Dell XPS 15 2-In-1 (9575) Review: An Ultra-Powerful, Premium Convertible Laptop

Performance Summary: Straight to the point, the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 (9575) is a muscular machine in every respect, and deceptively so given its thin and relatively lightweight construction. We had the benefit of testing the top-end configuration powered by a quad-core Intel Core i7-8705G Kaby Lake G processor with AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB NVMe solid state drive, along with a 4K resolution multi-touch InfinityEdge display. This configuration gave us a chance to see this machine's full capabilities and feature set. What we witnessed was class-leading performance for a 2-in-1 laptop in nearly every respect. In CPU bound tests like Cinebench, the Kaby Lake G chip flexed its 4-core/8-thread muscle, and when the attention turned to graphics, AMD's Radeon RX Vega M GL graphics summarily trounced the competition. The XPS 15 2-in-1 was only 4 frames short of hitting triple-digit framerates in GRID Autosport at 1080p, and even at the High IQ setting in Shadow of War, it managed a smooth and playable framerate. There's really no comparison here between the multi-chip module's graphics prowess and that of traditional integrated Intel HD graphics. This new Dell machine is currently in a class of its own in some respects.

If this was a Game of Thrones episode, this would be the moment that Dell stands in front of every other 2-in-1 device and demands that they "bend the knee." That is the benefit of being one of the first to ship a system with a Kaby Lake G processor inside, and at least for now, the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 stands above all other larger convertibles as the one to beat, from a performance, industrial design, and premium feature standpoint. Not that we're surprised, as we had the chance to preview an early version of XPS 15 2-in-1 several months back and came away eager for the final design to arrive. It's here now, and we can confidently say it lives up to the hype.

Of course, the performance numbers only tell part of the story. Part of what is so impressive about this machine is it comes dressed in premium, classy business attire and would have no trouble blending into a professional setting, yet is fully capable of brawling in the back alley where rough and tumble looking systems hang out. Fire up a game and the XPS 15 2-in-1 will show that it's capable of much more than flinging graphs around a spreadsheet. If you need to get some critical content creation work done, like video production or some CAD, it's got that expertly covered as well. Just set expectations for the need to hook up for juice more frequently, should you push the graphics engine on-board this machine. 
Further, Dell's gorgeous 4K, 400 nits InfinityEdge display is a nice complement to the hardware capabilities of this system. The XPS 15 2-in-1 sports a bright and vibrant IGZO panel with ultra-thin bezels on both sides and the top, and excellent color accuracy as well. In fact, it comes darn close to measuring-up to the performance of an OLED display, with tons of saturation and pop in its own right. This is important, because if Dell would have skimped on the LCD on this machine, it would have marred an otherwise excellent 2-in-1. Regardless, we would like to get a look at the 1080p version at some point as well.

If there's a trade-off to ponder, it's potentially the 15.6-inch form factor. Some will find its overall size potentially awkward for a convertible device, which is likely why Dell never offered one before. Then again, offering the performance of Kaby Lake G in a machine that's under 5 pounds, with this sort of slim and trim footprint is impressive and will likely pull in a demographic of power user that doesn't mind a little extra width and occasionally works with pen input as well. The upshot of a 4K panel in a 15-inch format is better use of real estate and resolution as well, versus smaller form factors. 

For all its premium, fantastic-looking build quality, high performance, and optimized form factor, unsurprisingly the XPS 15 2-In-1 is not cheap. Dell will have a $1,299 base level SKU starting on 4/23, but for now the entry level price is $1,499. Our machine as configured with a 1TB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and the 4K panel runs for a hefty $2,549. That said, as far as 15-inch convertible 2-in-1 laptops go, Dell did a fantastic job with the XPS 15 2-In-1, making it easy to recommend.