Dell's rebranding is eerily reminiscent of Apple nomenclature

Dell Technologies is revamping its PC branding, seemingly inspired by Apple’s streamlined naming approach to boost demand. 

The company announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, that it will retire decades-old product names like 'XPS' and 'Inspiron'. Instead, Dell will adopt a simplified branding strategy centered around its name for its latest generation of devices. 

Dell Technologies is reorganising its PC lineup into three tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max. Each tier — Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max — will be further segmented into three pricing categories: base, plus, and premium. Defending the move, Dell executives emphasised that terms like 'pro' and 'max' aren’t exclusive to any one company. “Customers really prefer names that are easy to remember and easy to pronounce. The decisions were supported by research with tens of thousands of customers,” said Jeff Clarke, Dell’s vice chairman. 

This move comes as PC sales continue to struggle after a pandemic-driven surge. Competitors like HP Inc. and Lenovo Group are also exploring new strategies to drive upgrades in the stagnant market.

As part of the rebranding, Dell is introducing a new logo, replacing its iconic slanted 'E' with a modern, sans-serif font. The updated design adopts a refined color palette dominated by silver, grey, and black, evoking Apple’s signature style. Alongside the logo, Dell is overhauling its design language, emphasising sleeker aesthetics and the use of premium materials to align with its simplified branding strategy.

Alienware, Dell’s gaming-focused brand acquired in 2006, will retain its identity and remain unaffected by the rebranding.

At a press briefing, CEO Michael Dell highlighted the opportunity for upgrades: “There’s an install base of 1.5 billion PCs — and it’s aging — and those PCs will need to be replaced with the AI innovation.” The streamlined naming, he added, will “make it easier for our customers to do business with us.”