The Clever Convertible
Dell XPS 12 Ultrabook `Rs 94,900/-
Specifications 12.5” Full HD LED 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i5 CPU 4GB DDR3 RAM 128GB SSD 1.3MP Built-in Webcam 1.54 Kgs
First Impressions
Sleek, sexy and hardcore. Those are the only three words that came to my mind when I saw this 12 inch piece of heaven. Dell has never failed to impress me with their laptops and desktops, and when I found out about the XPS convertible, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Packed with everything required to make it an exceptional ultrabook, does it live up to its asking price of `94k? Read on.
Review
A Windows 8 pc that can be used as a tablet as well. In the following months there will be too many to count on our fingers, so what sets this apart? To start off, the look and feel of this Dell certainly makes you feel like royalty. Its screen flips inside its hinges and each time you turn it, it’ll rest with this comfortable clicking sound that will give you a great deal of confidence in its build. The keys are well spaced, leaving you with a comfortable and soft space to rest your palms as you type away! This XPS certainly feels heavy at 1.54 kilos for a 12.5 inch laptop, although this won’t be an issue when you carry it around. However, it starts to get annoying if you use it in the tablet mode for long stretches – too large and rigid,
unless of course you are comfortably seated with excellent leg and back support. As you look around the edges you will find a modest collection of ports – two USB 3.0 sockets, a Mini DisplayPort, a 3.5mm headphone jack and dual speakers. The only thing missing is an SD Card Reader, which would have been a useful addition, since it would be a whole lot easier to copy data from your memory card. As far as the trackpad was concerned, I felt like it had a mind of its own. Would be excessively stubborn when it came to using the cursor for simple clicking or dragging. Although the trackpad is equipped with several Windows 8 gestures, which makes it pleasant when using two fingers, it left me extremely disappointed with its cursor navigation. The XPS is packed with an amazing display of 176 pixels per inch which gives you a 1080p resolution that literally kicks ass. The Gorilla Glass coating makes it durable enough to be used in the tablet mode. Even though there are certain limitations with the audio department, I was extremely impressed by how loud it could get, without too much distortion at the highest volume. The camera wasn’t as clear or crisp as I expected it to be, seeing how its fantastic display set my expectations all the way to the
penthouse. Another amazing thing about the XPS is its booting time – 10 – 12 seconds flat. Unfortunately, the battery drains out really quickly – maybe 5 hours tops? In standard conditions.
Verdict
The XPS 12 is a compelling option if you are looking for a high end touch enabled ultrabook. Its industrial design, comfortable keyboard, gorgeous 1080p screen and a super fast booting time definitely sets it apart. The biggest drawback is the crumbling trackpad and truncated battery life, but everything else is still superb in comparison and pretty much makes up for the latter. We’ll have to see how the other ultrabooks fare, but for the meantime the XPS 12 seems like a fantastic start!
EXHIBIT RATING Reviewed By: Chaitanya Tapase
87 I EXHIBIT I FEBRUARY 2013