Skip to main content

Dell XPS 18 hands on: An AIO that’s so thin and portable that it works as a tablet

Dell XPS 18 - in cradle
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Back in December, Dell executives let it slip that the company was developing an 18-inch Windows 8 tablet and almost immediately we started thinking about all the possible applications for such a wonderful beast. Would it, at last, bring Surface Table-like functionality to regular living rooms? Could it be the ultimate second screen? We’re about to get those answers, because the device Michael Dell talked about at Dell World is real and it will be out next month.

Dell XPS 18 - front
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Dell XPS 18 isn’t being marketed as an 18-inch tablet, but rather as a portable all-in-one. That makes more sense, honestly, because calling it a tablet doesn’t really get across what this computer is capable of. Then again, Dell might have been able to get away with that since the XPS 18 is pretty thin and light for what it is, especially when compared to other portable AIOs out there (Sony VAIO Tap 20, we’re looking at you). It’s the kind of thing I can imagine actually moving from room to room on a regular basis, setting it up in the kitchen for entertainment while I cook, sitting with it in front of the big screen TV, and laying flat on a table for some games. It really is a computer the whole family can crowd around, and it will be great for game night.

The XPS 18 sports an 18.4-inch full HD display with very wide viewing angles and good color depth. It weighs 4.85 pounds with an SSD inside (5 with a hard drive), which is less than some laptops I can name. It also balances pretty well for something so big, and doesn’t feel like it would easily slip from my hands as I carried it. A small child would likely find it awkward to carry. As of right now, the XPS 18 is the thinnest (17.7mm) and lightest portable AIO available.

Two flip out feet integrated into the body make it easy to set the XPS 18 up on any sturdy surface, though only at one angle. If you want something more versatile or need to raise the screen up for proper ergonomics, Dell will also offer an adjustable metal stand for $50. Given the weight, the XPS probably won’t spend all of its time sitting at arm’s length. During our hands-on time, it felt comfortable and natural to hold it in my lap and use it that way.

A big tablet/portable all-in-one like this has a lot of potential, but will owners be able to realize it out of the box? Dell plans to bundle some multiplayer games with the XPS 18 (they aren’t great), and there are a few others out there for the downloading. Dell reps also mentioned that reading magazines and newspapers on a screen this big will be awesome. Drawing, browsing, watching movies, everything that a touchscreen device is good for, is easy. The Achilles Heel here is going to be app availability. How soon will a good enough selection of apps made for this form factor come out? We’d love to see Hasbro, Mattel, and Pressman Games jump on developing virtual board games for giant screens.

Sony VAIO TAP 20 vs Dell XPS 18
Sony VAIO TAP 20 vs Dell XPS 18 Image used with permission by copyright holder

When the Dell XPS 18 launches in mid-April, consumers will have a range of configurations to choose from, starting at $900. At the lowest price, you’ll only get an Intel Pentium CPU, but Core i3, i5, and i7 will be available. It should get about 5 hours of battery life. Other specs include 4GB or 8GB of RAM, integrated graphics, 320GB or 500GB hard drive or 256GB or 512GB SSD, 8-in-1 card reader, two USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and Wi-Di (Wireless HDMI for connecting to your TV). It will be available soon.

Do you think that Dell should have gone with giant tablet or does calling the XPS 18 a “portable all-in-one” make more sense to you? And, more importantly, are you intrigued?

Editors' Recommendations

K. T. Bradford
Former Digital Trends Contributor
K. T Bradford is a lover of gadgets and all things geek. Prior to writing for Digital Trends she cut her teeth on tech…
9 best laptops of 2024: tested and reviewed
The MacBook Air on a white table.

To earn the crown as the best laptop in 2024, a device needs to have it all: gorgeous design, killer performance, a productive keyboard, long-lasting battery life, and much more.

Each of the laptops below has been vetted thoroughly by Digital Trends. Whether it's an affordable Chromebook or a top-of-the-line gaming laptop, they've all been subjected to real-world testing, as well as benchmark and battery tests, to collect enough data to objectively pit them against each other.

Read more
All the ways Intel Macs are still better than Apple Silicon Macs
cheap macbook deals

MacBooks are pretty amazing these days. Thanks to the efficiency of Apple Silicon, you get all-day battery life, as well as the ability to edit videos when unplugged from power. The new MacBook Air with the M3 chip is even good enough for gaming.

All of that is in contrast to the Intel Macs of the past.

Read more
This bundle deal saves you $1,000 on an Alienware PC and monitor
An Alienware Aurora R15 gaming desktop alongside a gaming monitor on a desk.

You don't have to go through gaming PC deals and monitor deals yourself because there are bundles like this one from Dell -- the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming desktop and the Alienware 34-inch curved QD-OLED gaming monitor for a package price of $2,900, which is $1,000 less the original price of $3,900. It's still not cheap, but you'll be getting a top-of-the-line gaming rig with just one purchase. You'll have to hurry with the transaction though, as we're not sure if the bundle will still cost cheaper than usual by tomorrow.

Why you should buy the Alienware Aurora R15 gaming PC and 34-inch curved QD-OLED gaming monitor
It's the Alienware Aurora R16 that sits on top of our list of the best gaming PCs, but its predecessor, the Alienware Aurora R15, remains a worthwhile purchase because of the power that it packs. It's equipped with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X processor, AMD Radeon RX 7900 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM that's the sweet spot for high-end gamers, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need. These specifications make it more than enough to run the best PC games without any issues. The gaming desktop also features a 1TB SSD for ample storage space, and it comes with Windows 11 Home pre-installed.

Read more