Dell takes on Lenovo’s Yoga with its convertible XPS 11 Ultrabook/tablet

dell xps 11 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

You’ve already seen a barrage of products from both Acer and Asus at this year’s Computex, and it seems that they’re both attempting to lead the PC revolution with their unique products (Asus Zenibook Infinity, Acer Iconia W3, as examples). But Dell has something to show at Computex, too. According to Engadget, Dell is taking a much quieter approach at this years event. It’s doesn’t have dozens of new products to show (or at least not as of Day 1 of Computex); instead, it has one expertly-designed piece of hardware: the Dell XPS 11.

The XPS Notebook series has been a great success for Dell, and one would expect the company to capitalize by bringing to market an Ultrabook that continues on the great success of its predecessors. Dell did exactly that by announcing its version of a laptop-tablet hybrid (think the Lenovo Yoga). The XPS 11 is a small, albeit, modern work of art. It may only come in at 11.6-inches in size (small laptop, large tablet), but it does boast a 2560 x 1440 resolution. Its casing is comprised of a specialized carbon fiber weave (along with machined aluminum), and it’s sleek edges are enough to excite any laptop or tablet fan. It will also ship with Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 8.1 (also known as Windows Blue).

Exterior design aesthetics aside, what makes this product such a curious creation is its beauty in functionality. Just like the Lenovo Yoga, you won’t be able to detach the keyboard from the screen, but you will be able to fold the device into tablet mode via a strong, 180-degree hinge. Even better, Dell added an intelligent feature which “shuts off” the keyboards responsiveness once it is placed into “tablet mode,” meaning you won’t accidentally type a three page jumbled mess whenever you set the laptop down on a flat surface. And before you go touting the fact that you won’t be able to remove the keyboard, take note that the hybrid is only 15-mm thick, even with the keyboard attached. That makes for a pretty sleek tablet all its own.

As for features and hardware specifications, all we know is that the XPS 11 will feature a Core i5 Haswell processor. Reports show that the device contains a USB 3.0 port, Thunderbolt, an active stylus, and an SD card reader. Of course, just like with most of the other products we’ve seen unveiled at Computex, we don’t yet have a solid grasp on the exact internals or price point. Dell is planning to roll the XPS 11 out sometime this Holiday season, so hopefully we will get more information as its release gets closer.

Photo via Engadget

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