New Dell XPS 13, the “thinnest computer in the world” and the 2-in-1 to conquer Apple?

Dell unfolds an interesting revision of its XPS 13 range, with on one side a laptop ultra thin, and on the other a 2-in-1 that has become Tablet.

A “finely” revision designed both to offer one of the lightest laptops in the world, and to compete with iPads and Surfaces in their field.

A new “finely” worked XPS 13

Let’s start with the new XPS 13, which is distinguished in particular by its immense thinness, since it measures only 13.9 mm thick, for a featherweight of 1.2 kg. Other than this change, the XPS 13 doesn’t appear to show any other noticeable difference from its predecessors.

Depending on the model, it has a 13″ 4K UHD+ screen (3,840×2,400) or a 13″ FHD+ screen (1,920×1,080). For these two types of definitions, it is possible to opt for the touch screen function or not. The screen will in any case be crowned with a 720p webcam capable of separating infrared and RGB sensors for better image quality.

Another nice little novelty of this webcam: the presence of proprietary Express Sign-In technology. This will use proximity sensors in combination with Windows Hello to detect if the user is in front of the computer, and lock the screen and save battery if not.

However, it is inside that the changes are most noticeable. Starting with the integration of the latest Alder Lake 12th generation processors (i5 or i7), adding more cores (10 in total).

Who says thinner computer also says smaller motherboard. 1.8 times smaller than its predecessors, it is actually the smallest motherboard ever made by Dell. The XPS 13 will thus only need a single fan to be cooled effectively, compared to two for its elders.

In addition to the processor, the new generation XPS 13 displays an Iris Xe graphics card, between 8, 16 and 32 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and an SSD with 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB of storage capacity. Because of these different choices, the autonomy of the XPS 13 will vary between 6 and 12 hours.

On the connection side, however, it is a bit sparse with only two USB-C ports. A USB-C to USB-A adapter will be included with the device, and a USB-C to 3.5mm jack adapter can be obtained as an option. However, it will support Wi-Fi 6E.

The XPS 13 is available today, starting at $999 with Windows 11, or $949 for a Developer Edition running Ubuntu 20.04. The price can of course go up a lot depending on the options chosen.

An XPS 13 2-in-1 competing with Apple and Surface

Then let’s move on to the XPS 13 2-in-1 which has undergone a nice transformation. The transition from foldout laptop to tablet is of course not without sacrifice. This new generation thus swaps an Intel 11th generation processor for a 12th Intel generation (i5 or i7). On the RAM side, it will have a choice of 8 or 16 GB of LPDDR4x RAM. It will display an autonomy of about fifty days at full charge.

Despite these sacrifices, this will be more than enough to take full advantage of its 13″ 3:2 (2,880×1,920) 500-nit touchscreen display that supports HDR400. This will be crowned with a 1080p 5-megapixel camera on the front, and an 11-megapixel 4K camera on the back to capture photos and videos.

On the connectivity side, the XPS 13 2-in-1 also reduces the airfoil and aligns itself with the traditional XPS, with only two USB-C Thunderbolt ports supporting DisplayPort and Power Delivery. It sacrifices in passing the jack and the microSD card reader. To compensate, a USB-C to USB-A adapter will be included with the device, as well as a USB-C to 3.5mm jack adapter. Note that one of the models will support Wi-Fi 6E, while the other will also support 5G and eSIM.

For its transformation into a tablet, the XPS 13 2-in-1 therefore quite logically abandons the foldable keyboard to offer a detachable keyboard (unfortunately sold separately), reminiscent of Apple’s Magic Keyboard. Called the XPS Folio, it will magnetically attach to the XPS 13 to go from tablet to laptop in the blink of an eye.

The XPS Folio will support three angles, namely 100 degrees, 112.5 degrees and 125 degrees, and will also offer a magnetic stylus (also sold separately) to use the touchscreen more effectively.

A very nice program offered by Dell and which could overshadow the iPad and Surface. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is expected sometime this summer. Dell has not yet specified either the release date or the starting price.

Source : Engadget