it can be upgraded with up to 512GB of storage, a Quad-HD (3,200 x 1,800) touchscreen display and an Intel Core i7 chip.

Each one also has a backlit keyboard, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, weighs in at just 2.8lbs and is half an inch thick.

High praise

In comparison, the XPS 13 starts off a shade cheaper at $799 (£520, AU$980) and users could conceivably install a version of Ubuntu Linux and benefit from the saving, however, the lower price means a less powerful Intel Core i3 processor and just 4GB of RAM.

That version can also be equipped with a Quad-HD display that presents a serious challenge to the Asus Zenbook and MacBook Air and all that resulted in it achieving a perfect rating in a recent TechRadar review.

• Check out: Dell XPS 13 (2015) review