Ever since Steve Jobs pulled the primary MacBook Air out of a manilla envelope on the MacWorld Expo in 2008, the laptop computer business has been chasing accolades for the thinnest and lightest designs. And whereas the MacBook Air has continued to be a white whale, one Home windows laptop computer has turn into nearly as recognizable: the Dell XPS 13.
However the brand new Dell XPS 13 (9315) is a drastic change from its predecessors. Whereas the XPS 13 as an ultrabook dates again to 2012, the XPS 13 as most of us bear in mind it began in 2015, the primary time the corporate added its “InfinityEdge” show, lowering the bezels. Due to that and a sturdy metallic shell and principally comfy keyboard, the laptop computer turned an icon. As different laptop computer producers chased the MacBook Air, so did they chase the XPS 13. So when the XPS 13 goes skinny sufficient as to be nearly completely unrepairable or upgradable by customers, I took discover. How a lot would Dell give as much as shave 0.03 inches off the prior mannequin?
The Dell XPS 13 (9315), which was introduced on Thursday, retains the skinny bezels. However it’s ditching the carbon fiber keyboard deck, and most of its ports, in Dell’s quest for a thinner, extra transportable design at simply 0.55 inches thick. It makes use of Intel’s twelfth Gen U-series processors at 9 watts (going as much as 12W relying on the use case), leaving the extra highly effective P-series components to the XPS 13 Plus.
However maybe most significantly, it has Dell’s smallest ever motherboard (roughly 180.15 x 38.34 mm). This enables the corporate to cram a big, skinny battery in, retaining the laptop computer tiny and, presumably, long-lasting. (We’ve not gotten to check the XPS 13 but, however we sit up for it.) It is borrowing from the smartphone engineering world for each the motherboard and the RAM, soldering reminiscence that usually goes over smartphone processors to the motherboard.
The SSD, a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive, is in an 11.5 x 13 mm package deal, which Dell calls the smallest within the business. It is in a BGA, or Ball Grid Array, which makes use of solder to completely connect parts. You gained’t be changing it if it fails or swapping in one thing greater or sooner down the road. And the battery is built-in, so changing it is going to be a chore if you are able to do all of it.
Elizabeth Chamberlain, director of sustainability at iFixit, mentioned there are a number of XPS 13 laptops with soldered RAM in her group, which she had hoped to see change in future revisions.
“We’ve got fairly just a few XPS 13s deployed at iFixit, and we now have had reliability issues with XPS 13 machines with soldered-in RAM failing,” Chamberlain mentioned. “When that occurs, we now have to interchange the complete costly most important board quite than swapping out RAM like we are able to on the XPS 15. Moderately than reversing that design mistake, Dell seems to be doubling down.”
When it comes to thinness, that is considerably of an engineering marvel. However maybe Dell has chased Apple a bit too far.
Now, Apple has crushed Dell to the punch right here. Whereas the unique MacBook Air had a replaceable arduous drive, its RAM was soldered down (the MacBook Professional would comply with in 2013). However with the transfer to Apple Silicon, the storage has all been soldered down, too. Positive, you possibly can exchange the battery, however different repairs are largely out of the query with out going to a Genius Bar. (No less than Apple’s RAM state of affairs is because of the truth that the RAM is a part of the SoC.)
However in some methods, Dell has gone additional. There is not any technical motive, apart from thinness, for the way in which Dell soldered the RAM down, as an example. In contrast to Apple Silicon, Intel’s Alder Lake chips do not have built-in reminiscence. The identical goes for that SSD.
“Whereas we try to make units that may be disassembled, repaired, refurbished, and in the end recycled, buyer needs for smaller, thinner, extra succesful units could make this a tough activity – and within the case of the XPS 13 laptop computer, the streamlined dimension reduces materials use whereas rising effectivity, however limits some repairability,” Dell representatives wrote to Tom’s {Hardware}. “Every product is a collection of selections based mostly on what the client wants, needs and can worth. With our newest XPS 13 laptop computer, we’re being aware of shoppers’ wants for portability and performance.”
However some prospects need that combined with repairability. Chamberlain mentioned that whereas iFixit should do its personal teardown to make a definitive name, that “from the specs it appears unlikely that we’ll be recommending this locked-down laptop to our group as we now have traditionally.”
Even on the PC aspect, Dell is not alone right here. Solely just lately has Microsoft began including SSD doorways to Floor units, and even then solely a few of them. I’ve seen loads of laptops from nearly each OEM shifting in direction of soldering RAM to save lots of just a few millimeters of thickness, although storage drives have usually been accessible. And Dell went to this point with its new XPS 13 to take away the headphone jack.
Sure, the three.5 mm headphone jack is gone from the Dell XPS 13. I assumed that after I requested Dell about it, I’d hear about how everybody makes use of wi-fi headphones today. However spokespeople for the corporate have been way more frank than I anticipated:
“We have been unable to suit a headphone jack inside the chassis, based mostly off the aggressive design and portability targets we chartered for XPS 13,” Dell informed Tom’s {Hardware} in an e mail.
However even Apple, which makes cash on AirPods, hasn’t eliminated the three.5 mm headphone jack from its laptops but. I do not assume I’ve ever seen somebody say the MacBook Air is not transportable sufficient. Even the 12-inch MacBook had a headphone jack. Increase your hand you probably have a pair of USB Kind-C headphones round in case your wi-fi buds run out of a cost. Wow, actually only some of you.
This future with super-thin laptops that the typical individual cannot service could also be inevitable, nevertheless, as corporations transfer into new type elements and Arm-based chips get extra well-liked.
“I feel this can be a development that can proceed to maneuver ahead, particularly as we see extra PCs adopting Arm-based know-how,” Anshel Sag, the principal analyst for PCs at Moor Insights & Technique, informed me in an e mail. “I imagine that corporations like Qualcomm will assist drive this development ahead with even smaller PCBs and deeper integration of parts into the SoC. “
I have never had the possibility to check out the newest XPS 13 but. Once I do, I am certain I am going to let you know that I am in awe of how skinny and light-weight it’s – all the things else, we’ll want to check. However there is a motive why we open up laptops we’re reviewing at Tom’s {Hardware} once we can. Issues break, wants change and the power to improve not less than the storage is good, particularly when most corporations cost rather more for an even bigger or sooner drive than that drive truly prices. (Dell does have an choice for many who need a replaceable SSD. Based on its upkeep guide (opens in new tab), you possibly can nonetheless improve the storage on the XPS 13 Plus.)
There are alternate options on the market for many who crave reparability and the power to improve, although not a lot from the large manufacturers. The Framework Laptop computer is designed to make nearly each half repairable, together with taking out the mainboard to get a brand new processor and assist for sooner reminiscence. Positive, it is 0.07 inches thicker than the XPS 13, however I feel that sort of entry is a worthwhile tradeoff for a considerably thicker laptop computer.
There are numerous individuals who will purchase an XPS 13 due to what Dell constructed right here: a smooth, gentle laptop computer with skinny bezels. And I think about that lots of them care far much less about restore than I do. They will choose a configuration and hold it till it is time to improve. And in the event that they’re proud of it, it is a worthwhile buy for them.
I’ve definitely advisable non-upgradeable laptops earlier than. Perhaps that can occur with the brand new XPS 13 as soon as I get to check it. So why level out the XPS 13 amongst all of them? As a result of it is arguably probably the most iconic Home windows laptop computer of the final decade. As a result of for years, reviewers, together with myself, have pointed to it as what a conveyable Home windows laptop computer must be. Apple has gone in a course that does not permit for RAM and SSD upgrades, however not less than it is stored key ports–and on the MacBook Professional, Apple truly elevated thickness to carry again some outdated options..
The mannequin ultrabooks should not simply be gentle and skinny. Within the splendid world, as sustainability turns into an even bigger focus, performance and repairability also needs to be excessive priorities. Dell makes tons of upgradeable laptops. It has a mission, known as Idea Luna, centered on straightforward re-use of parts.
However the place leaders lead, followers comply with. Positive, gaming laptops are more likely to keep upgradeable, as will workstations. But when the XPS 13 succeeds, we may even see a world the place even fewer skinny notebooks could be repaired or upgraded in any respect. For some, that is a tradeoff value making. However I hope Dell’s analysis and design wizards – and the engineers at different laptop computer makers as nicely – don’t assume absolute thinness is the one vital characteristic for high-end ultraportables. The flexibility to restore and improve your laptop computer is vital to many shoppers within the brief time period, and the planet in the long term. And whereas it’s seemingly the search for the thinnest and lightest will proceed, please don’t neglect the ports so we are able to add the issues we’d like that the laptop computer designers right here overlooked.
Be aware: As with all of our op-eds, the opinions expressed right here belong to the author alone and never Tom’s {Hardware} as a group.