Dell says its XPS 13 2-in-1 has defeated Intel's "Core M" performance issues

I have been seduced many times by a super-thin laptop only to be burnt (literally, not figuratively) by Intel’s Core-M processor’s performance issues, such that Intel had to rename the processor to the Y series.

When Dell created the XPS 13 2-on-1 they wanted to create a fan-less design, necessitating the use of Intel’s mobile range.  Unlike many other companies they however claim to have defeated the performance issues of the chipset.

“There was an incredible amount of focus and investment on optimising performance, because the XPS 13 2-in-1 uses a Y Series processor,” said Frank Azor, vice president and general manager for Alienware and XPS. “We wanted to correct all the misconceptions out there that it’s an inferior part.”

Dell worked directly with Intel to implement a new Dynamic Power Mode that keeps the CPU running longer at its highest level of performance.

Dynamic Power Mode offers short bursts of speed when you need them up to 10 percent better performance versus the previous-generation XPS 13. Dell did this by balancing the amount and duration of the power boost while monitoring the internal and external surface temperatures of the system using dozens of points in and around the system. These measurements are then plugged into an equation to dynamically throttle the power.

“You need to go right to the edge of power thermals and get there as quickly as you can,” said Alex Shows, a performance engineer at Dell. “You have to be able to go right to the edge and not fall.”

Dell claims their system was delivering significantly higher performance than Intel’s reference spec for the Y Series chip.

“We have a group of technologists that focus on the way the world could be, and then we have a very robust process that takes us from the way the world could be to way the world will be,” said Leo Quintero, vice president of performance engineering at Dell.

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is currently on sale from Dell’s website starting at $999 with an extra 10% off using the TENOFF coupon code.