Dell XPS 12 review – a 4K 2-in-1 hybrid

Display and Configurations

It’s a shame the XPS 12 is so impractical to use, as the tablet’s display is easily one of the most striking aspects of the entire device. If you opt for anything but the most basic configuration, you get a 3,840×2,160 (4K) resolution, which is the first of its kind for a 2-in-1 device. On a 12.5in display, this resolution equates to a phenomenal 352ppi. Models with the 4K panel start from £1,149 at the time of writing, but the entry-level model, currently priced £899, makes do with a more mundane 1,920×1,080 panel.

As for the other differences in configurations, the £899 model uses an Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The next model up, for £1,149, uses an Intel Core m5-6Y57, doubles the RAM to 8GB and also doubles the storage to 256GB. The top specification, at £1,299, comes with an Intel Core m7-6Y75, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The model I was sent for review was the middle Core m5 specification.

Before I get on to how it performed, though, the 4K display is truly gorgeous. It’s an IGZO IPS panel, which covered an incredible 100% of the sRGB colour gamut in our calibration tests, and its contrast ratio of 1,283:1 is excellent. Blacks of 0.32cd/m2 aren’t the deepest, but there’s no denying that everything looks incredibly sharp and crisp. Colours are vibrant and well saturated, and it’s also ludicrously bright at 418cd/m2, which is something I encountered on the XPS 13 and XPS 15 as well.

Performance and Battery Life

The dual-core Intel Core m5-6Y57 equipped model I was sent has a base clock speed of 1.1GHz but can Turbo to a much more impressive 2.8GHz. In our tough 4K-based application benchmarks, it managed an overall score of 21, which is 2 points shy of the HP Spectre X2. This is a little disappointing, as the X2 only had a dual-core 900MHz Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor.

Heat seems to be the main issue here, as the back of the XPS 12 becomes very warm to the touch when under load. It’s simply not very efficient when it comes to dissipating its heat production, and it’s this which is likely casuing it to throttle. In more subjective testing, the XPS 12 felt responsive enough for everyday tasks, as it didn’t miss a step when opening up a number of tabs and editing documents throughout the day.

However, battery life is very disappointing. In our standard video playback test, which we conduct with the screen set to our standard, and perfectly usable, measurement of 170cd/m2 brightness, it lasted an incredibly poor 3 hours and 13 minutes. General use will extend this somewhat, as video playback is one of the more draining tasks you can do, but even then you’re still a far cry from all day battery life. The XPS 12’s charger is, at least, reasonably small and light, because you’re definitely going to need to carry it around with you.

Connections

With the current XPS range, Dell has gone all in on Intel Thunderbolt 3 ports that use the USB Type-C connector, and that’s the case here with the XPS 12. Two are included on the XPS 12’s tablet display, and both run at USB 3.1 gen 2 speeds, which amounts to transfer rates up to 10Gbps. Thoughtfully, Dell includes a USB Type-C to USB-Type A adaptor in the box, so you can use your standard, full-size USB devices. You’ll have to buy an optional USB Type-C to HDMI/VGA/Ethernet/USB 3 adaptor if you want those connections, though, which costs an additional £80.

Aside from the two small Type-C connectors, the edge of the XPS 12’s tablet is largely uncluttered. A microSD card reader is hidden away behind a plastic flap, but I found this quite hard to prise open, and I actually managed to bend it out of shape on my review model. It bent back to normal quickly enough, but I can easily see it eventually snapping in half as it’s twice as long as it needs to be. Below that you’ll find a 3.5mm headset jack.

Conclusion

After the sheer delight of the XPS 13 and the XPS 15, the XPS 12 is a real misstep from Dell. There’s no doubting the quality of its gorgeous screen, but its shortcomings and design nuances are major detractions that are hard to ignore. The non-adjustable display angle when using the Premier Keyboard is at best awkward and at worst unusable, and the hingeless design has no advantage over something more traditional.

You’re also paying a considerable premium over the HP Spectre X2 and the Intel Core m3-powered entry-level Microsoft Surface Pro 4. Even with the optional Surface Pro type cover thrown in, the XPS 12 model I reviewed still comes up as more expensive. The XPS 12 even performed marginally worse than the Spectre X2 even though it had a quicker processor. The XPS 12’s battery life is also terrible compared to its rivals. In the end, aside from the beautiful display, there are very few reasons to recommend the XPS 12 over its competitors.