Dell has updated its XPS 13 Sputnik Developer Edition with a new Intel Haswell processor and a touchscreen display, while lowering the starting price.

The company has started to offer a Developer Edition ultrabook with Ubuntu Linux on board back in 2012, and now the Dell XPS 13, aka. Sputnik, continues the tradition.  

The new Developer Edition of the Dell XPS 13 boasts an Intel Haswell processor under the hood and sports a full HD touchscreen display, with a new starting price of $1,249.

"The XPS 13 Developer Edition combines the performance and mobility of the XPS 13 with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS to create a client-to-cloud solution for developers," touts Dell.

"With the latest 4^th Gen Intel Core processor, the XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop delivers the speed and performance you've come to expect from the XPS family."

The base model costs $1,249 and features a 13.3-inch full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, an Intel core i5-4200U processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB solid state drive. The device comes with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and one year of pro support. A second model goes up to $1,549 and comes with an Intel Core i7-4500U processor and a 256GB solid state drive.

According to Dell, the XPS 13 Developer Edition takes just 12 seconds to boot, less than 3 seconds to activate from sleep mode and less than 5 seconds to launch from deep sleep. This performance is possible due to the ultrabook's solid state drive, touts Dell.

In terms of dimensions, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition ultrabook measures just 0.24 inches (6mm) at its thinnest point and 0.7 (18mm) inches at its thickest. The device weighs just a little over three pounds.

Both models of the new Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition are already available for purchase in the U.S., with shipping estimated to commence in mid-December. The company plans to extend availability to additional countries in the following months, but has yet to detail which countries will get it and when.

While buying a cheaper ultrabook and loading Ubuntu or other Linux software yourself may be an option, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition comes with the advantage of professional support.