Dell’s XPS 16 Laptop Marks a Return to Form After PC Business Got ‘Off Course’

It’s not unheard of for tech companies to reverse a big marketing decision, but few have done so as quickly as Dell Technologies Inc. In early 2025, the company announced it would move away from its long-running XPS laptop branding in favor of simpler naming schemes like “Pro” and “Max” intended to appeal to a broader market of consumers accustomed to Apple Inc.’s naming strategy. By the following January, Dell realized it had made a mistake and quickly pivoted back.

As Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said at the time, the PC business had “gotten a bit off course.”