But the general public, non-Linux users, will find it much less attractive if there's no Windows license, making its resale somewhat more difficult.
And as I said, that is what I do; I bought the Windows version of the last-gen XPS 13 and installed Linux on it (dual boot).
I was questioning your logic.
Are you concerned with it's purchase price or it's resale value? You can't have both, can you?
I don't understand why you use dual boot, if you only care for Linux? Or maybe you don't? Then why complain?
The capacitive top row renders it a clear "management" option anyway, I don't understand the appeal of it for development.
I think you don't have your priorities sorted out.
Re dual boot, because if I do have a Windows license, I rather not just throw it away. I don't mind losing like 50GB of my storage just to keep Windows around in case I need to sell the thing or send it back for warranty. Doesn't hurt to have sometimes to test something in a Windows browser or whatever, from time to time as well (yes, VMs are a thing but meh, overhead and jank).