When it comes to convertible 2-in-1 hybrid laptops, we're not big fans of 15.6-inch models.
They're simply too heavy to be convenient.
That said, if you're looking for a desktop-replacement that can flip and fold for occasional use as a tablet or stand up for a presentation, the Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 (starts at $1,299.99; $2,349 as tested) is awfully nice.
And thanks to its innovative, cooperative CPU—Intel's Core i7-8705G with AMD's Radeon RX Vega M GL discrete graphics built in—it'll blow away hybrids with integrated graphics when it comes to light to moderate gaming.
It's the best 15.6-inch convertible we've seen, even if our prejudice against its weight keeps it from claiming the high-end convertible Editors' Choice held by the lighter, 13.9-inch Lenovo Yoga 920.
Let's start by talking about that processor and what it means.
The Core i7-8705G (one of Intel's "Kaby Lake-G" class of CPUs) combines a quad-core, eight-thread processor; the Vega dedicated graphics with 20 compute units; and 4GB of high-bandwidth HBM2 display memory, all in a single silicon package.
This combination permits thinner designs than separate CPU and GPU solutions while delivering graphics performance in our benchmark tests that's roughly in the ballpark of Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1050.
Our test system was backed up by a 512GB NVMe SSD and 16GB of system memory, and featured a glorious, touch-sensitive 4K display panel.
Base models offer a Core i5 processor and scanty 128GB solid-state drive, along with a full HD (1,920-by-1,080) touch screen.
Fine Fit and Finish
The Dell is a handsome silver slab in CNC machined aluminum with a comfortable carbon-fiber-composite palm rest.
As with the Dell XPS 13, the skinny bezels mean that the webcam ends up centered below instead of above the screen, so viewers of its well-lit, slightly noisy images will be focused on your chin in video chats.
Two speaker slits on the system's bottom produce above-average, room-filling audio, with soaring highs and even a bit of bass.
At 4.36 pounds, the XPS 15 2-in-1 is half a pound heavier than the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro (3.79 pounds), but a hair thinner—0.63 by 13.9 by 9.2 inches versus 0.67 by 13.7 by 9.4 inches.
The 4.39-pound HP Spectre x360 15 is a bit bulkier (0.7 by 14 by 9.9 inches).
The Yoga 920 tips the scales at 3.02 pounds.
What that sums up to: The Dell is as unwieldy as other 15.6-inch convertibles to hold in one hand, and the ultra-thin screen bezels for which the XPS laptops are famous don't leave enough room for your thumbs when you hold the tablet in two hands.
But it's as comfortable in your lap with Netflix or Dell's $99.99 Premium Active Pen stylus as it is on a desk for productivity work.
Two 360-degree hinges hold the handsome touch screen, which delivers not only the superfine details you'd expect from a 4K (3,840-by-2,160) panel, but plenty of brightness (even when dialed down a couple of notches), knife-sharp contrast, and lively colors.
YouTube 4K videos, PowerPoints, and even Web and Word pages look sensational.
Dell's pricey pen works like a charm, keeping up with our fastest sketches and scribbles and providing excellent palm rejection along with 4,096 levels of pressure and tilt sensitivity.
The backlit keyboard uses what the company calls MagLev magnetic switches that make it 24 percent thinner than an ordinary laptop keyboard.
It took us a little time (and not a few errors) to adjust to its flat, clacky typing feel, but within a day or two we were cruising at a good clip.
There's no numeric keypad, but Dell earns points for including real Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys instead of doubling them on the cursor arrows, which are small but in the proper inverted-T instead of an awkward Apple- or HP-style row.
On the device's left side, you'll find two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a microSD card slot, and a small button with five tiny LEDs that serve as a battery gauge.
On the right are two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and a Noble lock slot.
The supplied AC adapter plugs into any of the four I/O ports.
There's no HDMI or USB Type-A port, though Dell provides a USB-C-to-USB-A dongle in the box.
A Killer 802.11ac Wi-Fi chipset and Bluetooth handle wireless connections.
A one-year warranty is included.
Not VR-Ready, But Not Too Shabby
The Core i7-8705G's four cores and 3.1GHz (4.1GHz turbo) clock speed carried the XPS 15 2-in-1 to a high score in our Cinebench CPU measurement and a rare under-a-minute time in our Handbrake video-editing benchmark.
The system fell an unimportant 6 points short of the 3,000 that we consider excellent in our PCMark 8 office productivity test.
The Dell's loud cooling fan spun up when the machine was working hard in our benchmarks, but it stayed quiet during everyday operations.
See How We Test Laptops
Matched against a collection of 2-in-1s with a variety of GPUs, the Dell tucked in behind the Microsoft Surface Book 2 and its GeForce GTX 1060 in our graphics benchmarks.
It managed to break the 30fps (frames per second) threshold for smooth gameplay at 1080p resolution in our Heaven and Valley gaming simulations, though the Radeon RX Vega M GL isn't strong enough to repeat the feat at 4K resolution.
When we loaded a favorite Steam game, Rise of the Tomb Raider, at 1080p, the Dell posted 35fps at the Medium and a more borderline 31fps at the High image quality preset, slightly trailing the non-convertible XPS 15 and its GTX 1050.
We've found that 4K displays are terrible for battery life (more pixels to power equals more battery drain, all else being equal), and the XPS 15 2-in-1 is no exception to the rule.
The hybrid lasted just 7.5 hours in our video playback test, only a bit more than half the time of the Notebook 9 Pro.
Still, as a desktop-replacement-class laptop, the Dell's likely to be plugged in during the day, with plenty of battery power for after-hours video viewing or gaming in Tablet mode.
Best of Breed
As we said, we consider 15.6-inch convertibles to be niche products, laptops destined for only infrequent use in Tablet or Stand mode that pack the weight of three or four genuine tablets.
Within this group, however, the XPS 15 2-in-1 stands out for its doubly potent processor, forward-thinking ports, and classy design.
It's a worthy competitor not only to other large hybrids but to the original XPS 15, which has long been one of our favorites.
Only its bulk keeps it from challenging the Editors' Choice Yoga 920.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 (9575)
The Bottom Line
Dogs and cats living together: Intel's "Kaby Lake-G" processor with AMD graphics powers the new convertible version of Dell's XPS 15 to performance as strong as its design is sleek.
