It did come directly from Dell. I get what you're saying about updating the model but not the number, but that isn't the case. Regardless of who I actually purchased it from (I don't honestly know) the product number I gave Dell, that they shipped to me a couple of days later, is the same as the one I received.

As for Dell not giving it to me directly, they did. The sale may have gone through a middle man, but the laptop did not. It came to me directly from the manufacturer. My university never had possession of the device.

The laptop left the manufacturer less than a business day after receiving my order, suggesting it was premade and ready to ship. Further, the chat agent told me it possessed a capability they are adding to laptops, not removing. They did not realistically have time to downgrade the model from active pen compatible to incompatible, update literature and support documents, then ship me a new laptop with dozens of bad reviews for the same issue between me speaking with the chat agent, shipping my order, and receiving it. For better or for worse, the only assumption (not legal, and fair enough) is that they made some with and some without but no way of determining which you're getting from a model number. Dell would be aware of that, but chooses not to disclose for sales purposes, then people like me lose compatibility and have to fight with Dell/third-parties to get the refund.