Two-in-one convertible laptops are fairly popular in the market and over the years we have seen some interesting iterations from companies like HP, Lenovo and Dell. Despite that, the market has been mostly dominated by Microsoft’s Surface Pro laptop that offers a convertible laptop in its truest form, that is, a tablet that can also be used as a laptop. However, in the recent time, we have seen companies upping their game and launching some noteworthy laptops in the market. One such model is the Dell XPS 13 two-in-one (2022) laptop. Also Read - Intel reportedly hints Microsoft Windows 12 is in works
At a starting price of Rs 1,39,990, the Dell XPS 13 two-in-one laptop has all the hallmarks of a classic two-in-one laptop. It has the power of a classic laptop, agility of a convertible device and sensibility of a tablet, all of which give it an edge over a lot of two-in-one convertibles in the market. These features also make it a strong competitor to the Surface Pro laptop. Also Read - New Windows 11 update adds screen recording to Snipping Tool, tabs to Notepad, third-party widgets
Feature aside, the question remains if the Dell XPS 13 two-in-one laptop delivers what it promises. We will try to answer that and more in the detailed review below. But before that, let’s take a quick look at its specifications. Also Read - New Windows 11 update lets you link your iPhone to your PC using Phone Link for iOS
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop: Specifications
Display: 13-inch touchscreen display, 2880×1920 pixel resolution, 500 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus, stylus support
Processor: Up to 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics
RAM: 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM
Storage: Up to 1TB of PCle 4×4 SSD space
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Connectivity: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Cameras: 5MP front camera, 11MP rear camera
Battery: 49.5 Whr with a 45W USB Type-C adapter
Price: Starts at Rs 1,39,990
Image: Shweta Ganjoo/Techlusive
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop: Design
The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop is a classic convertible laptop with the screen of a laptop and the body of a tablet. It comes with a 13-inch display that is encased inside a 7.40 x 292.50 x 201.20 mm aluminium body with a weight of 736g, which makes it closer to the Galaxy S8 Ultra in size and weight. Together with the folio pad, which weighs 560g separately, the two-in-one laptop weighs around 1.3Kgs, which is in the same block as a lot of high-end laptops.
Dimensions aside, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop comes with XPS branding, which is placed in the centre at the back. The XPS branding sits right under the 11MP rear mounted camera with chrome ring highlight. On the top of the chassis, you will find volume rockers on the left side and home button-cum-fingerprint sensor on the right. On the left side you get two USB Type-C ports and a speaker and on the right, you get another speaker for a more rounded sound effect. At the bottom, you get a pogo pin slot to connect the folio keypad.
In usage, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop seems more like a big notebook that is quite comfortable to hold and carry around. It’s also equally comfortable to use as a conventional laptop when placed on a more stable surface. However, its form factor is such that it doesn’t allow it to be very ‘lap-friendly’. For times like these, its best to use it as a tablet, which is the beauty of the two-in-one form factor as it gives you more flexibility to use a screen both as laptop and as a tablet when needed.
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop: Display
Now comes the display. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop comes with a 13-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 2880 x 1920 pixels, 500 nits of peak brightness and a 3:2 aspect ratio, which makes it ideal to be used in the tablet mode. The uniform bezels on all sides not only look and feel more natural when using the laptop in the tablet mode but they also make it look balanced when using it as a laptop, giving it design sensibilities that few laptops manage to achieve.
In usage, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop comes with a bright and a well-lit display that offers balanced colours and the right amount of contrast. This display is particularly helpful for designers and creators. It’s also ideal for binge-watching movies and series on OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The bright and vibrant colours coupled with the dual speakers are a great combination for a great cinematic experience. They make watching movies like Top Gun: Maverick and The Adam Project an absolute pleasure.
The front bezel of the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop also houses a 5MP front-facing camera with a 1080p resolution. This camera offers exceptional clarity is ideal for your meetings and briefings and group video call sessions with your family. Infact, it is easily one of the best front-facing cameras in a laptop right now.
Image: Shweta Ganjoo/Techlusive
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop: Performance and Battery
The Dell XPS 13 two-in-one laptop comes with a fan-less design, and it is powered by up to 12th-gen Intel core processor in i7 and i5 configurations. This processor is coupled with Intel Iris Xe graphics, with 16GB of RAM. We got the variant that is powered by the 12th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, and it mostly worked fine in the day-to-day usage. However, I did notice some heating of the chassis during extended usage, but nothing it can’t handle.
The folio keyboard, however, is a bit of a letdown. While it does get the job done, the overall keypad is too flat, and the keys lack the depth and the finesse that make up for a more comfortable typing experience, which is essentially for people like me who type a lot.
Apart from this, the Dell XPS 13 two-in-one laptop comes with an 11MP camera at the back that offers sufficient clarity for the rare occasion that you might want to use it during a conference call. While it falls pale in comparison to the high-end tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra that offer a dual front (12MP + 12MP) and dual rear (13MP + 6MP) camera setup, it gets the job done gracefully.
Coming to the battery, the 49.5 Whr battery of the laptop offers a runtime of around six hours at moderate usage, which is good but not necessarily great. This means that you will have to carry its charger if you are heading out for a longer duration. Thankfully, the charger is quite compact and hence, easy to carry around.
Should you buy the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop or not?
Now, the most important question, should you buy the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop or not? In one word yes.
The Dell XPS 13 two-in-one laptop, as mentioned before, has all the hallmarks of a good convertible laptop. The design and display are great and so is the sound. And the laptop fares fairly well on the processing part as well. All in all, it is a good companion if your work involves switching a lot of screens or for light creative work. More specifically, it is ideal for people who also need a tablet in addition to a laptop but don’t want to invest in one separately.
