Dell XPS 13 Returns With Kaby Lake, Ubuntu, Rose Gold Finish
Dell joined the Intel Kaby Lake party and announced that the latest update to its XPS 13 notebook PC will feature the new 7th generation (Kaby Lake) processors. The company will also offer a developer version of the lightweight laptop that comes loaded with Ubuntu, and the XPS 13 received a new color option in the form of Rose Gold.
The Dell XPS 13 is the company’s thinnest and lightest laptop offering, weighing in starting at 2.7 lbs. and coming as thin as 9mm. The machined-aluminum and carbon fiber chassis, along with the display’s Corning Gorilla Glass, gives the device a durable, yet sleek construction.
Intel’s Kaby Lake processors have been making their way to a variety of vendors and devices, and Dell is following suit by offering the Intel Core i3-7100U, Core i5-7200U and Core i7-7500U as options in the new XPS 13. The laptop can be configured with 4, 8 or 16GB of LPDDR3-1866, and storage options include a 128GB SATA-based SSD or 256GB, 512GB and 1TB PCIe SSDs.
The 13.3-inch display comes in two different flavors: an FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge anti-glare screen or a QHD (3200 x 1800) InfinityEdge touchscreen. Dell also upgraded the battery to a larger, 60 Watt-Hour version that offers increased longevity away from the wall. The battery provides up to 22 hours runtime on an FHD display or up to 13 hours on a QHD version.
The XPS 13 sports a new Rose Gold finish option. Although this color variant has been a favorite of many manufacturers recently, it’s the first time Dell is offering the luxurious tone in the XPS 13. However, the Rose Gold finish will only come in two variations, with either a 7th generation (Kaby Lake) Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, both with 8 GB of memory and a 256 GB PCIe SSD. The i5 version features an FHD display; the i7 has the QHD touchscreen.
Furthermore, Windows 10 won’t be the only OS option for the XPS 13. Dell is offering a developer version of the laptop loaded with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, giving Canonical enthusiasts a powerful (on paper) option for their Linux-based workloads and applications.
The Dell XPS 13 will be available starting October 4, starting at $799. The Developer Edition (Ubuntu) starts at a steeper $949.
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| Product | Dell XPS 13 |
|---|---|
| Processor Options | - Intel Core i3-7100U- Intel Core i5-7300U- Intel Core i7-7500U |
| Memory Options | - 4GB LPDDR3-1866- 8GB LPDDR3-1866- 16GB |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 620 |
| Display Options | - 13.3” FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge- 13.3” QHD (3200 x 1800) InfinityEdge Touchscreen |
| Ports | - USB 3.0 x2- Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C)- SD Card Reader- Headset Jack |
| Networking | Killer 1535 Wireless AC 2x2 w/ Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Audio | 1-Watt Speaker x2 |
| Webcam | 720p Widescreen w/ Dual-Array Digital Mics |
| Dimensions | 7.88 x 11.98 x 0.33-0.60 inches |
| Weight | - 2.7 lbs.- 2.9 lbs. (Touchscreen) |
| Operating System Options | - Windows 10- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS |
| Starting MSRP | - $799 (Windows 10)- $949 (Developer Edition) |
Derek Forrest was a contributing freelance writer for Tom's Hardware. He covered hardware news and reviews, focusing on gaming desktops and laptops.
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jasonelmore the linux version cost $200 more than the windows version? haha.. i bet it's because they used the word "Developer"Reply -
dstarr3 It does seem strange to put a price premium on a Linux laptop. Anybody interested in getting Linux would know how to reformat a Windows laptop and install Linux on it to save money.Reply -
anbello262 I don't think the developer version is more expensive. It starts $200 higher, but that probably just means that there are no "low end" developer versions.Reply -
dstarr3 Reply18603143 said:I don't think the developer version is more expensive. It starts $200 higher, but that probably just means that there are no "low end" developer versions.
Ah. -
NilsTillander Maybe this time with working docking station through Thunderbolt3 (the TB15 debacle isn't a nice story...) and no super annoying coil whine?Reply -
velocityg4 Reply18602874 said:the linux version cost $200 more than the windows version? haha.. i bet it's because they used the word "Developer"
Going by the current gen. Regular business model starts with an i3, 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD. The Developers model starts with an i5, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. The Developers model with Ubuntu is actually $100 cheaper than a similarly equipped Windows 10 Pro model.