Dell's new 14-inch laptops take on the MacBook Neo in a new way — ports and colors

Dell has introduced the new Dell 14S laptop, which competes with Apple's MacBook Neo in a unique way -- through ports and colors. The system is designed for students, young adults, and professionals seeking an affordable price tag. Coming in four colors -- linen, dusty rose, washed denim, and velvet green -- Dell emphasizes that color is a key aspect of the 14S's design, according to Matt McGowan, Dell's head of product.

Weighing just 2.65 pounds (1.15 kg) and measuring up to 0.58 inches (13.5 mm) in thickness, the 14S is made of aluminum. The laptop is powered by either an Intel Core 5 350 or Core 7 350 processor, comes with 8GB or 16GB LPDDR5x-7647 memory, and can store up to 1TB of data on a PCIe M.2 SSD. Display options include a 14-inch, non-touch screen with a resolution of either 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hz or 2880 x 1800 at 120 Hz.

Connectivity is offered through two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, an HDMI 1.4 output, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. With a 61.2 WHr battery, Dell promises up to 21 hours of Netflix streaming on the 14S, which features an optional 750 ED PNCM battery. The laptop's ports surpass those of the XPS 13, offering two USB-C ports with 10Gbps speeds, an HDMI output, and a headphone jack.

However, the 14S uses older Wi-Fi 6 and 6E standards and Bluetooth 5, compared to the Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 found in the XPS 13. The 14S will be available in the fall, with Dell yet to announce its pricing, which will be similar to the XPS 13's.