Dell unveils new XPS 13 ahead of CES

Dell has unveiled its new XPS 13 notebook ahead of CES 2018, with the 2-in-1 priced from $999.99 and available as of January 4.

Also: Windows 10 fleet: Lenovo's new ThinkPads get 8th gen Intel chips, webcam shutters

Frank Azor, VP and GM of XPS, Alienware, and Dell Gaming, said the XPS 13 has been improved "in every measure".

"It'll be smaller than the current XPS 13, it'll be thinner than the current XPS 13, it'll be lighter in weight, and unlike a lot of our competitors, who have compromised performance in order to deliver smaller, thinner, lighter products, we're actually going to increase the performance profile of the XPS 13 by as much as 80 percent," Azor told media.

"We didn't compromise on battery life, either ... with the new XPS 13, we will deliver over 19 hours of battery life, even with all that incredible performance in it."

The XPS 13 (9370) is powered by a choice between an 8th-generation Intel quad-core i5 or i7 processor; runs Microsoft Windows 10 and Ubuntu 16.04; features Intel UHD Graphics 620; and has a 3,840x2,160 13.3-inch UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD InfinityEdge touch display.

See also: CES 2018 special coverage (CNET)

It also comes kitted out with a 52Wh battery; edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla Glass 4; two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one USB-C 3.1 port, and a microSD card reader; an optional Windows Hello-compliant fingerprint reader in the power button; 802.11ac wireless with optional vPro functionality, and Bluetooth 4.1, as well as Miracast capability; an option of LPDDR3 4GB-8GB dual-channel SDRAM at 1866MHz or 16GB dual-channel SDRAM at 2133MHz on-board; and GORE Thermal Insulation to improve performance by moving heat out of the device to keep temperatures down.

Storage options include 128GB SATA, 256GB PCIe, 512GB PCIe, or 1TB PCIe SSD, while docking options include the 130W Dell Dock or the 180W Dell Thunderbolt Dock.

Dell also helped invent a new material to produce the laptop in, Azor explained, to meet the market demand for a white finish. According to Azor, Dell wanted to bring the properties of carbon fibre to a white device.

"Because carbon fibre is a black natural material, it is virtually impossible to show you carbon fibre in any other colour than black," Azor said.

"So what we did is we worked with our partners in creating a brand new material called white woven crystalline glass fibre."

The new XPS 13 is therefore available in "platinum silver" with a black carbon-fibre composite palm rest; or rose gold with an "alpine white" woven glass fibre palm rest.

Dell announced its previous XPS 13 at last year's CES.

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