The AbsolutelyWindows Dell XPS 13 Follow-on Review

April 6, 2015 John Obeto

The Dell XPS 13 is the recipient of the SmallBizWindows Superstar Award.

This is a truly splendid device.

If the design goals included handily trouncing the Apple MacBook Air 13 and surpassing the baseline set by Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 laptop hybrid for the 13” space, the Dell XPS 13 has succeeded.

Since my first review of the XPS 13 posted here on February 24, 2015, I have been using the XPS 13 constantly as part of the contingent of laptop PCs I use on a daily basis.

What have I found out?

The Dell XPS 13 is Beautiful
Aesthetically, the Dell XPS 13 is one of a new class of PCs that are redefining laptop computing.

The Dell XPS 13 is Powerful
Equipped with the latest (5^th generation) Intel Core i5 CPU, and coupled with the new Intel Graphics 5500 HD graphics, the XPS 13 is really powerful. *The XPS 13 is also available with an Intel Core i7.Alas we didn’t get to test that!

The Dell XPS 13 is built for Business
Weighing in about 2½ lbs for the non-touchscreen model and at under 2.8 lbs with a touchscreen, the XPS 13 is equipped with a 13.3” 3200x1600 QHD IPS panel.

The Dell XPS 13 comes standard with 9-15 hour battery. It adheres to all the latest Wi-Fi standards. It is light,

Solid SSDs are standard, and coupled with Intel® Rapid Start, XPS 13 boots from a cold start in mere seconds.

Single-source encryption, authentication and malware prevention

The XPS 12 also allows consumers to do all ‘consumery’ stuff very well. In particular, watching movies on it is amazing.

The Dell XPS13 is a Superstar
The Dell XPS 13 is the smallest 13” laptop you can buy in all known worlds. The impressive, bright, beautiful quad-HD display is built to be worked with, especially the touchscreen model.

The XPS 13 is part of a complete solution, whereby it has an optional external battery – a “Power Companion” in Dell-speak and a USB 3.0 to HDMI/Ethernet/USB 2.0 and VGA adaptor.

The edge-to-edge keyboard is comfortable, precise.

I really like this device.

It shows what PC OEMs can do when they decide to create game-changers. Which, is exactly what this device is.

Based on all these, especially the beauuuuutiful screen, and the incredible battery life, the Dell XPS 13 is our Superstar.

What, you ask, about my threat to review it against the Apple MacBook 13?

Well, it is more advanced than the last MacBook 13, and to be completely fair, I wanted to test it against the then-rumored ‘new’ Apple MacBook Air.

Well, Apple released their new MacBook – inexplicably called MacBook, no Air or anything – offering last month.

As Wifey put it: if, based on the specs, the [Dell] XPS 13 is more advanced that the MacBook, new or otherwise, why waste your time performing that testing?

I listened to the voice of reason.

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