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Dell's new Latitude 13 is a business version of the best Windows laptop

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The Dell XPS 13 was one of our favorite announcements at last year's CES, and proved to be one of the best laptops of 2015. Now, Dell is bringing the XPS 13's sleek style and class-leading performance to its Latitude series of business laptops with the announcement of the Latitude 13 7000 Series. The new Latitude laptop costs $1,299 — a similar price tag to that of the XPS 13 — and will be available on March 8th.

The similarities to the XPS 13 don't stop there. The Latitude 13 comes with the same "InfinityEdge" screen, so the bezel are almost nonexistent. The screen type will also be customizable, with options for a 1080p non-touch or a QHD+ touch screen model. Dell is touting the same 10-hour battery life that we got from the XPS 13 in our battery test (though that was closer to seven or eight hours in real world use).

One big change is that the Latitude 13 will be powered by USB Type-C. It's a change that Dell is pushing to almost every new model of laptop and 2-in-1 being announced this week. That means there's a Type-C port for charging, and another for connecting up accessories. There's still a regular USB port for everything else.

Another big difference is inside: the Latitude 13 ditches the XPS's Core i5 and i7 for Intel's new Core M line of processors. Dell says this will be customizable as well, and the new laptop will be able to handle up to the top-tier Core M7.

Dell shaved off a little weight from the already trim XPS 13, too — the Latitude 13 is slightly lighter at 2.48 pounds, down from 2.6. It's not noticeable when you pick it up compared to the XPS 13, but a little less weight in a portable laptop is always a good thing.

The latitude 13 is slightly lighter than the XPS 13

The only other main changes are designed for business users directly. Dell has switched out the keyboard and the trackpad has two buttons at the bottom for navigation. Dell says this is largely because businesses require a more tactile keyboard. There's also the option to add a smartcard reader.

Overall, Dell has largely tweaked the impressive formula of the XPS 13 and focused on improvements for a different type of user. Dell is planning to make the Latitude 13 available to purchase at its online store on March 8th priced starting at $1,299.

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Dell Latitude 13 (2016) hands-on photos

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