The tech industry’s obsession with tacking on labels like “Plus,” “Pro,” and “Max” continues to grow, and Dell has now joined the trend in a way that’s turning heads—and raising eyebrows.
At CES 2025, the PC giant unveiled a complete overhaul of its product naming strategy, retiring long-standing names like XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, Precision, and OptiPlex.
In their place, Dell is introducing three main product lines: Dell (just “Dell”), Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max. If that feels like a nod to Apple’s straightforward but bland naming conventions, you’re not wrong.
But Dell didn’t stop there—they’ve added a twist inspired by the auto industry, with each line further divided into sub-tiers: Base, Plus, and Premium.
The result? Names like the newly announced Dell Plus 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor and Dell Pro Premium laptops. And if that’s not confusing enough, brace yourself for upcoming products like the hypothetical Dell Pro Max Plus.
What’s Changing?
Simplified Product Lines: The XPS, Latitude, and Precision series will be replaced with new tiers under the “Dell” umbrella. For example:
-
The popular XPS laptops will now be part of the “Dell Premium” line, such as Dell 13 Premium and Dell 14 Premium.
-
Latitude laptops are rebranded as Dell Pro Premium.
Gradual Transition: Existing products under outgoing names will remain until they’re phased out.
Corporate Speak Meets Buzzwords: The combination of “Pro,” “Max,” “Plus,” and “Premium” feels overused to the point of losing significance.
However, their replacements will adopt the new naming structure, creating a potential overlap—and confusion—for customers comparing models during the transition.
What It Means for Customers
Dell claims the new structure will ultimately make choosing products easier. However, in the short term, it could lead to more confusion. For instance:
Business buyers might find it tricky to decide between legacy products like Precision notebooks and newer Dell Pro Max Premium models.
Consumers may struggle to differentiate between similarly named products, such as Dell 13 Premium and Dell Pro 13 Premium.
The Bigger Picture
This shift also raises questions about branding. Dell, a company named after its founder, Michael Dell, seems to be trading its well-established identity for generic buzzwords.
While simple names can be appealing, the overuse of terms like “Pro” and “Premium” dilutes their meaning, leaving customers with a sea of indistinguishable options.
As Dell embarks on this rebranding journey, it remains to be seen whether this simplified approach will truly help customers—or leave them scratching their heads.
