Dell is bringing back the XPS 13 as a MacBook Neo competitor — with a temporary discount to $599

Dell is launching a new XPS 13 in July with a temporary $599 student promotional price that runs through September, before rising to $699 for general buyers. The pricing directly targets Apple’s MacBook Neo, though Apple’s student discount can make its competing laptop $100 cheaper.

Dell is signaling a sharper push into the budget student laptop market, where price and portability matter more than premium positioning. The challenge is that matching Apple’s headline price may not be enough unless Dell can clearly differentiate on design, performance, or Windows ecosystem value.