Dell’s August 2019 announcement was for the ninth-generation XPS 13 Developer Edition 7390, not the later 9300 or 9310. It combined Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS with 10th-generation Intel Core U-series processors, including a six-core Core i7 option, in Dell’s compact 13.3-inch XPS chassis. The model is now discontinued and unavailable from Dell, so it is best understood as historical Linux hardware rather than a current buying recommendation.
What Dell actually unveiled
The product was the Dell XPS 13 7390 Developer Edition, introduced in 2019 as the ninth generation of Dell’s Ubuntu-based XPS line. Launch reports identified Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS and 10th-generation Intel Core U processors as the headline changes. The announcement was a hardware refresh, not Dell’s first Ubuntu XPS 13: earlier systems came from the company’s Project Sputnik Linux initiative, including the XPS 13 9370 and 9380 generations.
“10th Gen” here refers to the low-voltage Comet Lake-U family used in the launch configurations. It should not automatically be read as an Ice Lake system; Intel used the same generation label across more than one processor family.
Launch availability was market-specific. Dell’s historical product page now marks the XPS 13 7390 as unavailable: Dell XPS 13 7390 product page.
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- PREMIUM ULTRA-PORTABLE DESIGN – The Dell XPS 13 9350 designed for users who value performance, mobility, and premium craftsmanship. With its ultra-slim, lightweight design and refined finish, it delivers a high-end portable experience for work and daily use. Built for all-day productivity, up to 26 hours battery life keeps you powered without interruption
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- IMMERSIVE DISPLAY - Features a 13.4-inch WUXGA (1920x1200) display with narrow borders, 500-nit brightness, and 120Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals and reduced eye strain. Supports up to 2 external displays via Thunderbolt 4, with up to 4K@60Hz output. The FHD RGB camera with dual-array microphones delivers clear video calls
- ADVANCED CONNECTIVITY - With 2x Thunderbolt 4, you can easily connect external displays, storage devices and essential peripherals. Stay fast and reliable on the go with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, perfect for video calls, cloud work, and wireless devices without lag
What “Developer Edition” meant
This was not simply a Windows laptop with Linux installed later by a retailer. Dell sold the Developer Edition with Ubuntu preinstalled and developed it within the Project Sputnik relationship with Canonical. That gave Linux users a factory-installed system and vendor documentation, but it was not a promise that every component behaved exactly like its Windows counterpart.
Dell’s Ubuntu notes specifically listed the fingerprint reader and Waves MaxxAudio as unsupported under Ubuntu 18.04. Cortana also appears in the shared operating-system notes, although it is a Windows feature and not a meaningful Ubuntu capability. Developer Edition therefore meant a supported Ubuntu configuration with known boundaries, not universal Linux feature parity.
Processor options
Dell’s technical documentation lists four processors for the XPS 13 7390 platform. Exact combinations varied by market and configuration; the launch coverage highlighted the Core i5-10210U and the six-core Core i7-10710U.
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| Processor | Cores / threads | Base TDP | Maximum listed speed | Cache |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i3-10110U | 2 / 4 | 15 W | Up to 4.1 GHz | 4 MB |
| Core i5-10210U | 4 / 8 | 15 W | Up to 4.2 GHz | 6 MB |
| Core i7-10510U | 4 / 8 | 15 W | Up to 4.9 GHz | 8 MB |
| Core i7-10710U | 6 / 12 | 15 W | Up to 4.7 GHz | 12 MB |
These specifications are from Dell’s XPS 13 7390 processor documentation. The i7-10710U was the unusual part for a thin 13-inch machine: six cores and 12 threads could help parallel compilation, containers, local databases and virtual machines. Core count alone does not establish sustained performance, however. Long workloads still depend on cooling, power limits, fan noise and the particular configuration.
Hardware specifications
The 7390 retained the familiar compact XPS design, with an aluminum exterior and carbon-fiber-patterned palm rest. Dell’s platform documentation and launch coverage describe the following equipment:
- 13.3-inch InfinityEdge display, with Full HD and 4K UHD touch options
- Intel UHD integrated graphics
- Up to 16 GB of integrated LPDDR3 memory
- PCIe NVMe SSD configurations reaching 1 TB or more depending on market and model
- Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
- One USB-C port with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
- MicroSD card reader and 3.5 mm headset jack
- Wi-Fi 6/Killer AX1650 wireless option in launch coverage
- Maximum listed weight of about 2.84 pounds (1.29 kg), depending on configuration
See Dell’s XPS 13 7390 Setup and Specifications guide for the platform details. The memory was integrated rather than installed in replaceable DIMM sockets, so buyers had to choose 8 GB or 16 GB at purchase. The USB-C-heavy layout also means that USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet or multiple external displays may require a dock or adapter; Dell’s port list does not establish that an adapter was included.
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- POWERFUL PERFORMANCE - Powered by a Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core Dual-Core Boost up to 4GHz, NPU up to 45 TOPS) X1E-80-100 Processor for superior efficiency and speed, 32GB of 8448MT/s DDR5 RAM for seamless multitasking, and a 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD for fast storage and reduced load times, ensuring smooth and responsive performance for all your tasks
- CRISP DISPLAY & PRIVACY - Features a FHD IR webcam for crystal-clear video calls and enhanced security, while the 13.4" 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED 400nits Anti-reflective touchscreen display with Qualcomm Adreno graphics delivers crisp visuals, supported by the ability to connect 2 external monitors via Type-C ports at 4K (3840x2160) @60Hz (without docking station)
- VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY - Features a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for enhanced productivity. Equipped with 2 x USB4 40Gbps USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery for versatile connectivity. Includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for fast, reliable wireless performance
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Ubuntu at launch—and now
The factory operating system was Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS (Bionic Beaver), not Ubuntu 20.04, which arrived later. Canonical’s account of Dell’s preinstalled Ubuntu systems is available at Ubuntu’s XPS 13 Developer Edition announcement.
That distinction matters when evaluating a used unit. Ubuntu 18.04 is obsolete by 2026 and should not be treated as a current supported desktop baseline. Installing a currently supported release is a separate question from what Dell shipped, and hardware support can vary with firmware, kernel and peripheral requirements.
Where the 7390 fits in the Developer Edition timeline
Model numbers are easy to confuse:
| Model | Place in the line |
|---|---|
| XPS 13 9370 | Earlier Developer Edition generation |
| XPS 13 9380 | Successor covered before the 7390 refresh |
| XPS 13 7390 | Ninth-generation Developer Edition with 10th-generation U-series CPUs |
| XPS 13 9300 | Later redesign associated with a 16:10 display |
| XPS 13 9310 | Subsequent generation using 11th-generation Intel hardware |
The 7390 designation is essential when searching for specifications or second-hand listings. A listing for a 9300, 9310 or a Windows-only 7390 is not the same factory Ubuntu product.
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- 13.4 inch FHD+ (1920 x 1200) Anti-Glare 30-120Hz 500-nits InfinityEdge Eye Safe Non-Touch Display
- Snapdragon X Elite, X1E-80-100 (12 cores up to 3.4 GHz Dual-Core Boost up to 4.0 GHz, NPU Upto 45 TOPS)
- 16GB RAM | 512GB SSD
- Qualcomm Adreno GPU | Two USB4 40 Gbps USB Type-C ports with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
- Windows 11 PRO | Fingerprint Reader
Why developers cared about the refresh
The practical attraction was the combination of portability and more parallel CPU capacity. Four-core i5 systems offered eight threads, while the i7-10710U brought six cores and 12 threads to a chassis weighing roughly 1.29 kg at its heaviest listed configuration. That could make local builds, test suites, containers and modest virtual machines more convenient than on earlier dual- or quad-core ultraportables.
Intel UHD graphics also avoided the additional Linux graphics complexity associated with some discrete-GPU laptops. Conversely, these remained 15-watt mobile processors in a compact enclosure. No benchmark, battery-life or thermal result should be inferred from the processor names alone, and the 4K touch panel generally represents a higher-cost, potentially less power-efficient choice than Full HD without configuration-specific testing.
Should you buy one today?
Not as a current Dell purchase: the official 7390 page is unavailable, the bundled Ubuntu release is obsolete, and the hardware dates from 2019. A used unit can still be interesting for a Linux developer who values the XPS chassis and Thunderbolt 3, but evaluate it as used hardware rather than as a supported current product.
- Confirm whether it has 8 GB or 16 GB of integrated RAM; it is not a normal memory-upgrade platform.
- Check battery wear, SSD health, hinges, keyboard and every USB-C/Thunderbolt port.
- Verify whether the display is Full HD or 4K touch and whether that configuration suits your battery and visual priorities.
- Confirm firmware-update availability and test installation of a currently supported Ubuntu release.
- Do not assume the fingerprint reader works under Linux.
For a new Dell system, start with the company’s live laptop catalog and verify Ubuntu availability for the exact model and region. Current models may offer newer processors, displays and batteries, but the 7390’s Developer Edition status should not be projected onto every XPS configuration.
Bottom line
The announcement was significant because Dell put Ubuntu 18.04.3 LTS and 10th-generation Core U processors—including the six-core i7-10710U—into the ninth-generation XPS 13 Developer Edition 7390. It was a factory Linux laptop with clear hardware advantages for its time, not a universal compatibility guarantee. In 2026, its unavailable status and obsolete launch OS make it a historical reference or carefully inspected used machine, not a straightforward current recommendation.
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