Dell transforms its XPS 13 2-in-1 into a tablet with a magnetic folio and stylus

Dell today completely revamps its XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop by unveiling a new design that is a tablet rather than a thin laptop with a reversible hinge. The 2022 model swaps the reversible hinge for an XPS Folio keyboard case, which is very similar to Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the iPad. It magnetically connects to the XPS 13 2-in-1 and allows the device to transform into a laptop instead of a standalone tablet.

The magnetic XPS Folio supports three angles: 100 degrees, 112.5 degrees and 125 degrees, and there’s even a magnetic stylus that attaches to the top of the device for charging. Dell designed the XPS Stylus for both right- and left-handed use, and it should last about 50 days on a full charge. Both the folio and stylus are sold separately.

Image: Dell

This is also Dell’s first XPS to offer optional 5G connectivity in addition to eSIM support. Two models will be available when the new XPS 13 2-in-1 launches later this summer. The standard Wi-Fi model comes with machined aluminum, while the 5G model has a Gorilla Glass 7 back to eliminate signal interference and a darker slate color.

Inside, Dell uses Intel’s latest 12th generation Core i5 and i7 processors. You can choose between the i5-1230U (a 10-core CPU up to 4.4GHz) or the i7-1250U (a 10-core CPU up to 4.7GHz). There’s also a choice of 8GB or 16GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 1GB of PCIe 4 SSD storage.

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Dell uses a 13-inch 3:2 (2880 x 1920) panel rated at 500 nits and supports DisplayHDR 400. Port selection is limited to just two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports that support both DisplayPort and Power Delivery . Dell is dropping the headphone jack and even the microSD card reader on previous XPS 13 2-in-1 models, but a USB-C to USB-A adapter comes in the box alongside a USB-C to 3.5mm headset adapter.

However, Dell doesn’t seem to compromise on cameras. There’s a high-resolution 1080p front camera (5 megapixels) with Windows Hello support and a 4K webcam (11 megapixels) on the back for video and photo capture.

The new Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 will launch this summer, but Dell has not yet announced an exact release date or price.