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Laptops

One of the best laptops we've tested is turning into a tablet

A thinner, lighter, flippier XPS 13

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Dell's XPS 13 is one of the best laptops we've ever used here at Reviewed.com, and we've thrown plenty of awards its way. For 2017, Dell's taken most of its awesome ultrabook formula and flipped it on its head. The new Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 keeps most of what we love about the standard XPS 13 and adds hinges that let you use it in tablet modes. Dell's kept the distinctive, beautiful design and signature InfinityEdge display.

This Dell's gotten even thinner, thanks in part to a change to 7th generation Intel Y-series chips. Even though this XPS 13 looks a lot like the previous incarnations, you'll lose out on a bit of power due to the different processor. Dell claims that these notebooks will keep up with their older, 2016 6th generation-based XPS 13, but we'll have to try it to be absolutely certain. This downgraded processor will, at the very least, put the XPS 13 2-in-1 behind the awesome new HP Spectre X360 for power, but in the real world it might not matter much.

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
Credit: Dell

The XPS 13 2-in-1 looks mostly like the normal XPS 13, but it has a Windows Hello camera, 360-degree hinges, and even digital pen support.

The upside of a Y-based processor is that it allows the new XPS 13 2-in-1 to go completely fanless, making it utterly silent at all times.

Other than the 360-degree hinges and ultra mobile processor, the XPS 13 2-in-1 also breaks from its predecessors by only including 2 USB-C ports. Thankfully, one of the ports is also fully compliant with Thunderbolt 3, so it's also a do-it-all high-speed port for all kinds of devices. A USB-C to USB adapter is included with the device in the box.

Intel Y-series chips will make this thin XPS slower, but we'll have to try to see if it impacts usability.

Though the keyboard and trackpad are both carried over from the original flavor XPS 13, Dell's added in Active Pen compatibility, making the XPS 2-in-1 ready for doodles and note-taking. XPS lovers who appreciated the SD card slot need not apply, as Dell's ditched it in this model. There is also a standard Windows Hello-compatible webcam, which has been moved from the lefthand corner of the device to the center, making it just a little less awkward than the old setup.

All in all, it sounds like Dell's taken most of the things we love about the XPS 13 and turned it into an appealing tablet. Though the changes and omissions will irritate those who love the current design, they were done to make the device better when used in tent or tablet modes. The new XPS 13 2-in-1 is competitively priced, starting at just $999 and shipping later this month. If you don't need the flippy hinges Dell's included in this version, the standard ultrabook XPS 13 will continue to be sold alongside the 2-in-1.

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