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Hi, we’re on Netbooknews.it, today we’re going to see the Dell XPS12 video-review.
It’s an ultra-book by Dell, 12.5 inch, unique in the field,
because of this screen, of this mechanism
that allows to roll the screen and close it to become a Tablet.
Packed with Windows8, it’s available in Italy with three configurations,
with prices from 1199 Euros.
Clearly it’s a product targeted to expert or pro users.
It’s made by three main materials:
first, the aluminum, used here for the frame,
which is actually the shell to hold this mechanism.
It’s a matte glazed aluminum, really easy to the touch and the eye.
It’s used for the low part too, moreover this edge, this border,
has a shiny effect and stands out from all the rest.
Second material: carbon fiber, used for the lid and the rear.
That’s very interesting, also because there’s a soft-touch finish,
pleasant to the touch, which is sensitive to fingerprints
but it’s just nice and most of all unique,
‘cause only Dell uses it in this XPS series of Laptops.
Third material, we can’t see it but just feel it…
because it’s the magnesium alloy
which allows the ultra-book XPS12 to weigh only 1540 grams…
and for a 12.5-inch is a very interesting weight.
This magnesium alloy is used inside the main shell,
so it holds all the frame of this ultra-book.
Design is typical of the XPS series,
but in this model clearly some planning changes
to use it in the Tablet-mode were needed.
For example, the volume rocker is here on one side,
and the buttons to lock the screen rolling.
The speakers are on the sides, here and here…
so they aren’t on the front or the rear, but on both sides of the frame.
Also it’s interesting the little button
with five LEDs to check the charge status of the battery.
The two USB ports, the mini-Display port that
with the adapter turns in what we want…
on the other side the jack combo for headphones.
There’s no micro-SD card reader, that would have been nice,
and no Ethernet which instead was impossible to insert
due to the thickness, less than 2 cm.
The construction quality is great…
This is the chiclet keyboard, very solid, comfortable…
there are some LEDs on some keys and that’s a backlit keyboard.
The same is for the touchpad, down here,
with two built-in buttons – right and left – multi-touch,
large enough to use the gestures to manage Windows 8.
The display is the main attraction of this product,
and the feature that makes it unique in the ultra-book field.
The mechanism uses four clasps on the edges of the frame
and a magnetic system which allows to close it
just moving it near the metallic frame.
It’s solid and pretty stable, no problems in the everyday use,
even though I suggest you to hold it here, on the frame,
if you have to move, close or open the lid.
Moreover, besides the classic Tablet mode,
we can use this ultra-book also in a mode… we can say, hybrid mode…
that is to use the ultra-book this way,
and maybe it’s the most comfortable way...
The screen is not only funny to roll, but also nice.
The resolution is 1920x1080 pixel, Full HD, the viewing angles are wide,
brightness is 400 nit, really high for this kind of laptop,
and actually that’s a key feature of this ultra-book.
I’m trying the configuration with Core i7, 8 Gb of RAM and 256 Gb SSD disk,
so it’s great from the performances point of view, you can do all you want,
from the Web surfing, to the videos, to the Windows8 apps
with this new graphic interface… it’s all very fluid, responsive…
you can do things that with other OS you couldn’t do, things like this…
And I really suggest you to buy it,
if you’re looking for the best in the ultra-book field.
There are cheaper configurations, more balanced, with 4 Gb of RAM, SSD disk…
Moreover also the heating is under control,
‘cause of this large grid on the rear, and the noise is acceptable.
Probably it gives its best is in the laptop mode,
when you can alternate keyboard and touchpad, really good, and the touch screen.
In Tablet-mode we can work pretty good too,
but you have to consider that we’re dealing with a device of about 1.5 Kg,
so you can’t expect to use it with one hand as you would do with a 10-inch,
because dimension and, mainly, weight make themselves felt.
Talking about battery life: 6 hours and a half with WI-FI, a remarkable result,
considering the hardware platform, and little more than 4 hours and a half
while watching Full HD videos, that is about two movies…
… if you’re travelling by train or just far from a plug.
Well, if I aroused your curiosity please read the complete review
at the link onscreen and subscribe on this YouTube channel,
because more videos are coming with more products like this XPS 12.
Bye!