Dell XPS 13 9365 2-in-1 Notebook Review

Dell’s XPS 13 notebook has taken the world by storm, winning various awards and, more importantly, the hearts, minds (and wallets) of the business notebook-buying public in its various incarnations.

And it’s easy to see why: its stunning looks, almost unbelievable light weight, its powerful hardware and high-resolution InfinityEdge 13.3-inch touchscreen are a tech enthusiast’s dream come true.

Naturally, tech must evolve, and so Dell has brought out a new variant of the XPS 13 that retains all of the features people liked so much, but which introduces a new hinge that lets the XPS 13 convert into a tablet at will.

New and improved

That new variant is the XPS 13 9365 range of convertible “2-in-1” business-focused notebooks.

In addition to the new hinge, Dell took the opportunity to boost the processing power of the machine: processor choices are the Core i7-7Y75 and Core i5-7Y54. Elements that remain unchanged over last year’s model include the maximum RAM count of 16GB, and the 9365’s 512GB SSD maximum capacity.

Hinge Binge

But the real star of the XPS 13 9365 show is that hinge. It allows for full 360-degree movement so it can be opened and used like a tablet, and creates four different usage “modes”: stand, tablet, laptop and tent.

By positioning the XPS 13 9365’s screen however they like, users can take full advantage of that gorgeous 3200 x 1800 InfinityEdge touchscreen and Windows 10’s many touch-friendly embellishments.

And thanks to that flexible hinge, the XPS 13 9365 can work whichever way suits people best. Need a traditional notebook? No problem. Want to fold the screen over and use the XPS 13 like it’s a tablet? Easy. Want to position it on a desk or bed so you can watch movies? Sure thing.

Port Report

Connecting peripherals could pose a bit of a challenge, however. The XPS 13 has a single USB C 3.1 port that’s useful for charging, connecting peripherals and outputting to an external screen, and a Thunderbolt 3 port for the same functions but with higher bandwidth available and the ability to daisy-chain up to six devices on a single port.

While both port types offer excellent speeds and bandwidth (Thunderbolt 3 is faster, though), actually connecting multiple peripherals to the system isn’t particularly straightforward.

It’s thus highly recommended that people who regularly connect external hard drives, thumb drives, keyboards and mice and other traditional peripherals to their notebooks invest in Dell’s Thunderbolt Dock, which expands the XPS 13’s port selection dramatically.

Battery

Throw in excellent battery life of anything up to 15 hours depending on how it’s used, and it’s easy to see how the XPS 13 brand has gained such widespread recognition and approval by fans of high-quality, high-spec business machines.

The XPS 13’s powerful hardware delivering impressive Windows and application performance, the sleek looks and lightweight yet sturdy build works together to bring users the kind of flexibility and versatility that makes owning and using a modern-day 2-in-1 laptop a true pleasure.