Top Best 3 dell xps 13 i7 in December 2021

Performance:

All things being equal, a laptop this small shouldn't be this fast. The new Evo processor and on-chip graphics are surprisingly quick. Paired with the reasonably big 512GB SSD there's only one thing I threw at this laptop it couldn't handle: A new, graphically intensive game that barely plays well on my home desktop which is running an RTX 2070S discrete GPU and 32GB of system RAM. After a bit of research, the main bottleneck ended up being the 8GB of system RAM on this build. 8GB just wasn't enough to support system and video RAM for a game that big. Otherwise, I think it would have run just fine, albeit with lower graphics settings. I've done photo and video editing with no issues (other than having to keep track of memory utilization and work in smaller batches of images). If you want to do more with this laptop, consider the 16GB or 32GB version. 8GB gets a little cramped nowadays.

Display:

The 1920x1200 display is bright and vibrant. By default, Windows wants to set display scaling to 150% which makes things a little cramped on the 13" panel but helps with touchscreen controls. That said, I set it down to 100% almost immediately so I could get some work done. Photo and video editing beneifts from the bright, vibrant screen up to a point. The colors might be a touch overstaurated for pure color accuracy but overall, the slightly boosted saturation makes for a bright, pleasant display. I like the smaller bezels which lend a premium feel and permit the smaller overall size of the laptop.

Battery:

I was happy with the battery life up to a point. I've used laptops that have lasted longer on a charge, but I was consistently able to get a full 8-hour day on battery under mixed everyday use.

Webcam:

Integrated 720p webcam. Nothing much to write home about here either way.

Keyboard:

I absolutely love the keyboard on this laptop. The keys are well sized and spaced for a small laptop. Key travel and feel are remarkable. Backlighting is a must-have for me. I could type on this thing all day... and I have. The fingerprint sensor/power button is intelligently designed to require a bit more pressure so you can use the fingerprint reader without accidentally powering the laptop off. It's a small but welcome feature. Saying it again: I really love this keyboard!

Touchpad:

Compared to some premium trackpads this one is generally average. Size and responsiveness are great and it's perfectly fine if, like me, you use tap to click. My only complaint is that the physical click response is uneven. It takes much more pressure to click at the top of the touchpad than at the bottom.

Touchscreen:

The touchscreen works pretty much perfectly. Just be aware that the 13" display really makes you choose between larger, touch-friendly icons and enough screen real estate to get work done.

Ports:

Basically, you get two USB-C ports, a microphone jack and a micro SD card reader. That's it. Charge your laptop with one USB-C port and you're left with one port for which you'll probably need to get a USB-C hub if you want to get anything done. It's a reasonable trade-off for a laptop as small and light as this but needing a hub to plug in pretty much anything at all makes the whole setup feel a lot less portable. It does come with a USB-C to USB-A dongle that's small and very portable, but I found I generally either didn't need anything or I needed a larger hub with multiple ports for use as a dock.

Design:

The aluminum case and carbon fiber deck are incredibly nice. I'm especially fond of the carbon fiber deck - it has a premium feel while not conducting as much heat up to the hands as metal would. Speaking of heat:

Heat:

This laptop gets fairly warm. It's never gotten as properly hot in my lap as some laptops, but it's not a cool device in the lap either. In the winter, it's noticably warm. In summer you're going to want a lap desk. On the bright side, while this laptop does apparently have cooling fans, I had to look up the specs to be sure - so clearly fan noise hasn't been an issue for me.

Overall impressions:

The bottom line is that I really, really like working on this laptop. It isn't perfect but any issues are minor. I wish I had gotten one with at least 16GB of RAM, but otherwise it's a perfect companion for my main use: carrying it around with my camera for on-the-go photo and light video editing. It's small, light and very capable. Switching out my regular SD card for a pair of micro SD cards and an SD adapter means I can swap out memory cards between camera and laptop and offload pictures without needing a USB-C hub on the go. It's perfect for me and gets five stars for premium feel, excellent performance and being generally pleasant to just use all day. Did I mention I love the keyboard?

Dell XPS 13.4” Evo I7

This is a great computer. It’s really hard to decide how to rate it. There are a few drawbacks, and I think for some people, there may be a better choice for what you want to do. That’s why I’m giving this 4 rather than 5 stars, but I think if you decide that this is the right model, you will be satisfied. It really depends on what you want to do--this pc really tries to do everything well--the graphics are good enough to do some gaming and video work; the processor is fast enough to cover the needs of demanding software and multi-tasking; the build quality is high and the machine is light and the battery is strong if you need to commute or travel with it; the footprint is tiny while maximizing the screen; the audio is impressive and the control is good. But I’d ask yourself the following before ponying up: Do you want to play games on a 13.4” screen? Do you need an i7 (and the price tag) to do office work? Is a touchscreen that helpful if you’re not in a full two in one, with active pen? Are you doing high-level video and audio work that will need additional peripherals (and this computer only has ONE available port?)

Here’s the good:

--Very nice audio and good video. The crisp colors and screen resolution are strong. In word processing or email, the look just seems slightly less pleasant than my higher level work machine--this is a full hd display, but not quite the high level resolution of a more expensive machine. Text just looks a bit grainier, which also means it doesn’t stand quite so crisp on the screen. The XPS does have a full 1900x1200 display, but it’s not quite the pixel density of some higher levels. It’s very bright, but it also is less reflective than some displays. When playing a game, the contrasts are good, the colors very vivid, and the rendering is fast. A little game play comparing the XPS with a machine a few years older (and less fancy) certainly show the XPS shine, especially in filmed segments and in the audio. The audio really surprised me, as it’s full and enveloping without being anywhere near top volume. The sound definitely stood out compared to a lesser machine. There’s also onboard software to adjust the audio and the video to your preferences for whatever applications you’re pursuing. I haven’t played with a bunch, but it is nice to have available. Streaming video looks great, even when you’re very close to the screen. Small screens need to look sharp close up, and this one does. A large tv really shouldn’t be viewed close-up; but if you’re using a 13” laptop for your main video, this one should treat you well. Your internet and streaming connections are far more likely to provide a hiccup in watching video than this machine. Projecting audio through a smart speaker while watching video on Dell seems laggy, so I would not do that, however. Use the onboard audio.

--Fast and furious processing. The chip is definitely great, and the machine moves as fast as anything I’ve given it. That’s not a lot, to be honest, but the 8gb of ram is more likely to be an issue than the chip, I would think. If one can, going to 16 might be the smart thing. That’s not to say I’ve detected any problems with 8, but software gets more demanding every year. If it’s feasible to expand ram, it’s probably a good idea.

-- Build quality is good. The outside shell has some toughness, while the keyboard surface has a nice soft feel with some tactile friction that is nice compared to slicker keyboards. The thinness and slimness of this machine is notable. While the screen is a true 13.4”, the edge design means that the shell itself is the size of the screen. So, it’s a good bit smaller than other 13” machines, though the keyboard is pretty close to the same size as the other 13” machine I use regularly. It’s very light for a machine with this much in it. In an unscientific test on my kitchen scale, it comes in a bit under 3 lbs. Battery life is strong, and you can adjust performance levels to eke out more juice.

--extended desktop features: I can easily cast my screen wirelessly to my table and have an additional screen or extend the desktop. I should be able to do this with a smart tv too, but my tv seems to be acting very dumb (it won’t talk to anything right now, so I think it’s the tv interface, not the dell). This is a nice thing to have, especially when there are limited port options and no HDMI out.

The less good:

--The port situation. I know, this is what ALL the new computers are doing. But two thunderbolt 4 / usb c ports is really one: one of those ports is used for the charger. So, if you’re not running on battery, you’ve got one thunderbolt 4 and one micro sd card reader. That’s it. HDMI out would be nice...a full size card reader might be nice. But, as it is... use a monitor (with a dongle or thunderbolt)...but then nothing else. Use a thumb drive...then nothing else. Use a wireless mouse...and nothing else. I have a feeling I’ll be investing in a hub at some point. Dell does provide a dongle so that you can connect USB A to your thunderbolt. That’s very helpful.

--The battery life seems good, but the estimator is all over the place. It will tell me 2.5 hours, then 5.25, then 7, then 4, etc...within the course of an hour. I understand that it adjusts according to what I’m doing, but that many adjustments is not very helpful. I’ve used it for a few hours at a time without having any issues, but I’m really not sure if it would last seven.

--The keyboard gets very warm. You can adjust the fan settings if you’re not liking the heat, but it definitely seems a little warmer than average. The keys also have a nice feel on the surface, but the keyboard feels sort of hollow. It’s responsive and very springy, but just a bit empty feeling, if that makes sense. Seems just slightly cramped. If you’re a gamer, I cannot see that you’d use this keyboard and touchpad and not go crazy. I don’t think gamers would often do that...but then we have the port issue. The touchpad is ok, but I’m having some difficulty getting used to it. Probably just takes a little time. Not as scary sensitive as some.

--The touchscreen features are somewhat limited. A 2 in 1 will let you properly use an active pen and do a lot more with the touchscreen. If you really want to do a lot of that kind of work, definitely get the 2 in 1. I did not fully understand that this would not (as far as I can tell) be compatible with an active pen. I have other devices that do that, so it’s ok. But getting fingerprints all over your screen isn’t the best for this kind of workhorse anyway.

--The Webcam is ok. It’s 720, and it’s not super crisp, especially in low light.

So what’s my problem? Well, does this machine make sense? I thought it did--I think it would let me do a little of everything, though I could see someone who wants a more specific experience wanting a slightly different machine. If you really are a gamer, I don’t think you’ll want to play on a 13” screen. But you could. If you are doing a lot of office work, or you are traveling (or will be someday) this will certainly do the job, though you could probably get by with something a little cheaper (and maybe even with a better camera). If you’re doing some intense multimedia work, you might need something faster even than this. Or, you might want these specs, but in the 2 in 1. But if you want to do a little of everything, and perhaps if you want to get a few key peripherals to extend the at-home workability of this machine, it can do a lot for a middle price tag. As long as you like Windows. That’s not to be discounted. Within a few days of setting up this machine, a windows update messed up my system and I started over. It’s ok when you’ve not done anything yet, but--well, it’s a part of the deal.

First let me start by saying I was shocked to see my Tab S7 Plus in it's case to not only be the same size as the laptop, but also thicker! The XPS 13" is perfect for school and a home office. I've actually been using it while I am lying in bed. For the past week, living in TX we got hit HARD by the snowstorms and lost power for literally days at a time with maybe 5-10 minutes of power in between.

Package and setup

The box it comes with houses a premium inside box with the laptop and all its accessories. Comes with charger (USB C charging!), Micro SD card reader, Thunderbolt 4.0!!, Bluetooth, Fingerprint scanner and a nice backlit keyboard.

Setup when using the laptop the 1st time is fairly standard. Typical bloatware and whatnots to set to your personal preferences.

This laptop is straight beautiful. Full aluminum chassis and SUPER THIN. I mentioned earlier (also check the pics) my 12.7 and 10.5 in Tablets rival the size of the laptop but they are thicker too! Even being a 13" laptop, I had no discomfort using the keyboard with my gorilla hands lol. Being backlit is a plus. Screen is sharp with a 1920x1200 (slightly higher then FHD) with an almost bezel-less design. No bending or wobbling of any kind and great build quality. The portability of this laptop alone is wonderful.

Performance

I used the laptop heavily over the last week being stuck inside my house with no power during the freeze (used my tablets and phone as hotspots). Battery life would last on average 8-10 hours before needing to charge (my car charged the laptop just fine) and that's with mixed use and not turning the brightness all the way max. Streaming services like Youtube, Amazon Prime and Netflix was great and looked good. Web browsing and using office suite products like word I think is what makes it perfect for a home office but even better for school. 720p built in webcam will do just fine for meetings and skyping.

Light gaming was no match for the XPS. Even with integrated graphics instead of a dedicated card let me play RTS games with no lagging or stuttering. SSD was perfect for it's form factor. I think the 8GB of RAM is the bottleneck for it. But most who will use this laptop should have no issues what so ever.

Using the XPS for an extended period of time did make it warm, but not hot or anything of the sort. I never had issues with it bothering me.

I am currently using the laptop now for my online classes for school and would HIGHLY recommend to students considering it. Anyone looking for the portability of a tablet but the horsepower of a laptop should really take a close look at Dell's line up of the XPS.

This Dell XPS is an outstanding blend of features and benefits. It helps the end-user with productivity, research and entertainment. A real winner among laptops, the Dell XPS has a 13.4” Touch screen with the revolutionary Intel Evo Platform and i7 11th generation processor, 8GBs of memory and a 512GBs SSD hard drive.

• Set-up – With the help of Cortana’s voice setting up the Dell XPS 13 is fast and simple. Cortana really helps to make the computer start as you would like with options like your WiFi, a PIN or Fingerprint security. I actually chose both the fingerprint and PIN security options. Now I can sign in placing my first finger on the reader key (Upper Top, left). If for some reason that the fingerprint isn’t working, I still have the option of my PIN. You can sign up for a Microsoft account if you don’t already have one. The home version of Windows 10 will be running the show with features like the “Windows 7” menu which is really intuitive making the laptop kind of familiar. A full year of McAfee anti virus software comes with the Dell XPS 13.

• Build Quality – The Dell XPS 13 is incredibly sturdy with an aluminum frame. The laptop has a great sleek profile that is lightweight and really strong. I love the 13 inch size casing which makes it effortless to transport. The thickness of the Dell XPS 13 when the top is closed is smaller than a tiny paperclip! This is the thinnest I have ever scene a laptop! Battery life is updated in real time. If you are watching an intense movie of action and amazing screen shots, the battery life goes down. You can click on the battery icon at anytime on the bottom leftside of the screen. I set the Dell XPS 13 to help with battery life and have had long sessions with only a little bit of battery juice drained.

• Specs on the Speed – The Dell XPS 13 have 8GBs of RAM and 512GBs in the SSD. The new processor is the Intel Evo Platform with an i7 Core (11th generation!) and an integrated Iris XE chip for all your laptop graphic needs. For starters the 8GBs of RAM is probably the minimum amount of RAM memory you would want. Games and intense action movies use a lot of RAM. I didn’t experience a lot of buffering but, 12GBs or 16GBs would have really set this laptop apart in terms of multi purpose combinations of tabs. A 512GBs SSD seems to be the standard for these class of laptops. Nothing out of place here. If you fear you are running out of hard drive space (which would take a lot), a portable HD will work wonders. The Intel Evo is remarkable. It keeps track of the things you use the most on a laptop and internally works to provide the optimized settings automatically to help battery life, RAM and processing. In the near future that is something I am sure more computers will have. The Intel Evo Platform, much like the Thunderbolt being the next (and now) port of choice. I have had 8 tabs open all at once and did not experience and slowdown on the web and from the tabs. That is computing power.

• Touchscreen and Keyboard – The touch screen is impressive for small sized footprint. With all 4 sides of the touch screen using the “Infinity Edge” feature, the thin bezel just seems to disappear. The touch screen looks that much bigger because of this design. The 1920 x 1200 touch screen puts out full HD whether you are playing a game, watching a YouTube video or a movie. It is really is impressive considering this laptop is not a 4k laptop. I played some the movies from VUDU like “The Wall” and “John Wick.” The colors and sharpness really surprised me at how amazing the movies looked. A 13.4” touch screen is used with extremely accurate when using it or with the backlit keyboard. The keyboard lights up when typing and almost immediately turns off when you lift your fingers. I love this feature even if you can’t change the color. The touch screen much like the touchpad lets your fingers “glide” across the surface. Both are extremely smooth and useful. You can use the touchpad to navigate your way through your operating system or the web. In this way, you if don’t have a mouse, no problem! Don’t forget the 720p webcam with lights that set in the ultra think bezel. The webcam has superior lighting with 2 lights in the bezel setting on opposite sides of the webcam. In short, you will look good in dim light, and not buffer when the webcam is in use. This webcam was not an after thought. It is a real nice component that adds value to this laptop.

• Ports – There are 2 Thunderbolt 4.0 ports. The Thunderbolt ports can move information an incredible “40 GBs” a second! I was able to backup from my USB type A 3.0 portable hard drive using the Thunderbolt port in minutes, not hours! With the 2 Thunderbolt ports, one is used to charge the laptop, but you can use both of them for a USB type C mouse or USB type C portable hard drive. Included with the XPS 13 is a USB type C to USB type A 3.0 which really comes in handy, because the industry is moving over to Thunderbolt ports. You can use your USB type A mouse right away with this attachment. One gripe, as wonderful as the 2 4.0 Thunderbolts ports are, the fact there is only 2. This left me feeling a bit challenged as to how to set up system with the laptop. My best advice is to buy a USB type A 3.0 hub. Most of them are reasonably priced and you can 4 or more USB type A 3.0 ports. That solved my issue. With the hub attachment, I then plug in my portable drive USB type A 3.0, a game controller and a mouse. I used the other Thunderbolt port for charging. The other 2 ports are a 3.5mm jack and an SD card reader. The SD card reader is nice to have for transferring data and the 3.5mm jack is superb for headphones.

• Sound – The sound of movies, music and games is much better than I thought. It is plenty loud and distortion free. The Dell XPS 13 uses a Waves Maxxaudio Pro card in the computer. Out of all the ports Dell could have put into this laptop, they included a 3.5mm jack. I actually really like that they did that. Using the 3.5mm jack for headphones is a simple and easy transition to hear what is going on the laptop. Music sounded especially nice with the headphones. I do want to say that the audiophile open back headphones I am using sound the best I have ever heard in a laptop. The sound coming out of this 3.5mm is very impressive!

Overall the Dell XPS 13.4" Touch-Screen Laptop with Intel Evo Platform, Intel Core i7 (11th generation) with 8GBs Memory and a 512GBs SSD sets the pace among laptops for the value and performance people are looking for. Whether it is a movie, or streaming a channel, this Dell XPS 13 will get the job done with no fuss. The Intel Evo Platform is definitely a highlight and could be a make or break choice depending on how you work with your laptop. If the Dell XPS 13 intrigues you, consider making this your very own laptop.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this laptop that has the convenience of a tablet but performs like a very capable laptop.

First impressions:

I will keep it short and sweet. The quality is very good! There are a few standouts when it comes to a laptop this light and portable.

* There is no flex in the screen/lid, it is touchscreen and very responsive but as thin as it is...when you are closing or opening the laptop, IT DOES NOT FLEX! It is very sturdy as is the whole frame/chasis.

*BONUS; true indicator of quality even when it comes to the hinges and craftsmanship. The screen/lid allows for one handed opening. The screen raises without issues and does not lift the body in the process. Gone are the days of opening your laptop as if you were trying to pry open a clam! I have only experienced this type of attention to detail in the $2200 plus laptops.

* the chrome accents look amazing and give this laptop a very nice touch of high end device. The textured keyboard panel looks amazing as well, it compliments the high end look very well.

The PORTABILITY!

I thought the smaller screen size would be difficult to get used to but believe me it isn't as this little laptop allows to be taken and positioned anywhere you could take a tablet Buuuut it performs like a full size laptop. I ran multiple programs, video editing and it didn't slow down or glitch. There is a full version of windows, not the windows S that comes on most performance tablets. The laptop may be small but it has a full version of windows 10!

*THUNDERPORT!!! those not famiuliar with the thunderport, it is not just a USB-C input/output. It is a thunderport which allows for upto 40gbps ! So if you are looking at it and seeing a lack of ports not to worry, with the thunderport you can connect a dock with every port you need and actually have the speeds needed to have it perform seamless. You can even connect thunderbolt port 4.0 to multiple monitors with the right adapter. They did a good job of making the laptop slim and realizing you need ports and they supplied the thunderbolt port to address all concerns.

*Windows HELLO/Fingerprint scan, 2 very easy ways to login to the laptop which have a very high success rate. it isn't necessary but it is a nice way to avoid password logins and just sit and start using the laptop as quick as can be.

*Bluetooth 5.0 and Wireless AX so downloads speeds are very quick and strong connections to your bluetooth devices.

*the i7 processor has been performing great with the integrated graphics card has allowed for very smooth video.

The only negative i have come across is the included memory . I can live with the 512 SSD drive, which is quite quick, but the 8gb ram...i wish it was 16gb and then this laptop would not need any upgrades. That is the only con that stands out and deserves to be mentioned. The micro sd port is pretty cool and go overlooked if you don't look close enough but it's a nice touch.

Of course there is more i can list as far as wants but the laptop is not meant to be a gaming laptop but a powerful on the go laptop for someone who takes their on the travel productivity a serious step further. B+

Ultra books are not dead. This is still one of the best use laptops that have come out in a while. Dell has been able to squeeze a ton of good specs into this laptop. If you are looking for a great all around laptop that is easy to use on the go with great specs, look into this. This is Dell's 11th gen 13 inch model and they still are bringing a quality product out.

Their display is bright enough and the 1900x1200 resolution is great.

Keyboard is solid, button press has a great feel to it. Can type really well with how this feels. Backlit keys are always a plus for dim lit environments.

Input and output: Just enough with the 2 thunderbolt ports. Worth it to get a desk dock from Dell as well to hookup external monitors and peripherals. Headset mic/headphone jack is neat to have. Micro SD card slot is great for transferring photos/videos.

Webcam: Decent enough for conference calls and video calls.

Downside is that it is only 720p.

Internal specs: 512gb storage, 8gb memory, 2.8ghz 11th Generation Intel i7-1165G7. Once again, good for all around performance.

Looks is sleek with the aluminum silver body.

Want to play some games? I tested out some Counter Strike Go and it played decent enough. I do recommend connecting to dock for external use and peripherals.

The Dell XPS9310 is, in my opinion, a better than average laptop (in price and function). It’s not quite a high-end gaming laptop, but it’s more than an internet surfing or general office machine. It has the capability to do most anything, making it pretty versatile.

The laptop is very sleek and surprisingly slim, all the while having a 512 GB solid state drive and 8 GB RAM. It comes with a headphone jack, built-in camera and microphone. The sound is surprisingly excellent for such a slim device.

It has a 13.4 inch LED screen. The picture is crisp and colors are vibrant. The screen goes nearly to the edge which makes it seem larger than the 13.4 inches. The screen is also a touch screen. This seems like a neat feature however I'm unsure what it could be best used for. It’s not really a tablet, but has the option to use the touch screen if you’d like.

It comes with 2 Thunderbolt 4 Ports as well as a USB adapter. If they could have squeezed 4 Thunderbolt ports in versus 2, it would make a huge difference. In an effort to make the laptop slim, they have limited what can be plugged in. At times you have to think about what you want to hook up. It may be wise to get a USB 3.0 hub to go with this product. And in a continuing laptop trend you must use a wireless internet connection because there is no Ethernet port. The internet connection is AX band, and it is equipped with Bluetooth.

The backlit keyboard is a plus. The feel of the keyboard is very nice and the key press sounds are pleasant and not too loud. My wife really enjoys the Precision Touchpad. She likes it compared to the old style touch pads with 2 buttons. I am more old-fashioned and prefer a mouse.

Overall, I like the laptop and would give it 4 stars. It exceeds my normal day-to-day needs. I would like to have more inputs, but otherwise it seems to be a quick and solid machine.

I personally love Dell products. I have owned many Dell laptops, a few desktops and even some of their computer speakers when they use to make their 2.1 systems. Dell just puts effort in making quality products for a reasonable price everyone can afford. This Dell XPS is no exception.

The design and build quality is standard for dell. Higher end finishes with sturdy build quality. Nothing new. Although the XPS line is upper mid level so the fit and finish will be a little higher. It’s really stylish IMO. I LOVE IT.

As far as speed and specs go this is nearly spec’d out minus the 4K screen but thats fine for me as it will kill the battery faster. This comes with a 1200p screen which is a bit higher resolution than 1080p. But also this is an ultra wide screen so it balances out. Still, the picture quality is very good. Plenty brightness for hdr and sharp enough for any video you watch on YouTube even 8k video samples. (I like watching those).

The 11h gen intel processor is faster than anything out there that you can Actually get. Basic commands seem super snappy and the operating system seems to be work very quickly as well. Gaming is no bad either for an integrated mobile GPU. Although I will say I have an actual gaming desktop and gaming laptop so I won’t actually game on this. But nice to have. 8gb ram is plenty for business and school use. But not so much for gaming IMO. The 512gb SSD is perfect size for everyday needs. Backlit keyboard is nice. You can even lift the screen open with out lifting the whole laptop. I love that.

If you are like me and will use this for YouTube, Netflix and the like. Then You hope to have good speakers right? Well this Dell XPS 13 has some great speakers. Louder than you would imagine and very crisp solid overall sound from such a small form factor.

I didn’t us the fingerprint scanner myself because I opted to use the face unlock feature since it’s easier for me. And I will say that it works very well. No issues to report at this time.

Overall this is a way better option than its main competitor, the Apple equivalent. This is higher spec and way less in price. Is this is an option I highly recommend.

This truly is a gem. A bit pricey but well worth the premium for what it offers.

My general impression of this 2-in-1 laptop is that between the form factor, battery life, and high-powered CPU in this device, it will please any student or professional on the go who is looking for the combined functionality of a tablet and a laptop.

This keyboard is absolutely pure bliss. It takes all my favorite elements of a keyboard that includes tactility and proper placement of keys and combines them with perfect attack, stroke depth, and creates a wonderful typing experience on a laptop with a footprint this thin and small in general. The keys are best suited to burst-typing in my opinion. I achieved over a 60-second 10fastfingers.com test about 83WPM typing, which is right up there with my favorite of all time 2015 Macbook Pro keyboard. The only aspect of the keyboard that I dislike is the pg up and pg down buttons being directly above the left and right arrow keys. More than once, even in the typing of this review, I have accidently tapped either of those keys and launched myself away from where I was intending to navigate. I would suggest to dell a software method of turning these pg up and pg down keys off and making it so you can just use a key combination like windows key+up or down key instead.

The FHD screen of this model is what I consider perfect for a laptop this size and for the usages I intend of future schoolwork, Word processing, web navigation, and productivity work in general. Most professional reviewers will agree that small laptop screens such as these gain subjectively marginal visual benefits for increased pixel density but can suffer greatly with shortened battery life as the battery gets taxed trying to power the increased demand of a higher-resolution screen. The stock resolution of 1920 X 1200 looks fantastic in my opinion as it gives you more vertical space to navigate on a screen this size. It also came stock at 150% zoom for icon size etc. and I think this works nicely too for the visual appeal of the laptop and navigation.

As a primary Apple MBP user, I am heartily surprised by how much I am enjoying the touchscreen functionality of this 2-in-1 laptop. Sometimes, it just feels nice when sitting on the couch to flip the screen over and go into touch screen mode, navigating around with simple gestures and touches of the incredibly responsive screen. The only thing to note here is that, because of the beautiful infinityedge display here that all but eliminates bezels around the entirety of the laptop screen, you really don’t have much to hold onto. While this is not as focused and functional in tablet mode as a dedicated tablet, it will likely please anyone who is looking for a two-in-one.

Tests: On Cinebench R15 OpenGL it got 77.22fps. Awesome. On CPU is got 270cb. Both of these figures are incredibly respectable and would have been considered impossible four years ago on an Ultrabook device when I first got into laptops and reviewing them.

The trackpad I would say is serviceable but not my favorite I have had on a laptop. It appears to be a springboard type trackpad when means the bottom will have good action when pressing the keyboard to click but the top requires a firmer press. After all my experiences with force touch trackpads with Apple, I just cannot hold any trackpad in higher esteem than those. But this one is nice and relatively large considering the absolutely tiny footprint of this 13.4” screen laptop.

The wifi antenna for this is the Killer Wi-fi AX1650s 160MHz and is soldered onto the motherboard, so you will not be replacing it. Historically, I have not been a fan of Killer for my wifi network adapters as I have found their drivers to be unstable and to have caused drops of connection in previous laptops I have owned of Dell make like my old Alienware 17 R4. Thus far in this laptop though, I have not noticed any issues in the connectivity or internet speeds.

The SSD in this particular model is an NVME drive made by KIOXA, and there is something wrong with this drive. In initiating the CrystalDiskMark test, this drive emitted a God-awful squealing noise audible from a couple feet away from the laptop. It is a sound remarkably like coil whine. Within a minute of initiating the benchmark test, the fan of the laptop ramped up and upon touching the very top right of the keyboard deck I realized that the laptop was getting hot! According to HWmonitor, the temperature of the laptop got up to 100 degrees Celsius, which for me us unheard of for just the simple read/write testing of an SSD! I even got a replacement model of this laptop and tried the test again, and sure enough it was the same result. A disclaimer here though is that the laptop only did this the first time the test was initiated. In future iterations of the test, I did not have that issue.

I have to offer some nitpicks here, just as I hope that Dell may read them and consider. First, as with many Windows devices, this laptop comes with a large amount of bloatware that is unnecessary given how high end this device is. McAfee is annoying and invasive and seems to pop up on your screen at the most random of times to interrupt your work and remind you to download their anti-virus software. This was annoying and I uninstalled it quickly. I also dislike how, with all Windows devices, Microsoft absolutely ASSAULTS YOU with their insistence that you use their Microsoft Edge browser. I find it patronizing and distracting to be going about my everyday tasks and to be constantly interrupted. On a Dell specific note, I dislike the popups from their support assist software. Basically, I hate distractions in my workflow and anything like the above-mentioned items that could be eliminated I will hold a laptop maker accountable for. The speakers also, while decent, do distort quite a bit at max volume. This is an issue I feel could have been eliminated with more R&D, but is forgivable given that many users will just use headphones anyways.

Altogether, aside from the quirk with the first-time coil-whine noise on the CrystalDiskMark test, I have found good success with this laptop. It has definitely found its way into my daily workflow and is a nice upgrade to my previous daily driver windows laptop I used previously. Thanks for reading and hope this review helped you!

## Design

The Dell XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 laptop has a sleek aluminum exterior (similar to the Macbook). The keyboard is comfortable to type on (although there is no numeric keypad) and the back-lighting is appreciated for late-night work. The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader that works with Windows Hello to allow you to login and unlock quickly.

The display is a touchscreen and it can fold around back to use the laptop as a tablet (the keyboard becomes disabled in this state). You can also fold it in a tent shape which makes it ideal for watching videos.

## Display

The FHD+ IPS displays look great from most angles, but I sometimes notice some light banding near the top and bottom of the screen. Otherwise, the screen is bright and colorful. Movies and videos look great on it, but the display is shiny and the glare can be very distracting if you're in a bright room.

While the laptop seems smaller than many 13 inch laptops, that's thanks in part to the almost bezel-less display. You still get a nice 13 inch display in a smaller form factor. This particular model does not have a 4K display, but still looks sharp regardless.

## Performance

While Windows seems to load quickly on the XPS 13, I prefer to use Ubuntu so I installed Ubuntu 20.04 on it. Dell doesn't officially support Ubuntu on this particular model, however the WiFi, sound, brightness and volume controls all worked out-of-the-box. One hardware component that did not work out of the box on Ubuntu was the fingerprint scanner.

Performance is snappy and the XPS 13 can handle running several applications (or a bunch of browser tabs) simultaneously. This is thanks in part to Intel's 11th generation i7 processor in the laptop. Web pages load quickly and the processor can handle javascript-heavy sites without batting an eye. Photo editing and light video editing are also fine on this system.

This particular model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, which is a little on the low end, but is more than adequate for web browsing, document editing, coding and online meetings. If you're doing heavy video editing or gaming, you'll probably want a machine with beefier specs and storage.

## Battery Life

Even on Ubuntu, I found the battery life to be very good for web browsing and working on documents. I'd estimate around 7-9 hours of battery life in these scenarios. Ubuntu also seems to sleep and resume properly when opening and closing the lid with minimal battery drain while sleeping.

The XPS 13 recharges with a modern USB-C Power Delivery connection, allowing you to easily pick up a new charger if you misplace the included one. There are two USB-C ports, but no standard USB-A port on this system. Therefore, you may want to look into a USB-C hub if you want to connect external drives or peripherals with a "regular" USB connector.

## Summary

Overall, you can think of this system as the Macbook Air of Windows machines. It's lightweight, compact, has a sleek aluminum exterior, and has great performance for work and school. And if Windows is not your cup of tea, Ubuntu 20.04 seems to run fine on it as well, although it is not officially supported.

Pros:

1. Processor - Intel® Evo™ Platform - Core™ i7 - 11th Generation processor for super fast performance, Intel Wifi 6 connectivity for faster connection, Intel Iris Xe graphics for more vivid colors

2. Design - Diamond Cut Sidewalls provides a jaw dropping sleek aluminium exterior. 2 in 1 design makes it a delight to use it like a tablet or tent-shape for watching movies.

3. Display - FHD+ Infinity Edge display provides a 16:10 aspect ratio there by providing 7% larger screen than before.

4. Keyboard - Improved Edge to Edge Backlit Keyboard with Fingerprint embedded in the Power button makes typing really smooth and easy to use in the night.

5. Charger and Battery - This laptop comes with a 45W USB C charger which provides fast charging and the battery i believe lasts upto 8 to 9 hours with about 30% brightness.

6. Port - Thunderbolt 4 port provides upto 40 GB/s transfer rate which is amazing especially for people who use this laptop for transferring photos and videos

7. Sound - Waves Max Audio delivers clear and loud sound which makes the speakes truly outstanding

8. Weight - This Ultrabook is so sleek which is very similar to Macbook Pro that it weighs only 2.9 pounds making this laptop truly portable and a joy to have especially during travel.

Cons:

1. Just 8 GB memory - 16 GB memory would have made this laptop more powerful for people who use it mainly for Gaming or video editing but still it doesn't make a big difference for people who use it for every day activities like browsing and watching movies.

2. Ports - Lack of USB A port could be something which many might have complaints about even though the laptop comes with a USB C to USB A convertor.

3. Display - Shiny screen could sometimes cause glare.

I got this XPS 13 and another 15.6" Intel 11th gen i7 1165G7 processor, Evo, Intel Iris Xe, within a few weeks of each of other. I'm a software developer, and I finally have some future travel plans. I plan to take an additional USB3 C PD monitor with me. I want to travel as light as possible, but still be productive. I previously traveled with a 17" notebook, as a few years back it had the highest quality monitor, and for my development needs I needed a large monitor. But today's best notebooks have improved the quality of their monitors significantly (brighter and higher resolution) and the quality of the embedded graphics boards continues to get better and better.

The 11th gen Intel i7 with 4 cores and 2 threads, is a great processor, that sips power and generates nominal heat. Both of theses computers can run on batteries between 8 and 12 hrs (depending on how they are being used, and screen brightness) This was unthinkable 4 or 5 years ago. And the ability to drive a second, or third monitor with a single cable was not possible.

Now in order to make modern computers more portable some other functionality has changed. This XPS 13 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and 1 Micro SD card slot. Notebooks used to have 4 to 5 USB ports, and CD/DVD drives, but in order to get this computer under 3lbs (2.9) things have been made more modularised, and if you need more ports, you can add them, if you need those ports to be extremely fast you can do that too (at a price). Thunderbolt 4 provides a number of "pay as you go" options, a HQ USB 3.2 docking station is about $100, the same type of Thunderbolt 4 docs probably runs $100-$150 more but offers 40mb/s transfer rates vs 10/20mb/s rates for a USB 3.1 or 3.2 adapter. But there are only 2 devices that approach this rate today, a nvme M.2 SSD drive and 4K monitors. SD cards come no where close, nor do the fastest USB thumb drives. I did testing and they are more than 10x slower, so the advantage of having 10-15 devices connected to you notebook offers a huge amount of flexibility.. Leave 10+ devices on your desk by disconnecting a single cable. This is a new convenience, that modern notebooks with Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ports offer, and even USB 3,2 Gen 2 with PD (power delivery) comes very close. The last photo shows the port adapter I decided to use with the XPS 13.

To let you follow along with my thought process, the first two images show how similar the thickness of these computers is, the second compares the screen size, it's a little deceptive because the XPS's bezel is smaller than it's counterpart. The XPS 13 has a 13.4" display, the other is 15.6". The XPS weighs 2.9lbs, the other 4.3lbs.

I said is did some benchmarking, the CPU numbers were, not surprisingly pretty equivalent. The XPS has 4 channel memory vs 2, which should make it faster (if it has enough, my unit only had 8GB, which actually slowed down avg access) it's counterpart had more than 32gb, which improved it access speed across the different channels. The XPS has new type of onboard modular memory, it CL 20, 4 channel; it technically was faster than it's counterparts CL18, dual channel memory. But from my general windows 10 testing, windows prefers at least 16gb memory to become really efficient (just running multiple browser windows.

I show you the back of the XPS13 (2-in-1) to tell you the innards are different from the those not called 2-in-1. All XPS 13 have onboard memory (get at least 16gb); but the 2-in-1 does not have a upgradable nvme m.2 drive. And my benchmarks show about 2500 ops for the included SSD, vs 3400 ops on my upgraded comparison computer (the smaller 256gb size might have also hurt it's potential performance).

I did a number of other networking test and the XPS 13 was exceptional. But after typing on it for hours I loved it's 3 levels of back lighting on the keyboard. but the key travel was short, had less feel than I'm used to. I have year old MacBook Air, I'd say the Del's XPS 13 key travel is similar. As a developer that does a lot of typing, this was a bit of a concern. I'd concentrated on the form factor, and screen size, and performance so much in my comparison. I didn't think that the keyboard might make that much difference.

To be honest I'm still pondering which I will take with me, I wish I'd gotten more RAM. I can take external SSD to deal with the drive size differences. I love the look of the XPS 13, a smaller package the does what I need, but I'm not sure I can live with the keyboard for a long period of time. The graphics performance is darn good, the image quality most excellent, the SSD speed ok, takes (10s) longer to boot than what I compared against. I do wish the XSP 13 2-in-1 was upgradable, there are bigger faster SSD's, and there will continue to be). I was not aware the SSD could not be upgraded, but it's not a deal breaker.

I do like the notebook, almost love it, but not positive it's the perfect match for my needs (I'm sure I'll keep it, just use it differently).

The Dell XPS 13" 2 in 1... the TLDR: too pricey for low end specs, not recommended.

Lets begin with the stuff that the Dell XPS 13" 2 in 1 excels at:

> Portability - This little guy is very lightweight coming in a tad shy of 3 lbs and the super slim bezels account for a very portable and small footprint workhorse.

> Build Quality - The aluminum chassis is top notch with little flex from the screen and keyboard. Aside from the biometric fingerprint power button being misaligned (i was able to nudge it around with my nail to re-align it), there were no noticeable blemishes or observable flaws. This laptop feels like it is durable and can endure many years of use (or abuse depending on the user, wink wink)!

> Keyboard - Travel and consistency of keys lead to a very comfortable typing experience. The only gripe i have with the keyboard is the page up/down keys sitting above the directional left/right keys, which leads to unintentional page scrolling when i am attempting to use the arrow keys to navigate.

> Screen - The adoption of the 16:10 screen ratio is one that greatly appreciated, especially for productivity needs.

> Performance - The Intel i7-1165G7 provides enough computational power for my needs (Software Engineering). Without running benchmarks, i was able to practically feel the zippiness of the CPU in compilation and execution times and how this CPU clearly outpaces my 4th gen i7-4770k rig. When running benchmarks, i was very surprised to see how much processing power the new 11th gen CPUs produce. Though the CPU is capable, the system does bottleneck due to the meager 8GB of RAM. Please consider your workflow and buy the right/required amount of RAM you will absolutely need because the RAM is soldered and not user upgradeable!

> Thunderbolt 4 Ports - Having two Thunderbolt 4 ports is quite nice, especially now that i'm used to the dongle life (both a pro & a con). The versatility of these ports is amazing and pretty much any peripheral can be connected from USB drives to monitors. I was able to drive my two 4K monitors effortlessly (one connected via a Thunderbolt 3 dock via the first Thunderbolt 4 port and the other into the second Thunderbolt 4 port). Please note, the XPS also comes with one USB Type-C to Type-A dongle, allowing users to connect one peripheral.

Things that the Dell XPS 13" 2 in 1 struggles with:

> Battery Life (i would like to preface this with the fact that battery life will vary based on usage, so please take my feedback for this particular aspect with a grain of salt) - I could hardly go beyond 5 hours before needing to plugin. Though i do run pretty intensive software (as i'm a Software Engineer), i would've liked to see at least 7 hours out of this machine before charging up as this is an Intel Evo certified product. I typically set the brightness to anywhere around 60% to 80% for normal use, but noticed that if i set the brightness to 40% or less, i can eke out almost 7 hours of use before needing to juice up. Using the laptop on 40% brightness or less though is less than optimal for me and perhaps other users, so i definitely wanted to point that out especially if computationally expensive workflows are common for you and battery life is your biggest concern. Please bear in mind though, my same usage on other laptops, such as my Surface Pro 6 or 2015 Macbook Pro 15, net me around 2-3 hours of usage; so relatively speaking, the XPS' battery life is actually pretty good (and maybe the 9+ hours of battery life requirement for Intel Evo certified laptops are intended for lighter work flows?).

> Audio - The audio from the speakers in this laptop sounds tinny and when bumping the volume north of 55%, micro-vibrations can be felt from the chassis. I would like to note that the 3.5mm audio jack produces pretty clean audio though. The laptop was able to decently drive my Audio-Technica ATH-R70x open-back headphones (470 ohms) decently without requiring an amp.

> Ports - There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports (both a pro & con), which has me often reaching for my dongles if i need to plugin additional peripherals (e.g., mouse, thumb drive, etc.) when i'm not docked. Adoption of the USB Type-C form factor is still not there yet, as most peripherals are still USB Type-A; would have loved to see one USB Type-A port on the XPS but it has been omitted for obvious reasons. The last port provided, as mentioned previously, is a 3.5mm audio jack which can be used for microphone + headset output and produces very good audio relative to my hardware.

Though this machine feels premium, there are many things that, especially at this price point, warrant me to highly recommend against it:

> RAM - For the price, there is only 8GB of RAM. There are many other laptops in this price range that offer double the RAM.

> SSD - The SSD comes in at 256GB. As with the RAM, there are other laptops in this price range that offer at least double the storage.

> Screen Resolution - Laptop comes with FHD+ resolution, which is 1920 x 1200. Would have liked to at least have a QHD+ resolution for more clarity, especially at this price point. Other laptops in this price range provide 4K panels.

If you need a 2 in 1 laptop under 14" and 3 lbs, this laptop is a great choice especially when it is on sale. The build quality is top tier and processing power is quite adequate for mostly every day use. However when not on sale, i find it hard to recommend due to the relatively small amount of RAM & storage that comes along with the high price tag.

This laptop is on the higher end price point wise. I was expecting near perfection. I have one a third of the cost that does a lot of the same things (laptop to tablet function etc, so I was excited to see how much better it performed.) As a tablet, it is great. The sound and picture quality when watching movies is excellent. The colors are vivid and clear. It runs fast and smooth and connects to wifi easily. When doing video calls, the picture of the other caller is crisp and good. However, my image that I send out looks hazy. I tried several apps and changing my background lighting to rule that out. The setting were on the best quality as well. Verdict: the web cam under performs.

Now, as a laptop I was so disappointed to find there were no USB-A ports (the bigger standard looking USB). There are 2 USB-C ports (the size of the newer cell phone charger USBs). The laptop can be plugged into with the power cord from either side on the USB -C ports. There is an SD card slot and a head phone jack port. That's it. No HDMI port either. The only reason I can think of is to keep it "sleek". Instead, the laptop now needs that adapter it comes with, and it's aggravating. When you plug that in, there goes the sleekness out the window. A Bluetooth mouse is practically a must. The other laptop I have (that I referenced earlier that was 1/3 the cost) came with 2 USB -C ports, an HDMI port, a charging port, a head phone jack port, and USB- A port. As a laptop, this needs a USB extender/adapter to allow for all the ports it's missing.

The keys on the keyboard work fine. They don't depress deeply at all. It's not a satisfying experience when typing for me. Almost like I'm typing on a flat board that doesn't give much feedback. I play piano and can type at least 80 words per minute, so maybe that is why I care to mention it. Again, probably done to keep it "sleek."

And finally, when charging the laptop, the indicator light stays white just to let you know it's charging. It won't change to a different color when it's fully charged though.

So depending on what you are after, this could be the right purchase for you. If you are wanting a more traditional laptop experience, I would not choose this. If you are after more of a tablet experience with a little laptop stuff on the side, this might be for you. I had to go 3 stars for the camera deficiencies, high price point, and missing USB and HDMI ports. Those are important for my day to day uses. Sleekness is a cool feature but does not replace functionality. And I can't say I'd recommend it to a friend because the price point is too high for me to not get all the key things I'm looking for in a laptop, and have a web cam that doesn't look crisp in today's remote work/school necessities. I want to look good on my end of the webcam too, just sayin.

I use both Mac and Windows machines for my work and entertainment. The Dell XPS 13” 2-in-1 laptop is my current Windows machine. It’s the XPS9310-7115SLV-PUS and ships with 8GM of RAM and a 256GB SSD and touts the Intel Evo Core i7 processor. The reasons for choosing this model were the low profile, sleek overall build with the next to bezel-less FHD+ touchscreen and ability to use as a laptop or tablet. So far, the XPS has lived up to or exceeded my expectations.

What’s in the box: the XPS 9310 2-in-1 unit, a 45W AC adapter with USB-C connector, a USB-C to SUB-A adaptor and paperwork/quick start guide. The system includes a McAfee® LiveSafe™ 12 Month Subscription and Microsoft Office 30 Day Trial. In terms of a quick start guide, it's pretty straight forward as there is nothing to really set up. Connect the 2 pieces of the power cord and plug in the unit, and you’re ready to customize your system.

First Impressions:

The Dell XPS 13 is a very modern and low-profile build, using a unique hinge to keep the unit symmetrical when using as either a laptop or tablet. The platinum silver cover and diamond cut sidewalls lend to a high-end look and feel and protects while looking great! It’s small, light and streamlined with minimal in/outputs. Once turned on, the FHD+ touch screen (1920 x 1200 native resolution) is bright and seems larger than 13.4” due to the low-bevel design. Using Cortana to set up, I set the system to use facial recognition using the HD 720P webcam that is included. There’s also a fingerprint reader built into the power button.

Performance:

I loaded up some of my everyday apps including Microsoft Office and proceeded to open a few up and run multiple apps simultaneously. I then joined a Zoom video meeting to put it into real world environment. The XPS, even with just 8GB RAM plugged along quicker than my current MacBook Air. Applications and windows opened quickly and the video meeting was crisp and without lag. The Wi-Fi 6 hardware seems to connect easily and streaming was superb with no lag. In today’s streaming world, the Dell XPS was up to the challenge!

Battery Life:

First off, the 45W power cord is very compact and great for the road warriors out there. There is a charging indicator light on the front edge of the system to confirm charging. The battery life is excellent in either laptop or tablet mode. It can easily run for multiple days before needed to be recharged.

Other Features:

The keyboard is essentially full size which makes it nice for the power users out there. It’s backlit for use in darker environments and the keys have a short throw with a nice haptic click. There’s also a fingerprint reader built into the power button for a simple login.

The FHD+ touchscreen is 13.4” and I found it to be super responsive in tablet mode. The finish seemed to help reduce fingerprints and smudges as well, although the anti-glare finish did pick up glare in sunnier environments. The viewing angle, brightness and crisp graphics all make for a above average user experience.

USB-C to USB-A adaptor – as this system is sleek, there are only the 2 USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) an SD card slot and an earphone jack built in. For users who want to add peripherals, the included dongle is a nice touch. With it, any USB-A peripherals are supported. It’s small enough to simply throw in your bag when on the go.

Pros:

- Very well built and modern sleek design is a plus for anyone looking to take the system on the rode

- Very efficient and powerful system in either laptop or tablet mode

- Lightweight and easy to use in either mode

- Loved the touch and throw of the keyboard

- Display is bright and crisp, even in brighter environments

- Ease of setup and use

Cons:

- Although it’s touted as “easy open” I found it to be a challenge to open as there is no lip on the leading edge

- Although quiet, the unit did heat up a bit when used in my lap on the couch

Overall, the Dell XPS 13.4” 2-in-1 system is a very well-made system with enough processing power to support most users out there. Sure, if you are a power user, step up to the unit with double the RAM and storage size. This system is lightweight and sleek and great for use as a laptop or tablet at home, the office or on the road. I would certainly recommend this unit to anyone looking for a 2-in-1 setup.

I love my MacBook Pro, but I also need a Windows machine for work. I've grown tired of the Surface Pro's and was underwhelmed by my Pro 7. It was time for a new laptop; I wanted something lightweight, touch screen, 2 in 1, and premium. This Dell has been amazing for me so far.

It comes very nicely packaged along with a USB-C charger and a USB-A to C adapter. From the moment I took it out of the box, I knew that this was a premium laptop. It is incredibly sturdy while also being very lightweight. The metal finish looks and feels great as does the material around the keyboard and trackpad. As a Mac user, I have already switched to USB-C peripherals along with a thunderbolt dock that extends to 2 27" 4k monitors. This Dell has an SD card reader and two Thunderbolt 4(!) ports which is all I need. I love that this has the latest Thunderbolt technology since I am so vested in that environment.

The setup of Windows was quick and easy and within minutes I was up and running. After running some Windows updates, I put this beauty to the test and was amazed by its' processing speed, exceptional trackpad and solid keyboard. The keyboard layout is perfect, the backlit keys are nice and bright and the display is gorgeous. The speakers don't blow me away, I was expecting a little more from them. The only other con for me is the fingerprint reader, it does not work 9/10 times. I redid my prints a few times and finally gave up and went with Windows Hello instead. I would much prefer the fingerprint reader and am a bit disappointed that it is useless.

Next I hooked this up to my Thunderbolt dock and was so happy to see the output in 4k on both displays, my Surface couldn't do that! As far as performance, I have been blown away by this XPS. I run Zoom meetings, Teams, stream Youtube TV, Disney+, etc, and have not had a single issue or lag. I have not been the biggest Windows supporter, but with the right machine, it's a great system. This is by far the best Windows machine I have ever used and might just be the best laptop I've ever used period.