Computer Shopper - July 2017

2-IN-1 LAPTOP
DELL XPS 13 9365
★★★★★
£1,449 • From www.dell.com/uk
VERDICT
Dell’s second stab at a hybrid laptop is an
expensive success
BACK IN 2016, Dell inflicted upon us the XPS
12, a dire laptop/tablet hybrid riddled with
shortcomings ranging from battery woes to
fl at-out design faults (see Shopper 341).
Fortunately, the new XPS 13 9365 2-in-1 is a
radical departure. For starters, it’s actually a
rotating convertible, rather than a detachable
2-in-1 like the XPS 12. It’s also really good.
We’d certainly have hoped so, given the
price: the entry-level model, with its Intel Core
i5-7Y54 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB
SSD, costs £1,349, which is £200 more than
the cheapest non-convertible XPS 13 (Shopper
351). We tested the next model up, which has a
Core i7-7Y75 processor, 8GB of RAM and
256GB SSD and costs £1,449, and there are
£1,499 and £1,669 models too.
SPIN DOCTOR
Aside from the chunky 360° hinge, the 2-in-1
looks remarkably similar to the standard XPS
13. The chassis is made of the same aluminium
and carbon-fibre combo, although there’s
something extra below the screen: a dual-lens
Windows Hello camera, which lets you log in
using just your face. There’s also a fi ngerprint
reader, should the camera be a little fi nicky.
The 2-in-1 is thinner than the regular XPS 13
too. In fact, it’s the slimmest XPS ever made,
measuring just 13.7mm at its thickest point
and tapering down to 8mm at its thinnest.
Weighing just 1.24kg, it’s ideal for commuting.
However, the slimmed-down design also
means that there aren’t any full-size USB
ports. Instead, you get just two USB Type-C
ports, one on either side. Since one port is
needed for charging, it’s a meagre provision,
even with the USB3-to-Type-C adaptor
included in the box.
One area where Dell hasn’t scrimped is the
display. The familiar 13.3in InfinityEdge panel is
still here, minimal screen bezels and all, and as
always it’s a delight to use. No manufacturer
does laptop displays quite like this, and it
makes the 2-in-1 look great, especially in the
fully rotated tablet mode.
Our model was fi tt ed with a 1,920x1,080
panel; the QHD+ version costs £50 more, and
otherwise has the same specs. In our display
tests, the Full HD display covered 85.4% of the
sRGB colour gamut, with a contrast ratio of
1,206:1. That’s a smidge below the latest XPS
13 with its 91.9% coverage, but to the naked
eye the difference is hard to make out.
The maximum screen brightness of
253cd/m 2 is also lower than the XPS 13’s
289cd/m 2 output, but it’s not disastrous.
Overall, it’s a beautiful display to gawk at,
with wonderfully vibrant colours – just don’t
try to use it in bright sunlight.
RIPE TO TYPE
Too often, the keyboard and touchpad on a
hybrid system feel like an afterthought, but
that’s not the case here. In fact, the keyboard
is unchanged from the regular XPS 13. The
keys are nicely spaced, and there’s just the
right amount of movement and feedback with
each keystroke. Backlighting still comes as
standard, with adjustable brightness levels.
The touchpad is well sized, too. Windows
10 multitouch gestures worked without any
slip-ups, and it’s easy to jump between
applications with ease. We weren’t even
tempted to plug in a USB mouse while working
in more demanding applications. Our only
criticism is that it does seem to pick up greasy
fi ngerprints a little too easily.
Having a Core i7 in a slimline
convertible sounds great, but
remember that the Kaby Lake
generation merely rebranded
Intel’s low-power Core m chips
to have Core i prefi xes. The
Core i7-7Y75 is one of these
rebranded processors.
Unsurprisingly, this led the
2-in-1 towards the lower end
of our 4K benchmark results,
with an overall score of 31
and multitasking score of
just 8. That’s some way
behind the cheaper, yet proper Core i5-
powered XPS 13, which scored 33 in the
multitasking test and 50 overall.
Regardless, this 2-in-1 is plenty powerful
enough for the usual desktop and browserbased
applications, such as Word and Google
Docs. Just don’t expect it to whizz through
anything particularly processor-heavy.
With Intel HD Graphics 615, you’re limited to
very basic games as well.
In theory, the low-powered chip should at
least deliver a battery life benefi t: the XPS 13
9365 lasted 7h 54m in our continuous video
playback test, so it should more or less deliver
a full day’s conservative use. The regular Dell
XPS 13 was just eight minutes behind, though,
so the difference is negligible.
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
Dell has evidently learned from criticism of its
last XPS hybrid. While performance is on the
lightweight side, the XPS 13 2-in-1 is a joy to
use, shining a light on the potential of the
hybrid design. It’s a well-balanced device for
however you want to use it.
The issue, as so often, is the price. When
you can pick up an entry-level XPS 13 with a
full-fat, Kaby Lake Core i5 for £1,149, it’s hard
to justify paying an extra £200 for a bit of
added versatility. Still, within the convertible
market specifically, there’s nothing out there
to challenge the XPS 13 9365.
Nathan Spendelow
SPECIFICATIONS
PROCESSOR Dual-core 1.3GHz Intel Core i7-7Y75 • RAM
8GB • DIMENSIONS 304x199x13.7mm • WEIGHT 1.24kg •
SCREEN SIZE 13.3in • SCREEN RESOLUTION 1,920x1,080 •
GRAPHICSADAPTOR Intel HD Graphics 615 • TOTAL
STORAGE 256GB SSD • OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 10
• WARRANTY Three years RTB • DETAILS www.dell.com/
uk • PART CODE CNX36504
Windows overall
Multitasking
Dirt Showdown FAIL
Battery life
0%
31
8
-50
7h 54m
Reference +50 +100
See page 72 for performance details
34 JULY 2017 | COMPUTER SHOPPER | ISSUE 353