Dell XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook Review Comment Thread

[SKYMTL]

With the release of Windows 8, Dell has quickly followed up with their XPS 12, a notebook which can also moonlight as a 12" tablet by way of an innovative flip mechanism. However, is Dell trying to cover too many bases at once? Can the XPS 12 offer the best of both worlds or is this a jack of all trades but master of none?

Read more here: http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...dell-xps-12-convertible-ultrabook-review.html

 

[FreeKnight]

Good review.
I definitely don't see much appeal in a 'convertible' laptop though. For something like the Surface or a Transformer book I can see the tablet function working because you can detach the keyboard or the weight of it is minimal.

For something like this or the 'Yoga' books, I think the added bulk of the bottom half being always present will kill the appeal for a lot of people. A four pound tablet isn't exactly nimbly handled. The battery life is less than impressive as well. Hopefully a Windows services pack and the eventual Haswell revisions/redesigns fix that as well.

I do however like the Transformer book's idea of putting storage and ports in the keyboard attachment so you have storage and such accessible, but they don't get add bulk or mass to the tablet component for when you want portability. All in theory of course, it could underwhelm overall when it's out.

Sky, if MS comes out with touch screen adjustments to the basic PC functions of Windows 8(copy and paste, file/folder management, etc), do you think it'll feel like a good tablet OS, or is there just way too many other issues that aren't translating into tablet function well?

 

[SKYMTL]

That's a good question.

Personally, I think Microsoft needs to get their heads on straight. They need to make a TABLET OS for TABLETS and a DESKTOP OS for DESKTOPS / NOTEBOOKS. This half-assed thing is a major piss off.

For example, I plug in a USB drive when on the Metro interface. I tap on the notification and immediately get bumped back onto the desktop. When that happens, you're almost forced to convert the XPS 12 to notebook form since dragging files is a hopeless experience with MS's touch interface.

Want to close programs and avoid that massive memory footprint? You'll have to start Task Manager EVERY TIME.

How about compatibility? Because of MS's idiotic approvals process for Flash content in the Modern Mode, many sites' content flat out won't work until you default back to Desktop mode.

There are so many things wrong with Windows 8 I don't even know where to start.....it basically ruined the entire experience Dell's XPS 12 provided.

 

[FreeKnight]

That's a good question.

Personally, I think Microsoft needs to get their heads on straight. They need to make a TABLET OS for TABLETS and a DESKTOP OS for DESKTOPS / NOTEBOOKS. This half-assed thing is a major piss off.

For example, I plug in a USB drive when on the Metro interface. I tap on the notification and immediately get bumped back onto the desktop. When that happens, you're almost forced to convert the XPS 12 to notebook form since dragging files is a hopeless experience with MS's touch interface.

Want to close programs and avoid that massive memory footprint? You'll have to start Task Manager EVERY TIME.

How about compatibility? Because of MS's idiotic approvals process for Flash content in the Modern Mode, many sites' content flat out won't work until you default back to Desktop mode.

There are so many things wrong with Windows 8 I don't even know where to start.....it basically ruined the entire experience Dell's XPS 12 provided.

:S I think you just scared me off getting a Surface. Maybe the summer windows blue update will fix the software and there'll hopefully be some better Win8 hybrid options by then.

 

[SKYMTL]

Our long-term Surface Pro review will be up in a few weeks' time.

 

[Dzzope]

See I see the value in something like this but microslut's winblows 8 is just screwing it up for everyone..
I'd love to see a review of it in win7 or whatever version they use for graphics tablets cos thats exactly what I need / want to get for my GF..
Good cpu, decent gpu, plenty of ram and a flip screen she can draw on. (though if this doesn't have a stylus it's out, not actually read the review yet)

Soo little choice and so hard to find them these days as everything that has tablet in the name is automatically a pos surfing device... can you guess I'm not a tablet/pad fan?

 

[grinder]

reminds me of the small touch-screen swivel/rotating notebooks that debuted a few years ago. They too had added weight and build from the conversion mechanics. I rolled out quite a few to customers. It's neat at first, but the honey moon soon wares off.

 

[Beta Tester 3]

I will be getting the XPS 12 with the Haswell Chip in it and a 250 SSD drive to test in the next week from Dell.
I'll let you know how it goes?
Next I'll be checking out some new Alienware units and putting it through it's paces.