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| The Dell 14S in its Frost Blue colourway. |
Just when we thought Dell was going all-in on its revived XPS lineup, the company quietly drops a new 14-inch contender that’s turning heads for all the right reasons. Earlier this year, Dell brought the XPS 14 back from the dead, and we’ve already put two variants through their paces – one with the Core Ultra 7 355 and another rocking the beefier Core Ultra X7 358H. But now, the Texas-based giant is packaging Intel’s brand-new Panther Lake platform into a sleek 14-inch consumer machine called the Dell 14S.
Make no mistake: despite the name change, the Dell 14S is effectively the successor to the Dell 14 Plus (which you can still find on Amazon for around $959 if you’re hunting for a deal). But the 14S brings fresh silicon, smarter display options, and a few head-scratching limitations that might make you think twice before clicking “buy.”
Panther Lake Across the Pond – But Not All Cores Are Equal
Here’s where it gets interesting. In North America, Dell is offering the 14S with a pretty wide range of Intel Core Ultra processors: from the entry-level Core Ultra 5 322 all the way up to the Core Ultra 9 386H and the Core Ultra X7 358H. That’s a lot of breathing room for budget shoppers and power users alike.
Europe, however, gets a trimmed menu. Dell is limiting its new 14-incher to just the Core Ultra 5 322 and Core Ultra 7 355 across the pond. No high-end 386H or X7 358H for EU customers – at least not at launch. Whether that’s a supply chain decision or a strategic move to push different models in different regions remains unclear. Either way, European power users might feel a little left out.
All configurations, regardless of CPU or region, ship with a 70 Wh battery that supports 65 W charging. That’s a solid capacity for a 14-inch chassis, and we’re curious to see how Panther Lake’s efficiency translates into real-world battery life.
RAM, Storage, and the Great Display Dilemma
Buyers can choose between 16 GB or 32 GB of LPDDR5x-7467 RAM, which is plenty fast for multitasking and light content creation. Storage options range from 512 GB up to 2 TB of PCIe SSD, though availability varies by market.
But the real story here is the display. Dell is offering two panel choices:
- 1200p OLED (300 nits, 60 Hz)
- 1600p IPS (500 nits, 48–120 Hz variable refresh rate)
The IPS panel is objectively brighter and smoother thanks to that 120 Hz VRR range. The OLED, while delivering those deep inky blacks and vibrant colors, is stuck at a pedestrian 60 Hz and only 300 nits. Neither panel supports touchscreen inputs, which might disappoint anyone hoping for a 2-in-1 experience.
Here’s the kicker: if you configure the Dell 14S with the Core Ultra 9 386H or the Core Ultra X7 358H, you’re locked into the 60 Hz OLED display. That’s right – Dell is forcing its most powerful CPU configurations to ship with the slower, dimmer screen. Want the high-refresh IPS panel? You’ll have to settle for a less powerful processor. It’s a bizarre trade-off that feels more like an artificial segmentation than a technical limitation.
Pricing: From €1,299 All the Way Up to $2,169
Let’s talk money. The Dell 14S starts at £1,149 in the UK and €1,299 in the Eurozone for a base model with a Core Ultra 5 322, 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and the OLED display.
In the US, the same configuration will set you back $1,319. That’s a noticeable premium over the outgoing Dell 14 Plus, but you’re paying for the newer Panther Lake architecture.
If you want to go all-in with the Core Ultra X7 358H, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD? The price jumps to $2,169. That’s dangerously close to XPS 14 territory, which makes you wonder who the 14S is really for – especially given that top-tier config is stuck with a 60 Hz OLED.
So, Who Is the Dell 14S For?
If you’re a creative user who values color accuracy over refresh rate, the OLED model with a higher-end CPU might still appeal – provided you can live with 60 Hz. But for anyone who does even light gaming or just wants a smoother Windows experience, the 120 Hz IPS is the better pick. Unfortunately, you can’t have both high refresh and high performance.
The Dell 14S feels like a transitional device. It’s Dell’s first mainstream 14-inch laptop with Panther Lake, but the artificial display/CPU pairing suggests the company is still figuring out its 2026 product segmentation. Maybe that’s why it’s not called the “Dell 14 Plus 2” – the name change gives Dell room to pivot.
If you’re in the market for a 14-inch Windows laptop right now, the 14S is worth a look – especially the mid-tier Core Ultra 7 355 with the 1200p IPS panel. But if you need a high-refresh screen and top-tier CPU? You might have to wait for the next XPS 14 revision… or shop elsewhere.
Sources: Dell Ireland, Dell UK, Dell US, LaptopsCheck XPS 14 Core Ultra 7 355 review, LaptopsCheck XPS 14 comeback
