Dell XPS 13 2-In-1 Tries To Challenge Microsoft Surface Pro 5
Dell’s XPS 13 laptop has been the most acclaimed laptop of the past two years. Dell has been able to fit in a 13.3-inch screen on a chassis that is usually reserved for 11-inch laptops. Laptop Mag has given the late-2016 Dell XPS 13 an almost perfect four-and-a-half-stars.
“The big trend in laptops right now is making your system as thin and light as possible but at the expense of shorter battery life and too few ports. The XPS 13 doesn’t cave to that peer pressure, and instead gives you nearly 14 hours of endurance and all the connection options you need in a design that’s plenty light and compact for travel.”
Many XPS 13 lovers have always wanted Dell to turn the device into a tablet, and their dreams came true this week as Dell announced the XPS 13 2-in-1. It’s a butchered version of the XPS 13 that everybody has come to love. Instead of multiple ports, there are just two USB-C ports. The regular Intel Core i5 and i7 processors have been replaced with lower-powered chips. However, Dell is still offering the much-loved 3200 x 1800 pixel resolution Infinity display.
Dell preps a 2-in-1 version of its iconic XPS 13 laptop https://t.co/omDP0FbCAw pic.twitter.com/RYFLlFneed
— PcWorld (@PcWorldBlog) January 2, 2017
Agam Shah from PCWorld is very impressed with Dell’s latest laptop hybrid.
“I had the chance to play around with the device prior to CES. It has a clever design and wowed me with its sleek design and edge-to-edge screen, but it won’t come cheap,” Shaw claims, adding that although intended to be a laptop first, the new XPS 13 excels as a tablet thanks to the amazing screen and the light weight of the tablet.
However, many in the Dell Reddit discussion page are disappointed with the announcement.
“So, slower cpu, no sd card, 30% less battery, crappy hinge that they tested should last 20,000 flips (just terrible), not one usb 3.0, a 2-in-1 that doesn’t fully lay flat when in tablet mode… and priced $100 more than the xps 13 kaby lake base model. What the hell is dell thinking??” asks Reddit user Lemueljedc.
“I been long wanting a 2-in-1 version of the XPS 13 to be my next long-term laptop, but the lower-end CPUs and lack of at least a full-sized SD card slot are deal-breakers. I can get over having just two USB-C ports, but not a microSD card slot,” declares Besweet.
The lower-powered CPU and the fact that the XPS 13 two-in-one is priced more than the regular higher-powered XPS 13 are the two factors that are being criticized the most. Perhaps those who are waiting for a tablet that has a high-powered CPU may want to hold out another month or two for Microsoft’s Surface Pro 5.
Chris Smith from BGR cites a report that claims the Pro 5 is coming during the first quarter of 2017, and at least one version of the tablet hybrid will feature a 4K display. The stylus on the Pro 5 will allegedly have magnetic charging abilities.
Other sources point to Intel Core i5 or i7 Kaby Lake processors (the high-powered ones), a 12.3-inch screen, an improved Type Cover keyboard, and a much better battery life. Although the current Surface Pro 4 has been highly praised, most users have complained about the poor battery life. The latest updates from Microsoft have helped the battery life extend a little bit, but not enough — at least according to several Microsoft user forums.
Based on all the information available, which laptop/tablet hybrid would you rather have — the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 or the Microsoft Surface Pro 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
[Featured Image by Douglas C. Pizac/AP Images]
