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Dell XPS Duo 12 Hands-On

Windows 8 notebooks and tablets have come in all form-factors at IFA, but Dell’s XPS 12 Duo is – with its rotating display – perhaps the most eye-catching of the bunch. Dell kept the 12-inch ultrabook behind glass after its initial launch, but we caught up with the company for some hands-on playtime. The takeaway is simple: the XPS 12 Duo takes the concept of the old Inspiron Duo and polishes it to the point where it’s ready for primetime. Read on for our 1st impressions.

Where other Windows 8 tablets go for the docking-slate approach, pairing a lightweight tablet with a removable keyboard, the XPS 12 Duo is a full ultrabook that can double as a tablet with the flip of a screen. The original Inspiron Duo was a great idea but poor in delivery: it was too thick, underpowered, ran an OS that wasn’t ready for touchscreen use, and had too small a display that ended up dwarfed by its oversized bezels.

In contrast, Dell has used premium magnesium alloy for the screen bezel: that means it can be significantly thinner than before, despite showing no flex whatsoever. Enclosed inside it there’s a Full HD touchscreen that magnetically clings into either front- or rear-facing orientation; it’s backed with a sheet of carbon-fiber for resilience without weight or bulk.

We can’t talk about exact specifications, nor when exactly the XPS 12 Duo will hit the market, but we’d expect Dell to want to join the rush of firms releasing Windows 8 hardware around the end of October. What we can say is how well the new Dell works as both a notebook and a tablet. In the former orientation, the 12-inch form factor means the backlit keyboard is spacious enough – and has enough key-travel – for touch-typing, and has great feel. There’s also room for a good sized trackpad for when you don’t want to reach up to the screen.

A little pressure in the upper corner of the display, and it rotates smoothly and magnetically clips into place facing the other way. Close the lid, and you’ve got a tablet; it’s obviously heavier than a slate-only device, such as Apple’s new iPad, but then you also get a larger display. That delivers 400nit brightness, too, and is incredibly detailed and clear (so bright, indeed, it was difficult to photograph): websites look great (and you can use multitouch gestures to navigate them, of course) as does text whether you’re using the XPS 12 Duo as an ereader flipped into portrait orientation, or for creating content in apps like Word or PowerPoint. Keep the screen in tablet mode but leave the lid open, meanwhile, and you can use the XPS 12 Duo for presentations, controlling them from behind the display.

Dell’s compromise – or that of the XPS 12 Duo’s end user – is of weight, convenience and power. The convertible ran smoothly, despite crunching high-resolution graphics, while we used it, though its heft is more akin to an ultrabook than a true tablet. Those looking to carry it around in slate orientation will need to accept that there are concessions to be made if you want instant access to a decent keyboard.

Pricing will play a huge role, but with Dell positioning the XPS 12 Duo as a premium model (and having the smaller, dockable XPS 10 for those looking for a more mainstream Windows tablet implementation) all this slick hardware probably won’t come cheap. Still, for those wanting to make the most of Windows 8′s touch capabilities without giving up on notebook flexibility, it’s shaping up to be a strong (if niche) contender.

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Dell Announces New XPS Dockable Windows Tablet & Convertable UltraBook

Dell is adding 2 new touchscreen devices to its popular XPS line of laptops. The XPS 10 is a dockable Windows RT tablet, while the XPS Duo 12 Ultrabook swivels between tablet and laptop mode.

Dell's XPS Ultrabooks and laptops have received great reviews for their solid construction and excellent performance. The 3-pound XPS 13 Ultrabook is certainly portable enough by most standards, but if you're looking for something even smaller that takes advantage of Windows 8's touch capabilities, that's where the new XPS 10 and XPS Duo 12 come in.

The XPS 10, as the name suggests, is a 10-inch tablet. Rather than running the full x86 version of Windows 8, it runs the tablet-optimized Windows RT and is powered by an ARM processor. This means the XPS 10 will be less expensive than competing tablets or laptops running Windows 8 and will also be thinner and lighter. Although the Windows RT operating system will make the XPS 10 better-designed for casual computing (web browsing and media consumption), the tablet's keyboard dock, complete with touchpad, will also support more productive tasks. The slim keyboard dock will also double the tablet's battery life to up to 20 hours (supposedly). Other specs are still unannounced.

If Windows RT doesn't do it for you--you need to run Windows 8 desktop apps, for example, or you want more laptop and less tablet in your hybrid device--the XPS Duo 12 is an attractive option.

The XPS Duo 12's unusual screen-flipping design will no doubt remind you of the Inspiron Duo convertible tablet, whose screen also popped out of its keyboard case. Though innovative in its design, the Inspiron Duo didn't last too long in the market, thanks in part to the device's lackluster specs, including a mediocre display and underpowered Atom processor.

The XPS Duo 12 will hopefully overcome those issues by combining the flipping design with Ultrabook specs. Dell's press release highlights the XPS Duo 12's premium materials: an aluminum and carbon fiber chassis plus a Corning Gorilla Glass display.

That 12.5-inch display is apparently a showstopper. Although Dell hasn't detailed the full specs for the display, it's described as having "97% more pixels than standard HD," or a higher resolution than the 1920 by 1080 pixels found on full HD displays.

The screen flips into tablet mode but can also pop out of the hinge to work solely as a tablet.

The XPS Duo 12 and XPS 10 will launch in October when Microsoft unleashes Windows 8. By that time, no doubt there will be even more Windows 8 hybrid devices to choose from. The XPS 10's dockability and long-lasting battery life. and the XPS Duo 12's super-high screen resolution still make them great candidates for your watch list.

imj0257

iTrader: (1)

I bought a new Inspiron desktop half a year ago and it has been great; fits all my needs.

YeuEmMaiMai

just picked up a vostro 3450 with the following specs

i7 2640m
4GB
AMD 7650 1GB
500GB 5400 rpm drive
Centrino 1030 wireless N and BT 3.0
Backlit keyboard
Fingerprint reader
Gesture touchpad
Matte 1336*768 screen
Fingerprint reader

***Undocumented mSATA port ***

for $735 delivered

new ADATA mSATA 120GB drive $130
8GB ram upgrade $40
BD-Rom burner $68
750 GB WDC Scorpio Black 7200rpm HDD $100

Total cost before I sold off replaced parts $973

Whiskers

Dell doesnt need its own thread.

CUNextTuesday

That looks fragile!

Anachostic

I've had the Inspiron Duo for a while now. It's now running Win8 on it. It's good enough for my needs, but I can see a lot of people unsatisfied with it. However, I have a co-worker that is really enamored with the device, since I keep it on my desk in a dock. He's asked to buy it and now I'm considering upgrading to the XPS Duo.

There's a lot of great Windows 8 devices coming out, that's for sure. I'm wondering if the pendulum is starting to swing back towards the individualism of the PC instead of the uniformity of the Mac.

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Dell's New Line Up of Windows 8 Devices

Dell Delivers New Line Up Of Best-In-Class Windows 8 Devices

• Dell touch-enabled XPS PCs running Windows 8 now available for pre-order
• XPS 12 convertible laptop delivers stunning design and outstanding productivity for Bring Your Own Device ecosystems
• XPS One 27 All-in-One inspires with big screen multimedia creation and entertainment
• Inspiron One 23 (AIO) to be available for the holidays – now with touchscreen option
• Dell XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex and Precision brands now include Windows 8 options

Yesterday Dell made available for pre-order three new PCs in its upcoming fall portfolio: the XPS 12, XPS One 27 and Inspiron One 23. Further, Dell is offering Windows 8 as an option on its current XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex and Precision brands.

Dell XPS 12 Convertible laptop

The XPS 12 is 2 devices in 1: a fully-featured, full-powered laptop that easily becomes a fully-featured touch-powered tablet. The unique flip hinge touchscreen display is elegant and innovative and easily transitions between laptop and tablet mode with a simple flip. When in tablet mode, the display completely covers the keyboard, protecting it from dirt and spills. The vibrant Full HD display provides 90 per cent more pixels than a standard HD display for an exceptionally crisp reading and viewing experience.

Dell XPS One 27

The award-winning XPS One 27 All-in-One is designed for creative enthusiasts with a super high resolution display and performance graphics for multimedia creation and entertainment. The gorgeous, space-saving design features a 27-inch Wide Quad HD Display, which has 78 per cent more pixels than a Full HD display, and an articulating stand that tilts the display to a 60-degree angle, providing additional options when using the touchscreen interface. Whether one is designing a digital masterpiece or experiencing HD entertainment, the XPS One 27 delivers the power, sound, graphics and pixels for a brilliant multimedia experience.

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

Dell is also updating its popular systems in time for the holidays. The award-winning XPS 13 has been updated with a new specification, including the Ivy Bridge chipset. As a result, the new XPS 13 is up to two times faster than the previous generation XPS 13. The Inspiron One 23 All-in-One PC, with its impressive performance and a bright Full HD display in a space-saving, sleek design, is now available with a touchscreen option for entertainment, education and fun for the whole family.

These products represent a portion of Dell’s upcoming refreshed lineup of PCs. Dell will unveil additional product platforms in the XPS, Latitude, OptiPlex and Inspiron brands, as well as new monitors in the coming weeks.

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PCMag: Dell XPS 12

Review Date October 23, 2012
MSRP $1699.99

Pros
Resurrects the flip-and-fold display. Intel Core i7-3517U processor. 256GB Solid-state drive. Long battery life. Comfortable keyboard and touchpad.
Cons
A better laptop than a tablet. Limited port selection.
Bottom Line
The Dell XPS 12 hybrid ultrabook/tablet features a flip-and-fold display, providing ultrabook specs and performance with tablet functionality.

By Brian Westover

The Windows 8 hybrid ultrabooks are here, transforming from laptop to tablet, and back again, with ease. The 2nd of these shape-shifting laptops to come into PC Labs is the Dell XPS 12. As a convertible ultrabook, the Dell XPS 12 works as both a laptop and a tablet, utilizing the same flip-and-fold design last seen on the Dell Inspiron Duo (Black) . Dell has dropped the Duo name, which is actually now used by Sony for its own convertible ultrabook, the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (D11213CX) .

The name change is understandable, as the XPS 12 has little in common with the Dell Inspiron Duo, save for the screen which flips around within a securely framed lid. The external styling bears a strong resemblance to the Dell Inspiron 13z , with a soft-touch exterior and metal frame. Looking at the specifications, it's clear that the XPS 12 is in a different category than the Dell Inspiron Duo, with an ultrabook-class Intel Core i7-3517U processor instead of a netbook-class Atom, and a 256GB solid-state drive offering significant performance gains over the slower hard drives used in netbooks.

Design
Weighing 3.3 pounds and measuring 0.95 by 12.5 by 8.6 inches (HWD), the XPS 12 meets Intel's standard for convertible ultrabooks, and it's just a bit on the heavy size among ultrabooks (convertible or otherwise) we've seen, similar to the 3.2-pound Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DB71 . It also has a design more in aligned with laptop sensibilities than tablet, with a slightly tapered chassis. This works well on a laptop, as seen on the laptop-only Inspiron 13z, but with a tablet the lack of uniform thickness is a little awkward. Unlike the Sony Duo 11, however, it is comfortable to hold, with rounded edges and soft touch panels across the underside. When using it as a tablet for watching movies or browsing the Web, it's comfortable enough, but you'll probably keep it in landscape mode, as the wedge profile puts the screen at a slant when in portrait mode.

The display also has more to offer than just a nifty backflip. The 12.5 inch display boasts 1920-by-1080 resolution, along with 400-nits of brightness and automatic ambient light sensing—and it's also a touch screen, tracking ten touch points at once. Covered with Gorilla Glass, it should resist scratching even when kept with the screen out. The audio—which gets some software enhancement with Waves Maxx Audio 4.0—is good, but not great, producing slightly muddied sound.

The physical keyboard is superb. The chiclet keys have the same soft-touch, matte-finish coating used on the rest of the palmrest. There's also more spring to them than are usually found on ultrabooks, and the result is an excellent typing feel. The onscreen keyboard is no better or worse than those on other tablets, but you'll definitely benefit from having the physical keyboard should you want to write anything longer than a tweet. The touchpad also features the soft-touch coating, making the touchpad fairly comfortable. It's a clickpad, with right and left buttons integrated into the surface of the pad.

Features
Despite the limitations imposed by the narrow confines of the convertible ultrabook form-factor, Dell has included a fair selection of ports and connectivity options into the XPS 12. On the right edge of the tablet are 2 USB 3.0 ports (1 with Sleep and Charge), a power connector, and a button that lets you check the battery power level on an adjacent indicator. On the left, you'll find a headset jack, volume up and down buttons, a screen rotation lock button, and a sliding power switch.

Notably absent, however, is an Ethernet port, meaning that the 802.11n WLAN connection is your only option for getting online, and Bluetooth 3.0 adding wireless pairing for peripherals. You'll also be missing any ports for video output. Without any sort of VGA or HDMI output, the only way to get your content onto a TV is through Wi-Di, which will require either a Wi-Di equipped TV or adapter, like the Netgear Push2TV. This model is aimed at consumers, but an enterprise-focused configuration will be available with Windows 8 Professional and will include BitLocker Encryption with Trusted-Platform Module (TPM).

The XPS 12 is also outfitted with a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD). As of now, 256GB is probably the highest capacity SSD you'll see offered in consumer systems, so it's hard to complain. Spinning hard drives offer larger capacity, but are prone to damage when dealing with vibration and movement, both of which are abundant when using a tablet. The XPS 12 has no optical drive, but in this form-factor, it won't be missed.

Along with the inclusion of Windows 8, and the accompanying default tiles found on the Start Screen, Dell has added a few of its own, such as a direct link to the Amazon Store, Amazon's Kindle app, a preview of Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Live Essentials 2012 (Photo Gallery & Movie Maker), and the new Windows 8 Skype app. Dell also includes some resources for users, like the "Getting Started with Windows 8" app, Dell Shop, My Dell Support Center, Dell Backup & Recovery. Anti-virus protection comes in 2 forms: the default, Microsoft's Security Essentials, as well as a 30-day trial of McAfee's Windows 8 security app. Dell covers the XPS 12 with a 1-year warranty, which includes parts and labor, accidental damage service, and a year of premium telephone support.

Performance
Dell XPS 12 Unlike the Inspiron Duo, which was an Atom-powered netbook, Dell has outfitted the XPS 12 just as it would any other ultrabook, equipping it with the same Intel Core i5-3517U (1.9GHz) processor found in the Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DB71, and pairing it with 8GB of RAM. It's an ultra-low voltage processor, designed for efficient power-usage, but it still offers more than enough capability for all of your web-surfing and media consumption needs. More importantly, for anyone wanting to get some work done and take advantage of the keyboard and touchpad option, productivity is also alive and well. In PCMark 7, our productivity benchmark, the XPS 12 score 4,638 points, similar to the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (4,648 points) and ahead of the Asus UX32VD-DB71 (2,523 points), largely due to the solid-state drive used in the XPS 12. In our processor speed test, Cinebench R11.5, the XPS 12 scored 2.19 points, a fraction of a point behind the Sony Duo 11 and Dell Inspiron 13z (2.40 and 2.39 points, respectively).

That processing capability also means you can do some multimedia work with the XPS 12, as seen in our Handbrake and Photoshop CS6 benchmark tests, which the XPS 12 completed in 1 minute 26 seconds and 6:31, respectively. It's a bit slow for bigger projects, but it means you can trim your YouTube videos and do some minor photo edits without having to leave the couch. Gaming, however, is a different matter. While the integrated Intel graphics processing provides all of the needed eye candy for video and graphics-heavy Web browsing, it falls short of 3D gaming support, returning unplayable scores in both Heaven and Aliens Vs. Predators. Casual games—including those offered through the Windows Store—will still work just fine, so enjoy your Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja without fear.

The Dell XPS 12 lasted 5 hours 9 minutes in our video battery rundown test, putting it a full 2 hours ahead of the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (3:09). For a device that's all about portability, that long battery life is essential—you lose a lot of the flexibility and convenience of a tablet when you're tethered to a wall outlet.

Where the Sony VAIO Duo 11 left us nervous about the future of the hybrid ultrabook, the Dell XPS 12 puts us back on solid ground. While the design is a better laptop than a tablet, the XPS 12 is a solid performer, thanks to ultrabook-grade specs, long battery life, and a design than prioritizes comfort and usability. It's a bit early to be picking favorites, but the Dell XPS 12 is a front runner in the nascent hybrid category.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Dell XPS 12 with several other laptops side by side.

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CES 2013:
Dell Outs Touch-Based Inspiron, HD XPS Laptop

Dell is updating the majority of its laptops, with new hardware and features coming across the board for both budget and mainstream Inspiron laptops. These upgrades are more than just a refresh, switching out processors for newer models. The Inspiron family is slimming down with a lighter, thinner design, and getting optional touch capability. The Dell XPS 13 is joining in on the act as well, with the already excellent ultrabook gaining an eye-catching 1080p display.

The value priced Dell Inspiron 14, 15, and 17-inch models are all being updated, with 3 new models, the Inspiron 14-3421, the Inspiron 15-3521, and the Inspiron 17-3721. These budget-friendly notebook PCs have been refreshed with a thinner, lighter build—under 5 pounds and barely 1 inch thick. The plastic construction has a matte finish, and while the chassis is noticeably thinner than its 2012 predecessors, it still offers all of the features seen before, including an optical drive.

While the Inspiron 14-3421 and Inspiron 15-3521 both offer standard 1,366-by-768 resolution, the 17-inch Inspiron 17-3721 bumps up the picture quality to 1,600-by-900 resolution. An HD Webcam records video in 720p, and Intel's WiDi lets you stream HD video content wirelessly to your TV. Finally, all 3 models are updated with new Intel processors and optional graphics processing with both Nvidia GeForce GT 640M and AMD Radeon HD 8730M GPUs available.

The budget Inspiron line is also getting a different sort of upgrade with optional touchscreen-equipped configurations available. By adding touch capability with 10-finger tracking and enhanced gesture support, the new Inspirons let you experience Windows 8 as it was meant to be used, letting you swipe, tap, and zoom intuitively by simply reaching to the screen.

For those willing to pay more for the mainstream configurations, Dell's Inspiron R series is also being updated. Available in 14, 15 and 17-inch models, the Inspiron 14R-5421, Inspiron 15R-5521, and Inspiron 17R-5721 models are also being updated with new processing hardware, and optional graphics processors. Dell's mainstream Inspiron line is getting dressed up with new brushed aluminum exteriors and a variety of colors, including blue, dark grey, red, and pink joining to the lighter grey of the bare metal.

Like the previously mentioned models, the new Inspiron R lineup will offer USB 3.0 connectivity, HDMI output, wired Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, an HD webcam, and a tray-loading optical drive. Intel's WiDi lets you stream video wirelessly, while Bluetooth lets you pair devices and sync data wirelessly. In addition to new slimmer designs, the Inspiron R series is also available in both standard and touch configurations, bringing the touch support necessary to make the most of Windows 8.

At the time of this writing, specific details about pricing and availability were not available.

Finally, the premium Dell XPS 13 ultrabook is also getting a makeover, but this time in true HD. The slim sliver of a laptop will keep all of the details that made it a top-rated ultrabook, like a CNC-machine milled aluminum frame and lid, magnesium alloy palmrest, and carbon fiber frame. The feature set includes Intel Core i5 processor, a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD), USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, mini-DisplayPort and wired Ethernet, and excellent battery life. The big difference is that the edge-to-edge Gorilla Glass now covers a 1,920-by-1,080 resolution display, letting you enjoy video and graphics in eye-popping 1080p.

A full announcement about the Dell XPS 13, including pricing and availability, is expected later this month.