Dell has shown at CES 2022 the XPS 13 Plus, the new version of its well-known ultraportable that many years ago launched the Sputnik Project, the one that consolidated Ubuntu as an option within a part of the catalog of the American company. This time we find Intel Alder Lake and a minimalist design with a futuristic cut, away from those aesthetic finishes apparently inspired by Apple’s MacBooks.
There is no denying that Dell designers have embroidered it this time around with the XPS 13 Plus, because they have removed the two-tone carbon fiber interior trim from the classic models to create a simpler design that combines an exterior trim of aluminum with another interior of the same material. The ultraportable will be available in two colors: platinum and graphite.
The keyboard of the Dell XPS 13 Plus, thanks to taking advantage of all the width it has available, has been able to mount large keys. However, at the top there is an element that can generate some fear among Linux users, a row offering a capacitive touch experience. It also premieres a Clear glass tactile touchpad with haptic feedback.
The screen is 13.4 inches with borderless Inifnity Edge design. Depending on the variant of the laptop or the selected screen, the buyer will be able to choose between different options that cover, at least for Windows 11, Full HD, Full HD + (1,920 × 1,200) with optional touch technology, 4K with mandatory touch technology and OLED 3.5K (3,456 × 2,160) with mandatory touch technology and support for HDR500 and 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
In terms of processors, the Dell XPS 13 Plus will make available models of Intel’s Alder Lake generation, not surprising seeing that this ultraportable aims to compete with the best on the market (not to say that it pretends to be the best). All processors operate at 28 watts and the models to choose from are the Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1260P, Core i7-1270P and Core i7-1280P. If we consider that previous generations of the XPS 13 were limited to 15 watts, this means that we will see an increase in performance, an improvement that has led to the inclusion of a dual fan cooling system. As a graphic, it will have Iris X technology integrated into all models.
With regard to memory, at the level of RAM it will be allowed to include 8, 16, or 32 gigabytes of 5,200MHz LPDDR5 RAM and in terms of data storage it will allow to enter between 256GB and 2TB capacity via SSD over PCIe 4.
But not all of it is good news about the Dell XPS 13 Plus, since at the level of USB connections will only incorporate two Thunderbolt 4 ports, so the user will find a USB Type-C (reversible) to Type-A (rectangular) adapter inside the equipment packaging. Seeing the situation, it would be a good idea to purchase a hub that makes more connections available because it does not have a headphone jack or microSD slot either.
Of course, a 720p webcam does include. This peripheral is initially placed so that the user can identify himself using Windows Hello, but who doubts that the NSA and other security and intelligence agencies will not be happy to have such a spring to easily see his face.
For wireless connectivity at least the standard model with Windows 11 will equip a Killer network card for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 and will incorporate a 55WHr battery. The thickness of the equipment will be only 15 millimeters and its weight of 1.24 kilograms, so it will be easy to transport.
And of course, the Dell XPS 13 Plus will count with a Developer Edition variant with Ubuntu 20.04 as an operating system, which at this point should not be surprising seeing the history of the company with one of its flagship laptops. Hopefully the manufacturer hits with the components or pulls the necessary threads for Linux to work properly out of the box, not only for Wi-Fi, but also for the top row that offers the capacitive touch experience.
