Dell XPS 12 review: with the launch of Windows 8, ‘convertible’ takes on a new meaning
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A Windows 8 PC that can be used in a tablet mode? Those will come a dime a dozen this fall. But what’s fascinating is how each PC maker has approached the challenge of mixing a touchscreen with a more traditional mouse-and-keyboard setup. For some OEMs, this means going the hybrid route, with 10- or 11-inch tablets that slot neatly into an optional keyboard dock. For others, it means a full-fledged PC with a slide-out touchscreen. And for a few, it means a laptop whose screen can fold down, leaving you with what can only be described as an oversized slate.
That’s how we would describe the Dell XPS 12, a 12.5-inch notebook whose screen flips inside its hinge, allowing you to use the machine in tablet mode or, if you prefer, with the screen facing away from the keys. (Yes, Dell is giving this form factor a second try.) It starts at a relatively steep $1,200 but then again, this is a fairly premium machine we’re talking about: it combines all the ingredients of an Ultrabook (lightweight build, Ivy Bridge processor and a solid-state drive) with a 400-nit, 1080p, Gorilla Glass touchscreen. So what’s it like to use this form factor? And how does it fare as a regular ol’ Windows 8 PC? Let’s see.
Gallery: Dell XPS 12
Dell XPS 12 review: with the launch of Windows 8, ‘convertible’ takes on a new meaning originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible priced at $1,199 and up, ships this month with pre-orders starting today
Posted in: Today's ChiliWell, that’s a form factor you don’t see that often. Of all the Windows 8 PCs we’ve seen so far, the Dell XPS 12 is tough to forget, if only because it’s the only one whose screen flips inside the hinge like an easel. We already got hands-on at IFA last month, but now we’re learning some key details — you know, like pricing and availability. Dell just announced that it will go up for pre-order today, starting at $1,199. (It will ship October 26th, the day Windows 8 launches.) That’s a princely sum indeed compared to some of the other Windows 8 ultraportables we’ve seen, but it’s important to remember that this runs not on an Atom processor, but an Ultrabook-grade CPU. And while you might assume that 12.5-inch display makes do with 1,366 x 768 resolution, it’s actually a dense 1080p panel. Hopefully we’ll get to review a final unit soon, but in the meantime feast yourself on a fresh round of hands-on shots below.
Gallery: Dell XPS 12 hands-on
Dell XPS 12 Windows 8 convertible priced at $1,199 and up, ships this month with pre-orders starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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File this under things we could’ve sworn happened already: Dell is updating its nine-month-old XPS 13 Ultrabook with third-generation Core (read: Ivy Bridge) processors. While the rest of the company’s Win 8 lineup isn’t shipping until October 26th now, the refreshed XPS 13 should already be live on Dell’s site, with the same starting price of $1,000.
Update: A previous version of this article reported that the XPS 13 would be available with a touchscreen. In fact, it will still be offered with non-touch-enabled panels only.
Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook gets updated with Ivy Bridge (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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For a while now, ultraportables have been the only class of laptop that really matters. Sure, you can find more powerful machines for less money. But the mix of portability, speed, and beauty—along with the miniature muscle of Intel’s Ivy Bridge chips—has made ultrabooks the best laptops to own for almost all of us. More »
With dozens and dozens of Ultrabooks on parade, you’d be forgiven if one skinny laptop with an ultra-low voltage processor started to look like the next. Even so, it’s tough to forget the Acer Aspire S5: of all the ultraportables we’ve seen these last nine months, this is the only one with a motorized port cover. Yeah, that one. It’s an intriguing product, to be sure, and the stakes are especially high given that $1,400 price: you’d have to really enjoy that form factor (and everything else) to choose it over some less expensive ultraportable. So is it worth it? Is that drop-down door anything more than a gimmick? Questions for the ages, and ones we’ll tackle in our full review after the break.
Gallery: Acer Aspire S5 review
Continue reading Acer Aspire S5 review: is this innovative Ultrabook worth $1,400?
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Acer Aspire S5 review: is this innovative Ultrabook worth $1,400? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sony VAIO T13 review: the company’s first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set
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Until recently, Sony’s name has been conspicuously absent on the ever-growing list of Ultrabook makers. Sure, we’ve known about the VAIO T series since CES, when the company teased an unnamed notebook behind glass, but it didn’t get its official reveal until May, when it hit the European market — with last-generation Sandy Bridge processors. That’s no way to make a splash when Ivy Bridge CPUs are now de rigueur for Ultrabooks and mainstream laptops alike.
Luckily, Sony got things right on the US side, releasing the 13-inch VAIO T13 with Ivy Bridge processors in tow. Other than those new chips, the Ultrabook features identical specs to the European model, not to mention the same brushed silver aluminum design. And while the brand is in for a serious game of catchup as it enters an already-crowded market, its VAIO T is priced to compete at $770. Let’s welcome Sony to the Ultrabook game by giving the T13 the full review treatment.
Gallery: Sony VAIO T13 review
Continue reading Sony VAIO T13 review: the company’s first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set
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Sony VAIO T13 review: the company’s first Ultrabook targets the back-to-school set originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung added the Silver color edition to its Notebook Series 9 line up. Samsung Series 9 is an ultra-slim and light weighted premium notebook series created by Samsung’s craftsmanship and the newly launched Silver edition aims to attract the young customers in their 20s. While the existing Mineral Ash model which looks like two tone colors depending on lights delivers a sense of luxurious refinement, the new Silver model highlights the image and characteristic of an ultra-slim and …