(ThyBlackMan.com) The Dell XPS 13 (2018 edition) is one of the very first laptops to feature a bezel-less display. The XPS 13 series has always been popular for great laptops and the new edition continues the trend. The new laptop sports a sharp-looking slim body and runs on a powerful battery. With different configuration options, the XPS 13 is one of the best performing laptops in 2018 you can consider.
In the 2018 edition of Dell XPS 13, the manufacturer has made significant changes in the laptop’s design. It is the smallest laptop with a 13-inch screen. The new design cuts down the laptop’s overall size to accommodate new CPU and also improves cooling with better insulation and strategic placement of heat pipes. The laptop uses Gore thermal insulation. This design change has also made the laptop lighter than the previous model.
Dell has cut down the size of this laptop but the company didn’t make any major changes in the keyboard area. However the keyboard looks similar to the old ones, but keys have become bigger and typing on the keyboard still feels the same. One big change you will see in the new Dell XPS 13 laptop is it supports USB-C charger. This was the major issue with old models, but finally, Dell has made this feature ready for the 2018 model. There’s a microSD card slot as well in case if you use it. The Thunderbolt 3 ports can now be configured with 4 PCIe lane designs.
The Dell XPS 13 laptop has a 52Watts battery which is smaller than the one which was used in the previous models but it offers a decent life to the laptop after a full charge. On paper, Dell claims that the laptop’s battery lasts for about 19 hours, but you can expect around 10-11 hours of battery life which is really good for a laptop with this much hardware power. The battery life can go up depending on your usage and the configuration you choose.
The best thing about the Dell XPS 13 is that it is an original idea and doesn’t copy the design from its competitors. It looks unique and completely a Dell machine in every sense. The new glass fiber on the keyboard deck looks really good however, it is different from the one which was used in the last year’s 13-inch and 15-inch models. The new material has a harder finish but the good thing is it is stain free. Even if you write something on this material with a permanent marker pen, you can easily clean the deck leaving no spots.
Windows Hello is now available on Dell XPS 13 laptop as the webcam has been updated. The webcam sits under the display and the image quality of web camera is poor. You’re not going to enjoy those Skype video calls on this laptop but yes, there are plenty of cheap options (external web cameras) available out there.
From the performance point of view, Dell XPS 13 is a powerhouse as it runs on the 8th generation CPU. For heavy software, this machine gives you a perfect environment. The good thing is no matter how hard you push the machine to run at its full potential, cooling fans are really quiet. Don’t expect amazing gaming performance on this laptop because despite being supported by 8th generation processors, the laptop is powered by Intel UHD Graphics 620. So it’s not an ideal machine for heavy gaming, but it runs common games at decent frame rates.
Many of us love to see up facing speakers on laptops, but on the Dell XPS 13, the speakers are mounted on the side of the laptop. There’s nothing new in the sound quality, it is the same as the previous generation, but Dell has made some improvements in the software so you can expect enhanced sound quality depending on the type of music you play.
Overall, the 2018 edition of Dell XPS 13 is good and it is one of the most powerful 13-inch laptops available in the market. There’s particularly nothing to dislike in this laptop, but Dell could have done a lot better in terms of design. This new model is a redesign which is not very different from the previous generation model, so this is something that makes a little difference, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to performance and for that part, the Dell XPS 13 is a laptop which is expensive but amazing.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
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