Dell’s 13-inch convertible XPS 13 2-in-1 pc has been around for a few years, however has historically opted for a hinged design that allowed you to fold the display proper again towards the keyboard, to be able to dangle it for your arms and use it like a pill.
However, in fact, protecting the keyboard connected supposed that the XPS 13 2-in-1 was once so much heavier than a traditional pill, so this newest replace has in spite of everything taken the plunge and opted for a removable design that permits you to utterly separate the display and keyboard sections. You’ll then use the display panel as a light-weight pill when you need to, and easily re-connect the keyboard when you wish to have to get some actual paintings executed.
That is a transfer that places the XPS 13 2-in-1 squarely up towards removable opponents similar to Microsoft’s not too long ago up to date Surface Pro 9. Dell has risen to the problem, regardless that, as the brand new XPS 13 2-in-1 combines an admirably graceful and narrow design with a aggressive worth that provides the Floor Professional an actual run for its cash.
Dell/Pocket-lint
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (2022)
The remodeled design of the XPS 13 2-in-1 is an actual winner, squeezing just right mid-range efficiency and a good looking 13-inch show into a swish, slimline design. The cost is sexy too, even supposing battery existence does go away room for growth.
- New removable design
- Slimline, light-weight pill mode
- Very good 3K show
- Aggressive worth
- No Ethernet
- No HDMI
- Modest battery existence
Value and choices
- Show: 13-inch, 3K (2880×1920) with 500nits brightness
- Processor: Intel i7-1250U @ 1.1GHz (10-cores, 4.7GHz Turbooost)
- Graphics: built-in Intel Iris Xe
- Reminiscence: 8GB or 16GB
- Garage: 256GB/512GB/1TB solid-state M2 NVMe
Costs for the XPS 13 2-in-1 get started at £1179 in the United Kingdom, for a style with an i5-1230U processor operating Home windows 11 House, along side 8GB reminiscence and 256GB solid-state pressure.
That interprets to $1249.00 in the United States, which is much more aggressive as that worth features a better 512GB solid-state pressure. US consumers of the i5 style may also get Dell’s Folio removable keyboard incorporated in the cost, while UK shoppers need to pay an extra £199.57 for it.
Fortunately, regardless that, the Folio keyboard is incorporated whilst you step as much as the i7 style that we overview right here, which makes use of a 10-core Intel i7-1250U operating at 1.1GHz (with most Turboboost as much as 4.7GHz).
That style additionally contains 16GB reminiscence and 512GB garage, and prices $1399/£1679.04 with Home windows 11 House, or $1809/£1718.84 with Home windows 11 Professional. Fashions with an i7 processor additionally will let you improve the solid-state pressure to 1TB for an additional $150.00/£200, whilst shoppers in the United States additionally get a 5G choice – albeit one who prices a relatively hefty $360.00.
Even so, the ones costs nonetheless evaluate favourably towards the present Microsoft Floor Professional 9, which prices $1899/£1899 with a specification very similar to that of our XPS 13 overview unit – plus Microsoft nonetheless fees further for its removable keyboard.
Design
- Dimensions (hwd): 7.4 x 292.5 x 201.2mm
- Weight: pill – 736g; keyboard – 560g
- Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-A and headphone adaptors incorporated)
- Wi-fi: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
The brand new XPS 13 2-in-1 makes a just right impact directly out of the field, because the slimline pill segment measures simply 7.4mm thick and weighs 736g – smartly beneath the 9.3mm and 879g of the present Microsoft Floor Professional 9.
It does really feel slightly heavy to carry in a single hand, however it is superb in case you dangle it in widescreen (panorama) mode with each arms or simply leisure it for your lap.
The slimline design does come at a value, regardless that, because the XPS 13 2-in-1 most effective has room for 2 Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports. There are two adaptors incorporated within the field – a USB-A adaptor and a three.5mm audio adaptor for headphones – which can be utilized with the ones Thunderbolt ports, however there is no Ethernet for a stressed out community, and no HDMI for an exterior show (even supposing we had been ready to make use of one of the vital Thunderbolt ports to attach a 4K show that has a USB-C interface).
It helps the most recent Wi-Fi 6E for high-speed wireless, along side Bluetooth and – in the United States most effective in this day and age – there is a 5G choice to be had as smartly.
Dell’s Folio keyboard provides any other 560g, however that also leaves the overall weight at 1.3kg, which compares favourably to standard laptops, similar to Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Professional (1.4kg). Low-profile keyboards don’t seem to be at all times our favorite, as they may be able to combat with high-speed typing, however the Folio keyboard does really feel great and company, and the keys go back and forth smartly, given the keyboard’s slimline design.
There is a backlight for the keys, and a big trackpad too. You’ll additionally use the keyboard’s rear panel as an adjustable stand that gives 3 other viewing angles, and if you find yourself at the transfer it will possibly fold flat to offer wrap-around coverage for the back and front of the display panel.
- Show: 13-inch, 2880×1920 answer, 3:2 side ratio
- Webcam: 1920×1080 (entrance) 4K/3840×2160 (rear)
- Audio: Stereo audio system – 2 x 2 watts
The 13-inch show is moderately smaller than the 13.3-inch Floor Professional, however supplies the similar ‘3K’ answer (2880×1920) with a three:2 side ratio. The display additionally has a wholesome 500nits brightness, which supplies a vibrant, vibrant symbol that can paintings smartly for duties similar to internet surfing and streaming video, or simply tapping away in Microsoft Phrase or Excel. And, whilst it is designed for basic workplace productiveness relatively than skilled design paintings, the display does beef up 100 consistent with cent of the sRGB color same old, so it must be appropriate for elementary graphics paintings and picture modifying if required.
The sexy show is sponsored up through an incredibly just right set of audio system. Regardless of the slimline design of the unit, the audio system produce a complete sound this is greater than good enough for casually taking note of tune or streaming video. There is not any headphone socket, however Dell does come with a three.5mm audio adaptor that can will let you join headphones or exterior audio system to one of the vital XPS 13’s Thunderbolt ports.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 even manages to squeeze in two top of the range cameras as smartly – a ‘world-facing’ digicam that gives complete 4K answer, and a entrance digicam that gives a transparent, sharp 1080p answer for video-conferencing.
Efficiency and battery existence
- Forged mid-range processor efficiency
- Built-in graphics most effective
- Energy: 45W adaptor with 49.5Whr battery
The twelfth technology i7 processor is not going to wreck any data, nevertheless it supplies strong, mid-range efficiency that can permit the XPS 13 2-in-1 to maintain productiveness gear similar to Microsoft Place of work and not using a bother in any respect. It feels speedy and responsive in pill mode too, easily rotating the Home windows desktop and my internet browser as we transfer between portrait and panorama modes.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 rankings 2,050 for single-core efficiency within the GeekBench 6 take a look at suite, and six,700 for multi-core, which places it proper along the equivalent i7 processor used within the Microsoft Floor Professional 9.
Its reliance on built-in graphics implies that the XPS 13 2-in-1 is not a lot of a gaming rig, regardless that – if truth be told, it flatly refused to run maximum of our 3-D graphics checks. It must have the ability to maintain 2D platform video games or card video games relatively smartly, however it isn’t in point of fact supplied for motion video games with fast moving 3-D graphics.
However whilst you’ll’t in point of fact be expecting high-speed gaming motion, an ultra-portable instrument similar to this must supply more potent battery existence. It is noticeable that Dell’s internet website online avoids any point out of battery existence, and even if the use of essentially the most power-efficient settings with the display set at 50% brightness the XPS 13 2-in-1 slightly controlled to final for a complete six hours of streaming video.
In case you are no longer staring at movies on-line all day lengthy then you definitely may be able to stretch that out to a complete 8 hour operating day, however battery existence stays the only noticeable weak spot of the XPS 13 2-in-1.
Verdict
The graceful, slimline design of the XPS 13 2-in-1 is each sexy and sensible, permitting you to briefly transfer from a light-weight pill to a fully-featured pc on every occasion you wish to have. The show supplies very good symbol high quality for each paintings and play and its price ticket makes it improbable price when compared with Microsoft’s Floor Professional 9. Best the modest battery existence is more likely to make potential consumers consider carefully.

