14 DAY TRIAL // Not very affectionately nicknamed as the "Surface Pro clone," since the obvious design and feature references to the famous Microsoft 2-in-1, the Dell XPS 12 did not have any official pics released online. Today, however, the first XPS 12 photographs emerged online.
In just a few days, Microsoft will probably unveil its next iteration of Surface Pro tablet, and although it did gain a limited popularity thanks to its great performance and Intel’s low TDP Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor, many other new products are fighting to kill it.
Chief among these is probably the recently launched Google Pixel C which, even if it doesn't bring powerful Intel processing units, compensates by a quite competitive Tegra X1 SoC from NVIDIA, promising great graphical performance.
However, an alleged Surface killer is Dell's notorious XPS 12 that steals from both Microsoft and ASUS Terminator designs, earning its nickname as the "Surface Pro clone." Just as you'd expect, being a 2-in-1, the XPS 12 has a detachable keyboard just like the Surface tablet and is also made from magnesium alloy like the Surface.
However, when your industrial designer isn't too imaginative and bluntly steals other designs, the easiest way to fend off cloning accusations is by pointing out how many extra ports your completely original device has. And Dell does just that.
The XPS 12 is meant to fight against the next-generation Surface Pro
It has one extra Thunderbolt 3 port and USB Type-C ports, compared to the Surface Pro. But the ports availability doesn't stop here, though. The XPS has a card reader for more storage and can even include a SIM card slot for LTE coverage in addition to the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which is nice in case you'll need internet connection outside cafeterias and your home.
Form factor-wise, the XPS 12 is thinner than the Surface, with an 8-mm thickness compared to Surface Pro 3's 9.1-mm profile, and since the screen size is 12.5 inches, its Sharp IGZO display will most likely support 4K UHD resolutions.
However, the best clone accusations come for what's inside the machine. Although Intel is enjoying this sort of blunt rip-off-based competition, Surface fans, not so much. Powered by an Intel Core M processor relying on the new low-power Skylake architecture, Dell hopes the XPS will hold up to the inevitable: facing a new Skylake "U"-equipped Surface Pro. Although performances will essentially not differ too much, the final Surface Pro specs will help us get a better idea about which one is better.
Nobody knows when the new device will be available, but guys at winfuture.de believe it might come later this month.
