On Thursday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m. EST, Yahoo Finance will livestream Dell’s press conference at CES, the consumer technology show in Las Vegas.
Dell is rolling into CES 2017 with two new 2-in-1 laptops that are worth checking out. The first is a new version of the company’s excellent XPS 13 notebook, while the second is a direct competitor of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4. Both double as tablets.
First thing’s first, though, is the new XPS 13. Dubbed the XPS 13 2-in-1 and available Jan. 5 for $999, the new model can be used as both a standard laptop and a tablet when you flip its display around. That means you can go from typing your TPS reports to watching movies on the couch with ease. The 2-in-1 is every bit as attractive and well-built as the original XPS 13, which is still one of my favorite laptops on the planet. Heck, I even got one for my mom.
This XPS 13 2-in-1 is slimmer than the standard XPS 13 thanks to its new fanless design. In fact, Dell says the 2-in-1 fits its 13-inch display into an 11-inch body thanks to its extremely thin InfinityEdge bezel.
Speaking of the 2-in-1’s screen, it’s every bit as bright and vibrant as the regular XPS 13, which is a huge compliment. The base model of the 2-in-1 comes with a standard 1080p resolution panel, though you can always bump that up to a QHD resolution screen.
To make use of the system’s 2-in-1 design, Dell will sell an optional Dell Active Pen stylus so you can write directly on the laptop’s display.
The Dell XPS 13 is such a great computer because of its slim design and powerful performance thanks to Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors. But the XPS 13 2-in1 won’t get those same chips.
See in order to ensure the 2-in-1 used a fanless design, Dell had to opt for Intel’s new Core M versions of the i5 and i7. That means you might not get the same kind of firepower you’d expect of the XPS 13. Still, it should be more than enough for most everyday users.
Also of note is the fact that the XPS 13 2-in-1 only uses USB C ports. That’s the exact same reason I, and many other reviewers, criticized Apple’s new MacBook Pros. But unlike Apple (AAPL), Dell has included a USB C to standard USB adapter with the XPS 13 2-in1, so you’ll still be able to use at least one standard USB device without having to shell out cash for an adapter.
If the XPS 13 2-in-1 can manage to be as good as the standard XPS 13, Dell might just have two of the best Windows PCs on its hands. We’ll have to wait for our full review to know for sure, though.
Surface Pro 4 competitor
In addition to the XPS 13 2-in-1, Dell is showing off a new laptop/tablet hybrid aimed squarely at taking on Microsoft’s excellent Surface Pro 4. Available Feb. 28 and starting at $899, the Latitude 5285 — it really needs a catchier name — features styling similar to the Surface Pro 4, with a slight twist.