The Dell XPS 16 offers a competitive battery life within the premium laptop segment, particularly when compared to other Windows laptops and high-resolution display devices. The XPS 16's battery capacity is sizable at 99.5 watt-hours (Wh), just shy of the 100 Wh limit allowed on airplanes, which contributes significantly to its endurance.
In a modern office workload test, which simulates web browsing, document editing, and light productivity tasks, the XPS 16 can last about 10 hours and 20 minutes. This runtime is only slightly longer than a comparable Lenovo Yoga C940 model with a similar 4K display but falls short compared to laptops with less demanding 1080p displays like HP's Elite Dragonfly. The battery life here reflects the power demands of the XPS 16's 4K display and 90 Hz refresh rate, which are more power-hungry than Full HD screens, resulting in a trade-off between visual fidelity and battery endurance.
For heavier workloads such as gaming or graphically intensive applications, the battery life reduces significantly. The XPS 16 scores about 1 hour and 33 minutes in battery life under gaming conditions that push both CPU and GPU. This matches the performance of larger notebooks in similar conditions and aligns with what is expected from a powerful laptop that is not primarily designed as a gaming machine.
Some user experience reviews and hands-on tests highlight the XPS 16's ability to achieve impressive battery runtimes under optimized conditions. For example, setting the display refresh rate to 90 Hz and using balanced power modes can yield over 12 hours in productivity tests and over 15 hours in video playback scenarios. This suggests that, with appropriate settings and less demanding usage, the XPS 16 can extend its battery life significantly.
When compared against the MacBook Pro 16-inch, one of the leading competitors in the premium laptop market, the XPS 16's battery life is robust but still not quite equal. The MacBook Pro with Apple's M3 Max chip lasted about 17 hours and 11 minutes in web surfing tests, substantially exceeding the XPS 16's roughly 11 hours in similar tests. The difference becomes even more pronounced when comparing mixed usage or creative workloads, with the MacBook Pro capable of up to 20 hours per charge in ideal conditions. This reflects Apple's known advantage in power efficiency due to their custom silicon and optimization.
Within Dell's own lineup and across comparable Windows laptops, the XPS 16 tends to top the charts for battery life among larger ultraportables, thanks in part to its large battery capacity and efficient processor options (Intel Core Ultra series). Its immediate smaller sibling, the XPS 14, carries a smaller battery (69.5 Wh) and accordingly falls short in endurance, lasting around 8 hours 56 minutes in similar tests, which is roughly 90 minutes less than the XPS 16.
The Dell 16 Premium, a rebranded successor to the XPS 16 aimed at creatives and professionals, delivers similar battery life performance with some caveats. The OLED display configuration notably reduces maximum battery life to about 5 hours under mixed usage, due to OLED panels' higher power consumption and the inclusion of power-heavy graphics options like the RTX 5070 GPU. This places it closer to gaming laptops in terms of battery endurance rather than ultraportable workstations. Under heavy use, the Dell 16 Premium can last only around 2.5 hours on battery.
Overall, the Dell XPS 16 balances high performance and visual quality with solid battery life in the Windows ecosystem. It outperforms many Windows competitors of comparable size and power, particularly in workflows that do not push graphics to the limit. However, it still does not reach the exceptional battery duration offered by Apple's MacBook Pro 16, particularly the models equipped with Apple Silicon chips.
The XPS 16 demonstrates a clear advancement in Dell's XPS lineup year-over-year, with improved battery life compared to previous generation XPS 15 and 17 models. The presence of large capacity batteries combined with efficient Intel Core Ultra processors allows it to comfortably exceed a full workday of typical office usage and video playback. For users prioritizing battery life with high-end displays and performance, adjusting refresh rates and opting for the Full HD+ display option can further enhance longevity.
In summary, the XPS 16's battery life is among the best for 16-inch Windows ultraportables with high-resolution screens and powerful CPUs. It excels over some Windows counterparts but remains behind the specialized power efficiency of Apple's latest MacBook Pro 16-inch models, especially under intensive workloads or when paired with OLED screens. The trade-off is always between the stunning display capability and raw battery endurance, with the XPS 16 positioned well for users valuing premium visuals and substantial, though not record-breaking, battery life.