Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 review

VERDICT

Dell’s first XPS 13 2-in-1 nails the aesthetics of translating its own winning clamshell laptop into a convertible hybrid. However, low-power parts keep it from remaining competitive with the lot of flagship 2-in-1 laptops.

PROS:

Gorgeous design and screen,Excellent keyboard and trackpad,Centered webcam

CONS:

Low in power,Middling battery life

Folks have been waiting for this one for a long time. A 2-in-1 version of the Dell XPS 13? Why, that would be the best of both worlds.

In portability and versatility, that is absolutely the case with the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1.

However, in areas where it really counts, namely performance and longevity, not so much. Largely, this is due to a lower-power Intel Core Y series processor inside combined with a smaller-than-average 46Whr battery.

Sadly, Dell’s plan to couple a power-sipping CPU with a relatively tinier battery backfires not only for the laptop’s longevity, but its performance. Meanwhile, rival 13-inch (diagonal) hybrids come packed with beefier Intel Core i processors and larger batteries. The end result is one of the most gorgeous 2-in-1 laptops we’ve seen, but one that struggles to keep up with the competition.

Price, availability and value

The 2-in-1 version of the XPS 13 can be had starting at $999 (£1,349, AU$2,299), which includes a fanless, Intel Core i5 Y series processor (Kaby Lake), 4GB of memory, a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), a 13.3-inch, FHD (1,920 x 1,080) resolution touchscreen and a fingerprint reader for securely logging into Windows 10 through Windows Hello.

Dell’s highest-tier model offers the same QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) resolution found in Dell’s other XPS laptops, coupled with an Intel Core i7 Y series chip, four times as much memory and a 512GB SSD (with the option to double that to 1TB) for $1,799 (£1,669, AU$2,798). Our configuration happily sits in the middle of these tiers and can be had for $1,299 (£1,449, AU$2,599)

There are four other configuration options in between in the US, though these differ between regions, like the UK and Australia, in which the XPS 13 2-in-1 is available now.

By comparison, the latest high-end 2-in-1 laptop from Lenovo, the Lenovo Yoga 910 , starts at $1,199 (about £986, AU$1,586) for twice as much memory and flash storage, a full-fat, mobile Intel Core i7 processor and a similarly-placed fingerprint reader.

HP’s most comparable 2-in-1 laptop, the HP Spectre x360 , starts at the same price as Lenovo’s, matching it spec-for-spec – save for Windows Hello login via an infrared webcam instead. To reach a similar spec, knowing Dell’s model doesn’t use full-grade mobile Intel chips, you’d have to spend at least $1,299 (£1,449, AU$2,599).

Design

While attractive from every angle, the XPS 13 2-in-1 design looks exactly how we’d expect such a device to look. Simply put, it’s a standard XPS 13 laptop given a 360-degree hinge. Admittedly, there’s a lot more going on here design-wise, but that’s what it looks like at first glance.

Looking closer, particularly just beneath Dell’s 11-inch InfinityEdge screen lid, one of our biggest gripes regarding the XPS 13 (which we love so much) has been resolved. While it’s still beneath the screen, the webcam is now centered rather than pushed off to the left.

People may still be looking at your chin during web meetings, but at least your chin will be properly centered on the screen. The image quality remains the same: it’ll make out your face to pretty effective detail, but that image will always look worse reproduced on any screen sharper than 720p.

Again, much of the XPS 13 design – the checkered, carbon fiber keyboard deck, brushed aluminum screen lid and underside, backlit keyboard, glass-coated trackpad – has gone unchanged. However, being a 2-in-1, this version sports dual screen hinges that shine with same aluminum the rest of the laptop does. The hinges are impressive in their sturdiness, ensuring the screen only bounces in response to touches in laptop mode, and otherwise doesn’t shift position, as we’ve seen from other 2-in-1 laptops.

Also, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is Dell’s thinnest and lightest XPS product yet. Compared to its already tiny Ultrabook, it measures six-tenths of an inch thinner at its narrowest point and weighs two-tenths of a pound lighter. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, and it really isn’t, every bit counts when your bag is heavy enough as is.

For those keeping score, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is noticeably lighter than the Yoga 910, though not much slimmer at its thinnest point. The Spectre x360 meets Dell’s latest 2-in-1 in thinness throughout while being just slightly heavier.

Judging by these benchmark scores now that we have an idea of the XPS 13 2-in-1’s modus operandi, they really come as no surprise. Prioritizing portability and battery life with one of Intel’s new mobile chips designed for fanless systems, the laptop performs categorically worse than the Lenovo Yoga 910 and HP Spectre x360 across the board.

That’s because both of those systems employ full-fat Intel Core i series processors in comparison to the Intel Core Y series CPU inside the XPS 13 2-in-1. As such, the Core i chips run at a base frequency more than twice as fast as the Core Y model.

And, frankly, this is noticeable in using the device. A simple workload the Slack app and several Google Chrome tabs (more than 10) causes intermittent lag measurable in milliseconds while typing. This problem isn’t severe to the point of considering the laptop unusable, but is nevertheless annoying for something that costs a thousand bucks to start.

Battery life

So, how’s the battery life considering the lengths Dell took to get to a decent number? Sadly, the prognosis isn’t great. While Dell promises up to 10 hours of productivity and 15 hours of Netflix streaming, we saw far smaller numbers from our benchmarks.

PCMark 8, which simulates a productivity workload while running down the battery at 50% screen brightness and all backlighting and radios disabled save for Wi-Fi, produced a time of 4 hours and 43 minutes. That’s a respectable result and comparable to what its key rivals reported on the same test.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 also reported a just-fine battery life of 6 hours and 48 minutes in our own battery rundown test, which loops 1080p video under the same settings and conditions. However, the Spectre x360 hung on for nearly two hours longer on the same test.

You see, while the XPS 13 2-in-1 uses a lower-power processor to preserve battery life, it also sports a smaller battery – 46Whr to the standard XPS 13’s 60Whr battery – than HP’s laptop and likely Lenovo’s. (The latter doesn’t disclose battery size.)

After all, Dell’s laptop is an 11-inch-wide device housing a 13-inch (diagonal) screen, so you can only fit so much battery.

Our own experience using the laptop over the past few weeks indicates that the XPS 13 2-in-1 could perhaps reach Dell’s promised 10 hour mark if you manage the brightness more conservatively and liberally use the Battery Saver feature in Windows 10. But, expect to take an even worse performance hit using that tool specifically.

Using Dell’s laptop like a tablet

The viability of Dell’s 2-in-1 as a tablet is also mixed. First off, it’s a convertible hybrid, so you’ll never shake the feeling of those keys beneath your fingers when holding it bent 360 degrees. However, the keys and trackpad deactivate quickly, and the fingerprint sensor on the keyboard deck works just as snappily as it does normally.

We can see the laptop’s appeal as a versatile video-watching and doodling or drafting device, and it succeeds in both of those areas, thanks to its low weight and sharp, color-rich touch display with strong palm rejection. You can even get a centered and upright webcam using the tent mode, which stands sturdily, though you’ll lose easy access to the keyboard.

Speaking of the display, watching movies and TV on the XPS 13 2-in-1 in its various modes is a delight, even at 1080p resolution. Strong color reproduction and wide viewing angles are key to this and, in a largely still-FHD world, pixels aren’t everything. (Just use your headphones, as the tiny speakers sat on either edge of the keyboard base can only do so much given their size.)

As for pen support, Dell sells its own Active Pen for $49 (£83, AU$79), but not as part of the package. The latest Active Pen works just fine after pairing (a process that involves manually installing drivers – yuck) and offers a hefty aluminum feel, but has no way of attaching itself to the laptop for easier storing via magnets or felt loops. Frankly, it’s a well-tuned accessory just waiting to get lost.

We liked

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is one of the most attractive in its category that we’ve seen in a long time, in true Dell fashion. It sports the firm’s usually excellent keyboard and trackpad, on which typing for long periods doesn’t produce much fatigue at all. Dell even managed to at least center the webcam this time around – a change we hope makes it into the traditional models in short order. Also, with just McAfee, Waves MaxxAudioPro and Dropbox pre-installed, bloatware is at an all-time low.

We disliked

That all said, the laptop is lacking in power and longevity in comparison to competitors with both larger batteries and faster chips that require more cooling. Going for a design that’s as portable and long lasting as possible is admirable, but the trade-offs between power, portability and longevity should be revisited in the next version (or perhaps pursue new battery suppliers).

Final verdict

Visually speaking, this is the 2-in-1 XPS 13 that fans of the original have been waiting for. It takes the winning design of the much-loved laptop and makes it work in a 2-in-1 scenario. However, in getting there, Dell lost of a lot of the power and a bit of the longevity that has characterized the original for years.

Dell is one of the few laptop makers we’ve seen put weight behind the Intel Core Y series of processors for convertible hybrid 2-in-1 designs. And, now that we’ve stacked it up against Core i series-packing 2-in-1s, it’s easy to see why it’s a rarity.

While the draw of a more tablet-sized convertible 2-in-1 with a gorgeous screen and excellent inputs is appealing, getting less power and longevity for about the same price isn’t. Dell diehards will be pleased with its aesthetics, but more discerning buyers should give the XPS 13 2-in-1’s competition extra consideration.