Dell Delivers The XPS 12 Convertible Laptop Discussion

Today Dell is making the all new XPS 12 convertible notebook (also called the XPS Duo 12 in some markets) available for pre-order. The 12.5-inch XPS 12 is currently available to customers in the United States and will be available worldwide in the coming days. Further, Dell is offering Windows 8 as an option on its current XPS, Inspiron, Latitude, OptiPlex and Precision brands.

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So glad to see the Duo design back in a better product.

 

I'm not in love with the hinge design, but what I think is awesome is that we're getting real choice. These are not just cookie-cutter designs all with the same form factor. Thinkpads are using swivel convertibles, Ideatabs are using back-folding convertibles, Sony is using a slider convertible, Asus and Samsung are using hybrids (detachables), and Dell has got...well I don't even know what to call this, but it's door #5.

Choice is a good thing. This is an exciting time. A once tiny niche is going mainstream and the OEMs are getting to really experiment instead of sticking with one tried-and-true form factor.

 

I'm not sure if Dell will get it right or not (wouldn't bet on it based on recent history), but it sure is nice to see 1080p becoming the standard resolution on screens of every size. Also, while not cheap, $1.199 pre-discount for an IB i5 cpu and that screen is also encouraging of trends.

 

@Mitlov: My thoughts exactly. It's exciting to see so many different hardware treatments of form factors that integrate well with W8. I really like the improvements Dell made to the original Inspiron Duo 11 concept, in pretty much every specification.

I'm still convinced that the hybrid tablet/ultraportables that Samsung and Asus are pursuing seem to be the best solution for those who won't need a huge amount of processing horsepower: being able to leave behind a laptop dock (that contains an additional battery, keyboard, and ports) to save weight is a really nice idea. This Dell design, as well as the Lenovo ones, are more traditional in the sense that the tablet mode still necessitates that you carry the weight of the laptop chassis.

 

I think there are advantages to multiple setups. The hybrid setup (detachable keyboard) is a great solution for people who don't often use the keyboard, know in advance when they need to, and care about the difference between a 1.5 lb tablet and a 3.0 lb tablet.

Sony's slider design makes a ton of sense for people who want to use touch input even when the keyboard is connected. Because the screen angle is fixed, you don't push the screen backwards when using touch input or the stylus. Particularly for artists, that makes sense (think of it as a digital easel as much as a laptop). And it's nice to never be caught without your keyboard if you suddenly need it:



I haven't yet figured out a persuasive argument in support of the Dell design over a hybrid or a slider, but that doesn't mean that there isn't one, it just means I haven't thought of it (or been told it) yet. Heck, I thought the slider was inferior in every way to a hybrid setup until yesterday, when I saw this video and realized the advantages of a fixed-angle setup.

I can't remember the last time there was such variety in the market. Love it.

 

Do note that the specs listed are for the starter. There are four versions of the XPS 12, so the correct technical specs would be:

Operating System: Windows 8 (64-bit, English)
Processor: 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3317U processor (3M Cache, up to 2.6 GHz) - up to 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3517U processor (4M Cache, up to 3.0 GHz)
System Memory: 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 - up to 8GB Dual Channel DDR3
Storage: 128GB Solid State Drive - up to 256GB Solid State Drive
Graphics: Intel HD 4000
Display: 12.5" FHD 1080p Touchscreen
Audio: Waves Maxx Audio 4.0
Wireless: Intel 6235 WLAN, Bluetooth 3.0 and WiDi
Battery: 47WHr 6-Cell Li-Polymer
Price: $1,199.99 - $1,699.99 for the ultimate version


@ Mitlov
Arguments for the DELL XPS 12 design:
- Protects your keys, unlike the Yoga design
- Doesn't collect dust inside the hinge design like the slider
- More space for the keyboard (compared to Vaio Duo 11's design)
- Attachable keyboards often become loose over time and the mechanism may lead to wear and tear damage - no such thing here!

 

This. I'd rather take this over the Yoga or the Vaio Duo. The latter especially has a hinge that many call cheap and finicky, doesn't have a trackpad, and a fixed angle to the screen.

 

Just look at this cheap hinge solution:

/shiver
Just looking at it makes me nauseous. It looks fragile and the loose wires worry me. The room attracts dust too, with several openings for collection.

 

That's Sony for you.

 

Yes, there are two ribbon cables connecting the screen to the base unit. What do you think you have inside the hinge of any other laptop, braided unicorn hair? A wireless connection from the base unit to the screen?

The fixed angle is a benefit for those who use the touchscreen while the keyboard is deployed. It's not an issue of cost ("cheap") but an issue of utility for a particular workflow (screen-and-keyboard simultaneously).

EDIT: as for dusting, a can of compressed air will do the job nicely. Just give it a squirt when you're dusting the keyboard. Nowhere near as hard as dusting the inside of a laptop.

 

It just looks unfinished, thats all.

 

I accept that some people may not like it aesthetically; I just had a beef with the objective complaints like "looks fragile" and "the loose wires worry me" and "attracts dust."

I think adding more paneling to make it look "finished" wouldn't have added utility, but would have added thickness and weight, so I personally think this was a good way to do it.

 

@Mitlow
I do understand the mechanism, but it creates more problems than it solves. Why have a design where wires are exposed? Why have big, dust collecting holes in the design? The msi Slider S20 avoids that:


It's just that I hoped for more from Sony. I will have to test the unit to really be able to comment upon this, but by the looks of it, the design has some flaws as I've mentioned.

 

The MSI design looks "cleaner," but is also looks like the screen is not adequately supported for multiple years of tapping, swiping, art and stylus work, etc. Look at those two tiny plastic arms at the very bottom edge of the screen...I can absolutely see the screen bouncing with every tap, not to mention those tiny plastic arms fracturing after a year of use.

The Vaio Duo 11's design reminds me of:



Which is a good thing. A sturdy, solid arm supporting the middle of the canvas means that your canvas doesn't move while you're working on it.

 

@ Mitlov
I expected a reply like that
Yes, it looks less sturdy, but it was more to show that you can hide wires and make a cleaner design without adding more parts and weight.

I do agree with you though - the Vaio looks like it will last longer, but I'm still not satisfied with the solution. Vaio's mechanism with msi's finish would be really sweet.

 

Remember that MSI is a prototype and not a production model. Similarly, Sony's prototype (the "Freestyle Hybrid PC") had a super-clean-looking back:



The easel-stand and ribbon-cables were added after the prototype phase, as part of making it a viable production model (a bridge MSI hasn't crossed yet). Suggests to me that there's a good engineering reason why they're there, as the aesthetic design department clearly didn't want them there. Personally, I think it's a good very thing when the engineering department wins an argument with the aesthetic design department instead of losing it...

Anyhoo, how about that Dell

 

Sturdiness is a legitimate question to consider. I like the idea of a convertible. After all, it's hard to cosy up in bed, for example, with a laptop if you're doing some reading.

But.

I'm going to keep looking at these machines but I expect to be buying another conventional laptop. Still need things like hard drives and optical drives. Tablets are getting cheaper so it's probably just as easy to have a laptop-tablet duo than a convertible.

I don't see the sense at this point of going all the way to the other end of the spectrum. Yes, one can get a tablet, keyboard and peripherals, but why have all that separate junk, especially since no tablets have the computing power of a "real" computer?

Still in all, it's good that the manufacturers are experimenting with form factors. At least for now consumers have a choice. Better grab it while you can before the shakeout occurs and they cut down the choices to what sells most.

 

Very poor design and attempt, seems to me...

 

Okeydokey, buy a Dell XPS Duo 12 instead then.

 

Curious about these ultrabooks and convertible machines... on the Duo 12, will the SSD be upgradeable? Or are these things totally sealed up and non accessible in that regard?

 

Upgradability depends on the ultrabook, if it's anything like the standard XPS ultrabooks you can unclip the bottom panel and remove it. That said, most ultrabooks feature soldered RAM so you'll need to make sure you get what you want at the time of purchase.

 

I think I prefer this Dell over the other offerings I've seen so far. The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T would be a close 2nd, but I'd like to have more RAM. I'm also kind of disappointed that the M$ Surface Pro won't be available until sometime in 2013. I guess M$ wanted to get the Surface RT out first.

One question I have about the Dell XPS 12 Convertible: Will it be usable with a stylus/digitizer? Something like my Samsung Series 7 Slate has?

 

No digitizer support for the XPS Duo 12. Right now the only new-for-Win8 designs with digitizer styluses and Ivy Bridge processors are the Vaio Duo 11, the Samsung Ativ Smart PC Pro (both launching October 26), and the Microsoft Surface Pro (which doesn't go on sale until Q1 2013)