Maintenance procedures have completely changed in this year’s XPS redesign, although they’re still relatively simple.
The XPS 14 and 16 models are getting a complete revamp this year, from the external structures to the internal processors. As a result, the maintenance procedures for these models have changed significantly from what owners of previous XPS models were accustomed to. Fortunately, Dell is making the digital guide available as a free download for owners or potential buyers.
To properly access the motherboard, users will still have to remove the T5 Torx screws on the bottom plate first as usual. Once removed, users will then need to insert the Torx screwdriver back into the empty holes to push the corners of the keyboard surface (Cover C) away from the bottom plate (Cover D). The two covers can then be carefully separated around their edges using a sharp plastic edge.
Key components such as the cooling solution, battery and SSD are now accessed by removing Cover C instead of Cover D as shown in the image below, and users must be careful not to damage the fragile ribbon cable that connects the keyboard to the motherboard during this step.
The above procedures differ from the vast majority of laptops on the market where users simply need to remove the D-Cover for any upgrades or repairs, so maintenance is a little more complicated on the 2026 XPS series than on older XPS models, but the improvements in chassis rigidity make this trade-off worthwhile. The Framework laptop takes a similar approach to the new Dell design when it comes to maintenance, but the new XPS exhibits noticeably less bending and creaking.
