Back-to-school season PC battle reignites: Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C (DELL.US) challenges Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) with a $699 touchscreen XPS 13.

Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C (DELL.US) has launched a new design for the XPS 13 laptop, positioning this product as a "direct response" to the popular MacBook Neo from Apple Inc. (AAPL.US). The latter was released in March this year and shocked the entire budget PC market with its features and pricing. The new Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C machine is targeting a back-to-school season release, offering premium design features including a high-resolution touchscreen and backlit keyboard. However, these advantages also mean that Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C cannot completely match Apple Inc.'s prices: the XPS 13 starts at $699 ($599 for students) while the MacBook Neo is priced at $599, or $499 for education users. However, the base model of the Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C laptop comes with 512GB of storage space, which is on par with the $699 version of the MacBook Neo that includes Touch ID functionality. The XPS 13 is 12.7mm thick and weighs 2.2 pounds, making it lighter than the 2.7-pound Neo. Like Apple Inc. devices, the XPS 13 features an aluminum alloy casing, making it more refined in appearance and feel compared to most laptops in the same price range. "I have to give them some credit. This is an excellent product and it confirms the market we've been discussing." Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said during a live stream announcing the company's latest hardware, when evaluating the MacBook Neo, "The difference is, we make better products." Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C offers higher configurations, with the option for up to 32GB of memory, while the Neo only provides non-upgradable 8GB of unified memory. The XPS 13 has a wider color gamut screen with a maximum 120Hz refresh rate, whereas Apple Inc. reserves its best screens for the higher-priced MacBook Pro series. The addition of a backlit keyboard makes typing in low light environments easier. Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C also offers some practical upgrades compared to the Neo, such as more powerful Wi-Fi 7 wireless networking. In terms of battery life, Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C claims a streaming playback of up to 17 hours, while the Neo's battery life is 16 hours. However, the XPS 13 also makes a compromise: unlike the Neo, it does not have a built-in headphone jack. This means that users will need to rely on its four-speaker audio system, use Bluetooth headphones, or use a headphone adapter plugged into one of the two USB-C ports. Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C is not the only Windows PC manufacturer trying to surpass Apple Inc.'s budget laptop. Last week, Acer Inc. introduced the Swift Air 14, priced at $699, with an aluminum alloy casing and the same Intel Corporation chip as the Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C machine. It also features a 120Hz display and surpasses Dell Technologies, Inc. Class C and MacBook Neo in fast file transfers with Thunderbolt 4 interfaces. Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook stated in the latest earnings call that the enthusiasm for the MacBook Neo has "exceeded charts," and added that Apple Inc. "underestimated" consumer demand for this machine. "We couldn't be happier with the current situation," he said.