Which XPS 15 display is best for you?
More affordable
Dell XPS 15 9510 (FHD+)
Stunning clarity
Dell XPS 15 9510 (UHD+)
The 1920×1200 (FHD+) models of the XPS 15 9510 start at a considerably cheaper price, but you’re still going to get an outstanding PC experience thanks to a quality build. Battery life should be longer, and the NVIDIA RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti graphics card (GPU) will fare better when gaming. However, there’s no touch function, and it doesn’t have the same “wow” factor as the higher-res models.
Pros
- Cheaper starting price
- Longer battery life
- 16:10 aspect ratio
- Dolby Vision HDR support
- Up to 500 nits brightness
Cons
- No touch function
- No anti-reflective coating
You will ultimately pay more for a 3840×2400 (UHD+) display in the XPS 15 9510, but those who crave the extra pixels and precise AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 color reproduction will find that it’s worth the money. Keep in mind battery life will take a hit, and models with UHD+ display will be slightly heavier.
Pros
- Precise AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 color
- 16:10 aspect ratio
- VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified
- Up to 500 nits brightness
- Anti-reflective coating
Cons
- More expensive than FHD+ and 3.5K versions
- Reduced battery life
The XPS 15 9510 now has three display options with the arrival of a 3.5K OLED screen. It hits about 400 nits brightness, it has an anti-reflective finish, and it’s touch enabled; it also costs less than the full UHD+ version, giving you an extra option on the way to 4K. No matter which display you choose, it’s built into a chassis that has the same dimensions, ports, and features. Do note that some lower-end hardware is only available with the FHD+ display as part of Dell’s configuration setup. No matter what, you’re still getting an incredible laptop that makes the cut in our roundup of the overall best Windows laptop options. It also takes the crown for best 15-inch laptop.
Dell XPS 15 9510: Comparing displays
XPS 15 9500.Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
The Dell XPS 15 9510 has either FHD+, 3.5K OLED, or UHD+ display options to choose from. The “+” comes from the added pixels due to the 16:10 aspect ratio that expands the display for a boxier look. While the three displays are the exact same size, they differ significantly.
The FHD+ model will help land you the lowest possible price on an XPS 15, and it’s still a respectable IGZO display with 100% sRGB color reproduction and up to 500 nits brightness. It can handle HDR content thanks to Dolby Vision. Battery draw is considerably less than the UHD+ model, which is important if you like leaving the AC adapter behind when you leave your home or office.
The FHD+ option is non-touch and has an anti-glare layer rather than anti-reflective; however, the 500 nits brightness should help solve intense light falling directly on the display.
| XPS 15 (FHD+) | XPS 15 (3.5K OLED) | XPS 15 (UHD+) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display size | 15.6 inches | 15.6 inches | 15.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1920×1200 | 3456×2160 | 3840×2400 |
| PPI | 145 | 261 | 290 |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 400 nits | 500 nits |
| Color | 100% sRGB | 100% DCI-P3 | 100% AdobeRGB, 94% DCI-P3 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Power draw | 4.41W | 12.13W | 10.4W |
| Touch | No | Yes | Yes |
| Finish | Anti-glare | Anti-reflective | Anti-reflective |
XPS 15 9500.Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
If you opt for the dedicated NVIDIA RTX 3050 or 3050 Ti GPU for some gaming, it will perform much better and offer higher frame rates at the lower resolution. If you’re not buying the XPS 15 for any specialized work — design, development, or heavy editing — you should find the FHD+ model checks all the boxes unless you just want more pixels or touch function.
The UHD+ touch display comes in one flavor this time around. The IGZO display also has the 16:10 aspect ratio for a boxier look, and it comes with 100% AdobeRGB and 94% DCI-P3 color reproduction. If you’re planning on design and editing work, this display should be ideal. It will use more battery than the FHD+ model due to more pixels and touch functionality, but that’s a tradeoff you’ll have to live with.
XPS 15 9500Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
The UHD+ option has an anti-reflective layer to better combat glare, and it’s VESA certified DisplayHDR 400. Like the FHD+ model, the higher-res display can hit 500 nits brightness. An XPS 15 with UHD+ display will weigh a bit more, but not anything too noticeable.
Dell has also introduced a 3.5K OLED display option to the XPS 15 9510. It doesn’t have quite the same pixel density as the UHD+ version, but its deeper colors (and 100% DCI-P3 reproduction), DisplayHDR 500 capabilities, and deep contrast make it a great choice for professionals. It is finished with an anti-reflective layer and can hit 400 nits brightness.
Dell XPS 15 9510: Comparing hardware options
XPS 15 9500.Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Performance hardware differs depending on the display you go with, and if you don’t need the added power from a dedicated graphics card (GPU), the FHD+ model is going to be quite a bit cheaper due to the hardware on offer. Note that Windows 11 is available from the factory in all models.
You can configure an XPS 15 with FHD+ display to have all the most powerful hardware, including an 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11400H processor (CPU), 64GB of DDR4-3200MHz RAM, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti Laptop dedicated GPU, and 8TB of M.2 PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) storage. You can also go as low as an Intel Core i5-11400H CPU, 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD, 8GB of RAM, and integrated Intel UHD Graphics. The low-end model comes with a smaller 56Wh battery due to the lack of dedicated GPU.
UHD+ models are not available with the Core i5 CPU or integrated Intel UHD Graphics, so if you do prefer to pay less for the weaker hardware, you will have to go with an FHD+ display. UHD+ models are also only available with the larger 86Wh battery, which makes sense due to the increased power draw of the high-res display and GPU.
The 3.5K OLED option is also without options for integrated graphics, Core i5 CPU, 256GB SSD, and baseline 8GB RAM, making it considerably more expensive than the standard FHD+ models.
Bottom line? Ultimate performance is available no matter the display you choose, but the jump in price from FHD+ to the other displays is more noticeable due to the lack of baseline hardware options. Our collection of the best Dell laptops has more hardware to peruse if you don’t need a 15-inch device. In terms of premium XPS devices, our XPS 13 vs. XPS 15 vs. XPS 17 comparison breaks down the similarities and differences across sizes.
The FHD+ XPS 15 is a lot of laptop for most people
If you’d like to save money at checkout and still get high-end performance hardware in your XPS 15, the FHD+ display model is quite attractive. It can also be had in low-end hardware for even further savings. Though you won’t have touch function, you will get some extra battery life and an excellent picture. The NVIDIA RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti Laptop GPUs, if included, will perform much better when gaming in FHD+.
More affordable
Dell XPS 15 9510 (FHD+)
The FHD+ XPS 15 is available at a cheaper starting price, you can get the same powerful hardware inside (great for gaming), you’ll get longer battery life, and it’s a bit lighter. As long as you don’t plan on a lot of professional design, development, or editing work, it should make a great choice.
The 3.5K OLED XPS 15 is better for professionals
Pros who need precise DCI-P3 color reproduction, deep contrast, and DisplayHDR 500 certification will want to check out the XPS 15’s OLED display option. It costs less than full UHD+ and still delivers touch functionality and an anti-reflective coating.
Color and contrast
Dell XPS 15 (3.5K OLED)
With touch, anti-reflective coating, deep contrast, and precise color, the 3.5K OLED version of the the XPS 15 is a great middle ground for anyone who doesn’t want to go with UHD+ and its higher cost.
The UHD+ XPS 15 is better for power users
Video and photo editors can undoubtedly take advantage of the extras the UHD+ XPS 15 models have to offer, but know that it’s also a great all-around laptop for anyone who appreciates a high-res display. Once you go 4K, it’s hard to go back to anything else.
Stunning clarity
Dell XPS 15 (UHD+)
UHD+ XPS 15 models will ultimately cost more than FHD+ and OLED models. They will have lesser battery life, but if you need a touch display, brilliant contrast, or precise color reproduction in AdobeRGB, going with UHD+ makes sense.
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