Dell Defends Against 'Apple Copycat' Claims In Naming New Computers: 'Pro And Max Are Not Exclusive'

In a bid to reignite interest, Dell Technologies is rebranding its PCs, seemingly taking cues from Apple's famed naming style.

The company announced on 6th January, ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), that it is retiring long-standing names like 'XPS' and 'Inspiron.' Instead, Dell is adopting a streamlined branding approach, focusing on simplicity by centring its new range of devices around the 'Dell' name - an approach some people believe sounds eerily similar to Apple's own line.

Dell Rebrands: A New Era Begins

'Customers really prefer names that are easy to remember and easy to pronounce,' Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer for Dell Technologies, told reporters ahead of the show. The top executive said Dell doesn't want buyers to spend time 'figuring out our nomenclature, which at times has been a bit confusing.'

Following a pandemic-fueled buying frenzy, PC sales have languished for years, according to a Bloomberg report. To reignite demand, industry giants Dell, HP Inc., and Lenovo Group Ltd. are exploring innovative strategies to entice consumers and businesses to upgrade their devices.

The impending end of support for Windows 10, coupled with the rise of AI-optimised systems, is expected to fuel a surge in new PC purchases.

Moving forward, Dell's new PC lineup will be structured across three tiers: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max. The press briefing quickly sparked debate, with attendees questioning the striking resemblance to Apple's device naming conventions.

Dell's Apple-esque Rebrand

Recent iPhone generations, similarly, utilise 'Pro' and 'Pro Max' to distinguish their premium models. 'I am wondering why you guys didn't choose something original, because you essentially have Apple's branding here,' said one audience member. Another said, 'Your branding sounds a lot like Apple — aren't you just following them?'

Dell executives defended the decision, stating that generic terms like 'pro' and 'max' are not exclusive to any one company. Clarke emphasised that the decision was supported by extensive research involving 'tens of thousands of customers.'

Kevin Terwilliger, a vice president of Dell's PC business, highlighted a key similarity to Apple's strategy: both companies are 'anchoring' their product lines to a simple, universally recognised brand name.

Alienware, the gaming-focused PC brand acquired by Dell in 2006, will retain its distinct identity and remain unaffected by the renaming initiative. Notably, many of the new Dell-branded devices will incorporate neural processing units – specialised chips designed to accelerate artificial intelligence tasks, Terwilliger revealed in an interview.

'There's an install base of 1.5 billion PCs — and it's ageing — and those PCs will need to be replaced with the AI innovation,' Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said at the press briefing. The new branding will 'make it easier for our customers to do business with us,' he added.

AMD AI PRO Powering Dell's Commercial Laptop Push

To power this new era of AI-driven computing, Dell is partnering with AMD, leveraging their AI PRO chips for a significant portion of its upcoming commercial laptop lineup.

'We're incredibly proud to collaborate with Dell on the next generation of commercial PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI PRO processors,' Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AMD's Computing and Graphics Group, said.

'Ryzen AI PRO CPUs are built to handle today's workflows and tomorrow's AI demands, and when combined with the power of a Dell PC, they create the perfect combination for the enterprise,' he noted.

Sam Burd, President of Dell's Client Solutions Group, enthusiastically outlined the transformative potential of AI-powered PCs, echoing the sentiments expressed by Huynh. 'AI PCs represent the next frontier in computing, transforming how we work, create, and connect. This progress depends on cutting-edge silicon innovation, which is why we've worked to engineer AMD Ryzen AI PRO processors into our new Dell Pro portfolio,' he said.