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CES 2017: Hands-on with Dell's new Canvas, XPS 27, XPS 13 2-in-1, and more

Out of all of the events that I attended at CES 2017, Dell's was one of the ones that I found to be most exciting. It introduced its own version of the Surface Studio with great audio quality, a touchscreen monitor that lies flat on your desk, an 8K monitor, and more.

But we'll start with the XPS 13 2-in-1. The XPS 13 has been a favorite among users for a few generations now, but it's always just been a laptop. This new model turns it into a convertible.

With the exception of the new hinge, it's pretty much the same as the previous model. Of course, now it can be used in tablet mode or tent mode.

The device feels super light, thin, and comfortable to hold. While it's a fairly incremental change, it's a solid one.

And then there's the UltraSharp 8K Monitor. This thing is just cool, and the image on it is as beautiful as you'd imagine.

You'll notice from the images that the taskbar is tiny, to the point where it would actually be hard to get work done. Dell said it left the scaling at 100% on purpose, to show that this 32-inch display isn't designed for text-based menus; instead, it's meant for more creative-style work. In other words, if you're working on Excel spreadsheets all day, this isn't for you.

I found it interesting that it requires two DisplayPort cables to power it, considering that the HDMI Forum just announced that its 2.1 spec is coming soon, which will support up to 10K at 120fps. It's priced at "under $5,000", so make sure it's what you need before you buy it.

The XPS 27 is Dell's take on the Surface Studio, in that it's an all-in-one with an adjustable hinge that allows you to lie the display flat.

There were a couple things that I really liked about the XPS 27, and it solves a problem that I had with the Surface Studio. With the Studio, placing it in a flat position will actually touch your desk, which means that you have to move your keyboard in order to do it. This isn't the case with the XPS 27, which actually allows for more positions.

The other thing that's really awesome is the audio. Dell says that it's 50% louder than any of its competitors, and it really sounds great. Personally, I feel that audio quality is important in a living room-style device, so I was happy to hear the quality of the sound.

Probably the biggest announcement of the show was the Canvas. Many people considered this also to be a Surface Studio clone, but I would disagree. The Canvas isn't a PC; instead, it's a monitor that can connect to any PC, but it's still not the Studio-but-just-the-monitor that everyone has been asking for.

No, the Canvas is meant to complement your existing monitor, so now you'll have the standard one, and then the Canvas which is lying in that flat position so you can draw on it and such.

Dell even has its own version of the Surface Dial, called a Totem, two of which come with the device. What's cool is that if you've already purchased a Dial, you can use that too.

Finally, we have the company's new Inspiron 7000 gaming laptops. While these look cool, they're a bit themed. By that, I mean that it has to do with Spiderman: Homecoming. Yes, the movie. In fact, Tom Holland was even on-stage when announcing it.

Like any high-end gaming laptop, it's super-powerful and it looks stylish, but to me, the red grills feel a bit over the top. I'm not sure that I'd spend so much money on a device that's clearly styled after a movie, but that's just me.

All-in-all, I thought that Dell's announcement was an exciting one, because out of these cool new devices, that's not even all that the firm did. There's also a new model of the XPS 15, along with various other refreshed devices that didn't make the cut for the press conference.

I love seeing all of these new form factors coming to PCs, and it seems likely that we'll see more of them going forward.

Neowin is at CES to bring you all the coverage from the show floor, click here for other articles.

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