Do I need a laptop, or can I go to school or university with just a tablet?

TL;DR

• The XPS 13’s performance surpasses most tablets and laptops in its price range.
• The lightweight design and slim profile of the XPS 13 put it in the same alley as many tablets.
• The XPS 13's battery life easily matches and even outperforms some leading tablets on the market.
• The display on the XPS 13 is sharp, vivid, and responsive.

The new XPS 13, which has earned plenty of positive comments, is one of the latest laptops on the market that can go head-to-head against even the most advanced tablets. With features such as exceptional speed, long battery life, and top-notch build quality, the XPS 13 has the productivity of a laptop and the versatility of a tablet.

Just as laptops have gradually evolved over the years to deliver performance that rivals desktops, tablets have also undergone a remarkable transformation. Modern tablets have largely caught up to laptops in performance and other features.

Despite these advances, laptops still have a distinct edge over tablets in many scenarios. A laptop, such as the XPS 13, can still be a better, more reliable tool for students, from undergraduates to postgraduates.

Do laptops and tablets offer similar performance?

While a tablet can handle simple tasks, such as web browsing or note-taking, it often falls short for more demanding academic workloads. For tasks like heavy multitasking, photo and audio editing, or video streaming, a laptop like the XPS 13 becomes a better choice.

Equipped with the Series 3 Intel Core processors, or the Series 3 Intel Core Ultra option for extra performance, the XPS 13 can tackle intensive workloads that could overwhelm many tablets. The laptop also comes with more generous hardware, such as a 1TB SSD. You rarely find these same specifications in tablets at a comparable price point.

Is a tablet more portable than a laptop?

A tablet is generally more portable than a laptop, but the Dell XPS 13 has made tremendous progress in closing the gap—making deciding between the two less clear-cut than before.

With the XPS 13, Dell has prioritized a lighter and more compact design. The laptop weighs 2.2 pounds (1 kg) and is only 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) thick—slimmer and lighter than many modern laptops.

In fact, the XPS 13’s dimensions make it only slightly thicker than premium tablets with 12-to-13-inch screens, so the difference is minimal. While it is heavier than the lightest tablets in the same category, the Dell XPS 13 remains exceptionally portable, and the modest weight increase is a worthwhile trade-off for superior performance and functionality.

Do tablets really outlast laptops in battery life?

The XPS 13 has made significant strides in power efficiency. As a result, the laptop can outlast most premium tablets you can think of. Equipped with a 52 Whr Li-Ion battery, Dell claims the XPS 13 can deliver up to 17 hours of continuous Netflix streaming with a single charge. This kind of battery not only rivals tablets but, in many cases, surpasses tablets with similar price tags.

The XPS 13’s extraordinary battery life is no coincidence; it results from carefully chosen components to power the laptop. Intel’s Core Series 3 chips, and the Core Ultra Series 3 option, are not only powerful but very energy-efficient. Combine that with a dynamic display with a variable refresh rate between 30 Hz and 120 Hz to further improve battery life.

Is a tablet better than a laptop because of the touch screen?

The XPS 13 combines the hands-on convenience of a tablet into a laptop. Featuring a 2.5K (2560x1600) touchscreen with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, the high-resolution panel is vibrant, crisp, and responsive. At 500 nits, it’s also very bright.

While the touchscreen is great for some tasks, you can't replace a keyboard and touchpad for workloads like writing essays, managing spreadsheets, or coding. The XPS 13 excels in these areas with its premium backlit keyboard and precision trackpad. Unlike most tablets that require you to purchase a separate keyboard add-on, the XPS 13 already arrives with all the vital inputs you need for your academic life.

If you think a Dell XPS 13 is right for you, find out more on the Dell website:

US readers click here

CA readers click here

UK readers click here