A benchmark reveals Dell is developing a 13-inch XPS laptop powered by Android 17, signalling Google’s shift towards aluminium OS and a new premium Chromebook alternative.
Dell appears to be preparing a 13-inch XPS laptop that would run Android 17, according to a benchmark spotted by Clubic. The machine, identified as the Dell XPS 13 with the code DX13267, would be the first Googlebook from the company if the listing proves genuine. Early performance results should be treated cautiously, as they point more to an unfinished pre-production sample than to a retail product.
The finding fits a broader shift around Google’s new desktop strategy. At Google I/O 2026, the company introduced Aluminium OS, an Android 17-based platform designed for laptops and intended to replace ChromeOS, according to several technical summaries of the announcement. The software is said to include a desktop-style window manager, a real taskbar, virtual desktops and Gemini features built into the operating system itself.
Reports from DigitBin and other outlets say the first Googlebooks are expected from partner manufacturers later in 2026, with Dell listed alongside Lenovo and ASUS. That places the XPS 13 in a more premium category than the average Chromebook, suggesting Google is aiming to position Aluminium OS as a full laptop environment rather than a lightweight browser-first system.
For Dell, the move would mark a notable extension of the XPS line into Google’s new ecosystem. The XPS brand has long been associated with higher-end Windows ultrabooks, so an Android-based model would be a clear signal that Google wants established PC makers to give its new platform credibility from the outset. For now, though, the benchmark is only evidence that such a device exists, not that it is final or ready for sale.
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