I had an xps 14 for work and just bought the surface pro for personal use. I am not sure which version of the xps you have. The ones released in the last 6 months are much thinner. On the other hand, I take my surface when I travel and love it.
I removed the back of the charging plate to get a few more millimeters back. That was enough for mine. Also, since mine is lower, it points up a bit. So, I have gravity on my side too.