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It’s finally time to say adios to some long-running names in the Dell-o-sphere such as “XPS” and “Latitude.” Using CES 2025 as a launching pad, Dell has a new product-branding strategy for its entire PC lineup starting with its newest models.
All of Dell's classic, well-known product-line names for its PCs are being replaced by a more straightforward naming convention that Dell hopes will make buying decisions easier for newcomers to the Dell brand. The primary Dell laptop and desktop product lines will now simply known as “Dell,” “Dell Pro,” and “Dell Pro Max.” These new names encompass every Dell PC line you knew from years past. (The Alienware family, note, is exempt.)
Dell's new laptop and desktop lines will launch in 2025 in a staggered fashion. The first models will be the Dell Pro 13, Dell Pro 14 Premium, Dell Pro 14 Plus, and Dell Pro 16 Plus business laptops, with undetermined starting prices. The next will be the Dell Plus consumer laptop line, which will launch on February 18 and start at $999. Dell hasn't yet issued pricing or release timing for the XPS-ousting Dell Premium laptop line.
Same Look, Same Feel, New Names
Before breaking down all of these new product names, it’s important to know that each of these new identities is further split into tiers that denote features and performance expectations. Those are “Base” (which will not appear as such on the packaging, but rather just as plain old “Dell”), “Dell Plus,” and “Dell Premium.”
Unlearning Inspiron and XPS: Meet Dell Base, Plus, and Premium
The straight-up “Dell” laptops of 2025 will be the Dell Inspiron budget laptops and desktops you have known for years. These are considered the “Base” line of Dell PCs, though again, you will not see the “Base” terminology on any packaging or promotional materials.
Next up the stack is Dell Plus, which will cover the more recent Inspiron Plus laptops we’ve gotten to know over the past few years. These include standard clamshells and, in some models, 2-in-1 laptops. When looking in stores and shopping online, these will indeed contain the “Plus” tag.
Finally, the Dell Premium name replaces the storied XPS moniker, perhaps Dell’s strongest brand name next to Latitude. This new, more straightforward name will appear when looking for Dell’s highest-end ultraportable laptops and sleek desktops.
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New Commercial Models: Latitude and Precision Are Now Pro and Pro Max
Moving on to Dell’s professional-grade lines of PCs, the naming conventions grow simpler still. The new “Dell Pro” line covers all of the company’s former Latitude business-PC products. The Base, Plus, and Premium subcategories also apply here, but they will equate to the old, more esoteric 3000, 5000, and 7000 tiers of suffixes, respectively, denoting better features and performance as you climb the stack.
The same applies to the new “Dell Pro Max” name, which replaces the Precision workstation name you may have grown used to for the past few decades. These will also follow the same tiered naming conventions in place of the number values (the old 3000 and upward) that previously noted levels of features and performance. For instance, a straight Dell Pro Max will not have as many features, and as high of a performance ceiling, as a Dell Pro Max Plus.
Of course, all the products released under these new product names in 2025 will have updated internals, namely new silicon options from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm. All three major PC chipmakers have new processors in store for the year, all focused on boosting efficiency and AI performance, with Qualcomm primarily targeting laptops.
The Takeaway for Dell’s 2025
Given the increasingly competitive climate in the PC market, Dell’s decision to simplify its product branding is understandable, especially as Apple continues to challenge the leading x86-based chipmakers on performance with its M-series chips. The need to reduce friction on the road to a PC purchase is stronger than ever.
To be sure, this will require some readjustment on the part of returning customers (not to mention frequent business buyers) to make sure they’re buying the Dell laptop or desktop they actually want compared with what they were called a year ago. And, yes, Dell was arguably the least egregious offender when it came to esoteric product names (looking at you, Acer and Asus).
However, for people who may have heard the Dell name over the past 40 years but have yet to take the plunge, or younger folks with less familiarity with the name, this rebranding should make the purchasing process smoother and more up-front about the expected out-of-box experience.
Of course, Dell’s ultimate goal is to grow its PC market share, and reducing ambiguity is a fine way to do that. Ultimately, however, that will depend on the quality of Dell’s PC products in 2025, whatever they're called, which will only bear out in thoroughly tested reviews. Stay tuned to PCMag for those throughout the new year.