Dell XPS 13 9370 (2018) review: An outstanding Ultrabook gets even better

When I recently reviewed the at present "classic" Dell XPS 13 (9360), refreshed with an Intel 8th Generation quad-core processor, I noted the laptop felt a bit stale fifty-fifty if it was still one of the best on the market. Luckily, Dell changed that with the revised XPS 13 (9370).

While more than evolution than revolution, the XPS 13 (9370) improves almost every aspect of the popular Ultrabook. Here is where it excels and where it falls short.

Dell did non significantly alter the wait or even shape of the laptop, only it did make many notable – and welcome – smaller changes. Here's what's new.

• InfinityEdge display — The 4mm edge is 23 percent thinner than the previous generation, resulting in an eighty.7 percentage screen-to-torso ratio.
• InfinityEdge display — This is the next-generation that can at present go to 400 nits of brightness (up from 350), higher resolution 4K (vs. QHD), 100 pct sRGB color calibrated, and a new anti-reflective coating.
• New ports — USB Type-C including two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and one USB 3.ane.
• microSD — Ditching the total SD reader, the 9370 now uses a microSD reader instead.
• Now in white and gold — Dell is debuting an new alpine white woven glass fiber interior, but the original carbon cobweb version is besides nevertheless available with argent.
• New thermals — Dual heat pipe and dual fan solution and the first to utilise GORE Thermal Insulation (silica aerogels).
• Far-field Cortana capable — The XPS 13 responds to your vocalism from up to xiv feet abroad with four built-in microphones.
• Windows Howdy — The HD web camera is now in the middle (though nevertheless beneath the brandish) and supports IR facial recognition, and a second, optional, fingerprint reader tin can be added to the power push.

The tall white woven drinking glass cobweb is fantastic. The soft-touch black carbon fiber is heavily prone to hand and finger oil, which requires frequent wipe downs. The new white woven glass is leaps and bounds amend in this regard. The white woven glass fiber also feels more like a combination of linoleum and ceramic.

The new four far-field microphone array makes using Cortana fifty-fifty easier.

Too aesthetics, the new material is also good at heat dispersion, never getting as well hot nether heavy processor load.

The white alpine option, however, is not gratis; users demand to pay an actress $fifty.

Dell told me it is monitoring color choices and requests and may make adjustmenet in the future. That means a silvery and white option could be possible. There are too some other minor changes including a new teeny 45W USB Type-C charger.

That's one tiny 45W Blazon-C charger!

The new XPS 13 looks a lot like the erstwhile one, but in person, the changes are not trivial. The full specifications reveal a typical, but notwithstanding powerful Ultrabook that fits nicely with the balance of the 2022 offerings

Dell 2022 XPS xiii (9370) tech specs

Category	Dell XPS thirteen (9370)
Processor	Intel 8th Gen Core i5-8250U Intel 8th Gen Cadre i7-8550U
Display size	13.3 inch UltraSharp 4K (3840x2160), 100 pct colour gamut FHD (1920 x 1080) bear upon display, 72 percentage color gamut FHD (1920 10 1080) non-touch on brandish, 72 percent color gamut
RAM	LPDDR3 4GB-8GB at 1866MHz 16GB at 2133MHz
Native graphics	Intel UHD Graphics 620
Discrete graphics	None
Ports	Two Thunderbolt 3 with PowerShare One USB-C 3.one with PowerShare microSD card reader headset jack
Storage	128GB (SATA); 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB (PCIe)
Wireless	Killer 1435 802.11ac [2x2] + Bluetooth iv.one Intel 8265 802.11ac [2x2] wireless for vPro + Bluetooth 4.1 Miracast capable
Biometric	Widescreen 720p webcam with four array digital microphones; Windows Howdy compliant infrared photographic camera; Far Field Cortana capable Optional Windows Hello compliant fingerprint reader in power button
Battery	52WHr
Dimensions	7.8 mm to 11.6 mm x 302 mm x 199 mm (H 10 W x D)
Weight	Starting weight: 2.67 lbs (i.21 kg) for non-touch on Starting at two.68 lbs (1.21 kg) for bear upon
Starting toll	$999.99
Availability	January 4, 2022, globably Dell.com, Microsoft.com

XPS thirteen 9370'southward killer display

Peradventure the about significant change is the new 4K (3840 10 2160) IGZO brandish, which is a step up in both resolution and quality from the previous QHD+ (3200 x 1800) option. Putting a 4K brandish into a 13.three-inch frame was at one time considered extreme, but now information technology'due south common. The tradeoff – decreased battery life – is non nigh equally severe as it used to be.

Dell is using a brand-new generation of Sharp IGZO panels in the 9370. Brightness can now hit 400 nits versus the older limit of 350 nits. Previously, Dell would hit banding issues at the brightest settings, but that is no longer the case. That means outdoor visibility is now a go.

The biggest modify for me, nevertheless, is the addition of an anti-glare layer to the glossy display. Dell used to offering a matte full Hard disk not-touch selection and a sleeky QHD with touch, but at present the company has combined the best of both worlds. The anti-glare layer keeps the vivid, colour accurate screen, merely significantly reduces room lights from reflecting.

Color accuracy is also present with 99+ percent sRGB and 79 percent AdobeRGB, which is excellent. In that location is no pen support, but the rest of this display is way above average.

Commencement-rate keyboard and trackpad

Dell slightly improved the keyboard in the XPS 13 9370 with more in-depth primal travel (i.iii mm vs. 1.two mm). For those upgrading from a previous XPS thirteen, the keyboard layout is familiar. HP nevertheless wins out for the all-time laptop keyboards, though, running close with Microsoft.

There are 2 levels of the backlight keyboard (besides just off), and it works mostly well. The tall white chassis delivers less dissimilarity with the all-white backlit keys, which are brighter towards the role keys at the top, just information technology gets the job done.

The backlight is OK, but contrast is depression due to the color option by Dell.

Others may still non care for the pocket-sized arrow keys at the lesser right, which are also used in conjunction with the function key (Fn) to adapt display effulgence.

Dell added a fingerprint reader congenital into the power button on the upper correct keyboard deck. Our review unit'southward power button is non entirely centered. The fingerprint reader is OK, but for speed, users volition want to use the new dual-infrared (IR) camera for facial recognition. You tin can configure both and use either when logging into Windows x.

The trackpad uses Microsoft Precision drivers. Dell has been excellent well-nigh supporting Microsoft'southward trackpad endeavor, and that continues with this yr's model, meaning information technology supports lots of gestures. The XPS 13'south trackpad is nearly perfect with a soft, but smoothen feel, a satisfying click, and outstanding operation.

New speaker placement rocks

Dell finally moved its dual speakers from the bottom edge to the sides of the XPS 13 (9370). While still not equally ideal every bit being on the height deck, these new speakers and placement are far better than I had expected. The audio seperation, quality, and richness are very good.

The included MaxxAudio software is decent, simply I rarely notice the changes with the equalizer and would have prerferred some presets to make it simpler to utilise.

XPS thirteen 9370 battery, heat, and functioning

Featuring up to an Intel eighth Generation Core i7-8550U processor, Dell is non pushing boundaries with the XPS 13 (9370). For those looking to save some money, a Core i5-8250U is bachelor, too. A lower-tier Core i3 model will become available afterwards in 2022 but for at present, those who want the everyman-cost XPS 13 can still purchase last quarter's model the XPS 13 (9360).

What Dell did right, though, is let the XPS 13 (9370) run unimpeded. The Core i7 does not throttle nearly as much afterward long durations compared other Ultrabooks in this class. That ability is due to the revamped thermals and cooling solution in the 9370 including the utilise of GORE Thermal Insulation (silica aerogels).

Dell's Ability Bank Plus (PW7018LC) brings 65Whr of bombardment on-the-become.

That's not to say the XPS 13 (9370) stays cool or quiet. Audible fan noise in the form of a whooshing is present when gaming or doing annihilation that requires prolonged processor performance. Temperatures on the inside too become quite warm. Luckily, the chassis – and the part that touches your leg – is never more than just slightly warm.

New thermal and rear-vent designs work very well.

Dell has a history of coil whine – a high pitched dissonance emanating from the keyboard deck due to vibrating components and electricity. Unfortunately, the XPS xiii (9370) too suffers from this, and it tends only to appear when plugged into an Air-conditioning charger with the Os ready to "Best Performance."

Dell is not alone hither. Most Ultrabooks with an Intel eighth Generation quad-core processor tend to have this anomaly. The consequence is more noticeable today due to the actress quiet cooling fans, which are used less oft than years ago, and super thin chassis design, which used to assistance mask information technology.

For performance, the XPS 13 (9370) is excellent, scoring 4,681 for unmarried-cadre on Geekbench four.0 and 14,816 on multi-core. Those numbers trounce the new Razer Bract Stealth and even Surface Book 2 for multi-core. The new HP Spectre 13t edges it out in single-core simply loses by a pilus in multi-core.

In my review model, the 512GB Toshiba solid-state drive (SSD) (KXG50ZNV512G) performed well for read speeds, nearing 3,000 Mbps. But write times were below one,000 for sequential, which seems unusual. Users can replace the SSD by opening upwardly the lesser of the XPS xiii with a few hex screws.

Finally, battery life. Dell cut the battery size from 60WHr in the 9360 to 52WHr in the new 9370. However, the company says due to the new motherboard design in the 9370 information technology can get the aforementioned battery life every bit the older version. Even with the new 4K panel, I was able to comfortably button almost eight hours of regular usage, which while not listen-blowing is still very good for a Core i7 model with a high-resolution display. Those opting for a Core i5 processor with a full Hard disk drive display can likely tack on another two hours of runtime.

The weak camera persists

The most prominent drawback of the new XPS 13 remains its front end-facing camera. While it is still below the display bezel, it's now centered. At least the company is throwing in a Windows Hello dual-IR camera for facial recognition. If you use a webcam regularly, either you volition need something like the splendid 4K-capable Logitech Panache, or you'll need to notice another laptop.

The 720P webcam on the XPS 13 (9370) has first-class contrast and is not washed out, just the resolution is rather low, and if you lot keep your hands anywhere near the keyboard deck it will look terrible. If, nonetheless, you are like about people, the congenital-in webcam is an afterthought and rarely used.

Dell Mobile Connect is amazing

Dell includes its new Mobile Connect software with all laptops sold afterwards Jan 1, 2022. The gratis software, which is a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, is a serious reason to consider this Dell if you apply your smartphone a lot.

Dell Mobile Connect works with whatever telephone running Android 5.0 or iOS 10 and higher. By pairing the app to your smartphone, you can:

• Make and receive phone calls through the XPS 13.
• Send and receive text messages.
• View and edit contacts on your telephone.
• Mirror your Android device.

And it's great. Dell utilizes a combination of Bluetooth to pair, but Wi-Fi Direct for data. The issue is you lot can employ Dell Mobile Connect without being on a Wi-Fi network – nada goes to "the cloud," it's all local. That'due south great for performance and security.

By taking or making calls on the XPS thirteen, you tin exit your phone in your pocket. Aforementioned with text messages. Merely past far, the nearly exciting feature is the power to mirror your phone onto the PC. When enabled, you can launch apps, play games, or simply employ a software version of your telephone while on the laptop.

Some of this is redundant with Windows ten, and other apps have done this in the by, but none accept done information technology this well.

XPS 13 (9370) is a genuine winner

There's hardly annihilation to dislike well-nigh the refreshed XPS thirteen besides the camera. I like this laptop so much I would non pass on it only considering of that – unless you really use a front-facing camera constantly.

The display, keyboard, and trackpad are nearly perfect. I find Dell's softness in the spacebar a little strange, only it is something I can arrange to over time.

And that 4K screen is dazzling. With the even thinner bezels and now anti-glare characteristic, this Precipitous IGZO is one of my favorites to date.

Performance is also excellent with the new Core i7 processor and Killer wireless. Bombardment life is not at the magic 10-hr mark that would be ideal merely considering the display and processor, anything nearing viii hours is OK past me.

For ports, Dell is following HP and others past omitting a traditional USB Type-A port, substituting it for 2 USB Blazon-Cs (both Thunderbolt 3 compatible, with full 40Gbps data with 4x PCIe). A dongle is included in the box to help ease the transition, but many will miss that Type-A port. I too lament the loss of the full SD card slot. There is a microSD slot, which while OK is useless for my needs.

You lot tin't open it one-handed, there'due south no pen support, not-replaceable RAM, or no selection for a 4G LTE modem but those gripes are more niche.

Dell did not tinker with a winning formula for the new XPS 13 (9370). The new alpine-white model and brandish have made me fall for this laptop, just like I did three years ago for the first version. Going back to my previous review for the 9360, Dell addressed about of my complaints. Dell may accept been bourgeois with its design, merely the payoff is worth it. Pricing starts around $1,000.

• See at Dell
• See at Microsoft
• Run across at Amazon

Pros:

• Alpine-white and aureate chassis is gorgeous.
• Strong functioning and good battery life.
• New IGZO 4K anti-glare brandish is best-in-class.
• New Windows Howdy IR camera.
• Full Thunderbolt iii USB C ports.

Cons:

• Expensive.
• No Core i3 model (all the same).
• Awkwardly-placed web cam.
• Some coil whine when plugged in.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/xps-13-9370-review

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