CNET reports that Dell's new 14S, model DS14270, starts at $650, or $550 for students. Dell's store lists the base model at $649.99, as of Oct. 16. It has a Core 5 320, 8GB of memory and a 256GB drive. CNET's Oct. 15 review calls it a cheaper alternative to the MacBook Neo and Dell's XPS 13.
What it costs
Dell's store page lists the base 14S at $649.99 as of Oct. 16. CNET says the base 14S costs $50 less than an XPS 13 with the same specs, which it prices at $700, and than the entry MacBook Neo at $699.
CNET's review reports a 14-inch 1920x1200 non-touch IPS display, Windows 11 Home, Wi-Fi 6E, two 10Gbps USB-C ports, HDMI 1.4 and a headphone jack.
Per CNET, a 16GB and 512GB version costs $950. Adding a 2.8K display and a Core 7 350 chip on top of that brings it to about $1,300, which CNET calls mainstream pricing where the laptop "becomes less appealing." CNET says the cost of keyboard backlighting was not available when it wrote the review.
What the base model gives up
CNET says the thin aluminum lid flexed enough that a grip on the closed laptop registered a touchpad click. It rates the build below the Neo and the XPS 13. It also describes textured, matte keys that feel cheap, black keys that are harder to see in low light, and no keyboard backlight on the test unit.
On security, CNET says the base model has no infrared webcam for face login and no fingerprint reader, so every sign-in needs a password. Dell's press release says every configuration includes Windows Hello. The two accounts differ, and CNET's review does not say whether a PIN is offered.
CNET adds that 8GB of RAM suits browsing and light photo editing but is a poor fit for graphics work and local AI. It found no touchscreen option and a lower-resolution display than the Neo or XPS 13, though the headphone jack the XPS 13 omits is present.
Where it comes out ahead
CNET says the 14S has the largest display and lowest price of the three laptops. It weighs 2.5 pounds, against 2.7 for the Neo and 2.3 for the XPS 13, and ran more than 16.5 hours in CNET's YouTube battery test, longer than both rivals. Dell claims up to 21 hours of Netflix streaming.
CNET measured a peak of 403 nits on a panel rated at 300, and 100% of sRGB. The review says performance matched the 8GB XPS 13. The 14S comes in linen, which CNET says is available now, and dusty rose, washed denim and velvet green, which it says arrive the following Monday.
Who should pick which
CNET says the only reason to pick the 14S over the Neo or XPS 13 is if their smaller screens feel too constricting. It still names the Neo its pick for students and the XPS 13 the best Windows laptop for school, citing build quality and sharper displays.
Dell's blog calls the XPS 13 the premium Neo alternative, citing its touchscreen, backlit keyboard and Wi-Fi 7 as standard. It calls the 14S the more affordable option for students and everyday use. Dell's blog and press release gave no 14S price when published Sept. 2, saying only that it would arrive in North America "this fall."
Do not mix it up with the other 14S
Dell has two laptops named 14S. CNET says the DS14270 is a different laptop from the one it reviewed in September, which uses Panther Lake chips, weighs 3.3 pounds and was priced from $1,400 in that review. Dell's blog also says an earlier 14S serves creators with higher-end options.
That matters for deals. On Oct. 16, Tom's Guide reported a Dell 14S at $1,279, $120 off a $1,399 list price, with a Core Ultra 5 322, 16GB and 512GB. CNET's September review lists that chip as the base of the Panther Lake model. It is not the $650 Core 5 320 laptop.
Why it matters
Our assessment: the $50 gap to the XPS 13 and Neo is small, so the base 14S suits a buyer who values screen size and battery life over build and 8GB limits, as CNET's findings suggest. Anyone weighing the $950 upgrade should compare it with the $700 and $699 prices CNET reports.
