Dell XPS 13 inch laptop For 2022, the lineup will be revamped, splitting the clamshell between the lower-cost XPS 13 9315 and the more powerful XPS 13 Plus. On the other hand, the old 360-degree convertible XPS 13 2-in-1 detachable tablet.
If you’re looking for a 13-inch machine and lean towards the XPS, this is a bit of a challenge. Each machine has its own location, which one is best for you? Read on to find out.
Specifications and configuration
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 | Dell XPS 13 9315 | Dell XPS 13 Plus | |
size | 11.5″ x 7.9″ x 0.29″ | 11.63″ x 7.86″ x 0.55″ | 11.63″ x 7.84″ x 0.60″ |
weight | 1.23 pounds | 2.59 pounds | 2.71 pounds |
processor | Intel Core i5-1230U Intel Core i7-1250U | Intel Core i5-1230U Intel Core i7-1250U | Intel Core i5-1240P Intel Core i7-1260P Intel Core i7-1280P |
graphic | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe | Intel Iris Xe Graphics |
sheep | 8GB LPDDR4x 16GB LPDDR4x | 8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5 | 8GB LPDDR5 16GB LPDDR5 32GB LPDDR5 |
screen | 13.0 inch 3:2 2880×1920 IPS | 13.4 inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1920 x 1080) IPS 13.4 inch 16:10 Full HD+ IPS Touch | 13.4 inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) 13.4 inch 16:10 IPS Full HD+ touch 13.4 inch 16:10 OLED 3.5K (3456 x 2160) touch 13.4 inch 16:10 IPS UHD+ (3840 x 2400) touch |
depository | 512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD | 512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD | 512GB PCIe SSD 1TB PCIe SSD 2GB PCIe SSD |
touch | yes | option | option |
port | 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x Nano SIM (Optional) | Two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 | Two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 |
wireless | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 Optional 5GB WWAN | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 |
webcam | 1080p with infrared camera for Windows 11 Hell0 2160p rear | 720p (Windows 11 Hello IR Webcam) | 720p, Windows 11 Hello IR Webcam |
operating system | Windows 11 | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
battery | 49.5 watt hours | 51 watt hours | 55 watt hours |
price | $1,000 | $749+ | $1,299+ |
evaluation | 3.5 out of 5 | 4 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
The XPS 13 9315 is the most economical sibling, starting at $749 with a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) and a Full HD+ IPS non-touch display. Getting the machine to its full potential will cost you $1,299 for a Core i7, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a touch display.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 is the second most affordable, with an entry-level price of $1,000 for a Core i5 with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, excluding keyboard and pen ($100 in price). It will be added). The high-end 2-in-1 includes a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a keyboard and pen for $1,699.
The most expensive XPS laptop is the XPS 13 Plus. Starting at $1,299 for a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a Full HD+ non-touch IPS display. Core i7, 32 GB of RAM, 2 TB of SSD, and either 4K+ IPS or 3.5K OLED panel, topping out at $2,399.
design
The XPS 13 9315 and XPS 13 Plus went in different design directions from each other and from the previous XPS 13 generation. It looks very similar with the lid closed, dropping the old model’s mixture of aluminum and carbon or fiberglass all into an aluminum chassis. But when you open the lid, the XPS 13 Plus has a truly modern design, hiding a haptic touchpad with a built-in glass-covered palm rest, large keycaps and minimal space between keys. It features an edge-to-edge keyboard and LED function buttons. The XPS 13 9315 is much simpler, with a standard island keyboard and mechanical touchpad. Both laptops feature smaller bezels, with the XPS 13 9315 available in Sky and Amber colors and the XPS 13 Plus coming in Granite and Platinum.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 is a standard detachable tablet with rounded edges and moderately large bezels. A fairly discreet slate, offered in Sky and Slate (the latter being the only color available on his 5G version). Adding the Dell Folio Keyboard Microsoft Surface Pro 9.
Each XPS laptop always features the latest in laptop construction for maximum stiffness. Each clamshell laptop’s hinges are good, but the tablet lacks a built-in kickstand and instead relies on his three magnetic angles on the keyboard.
Speaking of keyboards, each one is quite good, with plenty of space and snappy and precise switches. Of the three, the keyboard on the XPS 13 Plus is the best. Additionally, while the mechanical touchpad on the XPS 13 9315 and XPS 13 2-in-1 folio keyboards is fine, the XPS 13 Plus features a tactile touchpad for precise control over the entire surface and a natural-feeling virtual touchpad. Achieving a button click. Whether the laptop has good LED function buttons is purely a matter of taste, but it works fine.
Connectivity is about the same on each laptop. In other words, it’s pretty limited. The 2-in-1 has a nano SIM slot for optional 5G WWAN support and none of the laptops have an audio jack. All of them include USB-C to USB-A and USB-C to 3.5mm audio dongles in the box. Wireless connectivity is no different, but as mentioned, the XPS 13 2-in-1 has optional always-on internet support.
Finally, the XPS 13 2-in-1 has a better 1080p webcam compared to the clamshell’s 720p version. Each laptop has an infrared camera for facial recognition login via Windows Hello.
performance
Both the XPS 13 2-in-1 and XPS 13 9315 use a 9-watt Intel 12th Gen U-series CPU with 10 cores (2 performance and 8 efficiency) and 12 threads To do. So both are underperforming than the XPS 13 Plus, which has a 28-watt P-series CPU with 12 cores (4 performance and 8 efficiency) and 16 threads. Dell very intentionally differentiates his XPS 13 Plus and XPS 13 9315 in a few key ways, and performance is one of them.
The XPS 13 2-in-1 was faster than the XPS 13 9315 Geekbench 5 and Handbrake video encoding tests, but the latter was faster on the Cinebench R23. The tablet was also faster than both clamshells in the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark. This was amazing. But in CPU-intensive benchmarks, the XPS 13 Plus was the clear leader. No machine makes a particularly good gaming laptop.
geek bench (Single/Multi) | handbrake (seconds) | Cinebench R23 (Single/Multi) | PC Mark 10 completion | |
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9315 (Core i5-1230U) | Bal: 1,435 / 6,099 Performance: 1,572 / 7,028 | Bal: 139 Performance: 144 | Bal: 1,064 / 3,032 Performance: 1,065 / 3009 | 4,535 |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (Core i5-1230U) | Bal: 1393 / 4,459 Performance: 1,477 / 5,350 | Bal: 333 Performance: 192 | Bal: 1379 / 3457 Performance: N/A | 4,023 |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) | Bal: 1,316 / 8,207 Performance: N/A | Bal: 170 Performance: 94 | Bal: 1,311 / 6,308 Performance: 1,650 / 7,530 | 4.309 |
screen
If you want the best display possible, the XPS 13 Plus is the way to go. It offers high-resolution OLED and IPS options with excellent colors, the former offering intense contrast with inky blacks. The XPS 13 2-in-1’s display is sharper than the XPS 13 9315’s Full HD+ panel, offering slightly better colors with much better contrast. The XPS 13 Plus’ OLED display is a great option for those looking to do (limited) creative work on a laptop, and it’s also a great option for avid media consumers.
Luminance (knit) | contrast | sRGB color gamut | AdobeRGB color gamut | Accuracy ĪE (lower is better) | |
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (IPS) | 480 | 1,840:1 | 99% | 78% | 0.8 |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (IPS) | 444 | 1,390:1 | 96% | 75% | 1.33 |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (Organic EL) | 386 | 386,030:1 | 100% | 99% | 0.83 |
portability
The laptops are roughly the same width and depth, but the XPS 13 2-in-1 is the thinnest and lightest without the keyboard attached. All his XPS machines are highly portable laptops, rarely in a backpack.
The XPS 13 9315 has the best battery life, the XPS 13 Plus comes in second, and the XPS 13 2-in-1 has the shortest life. The two clamshells will likely get him to work for the day without being plugged in, each enjoying a small power brick that’s easy enough to carry around.
web browsing | video | |
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9315 (Core i5-1230U) | 5 hours 55 minutes | 8 hours 25 minutes |
Dell XPS 13 9315 (Core i5-1230U) | 13 hours 18 minutes | none |
Dell XPS 13 Plus (Core i7-1280P) | 8 hours 0 minutes | 9 hours 20 minutes |
Different but all solid 13″ machines
If you want an XPS tablet, there’s only one option: the XPS 13 2-in-1. I’m not saying that as a laptop he can’t compete with the other two, but in a laptop it’s not as good as a clamshell machine. Clamshell does not support tablet mode with ink.
Other than that major consideration, the question becomes: Do you want a faster, more modern, more expensive laptop with a great display, or do you want to save your money and go the lower performance route? Considered to be a great “budget” option inside, the XPS 13 Plus is a better laptop at a higher price point. Which one you choose will depend on your preferred form factor and how important performance and cutting-edge features are to you.
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