Dell XPS 13 Review: Supports 4K HDR & Dolby Vision
The Dell XPS 13 is probably the best ultraportable Windows available on the market. The XPS has been one of the most popular laptops for many years with its sleek screen and compact design. But this year with Dell XPS 13 (2019 edition), Dell is almost perfect in all features. The webcam is located at the top of the screen and is no longer facing the nose. It supports Dolby Vision HDR. However, Dell continues to cut off the screen size in this edition.
Review: Dell XPS 13 2019 Edition
Dell has a lot to offer in the latest updated model. These updates are, however, more in software than in hardware. Let’s see what and what not has been upgraded in Dell XPS 13:
Dolby Vision and HDR allow you to process brighter and darker black levels than ever before on the XPS 13. You’ll see a bit more supported content on such as Netflix and Daredevil cookbooks. Netflix is the best option to watch HDR videos along with YouTube. Dell XPS 13 has become the premier standard for delivering HDR Dolby Vision. It is a modern television feature that is much less common on a laptop.
VOD services like Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, and iTunes do not support 4K HDR video quality for Windows installed devices. As more and more computers comply with this standard, changes are expected to happen soon. But even with normal HD content, the vibrant colors and contrast of the XPS 13 display are still fantastic. Our review covers 4K panels, frankly speaking, the 1080p on a 13.3-inch screen doesn’t really matter. Therefore, we tried to go with the only option of 4K screen resolution and result. In addition to the OLED panels that will be released later this year for the XPS 15 and other 15-inch notebooks, the XPS 13 is currently the best display on the market.
Finally, the webcam is above the huge display in XPS 13 2019. In past years, Dell has had to place the camera under the screen, which is one of the worst video chat angles we’ve ever seen. The camera below the screen was actually a compromise to enhance the appearance of the Dell Infinity Edge, a thin bezel around the screen. For Dell XPS 13, the company has developed 2.25mm thin camera with 720p resolution that is placed above the screen. The XPS 13 has a square microphone that can trigger sound commands and Cortana with clearer video calls.
Dell is pleased with the best webcams and needs only Dolby Vision to reduce the size of its XPS 13 side frame and, interestingly, extends Infinity Edge technology even further. This was one of the first companies to offer a screen with a very small number of screens, but now it is a standard feature on laptops. Even Apple keeps track of the latest laptops and MacBook Airs, but Dell is still limited.
Design
Dell has not made much changes in the overall design of the XPS 13. The updated model, made up of high quality aluminum with excellent appealing design. It weighs 2.7 pounds and may feel heavy weight when carrying around. The integrated Dell logo is the only flash behind the screen and has a rubber grip, ventilation and XPS marking at the bottom. The new Arctic White case looks cooler than the pink gold version. However, the original silver XPS 13 has not been taken away from the shelves and you can purchase it if you are not appealed by the new color introduced by Dell. Coming to the point, improvements in the XPS 13 are felt in almost every way. There are also some unique enhancements that are not easy to recognize by everyone since these are not huge ones. The company added an adjustable hinge to the XPS 13 that made it easy to open with one hand. It rotates smoothly, but keeps the screen open for longer time.
Specs
Dell has the latest 8th generation Intel processors and supports up to 16 GB of RAM and 2 TB of hard drives. Due to the integrated graphics of the Intel UHD 620, I did not expect great gameplay in Dell XPS 13. The ASUS ZenBook S13 is lighter than the XPS 13 and features an NVIDIA MX150 GPU. Dell XPS 13 offers a sufficient number of graphic enhancements to increase the number of shots up to 30 frames per second at 720p hardly. On the other hand, Asus ZenBook s13 gives 60 frames per second at 1080p. Moreover, the ZenBook S13 screen has a thinner bezel. It is clear that ASUS is trying to give the toughest to XPS 13 in this specific feature.
Battery & Performance
It remains a little cooler than last year’s XPS 13 when it’s on charging. According to Dell, “we doubled the number of heat pipes and fans for more efficient heat performance”. Although it is important for overall system stability, fans usually start making loud spinning noise.
The XPS 13 works fine overall and it doesn’t mean it fails in providing good battery life. In tests, the battery draining took 12.5 hours when running on high-resolution video tests, which is 2.5 hours longer than last year.
Trackpad & Keyboard
Dell has not made any significant changes to the XPS 13 keyboard and trackpad, which is great. These are the best that we’ve seen on a Windows computer this year. Keyboard input is responsive and good, and the trackpad is very snappy. Dell XPS 13 supports 03 USB-c ports. You can connect USB-C supported microSD card reader and headphone in it. Moreover, two of its ports fully support Thunderbolt 3. This box also has a flash drive for all USB jacket supported accessories.
Hardware
This year the model has not grown significantly and didn’t change much compared to the previous year, so you can find inexpensive offers, because the store and available stocks are awaiting for you.
Comparison
A more powerful alternative, the ZenBook S13, costs $ 1,399, lighter and thinner than the XPS 13 is about to hit the market. Unfortunately, we are not sure when ASUS S13 is going to release.
Folio is a good choice if you are looking for more than a traditional laptop.
Apple Alternative: The updated MacBook Air sounds good, but runs slower than the XPS 13. The 13-inch MacBook Pro has a powerful but large box but supports no Dolby Vision HDR.
Cost
Dell XPS 13 2019 edition is available at $900 with 128 GB SSD, 4GB RAM, and Core i3 CPU. I would recommend doubling the storage and RAM for $ 1,200 with a Tier 2 model Core i5.
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