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Dell’s XPS laptop lineup is about to look very different

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Dell’s XPS laptop lineup is about to look very different

This might not be the biggest shake-up of the Dell XPS lineup ever, but between some bigger laptops and a total revamping of the XPS portfolio, it feels like a big deal. The 13-inch Dell XPS laptop is sticking around, but the touch bar-equipped XPS Plus that ran hot in our review is gone, replaced by the 14-inch XPS. And there’s a new 16-inch XPS to replace both the 15-inch and 17-inch laptops.

Plenty of laptop makers have 14-inch and 16-inch devices — notably, Apple launched a MacBook Pro in both sizes back in 2021 — but Dell’s flagship XPS laptops have stuck with the more traditional 13-inch and 15-inch sizes.

Dell representatives demurred when I asked them if this new size of XPS laptops is meant as a counter to Apple’s own. But it would make sense! Dell’s XPS laptops are a primary competitor to Apple’s MacBook Pro, and the two lines of laptops have repeatedly aped one another’s design, borrowing little flourishes when it makes sense. There’s a reason the Dell XPS looked like a MacBook Pro for years and also why Apple finally shrunk its enormous laptop bezels.

Don’t worry, the funky touch bar didn’t get tossed out with the XPS Plus. It’s now optional on the whole lineup.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Instead, I was pointed to another benefit of the new and slightly larger laptops: additional internal space. In some cases, that means bigger batteries, as the 14-inch XPS packs in a 69.5WHr battery versus the 55WHr battery in the XPS 13 and last year’s XPS Plus. That should help with how long it will last on a charge — one of our biggest issues with the XPS Plus.

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More space in these laptops also means more space for fans and discrete graphics, which is why the XPS 14 will have an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 option. It will also include up to 64GB of RAM, up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU, and a 4TB SSD. Those who go with discrete graphics will also see a spec bump for the power adapter, going from the standard 60W charger to 100W.

Unfortunately, all that power means it’s also heftier than the XPS Plus, which maxed out at 2.77 pounds with an optional OLED display. The XPS 14 will weigh 3.8 pounds with the optional OLED display.

The new XPS 13 managed to avoid the embiggening ray with this refresh, and it will continue to be the XPS you drift toward if you just need a solid high-end business laptop. That means there are no discrete graphics. Instead, you’ll have to make do with Intel’s new Meteor Lake processors, which sport a dedicated neural processing unit for better handling AI workflows. The XPS 14 can support up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 165H CPU, plus 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD.

1/8

They all will now come with FHD webcams. Year by year, Dell’s webcams slowly improve.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
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While the XPS 14 is the one I’m most eager to get my hands on, I suspect more people will want to talk about the XPS 16, which replaces both the XPS 15 and the XPS 17. The idea, as I understand it, is for this device to give you enough of the screen real estate of the 17 that you don’t miss it but with the benefits of less bulk.

It will sport up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, 64GB of RAM, 4TB of SSD, and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 with 8GB of GDDR6. All of that potential extra power also means a big battery (99.5WHr) and a big charger (130W USB-C), and it will hit 4.8 pounds with the optional 16.3-inch 4K OLED. The XPS 17 weighed in at 5.37 pounds with the optional OLED and also sported a slightly smaller battery (97WHr). So if you don’t mind the decrease in screen size, it should definitely feel like a more nimble machine.

The Copilot key can be seen to the right of the XPS 14’s spacebar.
Image: Dell
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Besides the big sizing shuffle, the other new addition is small and, I suspect, hints at what’s to come from other laptop makers this CES. There’s a new dedicated Copilot key for activating Copilot in Windows 11. It’s sort of like the Cortana button of old but hopefully much, much more useful.

As for how much all of these laptops will cost, the XPS 13 will start at $1,299, the XPS 14 at $1,699, and the XPS 16 at $1,899. Dell has not announced when they’ll be available, but history would suggest the next couple of months. So if you’re still hankering for that XPS 17, it might be a good idea to drop it in your cart shortly.

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Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps

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Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps

Microsoft is starting to remove “unnecessary” Copilot buttons from its Windows 11 apps. In the latest version of the Notepad app for Windows Insiders, Microsoft has removed the Copilot button in favor of a “writing tools” menu. The Copilot button in the Snipping Tool app also no longer appears when you select an area to capture.

The change is part of “reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad,” that Microsoft promised to complete as part of its broader plan to fix Windows 11. While Copilot buttons are being removed, it looks like the underlying AI features are here to stay, though.

The Copilot button has been removed from Notepad, but the writing tools replacement still uses AI-powered features and looks like the identical menu of options that existed before. I still think these features are largely unnecessary in what’s supposed to be a lightweight text app, but removing the superfluous Copilot branding is a good first step.

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AI chatbots refilling psych meds sparks debate

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AI chatbots refilling psych meds sparks debate

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If you have ever waited weeks just to renew a mental health prescription, you already know how frustrating the system can feel. Now imagine handling that refill through a chatbot instead of a doctor.

That kind of thing is already starting to happen. In Utah, a new pilot program is allowing an artificial intelligence system from Legion Health to renew certain psychiatric medications without direct approval from a physician each time. State officials say this could speed things up and reduce costs.

Many psychiatrists are not convinced. They are asking whether this actually solves the problem it claims to fix.

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AMAZON HEALTH AI BRINGS A DOCTOR TO YOUR POCKET
 

Utah launches AI chatbot to renew select psychiatric prescriptions, raising questions about safety and oversight. (pocketlight/Getty Images)

How the AI prescription system works

Before this starts sounding like a robot psychiatrist, the program stays tightly limited. The AI only renews a short list of lower-risk medications that a doctor has already prescribed. These include commonly used antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. 

To qualify, patients must meet strict requirements. You need to be stable on your current medication. Recent dosage changes or a psychiatric hospitalization will disqualify you. You also need to check in with a healthcare provider after a set number of refills or within a certain time frame.

During the process, the chatbot asks about symptoms, side effects and warning signs such as suicidal thoughts. If anything raises concern, it sends the case to a real doctor before approving a refill. According to an agreement filed with Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, the pilot includes strict safeguards, including human review thresholds and automatic escalation for higher-risk cases. The system cannot prescribe new medications or manage drugs that require close monitoring. As a result, it leaves out many complex conditions from the pilot.

Why some experts are pushing back

Even with those guardrails, many psychiatrists are uneasy. Brent Kious, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, has questioned whether AI systems like this actually solve the access problem they are designed to address. 

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He has suggested that the benefits of an AI-based refill system may be overstated, especially since patients must already be stable and under care to qualify. Kious has also raised concerns about how much these systems rely on self-reported answers. Patients may not recognize side effects, may answer inaccurately, or may adjust their responses to get the outcome they want. 

He has further questioned whether current AI tools can safely handle even routine parts of psychiatric care, noting that treatment decisions often depend on factors that go beyond simple screening questions. He has also pointed to a lack of transparency in how these systems operate, which can make it harder for doctors and patients to fully trust them. 

HEALTHCARE DATA BREACH HITS SYSTEM STORING PATIENT RECORDS
 

A new pilot program allows AI to handle some mental health medication refills without direct doctor approval. (Sezeryadigar/Getty Images)

The promise behind the technology

Supporters of the program are focused on access. A lot of people in Utah still struggle to get mental health care. Wait times can stretch for weeks. In some areas, there simply are not enough providers available. The idea is that AI can take care of routine refill requests so doctors have more time to focus on patients with more complex needs. That could help take some pressure off the system. Legion Health is also leaning into convenience. The service is expected to cost about $19 a month and is designed to make refills quicker and easier for patients who qualify. From a big-picture view, that could help. From a patient’s point of view, the tradeoff may feel a little more complicated. We reached out to Legion Health for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.

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What this means to you

If you rely on mental health medication, this kind of system could change how you manage your care. You may be able to get refills more quickly if your condition is stable and your treatment plan is not changing. At the same time, this does not replace your doctor. It does not handle new diagnoses or complex decisions. It also adds another layer between you and your care. Instead of a conversation, you are interacting with a system that depends on how you answer a series of questions. Mental health treatment often depends on small details. Changes in mood, sleep or behavior can matter more than a simple yes or no response. That is where some experts believe human care still has a clear advantage.

The bigger question about AI in healthcare

This pilot is only one step in a much larger shift. Utah is already experimenting with AI in other areas of healthcare. Companies like Legion are signaling plans to expand beyond a single state. What starts with simple refills could eventually move into more complex decisions. That is where the conversation becomes more urgent. Is this a practical way to improve access to care, or does it risk reducing something deeply personal into a transaction driven by software?

HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE
 

Psychiatrists question whether AI prescription refills address access issues or create new risks for patients. (SDI Productions/Getty Images)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

There is no question that access to mental health care needs improvement. Long wait times and limited availability are real problems that affect millions of people. AI may help in specific situations, especially when the task is routine and the patient is stable. Still, convenience should not be confused with quality. For now, this system is narrow in scope and closely monitored. That makes it easier to test. It also highlights how early we are in this transition. The technology will continue to evolve. The real question is whether the safeguards, oversight and transparency will evolve at the same pace.

Would you feel comfortable letting a chatbot handle part of your mental health care, or is that a line you do not want technology to cross? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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ChatGPT has a new $100 per month Pro subscription

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ChatGPT has a new 0 per month Pro subscription

OpenAI has announced a new version of its ChatGPT Pro subscription that costs $100 per month. The new Pro tier offers “5x more” usage of its Codex coding tool than the $20 per month Plus subscription and “is best for longer, high-effort Codex sessions,” OpenAI says.

The company is introducing the new tier as it tries to win over users from Anthropic and its popular Claude Code tool. ChatGPT’s $100 per month option will directly compete with Anthropic’s “Max” tier for Claude, which costs the same price. It also offers a middle ground between the $20 per month Plus tier and the $200 version of the Pro tier.

(Yes, there are now two tiers of “Pro”; while the new tier “still offers access to all Pro features,” OpenAI says that the more expensive one has even higher usage limits.)

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Plus will “will continue to be the best offer at $20 for steady, day-to-day usage of Codex, and the new $100 Pro tier offers a more accessible upgrade path for heavier daily use.” OpenAI also offers an $8 per month Go tier and a free tier.

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