Dell XPS 12 2-in-1 Ultrabook Review

1. Introduction2. Dell XPS 12: Packaging and Bundle3. Dell XPS 12: Design4. Testing Methodology and Configuration5. Synthetic: PCMark 86. Synthetic: 3DMark7. Synthetic: 3DMark 118. Synthetic: 3DMark Vantage9. Synthetic: Unigine Heaven10. Synthetic: SiSoft Sandra 201311. Synthetic: Cinebench R11.512. Synthetic: Cinebench R1513. Synthetic: Super Pi14. Real World: WinRAR15. Real World: MKV Playback16. Real World: Media Encoding17. Gaming: DiRT Showdown18. Technical: Acoustics19. Technical: Thermal Dynamics20. Technical: Battery Life21. Closing Thoughts22. View All Pages

Overall we are very impressed with the Dell XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook. In terms of the design and functionality, it is actually quite unique.

Dell have clearly pulled out all the stops in terms of the design of the XPS 12.  The screen mechanism is very innovative and the quality of the materials used in construction are some of the best we have seen from a Dell machine.

Even though the XPS 12 is a compact notebook, Dell have still managed to shoe-horn in an Intel i7-4500U processor – a fairly potent low voltage design.  We are impressed with its performance in this system, even without a dedicated graphics card.  It should provide more than enough power for the majority of users.

The party trick of the XPS 12 is the rotatable screen which lets you operate it both as a notebook and as a tablet. We found ourselves using this more than we had initially expected, and is a handy feature for those looking to avoid buying both a tablet and a laptop. Negatively, the notebook is quite bulky so when in tablet mode it is rather hefty to handle.

Despite the tablet functionality of the XPS 12 Dell hasn't neglected the keyboard and touchpad. Both are built to very high standards and a pleasure to use long term.

At a price of £949.00 as configured, we feel that the Dell XPS 12 offers good value for money, especially considering you get a powerful Core i7 processor and a 256 GB solid state drive included.

The only slightly lacking factor is the short 1-year standard warranty, which we would recommend upgrading if you want to protect your investment.  It is an ‘on-site warranty', though, so you shouldn't have to wait long to get back up and running if anything did go wrong.

Pros:

• Innovative design.
• Attractive.
• Impressive build quality.
• Surprisingly powerful.
• Solid State Drive as standard.

Cons:

• Short warranty.
• Bulky as a tablet.

KitGuru says: An excellent option for those looking to replace two devices with one.

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