Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (9310): Best Premium Convertible

With cutting-edge components and a sleek, sturdy chassis available in multiple color options and screen resolutions, the late-2020 reboot of Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 sets the bar for premium convertible notebooks. Intel’s latest “Tiger Lake” CPU and graphics options make the XPS 13 2-in-1 a top performer in its class. The battery life is impressive, as well. The starting configuration is a bit underpowered, but the premium for the wellequipped version reviewed here is reasonable. The system snags our Editors’ Choice award for best premium 2-in-1.

- TOM BRANT

A STANDOUT IN A CROWDED FIELD

The market for premium Windows laptops is ultra-competitive, with Dell, Asus, Acer, HP, Lenovo, and other companies updating their flagship models frequently—sometimes more than once a year. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is up against similarly excellent convertible laptops with 13-inch screens, among them the HP Spectre x360 13 and the Asus ZenBook Flip S. Several of these have been updated with Intel’s 11th Generation Tiger Lake Core processors or their AMD equivalents, the Ryzen 4000 series.

I’ll get into why the XPS 13 2-in-1 rises to the top of this field below, but the first question shoppers should consider is whether they need a convertible laptop or the also-excellent conventional clamshell-style XPS 13. The main difference between the two is the 2-in-1’s 360-degree rotating hinge. This lets you use it as a laptop and also to prop it up on your desk like an easel or tent (with the keyboard folded underneath or behind the screen) or to use the system in your lap as a tablet. In these modes, your main interaction with the laptop is via its touch screen. Fingers or Dell’s optional digital stylus can be used to write, draw, and manipulate onscreen elements, while the pop-up virtual keyboard built into Windows 10 serves as a means of typing.

Not everyone needs this additional flexibility, especially since the clamshell-style XPS 13 also offers a touch screen. But neither does the flexibility require many sacrifices. Both models share similar styling and physical dimensions. They’re made from machined aluminum with carbon- and glass-fiber accents, and both offer sleek silver exteriors and two refined interior color options: black or white palm rests with matching keyboards.