| The perfect portable computer is something we’ve been chasing for decades. Ideally, it’s an exceptionally light, incredibly thin computer that can fit comfortably on our lap and slip into a shoulder bag. It should easily last all day or more without needing to be plugged in. It needs to be powerful enough to justify carrying it around instead of just getting everything done with an even more portable smartphone or tablet. It really ought to look good, too. Oh, and could you put a flat-out gorgeous 13-inch screen on it too, please, without making it feel big? Thanks. No pressure. |
| Dell’s new XPS 13 is just the latest laptop that promises to check all those boxes. It’s technically a 13-inch computer thanks to its 13.3-inch display, but it’s the size of a typical 11-inch computer. Dell boasts that it’s the “smallest 13-inch laptop on the planet,” and sure enough, it has a significantly smaller footprint than the 13-inch MacBook Air and other 13-inch computers. | | The XPS 13 starts at $799 and comes in two configurations: a standard non-touch model with a 1080p screen and a full-touch version with a 3200 x 1800 pixel panel. Both versions have what Dell is calling an “infinity display,” which really means a screen with very small borders around it, enabling Dell to put a larger display in a smaller package. | | I’ve never been a fan of 11-inch computers: while they are certainly more compact and portable than their 13-inch counterparts, the compromises you have to make in terms of screen real-estate and keyboard comfort aren’t usually worth it. But a computer with a 13-inch display and the footprint of an 11-inch model? Count me in. That’s exactly what Dell’s promising with the XPS 13, and for the most part, it pulls it off. I’ve been using the touchscreen model (which is available for a steep $500 premium) for a few weeks, and I’m pretty sure that this is a look at the future of all laptops. But, sadly, only a look. |
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