Dell Unveils the new XPS 13 and XPS 13 2-in-1

[TheLostSwede]

On the heels of its marquee XPS 13 Plus launch, where the system has been praised for its 'futuristic redesign', Dell continues this year's rollout of its reimagined XPS portfolio with today's launch of the iconic XPS 13 and the reveal of the upcoming XPS 13 2-in-1. Today's hybrid and mobile world means that your tools have to meet you wherever you are. Versatility and multi-tasking with ease are paramount, and Dell's XPS 13 and XPS 13 2-in-1 deliver each in spades. Because the course of a day can change with one email, text or spark of spontaneity, the XPS 13 (available with Windows 11 or Ubuntu 20.04) is your ultimate on-the-go companion. Artfully thin, light and compact with up to 12 hours of long battery life, it slips seamlessly into your backpack, bag or purse, while still delivering the premium performance you need with 12th Gen Intel Core processors to multitask with ease.

True to the XPS aesthetic, it features our fifth generation, 4-side InfinityEdge display and enhanced sound for an immersive entertainment experience whether you're streaming music, video-chatting friends or watching the latest blockbuster. High brightness, improved clarity, precise detail and vivid color bring your content to life, while larger speakers enable louder sound, deeper bass and a better overall audio experience. Eyesafe technology intelligently manages light energy at the source, reducing harmful blue light without compromising your visual experience. Expertly crafted from premium materials, the XPS 13 delivers an inclusive approach to expressive color, with unified tones inside and out that embody our mindful, minimalist approach. Available in softened shades of Sky and Umber, the tinted CNC machined aluminium is curated and premium.




Same charter, new blueprint
With XPS, our design charter is to simplify the user experience so that the technology almost blends into the background and the device serves as an extension of you. But sometimes it's cool to understand how things are made, so let's talk about all the advanced engineering that allowed us to achieve our design and experience goals…

In the past you've seen XPS reimagine the front-of-screen experience with our trademark InfinityEdge design that propelled the industry to adopt thinner bezels and offer a greater viewing experience in the same or smaller footprint. In the spirit of pushing boundaries, or shrinking boundaries, our engineering team journeyed inwards with the same mission to get the XPS 13 as compact as possible for customers who prioritize mobility. This time, our engineers had to rethink the architectural layout under-the-hood.

This kickstarted a long and ambitious journey to "miniaturize" the motherboard to be 1.8x smaller than the one found in our previous XPS 13 (2021). In fact, it's the smallest motherboard ever created and fitted for a Dell PC. This engineering marvel created the architectural space needed to pack in a tapestry of new technologies and enlarge the speaker enclosures. The end result is an XPS 13 that is thinner and lighter, yet better sounding, high performing and long lasting.



Taking versatility to new heights, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is launching this Summer
As the lines continue to blur between work, life, learning, the XPS 13 2-in-1 reflects just that. This XPS device provides the ultimate flexibility allowing you to effortlessly transition between streaming, working creating and sharing content, and connecting with whatever else moves you.

Enjoy premium performance anywhere with the first XPS device to offer 5G connectivity, which enables faster downloads, like WiFi speeds, but for mobile broadband. Streaming, downloading files, rich video content - all happens a lot faster with the speed of 5G, so you can be productive and entertained no matter the location. And when we say no matter the location, we mean it. The new XPS 13 2-in-1 also features eSIM technology, which allows you to go to different countries and connect to global carriers without having to switch SIM cards.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 lets you transition freely and fluidly from consumption to full productivity mode by attaching the magnetic XPS Folio, providing a complete laptop experience that supports three angle adjustments (100°, 112.5°, 125°) for flexibility and comfort. Express your creativity with a natural writing and inking experience with the XPS Stylus, comfortable for both left- and right-handed users, turning the device into a state-of-the-art sketchpad to bring your latest creative visions to life. The custom XPS Stylus magnetically attaches to the top to charge, and can provide up to 50 days of run time on average from a full charge. Both the XPS Folio and Stylus are sold separately.

Designed around an intuitive, landscape-first viewing mode - because that's how we see the world - the stunning display panel delivers high brightness and precise detail with up to 3K resolution and vivid color, making content as dynamic as your ideas. The high-resolution 1080p front-facing webcam offers a crisp and clear image and is placed horizontally for practical and productive video calls. And the 4K world-facing camera empowers you to capture high-fidelity photos and edit content all on one versatile device.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 offers two connectivity options, standard WiFi 6E3 or 5G4 with WiFi 6E, each featuring a sleek, minimalist design. The standard WiFi 6E model is constructed of machined aluminium, just like the XPS 13 and is available in the subtle blue Sky color. Unique to the 5G model, the back is made from Gorilla Glass 7 to optimize connectivity and eliminate signal interference. It's available in a darker Slate hue.

Delivering on our commitment to sustainability
In line with Dell's longstanding commitment to reducing its environmental impact, the XPS 13 and XPS 13 2-in-1 chassis are crafted from low-carbon aluminium, produced using hydro-powered renewable energy sources, which offer a 70% reduction in carbon emissions compared to aluminium chassis produced in traditional coal-powered facilities. The XPS 13 and XPS 13 2-in-1 are EPEAT Gold registered, and both ship in 100% renewable or recycled

Pricing and availability
XPS 13 [USD $999 | CAD $1,249] and XPS 13 Developer Edition [USD $949 | $1,199] is now available in U.S. and Canada, with Windows 11 or Ubuntu 20.04 respectively
XPS 13 2-in-1 will be available Summer 2022. Pricing to be confirmed nearer to availability date.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[ZetZet]

A laptop without 3.5mm jack? Even Apple wasn't stupid enough to do that.

 

[Chrispy_]

The XPS always seem to get great reviews but I have bought a few for staff and spoken to others who purchased them independently.

They all kinda hate them; The world is not ready to get rid of USB-A yet and whilst they're light and sexy, they're also impractically fragile - in that none of them dare carry them around naked without a cover because the glass goes right to the edge and they dent on the corners so easily.

Making something just a wee bit sturdier (Thinkpad carbon or Travelmate P-series) means you can confidently carry it around without a case and don't need to carry stupid f*cking dongles to connect everything.

 

[Valantar]

Bigger battery (if it is bigger, and not just taking up more of the thinner case) is good. Thinner? Meh, the XPS was already thin - hope the keyboard is still okay. No headphone jack? That's just dumb. Seemingly significantly worse cooling? This is starting to look troubling.

 

[Dr_b_]

No user replaceable parts, solder on storage/ram/wifi..... why, especially ssd, they can wear out

 

[Valantar]

No user replaceable parts, solder on storage/ram/wifi..... why, especially ssd, they can wear out

Oh wow I missed that. That right there is a deal breaker.

 

[tabascosauz]

XPS 13 is the epitome of "sounds great, doesn't work". I'll probably be replacing my 13 9370 with an iPad of some sort and saying goodbye to laptops once and for all.

The design is great and they are reasonably tanky. Screen is excellent although 60Hz is a bit long in the tooth coming from my regular desktop display (S2721DGF) and phone (Poco F3). Trackpad is good and probably still good.

But as long as they insist on using Intel -U for these, the thermals are literally impossible to consistently keep under control without liquid metal (turbo power way too high), even with undervolt and reduced turbo ratios. AMD -U is probably easier to cool but the way Dell does it (semi-passive with a stupidly lazy fan curve) probably still wouldn't work. And you have to have Dell's Power Manager installed to change to an active curve.

Dell really doesn't put much thought into its heatsink design either, so mounting pressure is horrendous and only gets worse after opening up the laptop 2-3 times for upgrades/repasting. The bottom lid never really goes on 100% properly after being opened once, anyway.

And Dell's whole suite of gunk basically ensures you have to do a clean install of Windows. Which is complicated because a lot of the drivers aren't easily available (Fn keys for brightness/volume/etc).

Then there's the limited ports, the now-terrible new keyboard, no more jack, no USB-A (more Logitech's fault they haven't made a -C Unifying Receiver)......and it's almost ensuring that my next portable device isn't an ultrabook

 

[Minus Infinity]

Intel only, no number keypad, pathetic amount of ports and just too expensive now. Style over substance and others can offer both and give us AMD options. I would take Apple Mac Book Air/Pro over the XPS range now.

 

[DrCR]

No user replaceable parts, solder on storage/ram/wifi..... why, especially ssd, they can wear out

Indeed. In this m.2 era, not using it for a laptop makes zero sense.

 

[fibre]

I have current gen XPS 13 and for like a year the notebook woke up randomly, overheat and drain the battery to zero and display port didn't work correctly and a restart was needed to get it working again. Really frustrating when the official solution from Dell is to turn it off before putting it into a backpack.

Now there are issues only sometimes, fortunately they do firmware updates. Linux support is great. I would really check reviews before buying.