Native Union Eclipse review

Native Union is an accessory company that places an emphasis on style. Whether it’s a cool case or some neat cables, its products often stand out from the crowd of tech accessory makers. The Eclipse Charger is one of its latest products, and it’s a multi-device charging hub that’s far more complex than most other products we’ve seen from the company. The Eclipse Charger started out as a crowd-funding campaign, and we take a closer look in our review to see whether or not it’s worth the high price tag.

Heavy, but minimal

The Eclipse Charger’s design will split opinion. We like its simplicity and the inclusion of Native Union’s usual fabrics, but we’ve gradually come to consider it a little large and heavy. Its circular, moon-like top down view is attractive, but it’s quite bulky when you look at it from the side. For a device made to reduce clutter, it has a large footprint, and that may put some people off.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

The Eclipse holds three USB charging cables inside, keeping them neatly wrapped around the central, motorized drum section. Double tap the top of the Eclipse and it rises up, revealing your cables and connectors. The idea is to extract just enough of the one you need, plug it in to your device, and double tap the flat top again to lower the center back into place.

Before you get to this stage, you’ll need to “build” the Eclipse when you take it out of the box. Add each cable you want to use through the central screwhead-style stack. There are three ports that manage power, delivering faster than normal charging, but the Eclipse does not support technology like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. There are three USB Type-A ports with 2.4A, and a USB Type-C port with 3A hidden inside. Wrapping the cables up wasn’t the hard part, but getting the central unit reattached to the base took a lot of force — to the point where we were afraid it would break. Thankfully, it eventually snapped into place.

Charge all the devices

We chose to feed in an Apple Lightning cable, a USB Type-C cable, and our Apple Watch charging disc. The two phone chargers neatly hide away inside the Eclipse, but the channels inside the central section aren’t big enough for the Apple Watch charging disc, so it flops around outside. It doesn’t affect use, but it’s not the prettiest solution. To be fair to Native Union, it states this fact quite clearly in its FAQ.

For a device made to reduce clutter, it has a large footprint.

We experienced no problems charging all of our devices — individually or all together. The Eclipse has surge protection along with smart power management, so it delivers the maximum power to devices that will take it. We didn’t notice it getting hot, or any other negative effects.

The Eclipse easily performs its main function — a stylish cable management solution — effectively. Three cables spread over a bedside table or on a desk is unsightly and a little dangerous. The Eclipse completely solves this problem. The Eclipse itself isn’t much of a space-saver though. It’s a substantial round plinth, and takes up a fair amount of room on a small table. There is the option to wall-mount the whole thing, which may be preferable; but this means winding the cables up again when you’re done to keep it neat, which defeats the Eclipse’s simplicity.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

How about the motorized top? It’s a little gimmicky, but in a good way. Sure, a spring release system would have done the same job, but it wouldn’t be as neat or as fun. The double tap to raise and lower the cable management drum is easy to remember and works almost every time, although you do have to be quite precise with the timing of your taps. A single tap on the top turns on a small ambient light under the Eclipse — showing the inspiration for its name — that gives off a small glow. It’s no reading light, sadly, and outside of looking quite cool, it serves no purpose.

Colorful variants

Native Union is as much about style as it is about functionality and technology, so it’s no surprise to find several different color and material choices for the Eclipse. The model we reviewed has fabric, which is available in three colors. There are two wooden options and a more expensive marble edition. Native Union loves marble, as we’ve seen before on its iPhone cases.

Now if only the top part was a wireless charging pad too.

The fabric Eclipse chargers cost $80, the wooden ones are $100, and the marble model is $160. In the U.K., the Eclipse with fabric is 70 British pounds, the wood models are 90 British pounds, and the marble version is yours for 140 British pounds. Native Union also has various charging cables in matching color schemes, if you want to coordinate the entire setup. Everything can be purchased through Native Union’s own website.

The Eclipse is a smart, stylish, and well-designed cable management and charging system for your various gadgets. It’s versatile because you use your own cables, but the downside is it’s quite large, so don’t expect it to melt away into the background. Now if only the top part was a wireless charging pad too, we’d be overjoyed.

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Dell’s refreshed Latitude laptops get to work with 8th-gen Intel Core, 4G LTE

Dell took the wraps off its refreshed lines of Latitude 7000 and Latitude 5000 laptops and 2-in-1s at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. All models support up to an eighth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, but you can opt for seventh-generation chips at a reduced cost. Most of the solutions listed in this post rely on integrated graphics, although two offer options for Nvidia’s discrete GeForce MX150 graphics chip.

For the 7000 Series, you’ll find clamshell models ranging from 12.5 inches to 14 inches , along with a 2-in-1 version supporting the Dell Active Stylus Pen. Likewise, the refreshed 5000 Series features clamshell models spanning from 12.5 inches to 15.6 inches, and a 2-in-1 model with a 12.3-inch screen and Active Stylus Pen support. There are plenty of configurable options for all eight devices in terms of storage type, memory amount, and security features.

Some of the prominent features you’ll discover include optional facial recognition, fingerprint scanners, 4G LTE cellular support, and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Screen resolutions are either 1,366 x 768 or 1,920 x 1,080, some with touch support and others without it. There are even options for installing OPAL-based SEDs so your data stays encrypted and safe at all times.

Dell Latitude 7000 Series

Dell Latitude 7490

Key Specs

CPU: Up to 8th Gen Core i7, up to 7th Gen Core i5

Graphics: UHD/HD Graphics 620 (8th/7th)

Memory: Up to 32GB @ 2,400MHz

Storage: Four SSD options up to 1TB

Battery: 42WHr and 60WHr options

Display: 14.0 inches (HD, Full HD, non-touch, touch)

Weight: 3.11 pounds

Thickness: 0.70 inches

Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, Micro SD, HDMI

Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth, optional 4G LTE

Release date: January 9, 2018

Price: Starts at $1,049

Dell gets the CES party started with its latest 14-inch Latitude laptop. It’s powered by up to an eighth-generation Core i7 processor, or up to an older seventh-generation Core i5 chip. Those processor differences will determine the speed of the laptop’s memory — up to 32GB at 2,133MHz on seventh-generation configurations and up to 32GB at 2,400MHz on eighth-generation systems. The integrated graphics also depend on the selected processor.

Customers can configure the Latitude 7490 with four different storage options: up to 128GB on a PCI Express-based SSD (M.2 2230), up to 512GB on a SATA-based SSD (M.2 2280), up to 1TB on a standard PCI Express-based SSD, and up to 512GB on a PCI Express-based OPAL SED. To protect this laptop, Dell provides three security options: a SmartCard reader, a fingerprint scanner, and/or an infrared cameras.

Finally, this laptop provides a handful of connections including USB-A, USB-C (with optional Thunderbolt 3 support), wired networking, a Micro SD card slot, and so on. Customers can configure the display with a 1,366 x 768 (non-touch) or 1,920 x 1,080 (touch, non-touch) resolution. Overall, the device measures a mere 0.70 inches thick, and has a starting weight of 3.11 pounds.

Dell Latitude 7390

Key Specs

CPU: Up to 8th Gen Core i7, up to 7th Gen Core i5

Graphics: UHD/HD Graphics 620 (8th/7th)

Memory: Up to 16GB @ 2,400MHz

Storage: Four SSD options up to 1TB

Battery: 42WHr and 60WHr options

Display: 13.3 inches (Full HD non-touch, touch)

Weight: 2.59 pounds

Thickness: 0.65 inches

Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, Micro SD, HDMI

Release date: January 9, 2018

Price: Starts at $1,149

This is a smaller version of the 7390, with most of the same features. Differences include 50 percent less memory (16GB), one less USB-A port, and a smaller chassis. According to Dell, this model uses the same chassis as the 12.5-inch model (7290), and measures 12.0  x 8.19  x 0.65 inches. This version is slightly lighter then the other two 7000 Series laptops in Dell’s refresh, weighing in at 2.59 pounds, versus 3.11 pounds for the 7490 and the 2.63 pounds for the 7290.

All three 7000 Series models include Wireless AC and Bluetooth 4.1 or 4.2 connectivity, depending on selected wireless component. You can also configure all three with 4G LTE connectivity, but there are only three M.2 expansion slots across the board, two of which are used by the primary storage and Wireless AC/Bluetooth component. That third slot could be used for a 4G LTE module if it’s not used by a secondary storage device (if allowed).

For this model, the screen provides a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution with or without touch support. It’s complemented by an HD camera (available in all three), or an optional infrared camera supporting facial recognition. Powering this laptop, as well as its two siblings, are three battery options: a 42WHr prismatic battery, 60WHr polymer version, or a 60WHr long-life battery.

Dell Latitude 7390 2-in-1

Key Specs

CPU: Up to 8th Gen Core i7, up to 7th Gen Core i5

Graphics: UHD/HD Graphics 620 (8th/7th)

Memory: Up to 16GB @ 2,133MHz

Storage: Four SSD options up to 1TB

Battery: 45WHr and 60WHr options

Display: 13.3 inches (Full HD, touch)

Weight: 2.97 pounds

Thickness: 0.73 inches

Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Micro SD, HDMI

Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth, optional 4G LTE

Release date: January 9, 2018

Price: Starts at $1,149

This is a 2-in-1 version of the Latitude 7390 sporting a 360-hinge that supports laptop, stand, tent, and tablet modes. It’s mostly unchanged from the clamshell versio,n save for the storage options, size, weight, port complement, and memory configuration. That last feature is the biggest change: 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR3 memory clocked at 1,866MHz for seventh-generation Intel CPU setups, or 16GB of LPDDR3 memory clocked at 2,133MHz for eighth-generation chips.

This 2-in-1 has a locked resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 with touch support, and supports Dell’s Active Stylus Pen. There’s no discrete graphics chip, so the 2-in-1 relies on Intel’s HD or UHD Graphics 620 component integrated into its seventh- and eighth-generation processors. The screen is complemented with a 720p camera, although Dell provides an optional infrared camera for facial recognition. A fingerprint scanner and/or SmartCard reader are also optional security features.

On the battery front, customers can configure the 2-in-1 with a 45WHr, 60WHr, or 60WHr long-life battery. You can even configure the USB-C port with Thunderbolt 3, and throw in NFC connectivity with Control Vault 2 and FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification. Overall, the device measures a mere 0.73 inches thick in a closed position, and has a starting weight of 2.97 pounds.

Dell Latitude 7290

Key Specs

• CPU: Up to 8th Gen Core i7, up to 7th Gen Core i5
• Graphics: UHD/HD Graphics 620 (8th/7th)
• Memory: Up to 16GB @ 2,400MHz
• Storage: Four SSD options up to 1TB
• Battery: 42WHr and 60WHr options
• Display: 12.5 inches (HD non-touch)
• Weight: 2.63 pounds
• Thickness: 0.65 inches
• Ports: USB-A, USB-C, Ethernet, Micro SD, HDMI
• Connectivity: Wireless AC, Bluetooth, optional 4G LTE
• Release date: January 9, 2018
• Price: Starts at $1,049

Last on the 7000 Series refresh list is the 12.5-inch Latitude 7290. It’s very similar to the 7390 model, using the same chassis despite its smaller non-touch screen. The only real difference between this model and the larger 13.3-inch version is the weight, with the 7290 sporting a starting weight of 2.63 pounds and the larger 7390 with a starting weight of 2.59 pounds.

Port-wise, it includes a gigabit Ethernet port, one headphone/microphone combo jack, one Micro SD card reader, and two USB-A 3.1 Gen1 ports pushing data at up to 5Gbps. You’ll also find one HDMI 1.4 port, and one USB-C port that you can configure to support Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. The optional connection supports speeds of up to 40Gbps, and video output spanning DisplayPort and HDMI.

Finally, customers can configure all three models with Windows 10 Home (64-bit), Windows 10 Pro (64-bit), or Linux-based Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (64-bit).

Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 gets slim maglev magic, yet packs AMD Radeon graphics

The 2-in-1 market continues to grow, with new machines featuring convertible hinges or detachable keyboards arriving for both Windows 10 and Chrome OS. Even the larger 15-inch segment is gaining a few members of its own. Dell is expanding its own 2-in-1 lineup, adding to the very nicely designed and built 13-inch XPS 2-in-1 with a larger 15-inch model.

Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Key Specs

Intel 8th-gen Core i5-8305G or i7-8705G CPUs

AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL GPUs with 4GB RAM

Up to 16GB RAM, up to 1GB PCIe SSD

4K UHD next-gen InfinityEdge display

100 percent AdobeRGB

Gore thermal insulation

16mm thin

Maglev keyboard

Dell Premium Active Pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity

In a move that’s reminiscent of Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 upsizing, the new XPS 15 2-1-in is the spitting image of its smaller sibling. Essentially, it looks like Dell simply took the XPS 13 2-in-1 and blew it up, while scrunching various design elements like the InfinityEdge bezels to keep everything proportional. In terms of materials, the XPS 15 2-in-1 utilizes a similar all-aluminum chassis with carbon fiber lining the keyboard deck for a comfortable feel.

According to Dell, the new machine will arrive in spring 2018. It sports a “next generation” InfinityEdge display that will offer up 4K UHD (3,840 x 1,920) resolution and 100 percent coverage of the AdobeRGB color gamut. That lovely-sounding display will be powered by an AMD Radeon RX Vega M GPU with 4GB of dedicated RAM, to go along with eighth-generation Intel Core quad-core Kaby Lake-G CPUs. According to Dell, these components combined with a 75 watt-hour battery will allow for up to 15 hours of battery life.

The XPS 15 2-in-1 will also be remarkably thin, at just 16mm, making it what Dell calls the “smallest, thinnest 2-in-1” in its class. Certainly, 16mm is thinner than some of the competition, such as the Surface Book 2 15, the HP Spectre x360 15, and the Lenovo Yoga 720 15. Dell also touts the use of Gore Thermal Insulation as an additional measure to keep heat under control by directing heat out of the chassis and providing greater performance via less thermal throttling.

In terms of input, the XPS 15 2-in-1 will utilize a maglev (magnetic levitation) keyboard that Dell says will mimic the travel and feel of a traditional keyboard while fitting within the machine’s diminutive dimensions. And the new Dell Premium Active Pen equals Microsoft’s latest Surface Pen in its specifications, with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt support. The Bluetooth 4.2-enabled pen supports the Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP) along with Wacom AES1.0 and 2.0, making it flexible as well as full-featured.

We know that the XPS 15 2-in-1 will start at $1,299 and be available in Spring 2018, but we’ll need to await further information on pricing, availability, and the full range of configuration options. It’s clear, though, that Dell is serious about improving upon it’s already excellent XPS 13 2-in-1 with a larger-format machine that promises fewer compromises than its competition.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dell’s new XPS 13 is made from the same material as your running jacket
• Dell Inspiron 13 5000 2-in-1 review
• Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 (late 2017) review
• HP Spectre x360 13 (Late 2017) Review
• Dell’s refreshed Latitude laptops get to work with 8th-gen Intel Core, 4G LTE

Dell’s stick-sized external Thunderbolt 3 SSDs are extremely fast, but expensive

During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Dell introduced what it deems as the world’s most compact storage device supporting Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. The device measures just 3.89 inches long, making it a great pocket-slipping solution for business trips and unloading camera photos during a family vacation. It will be made available on February 28 in two capacities.

But don’t blow it off as another measly storage stick just yet. According to Dell, the NAND technology crammed into its Portable Thunderbolt 3 SSD is exactly what the company uses in its PCs. That indicates the device has similar read and write speeds, promising up to 2,650MB per second data storage rates. It’s backed by Thunderbolt 3 technology supporting data transfers to and from the parent PC at up to 40 gigabits per second (1Gb = 125MB).

Of course, data transfers will depend on the parent PC despite the drive’s support for Thunderbolt. USB-C ports offer a variety of connection speeds based on the technology behind the interface: USB 2.0 at 480Mbps, USB 3.1 Gen1 at 5Gbps, and USB 3.1 Gen2 at 10Gbps. Even more, Thunderbolt 3 connectivity depends on how it’s wired to the parent PC’s motherboard, hence the “up to” description regarding its speed.

“Unlike HDDs, SSDs have no mechanical storage components, making them more resistant to data loss caused by knocks, drops, and other ‘on-the-go’ abuse,” Dell states. “[It] uses the same internal SSDs as Dell PC systems, specified to high endurance and reliability standards and covered by Dell’s three-year limited hardware warranty, so you can be assured of the quality of the drives.”

SSDs are better than external hard drives because there are no moving parts. Hard drives are similar to old-school record players, packing multiple, stacked magnetic records, aka platters. Each spinning platter is read by its own arm sporting one read head, and one write head. Eventually all these moving parts will fail, resulting in data loss. That’s not the case with SSDs.

Typically, SSDs rely on cells that store data even when the device isn’t receiving power. These cells are spread out like a city block, resembling office buildings with up to three floors. A built-in controller sends and retrieves data from these office buildings as data moves to and from the parent PC. SSDs are normally faster than mechanical hard drives by a large amount, making them more ideal as both internal and external storage solutions.

Although USB sticks rely on flash memory technology, they’re not always as fast as external SSDs. Part of the bottleneck stems from the connection: There’s no sense in using high-performance flash if the port connection only supports 480Mbps. For instance, Kingston’s DataTraveler HyperX Predator USB stick provides 1TB of storage, but only has a 240MB/s read speed and a 160MB/s write speed due to its USB 3.1 Gen1 connection.

But Dell’s compact Thunderbolt-based SSD packing high read/write speeds doesn’t come without a cost. The 500GB model will set you back $439 while the 1TB version will cost a hefty $799 when they hit the market next month.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Next Dell XPS 15 laptop may have full-blown Thunderbolt 3 support
• The best laptops for photo editing
• In the battle of SSD vs. HDD storage, the winner is clear
• Apple iMac Pro news: everything you need to know about the professional desktop
• Dell’s refreshed Latitude laptops get to work with 8th-gen Intel Core, 4G LTE

Dell’s customizable Inspiron Gaming Desktop has something for all types of gamers

Dell is looking to take a hand in every part of your desktop PC gaming experience, hardware and software alike, with a pair of new showings at this year’s CES that cover the whole gamut of gaming-related features. Joining the heavily customizable Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop 5680 is the new Alienware Command Center, which lets you control your game library, PC lighting, and overclocking from a single dashboard.

Although Dell is one of the world’s most prolific PC manufacturers, its status in the gaming software market has been far less elevated. With the new Alienware Command Center, it is looking to capitalize on the ever-growing support for RGB backlighting on various peripherals and products, as well as taking over from some of the more specific graphics-driver and overclocking tools out there.

Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop 5680

Key Specs

CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i3, i5, or i7

Memory: Up to 64GB of DDR4

Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050, 1060, or 1070

Storage: Up to 256GB SSD, 2TB HDD

Audio: Performance 7.1 HD sound card

The most striking aspect of Dell’s understated but potentially powerful gaming desktop, the Inspiron 5680, is that it is heavily customizable. If you want to pack it with a Core i3 CPU, 8GB of memory, and an Nvidia GTX 1050 for entry-level gaming, you can do so. If you have deeper pockets and want to put in a Core i7 CPU, a GTX 1070, two terabytes of storage, and 64GB of RAM, that’s perfectly doable as well.

Whichever CPU you choose though, it will come from the latest generation, which means it will have at least four cores and potentially six if you opt for the top-tier offerings. Although the official specifications don’t mention it, we are also told that there is an option for an AMD RX 580 graphics card if you prefer to lean toward the red camp, like previous Inspiron gaming systems.

Dell goes out of its way to talk up the upgrade potential of the system, too, with four bays allowing for a total of three hard drives and two solid-state drives. It also highlights audio and network features like the onboard 7.1 sound card and support for Dell CinemaSound, alongside a connection optimizer called SmartByte, which helps prioritize video streaming to reduce lag and stuttering.

The chassis that contains all of this has a sleek, professional look rather than something gaudy and typically gamer-like, but that’s likely to appeal to Dell’s audience. It comes with plenty of front-panel ports and employs an “intelligent thermal design” to keep everything nice and cool.

The Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop 5680 is available from the official store right now, starting at $750.

New Alienware Command Center

Key Specs

Supports 16.8 million colors for peripheral backlighting control

Design individual game profiles with lighting, graphics and overclocking options

Game library puts all of your games in one central location

Built-in simple and efficient overclocking control

Designed to take the place of many pieces of PC software that typically cater to very specific functions, the new Alienware Command Center has an overhauled dashboard that’s cleaner and more functional than its predecessors. It collects an overclocking tool together with a backlighting manager, a unified game library, and graphics profiles within a singular piece of software.

Typically these sorts of functions are found in individual applications like graphics driver backends and specific peripheral customizers, but Dell is looking to have you utilize just one for all of them in the future. While that might make you assume that some of the functions in this general application are dulled down, Dell claims that its overclocking suite is simple but powerful, and can be leveraged by casual and advanced gamers alike. It also lays claim to support for nearly 17 million colors in its peripheral lighting management tool.

Perhaps the most useful aspect of the Command Center for those who like to game on a variety of download platforms like Steam, Origin, and Battle.net, is that it collects all of your games under one roof, making it easier to launch and customize them from a single location.

The new Alienware Command Center will be entirely free when it launches at some point during the first quarter of 2018 and will presumably support more than just Alienware desktops.

It’s unlikely to change our opinion of some of Alienware’s recent gaming systems, but it couldn’t hurt.

Editors’ Recommendations

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• Dell Inspiron 15 7577 Gaming Review
• Best cheap gaming PCs
• Push your PC to the max with the best graphics cards for gaming
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Your next piece of jewelry could be made of recycled motherboards from Dell

Dell’s trash will soon be your treasure, now that the computing company is partnering with actress Nikki Reed to turn electronic waste into recycled gold jewelry. Known as the new Circular Collection, this jewelry line is made from the gold recovered from Dell computer motherboards, and seeks to highlight the value of recycling and sustainable design.

The collection includes 14- and 18-carat gold rings, earrings, and cufflinks, and will make their debut at CES 2018, where attendees can ooh and aah at the possibilities of a few old computers and creative jewelry designers. Created in conjunction with Reed’s personal business, Bayou with Love, all the pieces in the Circular Collection are sourced entirely from Dell’s machinery.

“Bayou with Love was created to bring greater awareness to the human impact on our planet and show that beautiful items can come from sustainably sourced and recycled materials,” said Reed, co-founder of Bayou with Love. “By recycling gold that was once considered ‘waste,’ Dell and I are working to create an environment where we continuously reuse resources and strive for zero waste.”

Aside from making jewelry, Dell is also finding other ways to repurpose previously used metal. The company has announced an industry-first pilot to make use of recycled gold from old electronics in new computer motherboards beginning in March 2018. This program could have enormous environmental impacts, as it is estimated that today, only 12.5 percent of e-waste is recycled. That means that folks in the United States alone throw away some $60 million worth of gold and silver (and that only takes into consideration discarded phones). But Dell hopes to use its new jewelry line and pilot program to aid in sustainability efforts, and prevent potentially hazardous materials from ending up in landfills.

“At Dell, we pride ourselves in finding better, more efficient ways to do business particularly throughout our supply chain,” said Dell vice chairman Jeff Clarke. “Materials innovation — where and how we source things like plastic, carbon fiber, and now gold for our products — is increasingly important for us.” Noting that there is 800 times more gold in a ton of motherboards than a ton of ore, Clarke said that Dell has realized “the enormous opportunity [it has] to put valuable materials to work.”

Pieces from the new jewelry line can be pre-ordered beginning at $88 from the Bayou with Love website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• High fashion meets high tech in this 3D-printed store
• Sea2See turns tons of plastic waste into trendy sunglasses
• Now some of London’s buses use coffee to get started each morning
• Unleashing hungry bacteria on our landfills could produce tons of natural gas
• Weekly Rewind: Tech trends in 2018, what to expect from CES, an Apple refund

HP Spectre x360 15-inch (2018) hands-on review

Research Center:
HP Spectre x360 15 (2018)

Some people buy 2-in-1s because they want a versatile, portable PC that that can be used for the kind of lifestyle PC marketers dream of— creative, busy, constantly on the go. Yet others — perhaps even most of us — just want a laptop that can, on occasion, be used to jot down a note.

Those in the latter group have long adored the HP Spectre x360 15-inch for its big, sharp display, and powerful hardware. The newest refresh, revealed at CES 2018, doubles down on those strengths.

The Spectre x360 15-inch’s internals are drool-worthy.

Let’s talk hardware. The Spectre x360 15-inch comes standard with an 8th-gen Intel Core processor, as you’d expect, and it can be paired with Nvidia’s capable MX150 graphics chip. That’s fast — but what if you want more? Then HP has you covered with the new Intel Core 8th-gen with Radeon RX Vega graphics. It’s the Intel Core i7-8705G with Radeon Vega GL, to be specific — not the most powerful version available, but certainly quicker than the MX150 on its own.

We couldn’t benchmark the Spectre x360 15-inch during our hands-on, of course, but that’s not needed to tell you it’s quick. In fact, it’ll likely hit performance numbers close to an entry-level gaming notebook. Yet the system weighs about 4.7 pounds, and is just 0.76 inches thick.

Performance is just the start

The Spectre x360 15-inch’s internals are drool-worthy, but HP hasn’t just slapped together off-the-shelf parts. This is an exquisitely designed 15-inch laptop built from a block of machined aluminum. Its doesn’t adopt the more exotic materials found in Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1, which is why it weighs a few tenths of a pound more, but HP says it’s sticking with aluminum for a reason. Kevin Wentzel, HP’s Technical Marketing Manager, told us its machined aluminum chassis is stiffer, giving the company’s engineers more freedom when choosing the look of the laptop.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

HP has used that freedom well. It’s a beautiful system to look at, and its double-barrel hinge casts a unique silhouette. The model we saw paired matte black surfaces with semi-gloss bronze accents along the sides, hinges, and a few other highlights. It’s subtle combination but if let your eye linger, you’ll see it’s a stunner.

Picky enthusiasts will also enjoy the keyboard, which offers 1.5 millimeters of travel. We thought it a real highlight, and appreciated its long key long travel, crisp key action, and a comfortable layout. The port selection splits the difference between new and old-school choices, offering a combination of USB-A and USB-C connections, along with DisplayPort and HDMI. Here, once again, HP has refused to leap towards new ideas if it’s afraid quality won’t benefit. We can’t say we disagree with the company’s tact.

The HP does stumble a bit when it comes time to flip the screen around for tablet use. It’s rather heavy and thick for a 2-in-1, and that heft is easily felt. You won’t want to hold the screen aloft for more than two minutes. This PC won’t work as a digital notepad. It’s better suited for watching movies or browsing the web — preferably in tent mod on top of a table.

4K for better — or for worse?

If you do that, the 4K screen will keep you riveted. We can’t fully test the display with a hands-on, but hey — it’s 4K. It has a solid color gamut. It’s extremely bright at maximum burn. Of course it looks beautiful, even on the show floor, with overhead lights casting their harsh glare. 4K is the only option, so you’ll enjoy it no matter which model you buy.

Matt Smith/Digital Trends

That might be a weakness. 4K displays suck down battery. HP says the system will manage 12.5 hours of life with the Vega chip, and about 13.5 hours with the Nvidia MX150. That sounds like a lot, but it’s certainly not the best. Microsoft’s Surface Book 2 15-inch, for example, quotes 17 hours of life. HP has outfitted the Spectre with an 84 watt-hour battery, at least, so it’s certainly not slacking off in raw capacity.

HP Spectre x360 15 (2018) Compared To

Lenovo Miix 630

Acer Swift 3 SF314-52-517Z

Microsoft Surface Book 2

Asus VivoBook Pro 15 N580VD

HP ZBook 14u G4

Microsoft Surface Laptop

Asus ZenBook UX305

Toshiba Kirabook (2014)

Asus Zenbook UX301LA

HP Envy x2

Dell XPS 12

Sony Vaio S Premium 13.3-inch

Asus U36Jc

Sharp M4000

Toshiba Dynabook SX

Whatever its portability, we don’t doubt the Spectre x360 15-inch will be a serious contender. We already liked the previous model enough to give it a recommended award. This new version seems to retain all its predecessor’s good traits — and then turns the performance up a notch. The only problem is the competition. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch won’t take this sitting down, and Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 brings advanced materials and a maglev keyboard to the table.

The HP Spectre x360 15-inch will be available on March 18, starting at $1,370.

Dell’s new ultrathin displays bring HDR to your PC without emptying your wallet

Dell introduced two new desktop “S” displays for the mainstream market this week during the Consumer Electronics Show: The 27-inch S2719DM and the 23.8-inch S2419HM. They’re nearly identical in nature outside their obvious size differences, packing extremely high brightness levels, deep color support, and wide viewing angles. They’re extremely thin from front to back, and rather elegant, sporting a black and silver design.

That said, Dell is claiming the “world’s brightest ultra-thin monitor” torch with the release of these two displays. At their thinnest, they measure 0.21 inches thick, and are complemented by Dell’s InfinityEdge design (read: narrow bezels). Both are based on in-plane switching technology and Dell’s own ComfortView design for flicker-free viewing, and low blue light levels.

“Dell’s Ultrathin Monitors are the brightest in the world,” the company says. “Corning Iris Glass is a glass substrate used as a light-guide plate (LGP) in Dell monitors. This best-in-class material enables an ultra-thin form factor, boosts brightness, and delivers brilliant pictures.”

According to Corning, Iris Glass essentially distributes light evenly across ultra-thin displays so you’re not viewing dull colors or see low brightness in some spots. The typical light-guide plate can warp due to heat and humidity, thus manufacturers are forced to create displays with a thicker backlight and wider bezels to handle the physical changes. Corning’s Iris Glass solves the problem with “superior” stability and optical performance, enabling thinner displays.

Dell 27 Ultrathin Monitor

Key Specs

Model: S2719DM

Size: 27 inches

Panel tech: In-plane switching

Resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 @ 60Hz

Pixel pitch (mm): 0.233 x 0.233

Max brightness: 600 nits

Response time: 5ms Fast Mode / 8ms Normal Mode

Release date: January 30

Price: $500

This is the largest model of the two, sporting a 27-inch screen packing a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. It’s based on in-plane switching technology that pushes deep, rich colors and wide viewing angles. The result is a desktop monitor supporting 99 percent of the sRGB color space, and 85 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. It also serves up 178-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles, and a color depth of 16.7 million colors.

According to the specs, this panel has a typical contrast ratio of 1,000:1, but a dynamic contrast ratio of 8 million:1. It’s HDR-ready, and the only model of the two that’s actually certified by VESA with a DisplayHDR 400 classification. That is a new standards system measuring the level of a panel’s HDR capabilities, placing capable displays in three brackets: 400 (low), 600 (medium), and 1,000 (high).

As for other features stuffed into Dell’s new monitor, it has a typical brightness of 400 nits, but a peak brightness of 600 nits, both of which are still rather high. There are two response times as well: 8ms when the panel is set to Normal Mode, and 5ms when moved to Fast Mode. Port-wise, you will find two HDMI 2.0 ports, one audio jack, and surprisingly no DisplayPort connections. Given you’re paying $499 for a display, you’d expect at least one DisplayPort option.

Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2

2017 was a big year for not only 2-in-1 laptops, but 15-inchers in particular. However, if the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is anything to go by, 2018 is going to be an even bigger year — in both size and importance. Here’s a laptop that calls itself the most powerful 2-in-1 ever, and for a frankly limited time only, that will assuredly be the case.

The main draw of the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 over, say, the Microsoft Surface Book 2, is that it uses a G-series Intel Core i7 processor. That means that, yes, Dell’s latest flagship hybrid machine supports integrated AMD Radeon RX “Vega M GL” graphics featuring a form of high-bandwidth memory called HBM2.

The price, for instance, is going to be a major point of contention for anyone on the fence about buying either a Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 or Microsoft Surface Book 2. Whereas the 15-inch version of the Surface Book 2 will set you back upwards of $2,500, the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 starts at a comparably modest $1,299. But are there concessions made along the way to adhere to that price point? Let’s take a deep-dive into the nitty gritty of the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 and its arch-nemesis, the Surface Book 2, to find out for certain.

Specifications

Design

When it comes to aesthetic alone, you can’t go wrong with either the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 or the Surface Book 2. Both are equipped with flattering looks intended to make you swoon, and neither is particularly gaudy or peculiar. Personally, we prefer the matte-black finish of the XPS 15, but that — of all things — shouldn’t steer you away from the Surface Book 2.

In fact, you could argue that the Surface Book 2 looks better in tablet mode than the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. That’s because, unlike Microsoft’s winning laptop, Dell’s efforts are inhibited by a 360-degree rotating hinge. In effect, the ability to detach the screen from its keyboard is absent in the XPS 15 2-in-1, a feature that has long gripped enthusiasts of the Surface brand ever since the induction of the Surface Pro.

Then again, the Dell XPS 15 brings design innovation in other areas. It is, after all, the smallest and thinnest 15-inch, 2-in-1 laptop available. At its thinnest point, it’s 0.35 inches thick, as opposed to the Surface Book 2’s thickness of 0.568 inches. It’s also got those tiny bezels that the XPS lineup has been known for. The catch is that the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 weighs but a hair more at 4.3 pounds, compared to the Surface Book 2’s 4.2-pound heft.

Port-wise, you can expect a more progressive range from the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Similar to the last two MacBook Pros, the 2-in-1 rendition of the XPS 15 forgoes USB as you know it in favor of four USB-C ports. Notably, only two are Thunderbolt 3, while the remaining two are USB 3.1. Likewise, only one of these can double as a charging port, not that it’ll need the juice with a promised battery life of up to 15 hours. You might prefer the Surface Book 2 for it’s inclusion of USB-A for your legacy accessories, but overall the XPS 15 2-in-1 takes the cake here.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Hardware

There’s no question that the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 comes with better hardware for the buck.

You’ll have to reach a bit deeper into your pockets to take advantage of a full-fledged UltraHD 4K display, but otherwise Dell’s option comes with a faster processor out of the box and HBM2 graphics that are largely thought to be better than the Nvidia GDDR5 memory found in the Surface Book 2’s GPU (though we haven’t gotten to test it out fully yet).

Having said that, we’re a lot more familiar with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 wielded by the Surface Book 2, and that goes without mentioning the fact that it boasts 6GB of VRAM, contrasting the 4GB found in the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1.

In regards to battery life, the Surface Book 2 poses an undeniable threat to the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. Instead of clinging to a 75WHr (watt-hours) battery, you’ll find a 90WHr battery housed in the likes of the Surface Book 2. According to both companies, that makes for up to a two-hour difference in the amount of time you can use the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 and Surface Book 2 without plugging them in.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Display

While we can’t say for sure which one looks better in person just yet, on paper the Surface Book 2 has a sharper screen no matter which configuration you opt for. At 259 pixels-per-inch (ppi), the Surface Book 2’s smaller display gives it the upper hand against the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1’s 235 ppi (max) LED-backlit IPS touchscreen.

That sentiment bears more truth when you’re looking at the base models. On one hand, the cheapest Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has a 141 ppi, 1,920 x 1,080 display and, on the other, the Surface Book 2 has that same 3,200 x 1,800 resolution (259 ppi) detachable IPS panel. Of course, being in two different price ranges, it’s evident why Dell chose the route it did, but nonetheless, the Surface Book 2 erupts the clear winner.

Winner: Surface Book 2

Portability

It’s irrefutable that the Surface Book 2 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops around when it comes to portability. Again, you can separate the screen and the keyboard entirely, instead of wrapping the keyboard around the back and lugging around its full weight in your leisure time.

Yes, that’s a subtle jab at the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1, a laptop that takes the more common approach to the convertible form factor by letting you fold the screen backwards to initiate tablet mode. The better method is your call honestly, but being able to take the keyboard off of the Surface Book 2 when we’re propped up in bed binge-watching Broad City is undoubtedly the more “portable” option.

Moreover, as we mentioned before, the battery life difference will be an important factor in your purchasing decision between the Surface Book 2 and the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 as well. It just so happens to be that the Surface Book 2 also packs a longer battery life. Even considering how thin and small the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is, the Surface Book 2 wins for its tablet mode alone.

Winner: Surface Book 2

Bottom line

Our verdict is this: The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 and Surface Book 2 were clearly meant for different audiences. Dell wants to grab the masses with the XPS 15 2-in-1, as indicated by its $1,299 starting price. Meanwhile, Microsoft is dead-set on appealing to the prosumer creative type with the $2,500+ 15-inch version of the Surface Book 2.

As a result, there’s no definitive answer as to which laptop is better, but the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is definitely going to appeal to a wider smattering of people for its better value and strong performance.

Editors’ Recommendations

• HP Spectre x360 15 vs Dell XPS 15 2-in-1: Both are awesome, but one is the future
• Microsoft takes on Apple’s prestige: Surface Book 2 15-inch vs. MacBook Pro 15
• Is the Surface Book 2 a worthy sequel to the original? Here’s how it compares
• Battle of the 15-inch 2-in-1s: HP Spectre x360 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2
• Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 gets slim maglev magic, yet packs AMD Radeon graphics

HP Spectre x360 15 vs Dell XPS 15 2-in-1: Both are awesome, but one is the future

The 2-in-1 PC became commonplace in 2017, with all major manufacturers devoting at least as much time and effort on producing the flexible form factor as they spent on traditional clamshell notebooks. This year looks no different, with a variety of compelling 2-in-1s hitting the market, including a revised version of HP’s large-format 2-in-1 and a brand-new Dell that ups the screen size from its existing XPS 13 2-in-1.

We pit the HP Spectre x360 15 vs Dell XPS 15 2-in-1, taking a look at two major players in the large 2-in-1 space to see which does the best job of matching a 2-in-1’s flexibility with the advantages of a large, high-resolution display.

Specs

Design

HP’s new Spectre x360 15 has a tried-and-true design that we thoroughly enjoyed in the original model Spectre x360 15 released in early 2017. The machine boasts a similar design to one of our favorite convertible 2-in-1s, the HP Spectre x360 13, only made larger and packing in a 15.6-inch display. The smaller version received its own refresh late in 2017, chiseling a reduced chassis with sharper and more angular lines, and its larger sibling now follows suit. It’s a great-looking machine with its Dark Ash Silver and Copper Luxe accent color scheme, and its also very well built with its solid all-aluminum chassis.

Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1, while brand-new, also take design cues from its smaller sibling, the excellent XPS 13 2-in-1. It utilizes a similar silver aluminum chassis and black carbon fiber keyboard deck, which gives it both a conservative yet attractive aesthetic and a very robust build quality. Dell kicks things up a notch, however, by using a rather exotic Gore Thermal Insulation material — the kind you’ll find in running jackets — that promises to direct heat out of the chassis and help keep the processor running at full speed.

It’s hard to argue against the HP’s elegant and modern design, but Dell is packing some material advantages (no pun intended) into its XPS 15 2-in-1 that demonstrate a real attention to detail. We give the Dell the design win.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Performance

One of the more intriguing developments for early 2018 is the introduction of Intel’s new quad-core Kaby Lake-G CPUs that are mated with AMD Radeon RX M GPUs. There are two versions of this chipset, one that utilizes the Radeon RX Vega M GL that competes with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1050, and one that builds in the Radeon RX M GH that competes with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 with Max Q.

Both machines should offer similar high-end performance but without knowing heat generation, battery life, etc it’s hard to say who will win

HP is offering the Spectre x360 15 in two versions. One utilizes the Kaby Lake-G CPU, specifically the i7-8705G, that packs in a Radeon Vega M GL. The other is a holdover from a late 2017 refresh that mates an eighth-generation quad-core Intel i7-8850U and an entry-level discrete Nvidia GeForce MX150.

Dell, on the other hand, skips the lowest performance option entirely. Instead, it’s offering the XPS 15 2-1 with either a Core i5-8305G or Core i7-8705G, both using the Radeon Vega M GL GPU.

Ultimately, both machines should offer similar performance at the high end, while the XPS 15 2-in-1 will offer more performance in its lower cost option. Without more to go on regarding how the Intel/AMD mashup will perform and what costs there might be in terms of heat generation, battery life, and other considerations, it’s difficult to say which machine will win this battle.

Winner: Tie

Keyboard, Mouse, and Pen

HP revised its excellent keyboard from the previous model, squeezing in a numeric keypad and getting rid of the row of home buttons along the right-hand side. We like the keyboard feel of the previous model, lauding its precise feel and copious amounts of travel, but we’ll have to reserve judgment until we have a chance to check out the updated version.

HP also moved the touchpad slightly to the left to make it fit more comfortably underneath the keyboard, and we hope that it uses the Microsoft Precision Touchpad protocol rather than the Synaptics driver that we found somewhat less precise and responsive. Finally, the Spectre x360 15 can use either of HP’s active pens, both of which offer 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, and the upgraded version, that offers a rechargeable battery and laser-pointer-like gyroscope.

With its cool-sounding mag-lev keyboard and more precise pen, we have to give Dell the nod for sheer innovation.

Dell started from scratch with the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1’s input options. First, it created a completely new and very innovative-sounding Mag-Lev (magnetic levitation) keyboard offering 0.7mm of travel. That sounds low (the Spectre x360 15 offers 1.5mm of travel), but we’ve had a chance to try it, and were fairly impressed — though we’d like to use it for more than a few minutes before making a verdict.

The Dell offers a Microsoft Precision touchpad with a glass surface and integrated button, and there’s a new Dell Active Pen that offers a full 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt support. That makes it the equal of the excellent Microsoft Surface Pro, and Surface Book 2’s Surface Pen.

Both machines enable Windows 10 Hello password-less login support via fingerprint reader, but the Spectre x360 15 also offers an infrared camera for facial recognition. In spite of this additional security option, we have to give Dell the nod for sheer innovation with its cool-sounding mag-lev keyboard, and also its more precise pen.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Connectivity

The HP Spectre x360 15 has a solid collection of ports to meet both legacy and future connectivity needs. A full-size HDMI port sits next to two USB-C ports on the right-hand side. On the Nvidia version, one of them provides Thunderbolt 3 support, while on the AMD version both are Thunderbolt 3-compliant. On the left-hand side, you’ll find a USB-A 3.0 port, a combo audio jack, and an SD card reader. Wireless connectivity comes via 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 is looking entirely to the future with its selection of connectivity options. There are four USB-C connections on hand, two of which are USB-C 3.1, and two of which support Thunderbolt 3. A microSD card reader is also built in. Wireless connectivity includes 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac and Bluetooth.

Ultimately, we appreciate HP’s inclusion of old-school connectivity with the USB-A and HDMI ports. That just means two fewer dongles. Both machines offer USB-C and Thunderbolt 3, and so you’ll enjoy good future peripheral connectivity, but the Spectre x360 15 gets the win for saving you the need to invest in any dongles.

Winner: HP Spectre x360 15

Display

HP’s Spectre x360 15 has always offered only one display option, a very nice 15.6-inch 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 or 282 PPI) resolution panel that offers decent color support and good enough contrast. Given the convertible 2-in-1’s ability to flip over the display to media view mode, it makes for a great 4K Netflix movie-watching experience, while also working well for productivity. The 16:9 aspect ratio does make for an uncomfortably tall portrait tablet experience, however.

On paper, Dell is promising a superior viewing experience.

Dell will be offering two display options for the XPS 15 2-in-1, 15.6-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 141 PPI) and 4K UHD panels. Both promise 100 percent sRGB color gamut support, good brightness at 400 nits, and a very high 1500:1 contrast ratio with anti-reflective properties.

We’ll have to get the machines in our offices and get busy with our colorimeter to see which display is better. However, on paper, Dell is promising a superior viewing experience; based on the excellent 4K UHD displays in the XPS 15 clamshell notebook, we believe them.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Portability and Battery Life

While HP shaved off a few fractions of a millimeter from the HP Spectre x360 15’s bezels and therefore packed everything into a slightly smaller chassis, it increased the machine’s thickness 0.06 inches (to 0.76 inches). It also upped the weight from 4.4 pounds to 4.62 pounds for the Nvidia version and 4.72 pounds for the AMD version.

That concession to slightly less comfortable portability allowed the company to squeeze in a larger battery, 84 watt-hours versus the previous model’s 79.2 watt-hours. HP promises 13.5 hours of battery life from the Nvidia version, and 12 hours from the more powerful AMD version.

Dell focused more on making the “smallest, thinnest 2-in-1 in its class,” and the XPS 15 2-in-1 certainly qualifies. It’s significantly thinner than the HP at 0.63 inches and it’s much lighter at 4.3 pounds. The company says battery life will reach 15 hours with the machine’s 75 watt-hour battery, but we imagine this refers to the Full HD configuration. The 4K UHD display will suck down more power and likely won’t last nearly as long.

Which machine wins this round depends entirely on whether you want longer battery life with a 4K display (the HP’s significantly larger battery should win out here) or a thinner, lighter chassis. We would call it a tie because both considerations are important, but if you really want the longest battery life to go with the most svelte frame, then Dell has you covered with its Full HD display option.

Winner: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Availability and Price

The HP Spectre x360 15 will start at $1,370 for the Nvidia version with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), while the same model with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD will run $1,600. The AMD version, on the other hand, will start at $1,500 for 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, while the version with 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD will be priced at $1,700. The standard HP pen is included, while the enhanced pen will be priced at $90.

We don’t yet have much pricing information for the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1. All we know at this point is that pricing will start at $1,299, which is likely the low-end configuration with a Full HD display. Given the premium nature of the XPS 13 2-in-1, we imagine that pricing on the larger model will ramp up quickly.

The Spectre x360 15 should be available in March 2018, while Dell has only indicated a more general Spring 2018 availability date. We have to give the nod the HP here for likely being the more affordable solution, but that’s based only on the Spectre x360 15’s earlier pricing models.

Winner: HP Spectre x360 15

The Dell just seems more like the future

Both HP and Dell are making good use of Intel’s new partnership with AMD, putting out attractive and likely well-built convertible 2-in-1s with graphics performance equalling Nvidia’s GTX 1050. That means that both will perform well in high-end productivity and creativity tasks like video editing, while also running modern games at 1080p and decent graphics quality.

The XPS 15 2-in-1 is likely to be a bit more expensive, it’s thinner and lighter, and it’s probably going to have a nicer display. The Spectre x360 15, on the other hand, should have better battery life with the 4K UHD display, and of course, it’s likely to be less expensive. We’ll be surprised if either new model does poorly when we receive them for review.

In the end, though, we do love companies that push the technology envelope. Dell is doing just that by incorporating a mag-lev keyboard and Gore Thermal Insulation, and for that reason, we’re going to give it the win in this shootout.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 gets slim maglev magic, yet packs AMD Radeon graphics
• HP supercharges Spectre x360 15-inch with Intel 8th-Gen Core and AMD Vega graphics
• Battle of the 15-inch 2-in-1s: HP Spectre x360 vs. Microsoft Surface Book 2
• Microsoft Surface Book 2 15-inch Review
• The best 15-inch laptops of 2017