Dell's Redesigned XPS 13 2-in-1 Boasts Larger 13.4" UHD+ Display, Flexes Intel Ice Lake-U, Smaller Chassis

It's finally here folks, the first crop of devices rocking Intel's 10nm Ice Lake-U processors have been announced. And one of the first OEMs out of the gate is Dell, which is launching the XPS 13 7300 Series 2-in-1 convertible.

The latest XPS 13 2-in-1 is available with one of three new 10^th generation Core processor options:

• Intel Core i3-1005 G1 processor (8MB cache, up to 3.4GHz)
• Intel Quad Core i5-1035 G1 processor (6MB cache, up to 3.7GHz)
• Intel Quad Core i7-1065 G7 processor (4MB cache, up to 3.9GHz)

According to Dell, these processors are rated at 15W and are up to 2.5 times more powerful than the previous generation machine. The uses of these new cooler-running processors allowed Dell to design an all-new cooling system (dual fans, ultra-thin vapor chamber) for a device that is now 8 percent thinner than its predecessor. The new Ice Lake-U processor also mean that the systems can now last up to 16 hours per charge with its 51 WHr battery.

Each of those processors can be paired with up to 32GB of non-replaceable LPDDR4x memory operating at 3733MHz. On the storage front, you can equip the machine with up to a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, while other features include dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, Killer AX1650 802.11ax Wi-Fi + Bluetooth and the requisite microSD reader. Dell has incorporated a front-facing web camera, while a Windows Hello fingerprint reader is built in to the power button.

Measuring in at 13.4 inches, the 16:10 aspect ratio edge-to-edge display is now 7 percent larger than before and covered in Gorilla Glass 5. There's a new, next-generation MagLev keyboard with softer and quieter keys, and a touchpad that is now 19 percent larger. Dell has also designed a new sequential hinge that helps to reduce the appearance of the bottom bezel on the display, and it employs variable torque to make it easier to lift the display lid with just one hand.

As for the actual display panels, Dell gives you two choices of touch panels. Base systems some with a Full HD+ (1920x1200) Infinity Edge display (500 nits, 1800:1 contrast ratio, 100% RGB), while you can option systems up with an UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD+ (3840x2400) Infinity Edge display (500 nits, 1500:1 contrast ratio, 100% sRGB, 90% DCI-P3). 

We got a change to lay hands on the new XPS 13 2-in-1, and as expected, it’s a well built and lightweight machine that is easy to travel with. Although we weren’t able to run any benchmarks on this new system, we’ll have it in our labs soon enough and will give you the full breakdown on Intel’s long-awaited 10nm processors.

Dell isn't giving an exact launch date for the new XPS 13 2-in-1 with Ice Lake-U, but does say that pricing will start at $999. If you require more power from your laptop, be sure to check out our first look at the new Alienware m15 and m17 which rock 9^th generation Intel Core power and discrete GeForce RTX graphics.