DELL XPS 15 9500 i7 10th Gen Laptop User Guide

June 6, 2024
Dell

DELL XPS 15 9500 i7 10th Gen Laptop

Notes, cautions, and warnings

| NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.
---|---
| CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
| WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

© 2020-2021 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Set up your XPS 15 9500

|NOTE: The images in this document may differ from your computer depending on the configuration you ordered.

  1. Connect the power adapter and press the power button.
    |NOTE: You can charge your XPS 15 9500 by connecting the power adapter to one of the Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports that are located on the left side of your computer or to the USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port located on the right side of your computer.

    |NOTE: The battery may go into power-saving mode during shipment to conserve charge on the battery. Ensure that the power adapter is connected to your computer when it is turned on for the first time.

  2. Finish Windows setup.
    Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. When setting up, Dell recommends that you:
    ● Connect to a network for Windows updates.
    |NOTE: If connecting to a secured wireless network, enter the password for the wireless network access when prompted.
    ● If connected to the Internet, sign in with or create a Microsoft account.
    If not connected to the Internet, create an offline account.
    ● On the Support and Protection screen, enter your contact details.

  3. Locate and use Dell apps from the Windows Start menu Recommended.

Table 1. Locate Dell apps

Resources Description
**My Dell

** Centralized location for key Dell applications, help articles, and other important information about your computer. It also notifies you about the warranty status, recommended accessories, and software updates if available.

| SupportAssist
SupportAssist proactively and predictively identifies hardware and software issues on your computer and automates the engagement process with Dell Technical support. It addresses performance and stabilization issues, prevents security threats, monitors and detects hardware failures. For more information, see SupportAssist for Home PCs User’s Guide on www.dell.com/serviceabilitytools. To navigate to SupportAssist for Home PCs User’s Guide, click SupportAssist and then, click SupportAssist for Home PCs User’s Guide. |NOTE: In SupportAssist, click the warranty expiry date to renew or upgrade your warranty.
| Dell Update
Updates your computer with critical fixes and latest device drivers as they become available. For more information about using Dell Update, see the knowledge base article SLN305843 at www.dell.com/support.
| Dell Digital Delivery
Download software applications, which are purchased but not pre-installed on your computer. For more information about using Dell Digital Delivery, see the knowledge base article 153764 at www.dell.com/support.

Views of XPS 15 9500

Left

  1. Security-cable slot (wedge-shaped)
    Connect a security cable to prevent unauthorized movement of your computer.

  2. Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) port with Power Delivery (2)
    Supports USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 3 and also enables you to connect to an external display using a display adapter. Provides data transfer rates up to 10 Gbps for USB 3.2 Gen 2 and up to 40 Gbps for Thunderbolt 3. Supports Power Delivery that enables two-way power supply between devices. Provides up to 5 V power output that enables faster charging.
    |NOTE: A USB Type-C to DisplayPort adapter (sold separately) is required to connect a DisplayPort device.

  1. USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port with DisplayPort
    Connect peripherals such as external storage devices, printers, and external displays. Provides data transfer rate of up to 10 Gbps.
    Supports DisplayPort and also enables you to connect an external display using a display adapter
    |NOTE: A USB Type-C to DisplayPort adapter (sold separately) is required to connect a DisplayPort device.

  2. SD-card slot
    Reads from and writes to the SD card. The computer supports the following card types:
    ● Secure Digital (SD)
    ● Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
    ● Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC)

  3. Headset port
    Connect headphones or a headset (headphone and microphone combo)

Top

  1. Left speaker
    Provides audio output.

  2. Touchpad
    Move your finger on the touchpad to move the mouse pointer. Tap to left-click and two finger tap to right-click.

  3. Left-click area
    Press to left-click.

  4. Right-click area
    Press to right-click.

  5. Right speaker
    Provides audio output.

  6. Power button with fingerprint reader
    Press to turn on the computer if it is turned off, in sleep state, or in hibernate state.
    When the computer is turned on, press the power button to put the computer into sleep state; press and hold the power
    button for 10 seconds to force shut-down the computer.
    Place your finger on the power button to log-in with the fingerprint reader.
    |NOTE: You can customize power-button behavior in Windows. For more information, see Me and My Dell at www.dell.com/support/manuals.

  7. Microphones (2)
    Provide digital sound input for audio recording, voice calls, and so on.

Display
  1. Infrared emitter
    Emits infrared light, which enables the infrared camera to sense and track motion.

  2. Ambient-light sensor
    Detects the ambient light and automatically adjusts the keyboard backlight and display brightness.

  3. RGB-infrared camera
    This combined camera supports both infrared Windows Hello facial recognition and standard RGB imaging for photos and videos.

  4. Camera-status light
    Turns on when the camera is in use.

  5. Infrared emitter
    Emits infrared light, which enables the infrared camera to sense and track motion.

  6. Battery-status light

Indicates the battery-charge status.

Bottom

  1. Left woofer
    Enhances low-frequency audio output.

  2. Service Tag label
    The Service Tag is a unique alphanumeric identifier that enables Dell service technicians to identify the hardwarecomponents in your computer and access warranty information.

  3. Right woofer
    Enhances low-frequency audio output.

Specifications of XPS 15 9500

Dimensions and weight

The following table lists the height, width, depth, and weight of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 2. Dimensions and weight

Description Values

Height:
| Front height| 7.70 mm (0.30 in.)
| Rear height| 18 mm (0.71 in.)
Width| 344.40 mm (13.56 in.)
Depth| 230.30 mm (9.07 in.)
Weight (maximum)| 2.05 kg (4.53 lb)
|NOTE: The weight of your computer depends on the configuration ordered and manufacturing variability.

Processor

The following table lists the details of the processors supported by your XPS 15 9500.

Table 3. Processor

Description| Option one| Option two| Option three| Option four
---|---|---|---|---
Processor type| 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10300H| 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H| 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10875H| 10th Generation Intel Core i9-10885H
Processor wattage| 45 W| 45 W| 45 W| 45 W
Processor core count| 4| 6| 8| 8
Processor thread count| 8| 12| 16| 16
Processor speed| Up to 4.50 GHz| Up to 5 GHz| Up to 5.10 GHz| Up to 5.30 GHz
Processor cache| 8 MB| 12 MB| 16 MB| 16 MB
Integrated graphics| Intel UHD Graphics 630| Intel UHD Graphics 630| Intel UHD Graphics 630| Intel UHD Graphics 630

Chipset

The following table lists the details of the chipset supported by your XPS 15 9500.

Table 4. Chipset

Description Values
Chipset Intel WM 490
Processor 10th Generation Intel Core i5/i7/i9
DRAM bus width 128 bit
Flash EPROM 32 MB
PCIe bus Up to PCIe Gen 3.0
Operating system

Your XPS 15 9500 supports the following operating systems:

  • Windows 10 Home, 64-bit
  • Windows 10 Pro, 64-bit
Memory

The following table lists the memory specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 5. Memory specifications

Description Values
Memory slots Two-SODIMM slots
Memory type Dual-channel DDR4
Memory speed 2933 MHz
Maximum memory configuration 64 GB
Minimum memory configuration 4 GB
Memory size per slot 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB
Memory configurations supported
  • 8 GB DDR4 at 2933 MHz (2 x 4 GB), dual channel
  • 16 GB DDR4 at 2933 MHz (2 x 8 GB), dual channel
  • 32 GB DDR4 at 2933 MHz (2 x 16 GB), dual channel
  • 64 GB DDR4 at 2933 MHz (2 x 32 GB), dual channel
Internal slots

The following table lists the internal slots of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 6. Internal slots

Description Values
M.2 Two M.2 2230/2280 slot for solid-state drive
** NOTE:** To learn more about the features of different types of M.2 cards,

see the knowledge base article 000144170 at www.dell.com/support.

External ports

The following table lists the external ports on your XPS 15 9500.

Table 7. External ports

Description Values
USB ports
  • One USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port with DisplayPort
  • Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3) ports

|NOTE: Connect the power adapter (USB Type-C) to one of the three USB Type-C ports.

Audio port| One headset (headphone and microphone combo) port
Video port|

  • One USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port with DisplayPort
  • Two USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3) ports

|NOTE: A USB Type-C to DisplayPort adapter (sold separately) is required to connect a DisplayPort device.

Media-card reader| One SD-card slot
Docking port| Not supported
Power-adapter port| DC-IN through one of the three USB Type-C ports
Security| Security-cable slot (wedge-shaped)

Wireless module

The following table lists the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) module specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

|NOTE: The wireless module is integrated on the system board.

Table 8. Wireless module specifications

Description Option one Option two
Model number Killer AX1650s Killer AX500s DBS
Transfer rate Up to 2400 Mbps Up to 1774.50 Mbps
Frequency bands supported 2.4 GHz/5 GHz 2.4 GHz/5 GHz
Wireless standards Wi-Fi 6 (WiFi 802.11ax) Wi-Fi 6 (WiFi 802.11ax)
Encryption
  • 64-bit/128-bit WEP
  • AES-CCMP
  • TKIP

|

  • 64-bit/128-bit WEP
  • AES-CCMP
  • TKIP

Bluetooth| Bluetooth 5| Bluetooth 5.2

Audio

The following table lists the audio specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 9. Audio specifications

Description Values
Audio controller Realtek ALC3281-CG
Stereo conversion Supported
Internal audio interface High Definition Audio (HDA)
External audio interface Universal audio jack
Number of speakers Two
Internal-speaker amplifier Supported
External volume controls Keyboard shortcut controls
Speaker output:
Average speaker output 4 W
Peak speaker output 5 W
Subwoofer output Supported
Microphone Digital-array microphones

Storage

This section lists the storage options on your XPS 15 9500. Your XPS 15 9500 supports one of the following storage options:

  • One M.2 2230 solid-state drive
  • One M.2 2280 solid-state drive

Table 10. Storage specifications

Storage type Interface type Capacity
M.2 2230 solid-state drive PCIe NVMe Gen3 x4, up to 32 Gbps Up to 2 TB
M.2 2280 solid-state drive PCIe NVMe Gen3 x4, up to 32 Gbps Up to 2 TB
Media-card reader

The following table lists the media cards supported by your XPS 15 9500.

Table 11. Media-card reader specifications

Description Values
Media-card type One SD-card slot
Media-cards supported
  • Secure Digital (SD)
  • Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC)
  • Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC)

|NOTE:  The maximum capacity supported by the media-card reader varies depending on the standard of the media card installed in your computer.

Keyboard

The following table lists the keyboard specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 12. Keyboard specifications

Description Values
Keyboard type Backlit keyboard
Keyboard layout QWERTY
Number of keys
  • United States and Canada: 79 keys
  • United Kingdom: 80 keys
  • Japan: 83 keys

Keyboard size| X = 19.05 mm key pitch Y = 18.05 mm key pitch
Keyboard shortcuts| Some keys on your keyboard have two symbols on them. These keys can be used to type alternate characters or to perform secondary functions. To type the alternate character, press Shift and the desired key. To perform secondary functions, press Fn and the desired key.
|NOTE: You can define the primary behavior of the function keys (F1–F12) changing Function Key Behavior in BIOS setup program.
For more information, see keyboard shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts.

Camera

The following table lists the camera specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 13. Camera specifications

Description Values
Number of cameras One
Camera type RGB IR HD camera
Camera location Front
Camera sensor type CMOS-sensor technology
Camera resolution:
Still image 0.9 megapixel
Video 1280 x 720 (HD) at 30 fps
Infrared camera resolution:
Still image 0.20 megapixel
Video 576 x 360 (VGA) at 30 fps
Diagonal viewing angle:
Camera 78.3 degrees
Infrared camera 78.3 degrees
Touchpad

The following table lists the touchpad specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 14. Touchpad specifications

Description Values
Touchpad resolution:
  Horizontal
  Vertical
Touchpad dimensions:
  Horizontal
  Vertical
Touchpad gestures For more information about touchpad gestures available on

Windows 10, see the Microsoft knowledge base article 4027871 at support.microsoft.com.

Power adapter

The following table lists the power adapter specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 15. Power adapter specifications

Description Option one Option two
Type 90 W USB Type-C 130 W USB Type-C
Input voltage 100 VAC–240 VAC 100 VAC–240 VAC
Input frequency 50 Hz–60 Hz 50 Hz–60 Hz
Input current (maximum) 1.50 A 1.8 A
Output current (continuous)
  • 4.5 A
  • 3 A
  • 3 A
  • 3 A

|

  • 6.5 A
  • 1 A

Rated output voltage|

  • 20 VDC
  • 15 VDC
  • 9 VDC
  • 5 VDC

|

  • 20 VDC
  • 5 VDC

Temperature range:|  |
 | Operating| 0 °C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)| 0°C to 40°C (32 °F to 104°F)
 | Storage| -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)| -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)

Battery

The following table lists the battery specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 16. Battery specifications

Description

| Option one|

Option two

---|---|---
Battery type| 56 WHr, 3-cell “smart” lithium-ion| 86 WHr, 6-cell “smart” lithium-ion
Battery voltage| 11.40 VDC| 11.40 VDC
Battery weight (maximum)| 0.26 kg (0.57 lb)| 0.34 kg (0.75 lb)
Battery dimensions:|
 | Height| 77.70 mm (3.06 in.)| 77.70 mm (3.06 in.)
 | Width| 295.20 mm (11.62 in.)| 295.20 mm (11.62 in.)
 | Depth| 7.56 mm (0.30 in.)| 7.56 mm (0.30 in.)
Temperature range:|  |
 | Operating| 0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F)| 0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F)
 | Storage| -20°C to 65°C (-4°F to 149°F)| -20°C to 65°C (-4°F to 149°F)
Battery operating time| Varies depending on operating conditions and can significantly reduce under certain power-intensive conditions.| Varies depending on operating conditions and can significantly reduce under certain power-intensive conditions.
Battery charging time (approximate) NOTE: Control the charging time, duration, start and end time, and so on using the Dell Power Manager application. For more information on the Dell Power Manager see, Me and My Dell on www.dell.com/| 3 hours (when the computer is off)| 3 hours (when the computer is off)
Coin-cell battery| Not supported| Not supported

Display

The following table lists the display specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

Table 17. Display specifications

Description Option one Option two
Display type Full High Definition (FHD) Ultra High Definition (UHD+)
Display-panel technology Wide viewing angle (WVA) Wide viewing angle (WVA)
Display-panel dimensions (active area):  
  Height 336.38 mm (13.24 in.)
  Width 210.24 mm (8.28 in.)
  Diagonal 396.24 mm (15.60 in.)
Display-panel native resolution 1920 x 1200 3840 x 2400
Luminance (typical) 500 nits 500 nits
Megapixels 2.3 9.2
Color gamut sRGB 100% AdobeRGB 100%
Pixels Per Inch (PPI) 145 290
Contrast ratio (min.) 1650:1 1600:1
Response time (max.) 35 ms 35 ms
Refresh rate 60 Hz 60 Hz
Horizontal view angle 85 +/- degrees 85 +/- degrees
Vertical view angle 85 +/- degrees 85 +/- degrees
Pixel pitch 0.18 mm 0.09 mm
Power consumption (maximum) 4.41 W 10.4 W
Anti-glare vs glossy finish Anti-glare Anti-reflection
Touch options No Yes
Fingerprint reader

The following table lists the fingerprint-reader specifications of your XPS 15 9500.

|NOTE: The fingerprint reader is located on the power button.

Table 18. Fingerprint reader specifications

Description Values
Fingerprint-reader sensor technology Capacitive
Fingerprint-reader sensor resolution 500 dpi
Fingerprint-reader sensor pixel size 108 x 88
GPU—Integrated

The following table lists the specifications of the integrated Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) supported by your XPS 15 9500.

Table 19. GPU—Integrated

Controller| External display support| Memory size| Processor
---|---|---|---
Intel UHD Graphics 630|

  • One USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port
  • Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports with Power Delivery

| Shared system memory| 10th Generation Intel Core i5/i7/i9

GPU—Discrete

The following table lists the specifications of the discrete Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) supported by your XPS 15 9500.

Table 20. GPU—Discrete

Controller| External display support| Memory size| Memory type
---|---|---|---
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti| Not supported| 4 GB| GDDR6

Operating and storage environment

This table lists the operating and storage specifications of your XPS 15 9500.
Airborne contaminant level: G1 as defined by ISA-S71.04-1985

Table 21. Computer environment

Description Operating Storage
Temperature range 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F) -40°C to 65°C (-40°F to 149°F)
Relative humidity (maximum) 10% to 90% (noncondensing) 0% to 95%

(noncondensing)
Vibration (maximum)*| 0.66 GRMS| 1.30 GRMS
Shock (maximum)| 110 G†| 160 G†
Altitude range| -15.2 m to 3048 m (-49.87 ft to 10000 ft)| -15.2 m to 10668 m (-49.87 ft to 35000 ft)

  • Measured using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment.
    † Measured using a 2 ms half-sine pulse when the hard drive is in use.

Dell low blue light display

| WARNING: Prolonged exposure to blue light from the display may lead to long-term effects such as eye strain, eye fatigue, or damage to the eyes.

The ComfortView feature on Dell laptops and displays is designed to minimize blue light emitted from the display for better eye comfort.

To reduce the risk of eye strain after looking at the laptop’s display for an extended period of time, it is recommended that you:

  1. Set the laptop’s display at a comfortable viewing distance between 20 inches and 28 inches (50 cm and 70 cm) from your eyes.
  2. Blink frequently to moisten your eyes, or wet your eyes with water.
  3. Take a break for 20 minutes every two hours.
  4. Look away from your display, and gaze at a distant object at 20 ft (609.60 cm) away for at least 20 seconds during each break.

Keyboard shortcuts of XPS 15 9500

|NOTE: Keyboard characters may differ depending on the keyboard language configuration. Keys used for shortcuts remain the same across all language configurations.
Some keys on your keyboard have two symbols on them. These keys can be used to type alternate characters or to perform secondary functions. The symbol shown on the lower part of the key refers to the character that is typed out when the key is pressed. If you press shift and the key, the symbol shown on the upper part of the key is typed out. For example, if you press 2, 2 is typed out; if you press Shift + 2, @ is typed out.
The keys F1-F12 at the top row of the keyboard are function keys for multi-media control, as indicated by the icon at the bottom of the key. Press the function key to invoke the task represented by the icon. For example, pressing F1 mutes the audio (refer to the table below).
However, if the function keys F1-F12 are needed for specific software applications, multi-media functionality can be disabled by pressing Fn + esc. Subsequently, multimedia control can be invoked by pressing Fn and the respective function key. For example, mute audio by pressing Fn + F1.
|NOTE: You can also define the primary behavior of the function keys (F1 F12) by changing Function Key Behavior in BIOS setup program.

Table 22. List of keyboard shortcuts


The Fn key is also used with selected keys on the keyboard to invoke other secondary functions.

Table 23. List of keyboard shortcuts

Getting help and contacting Dell

Self-help resources

You can get information and help on Dell products and services using these self-help resources:

Table 24. Self-help resources

Self-help resources Resource location
Information about Dell products and services

www.dell.com
My Dell app|
Tips|
Contact Support| In Windows search, type Contact Support, and press Enter.
Online help for operating system| www.dell.com/support/windows
Access top solutions, diagnostics, drivers and downloads, and learn more about your computer through videos, manuals and documents.| Your Dell computer is uniquely identified by a Service Tag or Express Service Code. To view relevant support resources for your Dell computer, enter the Service Tag or Express Service Code at www.dell.com/support.

For more information on how to find the Service Tag for your computer, see Locate the Service Tag on your computer.

Dell knowledge base articles for a variety of computer concerns|

  1. Go to www.dell.com/support.
  2. On the menu bar at the top of the Support page, select Support > Knowledge Base.
  3. In the Search field on the Knowledge Base page, type the keyword, topic, or model number, and then click or tap the search icon to view the related articles.
Contacting Dell

To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues, see www.dell.com/contactdell.
|NOTE: Availability varies by country/region and product, and some services may not be available in your country/region.
|NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information about your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog.

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