Dell XPS 12 hybrid Windows 8 laptop reviewed

Gottabemobile have posted a review of the Dell XPS 12 hybrid Windows 8 laptop.

The Windows 8 Core i5 laptop (also available in Core i7)  has a 12.5 inch Gorilla Glass  display and an aluminium and carbon fibre construction. The capacitive touchscreen was felt to be  responsive with good viewing angles, but it is very reflective. It features an excellent backlit keyboard and was noted to have a somewhat high price at $1.199 and only moderate battery life as negatives.

The hinges were felt to be sturdy and the touch screen remains in place while in notebook mode, even when tapping on the top section of the screen.

The laptop has  two USB 3.0 ports, a DisplayPort connection and a headphone/microphone jack. Unfortunately, there’s no SD card slot, which means users will have to bring their own adapters or USB cables to move photos over from their cameras.

The screen has a 1280 x 1080 resolution and is rated for 400 nit, which is quite bright, but the glossy screen shows reflections when used in harsh lighting. The display features 10-point multi-touch which makes it possible to play multiplayer games or use musical instrument apps found in the Windows 8 app store. It also offers wide viewing angles.

The keyboard has good key travel and comfortable typing. The keys are full size, despite the notebook’s compact footprint and the keys are right where we expect them to be.

There is no removable battery or access to RAM & storage and audio quality is only mediocre.

The Dell XPS 12 battery lasts between 5 hours and 5.5 hours in the real world while browsing the web, playing casual games and streaming online videos.

Despite some of the negatives GottabeMobile notes:

If you’re looking to buy an Ultrabook Convertible right now, the Dell XPS 12 is definitely the one to buy. It’s the best of the initial batch of Ultrabook Convertibles, earning it a Gotta Be Mobile Editors’ Choice Award.

Read their full review here.