Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
Dell’s first convertible XPS notebook was announced three years ago and while it was incredibly slim and light, it never really caught on because of its high price and the fact that it was running on a low-powered Y-series processor. Fortunately, that’s been fixed. It’s still a pricey notebook, but at least it now comes with a full-fat Core processor.
Regardless of which configuration you pick, all XPS 13 2-in-1 notebooks will come with the Core i7-1065G7 processor. This is one of Intel’s new 10th generation Ice Lake processors which is built on a new 10nm process. The model we tested came with 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD, which should be plenty for most people. For more demanding users, the top-of-the-line configuration comes with a whopping 32GB of memory and a 1TB SSD. Despite its respectable specifications, this new XPS 13 2-in-1 is just 13mm thick and weighs 1.33kg.
Like all XPS notebooks, the new XPS 13 2-in-1 comes with an InfinityEdge display with barelythere thin bezels. Unlike its rivals, Dell has decided to go with a 16:10 aspect ratio display for the notebook. This means slightly more vertical space which really benefits productivity apps. There are two choices for customers, a lower resolution display that Dell calls “FHD+” that has a resolution of 1,920 x 1200 pixels and a higher resolution option called “UHD+” that has is 3,840 x 2,400 pixels. Regardless of your pick, both displays measure 13.4 inches across and are touch-enabled
Because the XPS 13 2-in-1 is so slim, it’s a bit thin on ports. All you get are two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm headphone/ microphone audio combo jack, and a microSD card reader. The downside is that you’ll probably need dongles if you want to use the XPS 13 2-in-1 with your existing USB peripherals. The upside is that the USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 3, so they are versatile and future-proof. As for connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 6.
The keyboard is potentially contentious. It uses what Dell calls its “next-gen Maglev”. It’s a mechanism that uses magnets to control actuation and provide feedback. According to Dell, the new XPS 13 2-in-1’s keys have about 0.7mm of travel, but because of the magnets, it can create the sensation of a keyboard with greater travel. To me, they feel eerily similar to Apple’s much-criticised butterfly switch keyboards. There is a strong tactile feel to the keys, but they also have little travel and bottom out easily, especially if you type with heavy strokes like I do.
The trackpad, on the other hand, is commendable. Compared to its predecessor, the trackpad has gained about 0.7mm in width and height. While that may not sound like much, it actually means a 19% increase in size. In the real world, it’s a much more usable touchpad, especially if you are the kind who likes to use a lower cursor speed. It’s also a Precision trackpad, so it’s fast, fluid and responsive.
Performance is where the XPS 13 2-in-1 excels. Compared to its rivals with similar specifications, like the HP Spectre x360, the XPS 13 2-in-1 was about 15% overall faster in graphicsintensive workloads and in gaming. It also recorded very impressive scores on benchmarks like PCMark 10 and Cinebench R20. In fact, the XPS 13 2-in-1 recorded the highest Cinebench scores out of all the ultraportable notebooks that we have tested so far.
At 50Wh, the XPS 13 2-in-1 doesn’t have the largest battery, but its battery life was commendable. In our tests, which simulates everyday use with web browsing and video conferencing workloads and with the brightness set to 100%, the XPS 13 2-in-1 lasted a respectable 5 hours and 11 minutes.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 only comes with two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports.
AT A GLANCE
Intel Core i7-1065G7
16GB
512GB SSD
"The keyboard has very little travel, which not everyone will like."
CONCLUSION
Pricey, but you get a high level of fit and finish, great performance, and decent battery life.
PICTURES DELL, 123RF
