Dell computers have been around for a long time — since the company’s founding in 1984 and then its subsequent first PC release in 1985. Over the years, the company’s name has become synonymous with high-quality performance PCs, specifically when it comes to its XPS lineup, which first hit store shelves in 1993. While the branding has persisted through the years — minus the company’s attempt to kill off the XPS name in 2025, a decision Dell reversed in early 2026 — the exact meaning behind XPS has faded, with the story about Dell’s decision to introduce XPS machines getting lost in some of its other decisions over the years — like when Dell purchased Alienware.
At its most basic level, the XPS branding is a fun acronym for “extreme performance systems.” It’s something that makes sense when you break it down, especially when you start looking at the reasoning behind Dell’s decision to launch its XPS lineup in the first place.
The story behind Dell’s XPS branding
The XPS branding originally began as an offshoot of the company’s Dimension line-up, which was Dell’s lineup of computers aimed at home users. According to an archived press release from 1993, the Dell Dimension XPS — the first machine to carry the XPS branding — was designed to deliver high-performance hardware for a low cost. Essentially, Dell meant for it to appeal to consumers that considered themselves hobbyists as well as enthusiasts by offering top-of-the-line performance at an easy-to-justify price point.
The machines started at $2,049 back then, which got buyers an Intel 486 DX2 microprocessor, at least 8MB of RAM, and a No. 9 GXE VL video card alongside some other hardware features like a Soundblaster 16 CT2230 sound card. Back then the machines ran MS-DOS as well as Windows 3.11 for Workgroups. Some of the offers even netted buyers an UltraScan color monitor, and there were options to add in a Diamond Viper VL video card, as well as a CD-ROM drive and even amplified speakers.
In 1993, all of Dell’s systems were tower-based, more akin to the desktop computers that many use in today’s market. In 2007, the first XPS laptops began to hit the market, also providing solid-performing hardware at an affordable price point. Of course, over the years, the exact offerings have evolved, and even Dell’s pricing has increased dramatically. However, XPS laptops have continued to offer good performance for value, helping Dell remain one of the most reliable laptop brands around even when XPS was replaced by the Dell Premium lineup in 2025.
