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  • Here's the 'Smallest 13-inch Laptop on the Planet'
Technology Articles > Computers > Laptops > Here's the 'Smallest 13-inch Laptop on the Planet'

Dell has a new laptop that the company is calling the “smallest 13-inch laptop on the planet.” It is, in fact, smaller than the MacBook Air that also measures 13-inches. But what do you get with along with a really small and compact laptop?

This time around, Dell doesn’t disappoint with a laptop that is, yes, small, but also comes with a lot of great features.

Two Different Models

Dell’s XPS 13 comes in two different models including a non-touch version and a touch version. Preferring touch over non-touch will be the deciding factor determining which one of these you take a closer look at. Touch aside, both versions come with something Dell is calling ‘Infinity Display,’ which really means that the borders of these displays are minimal, so the overall display looks larger.

Dell essentially took a 13-inch screen and put it into an 11-inch laptop, which is why the frame of the laptop feels like 11-inches, but the screen size is 13-inches. The company did this by getting rid of those extra large borders that usually accompany laptops, so you do see a full 13-inch screen when you’re looking at this computer. Dell has also included backlighting, which makes it easier to view the screen overall.

The screen is also really bright, and the touchscreen model has 3200 x 1800 pixels packed into it, so you won’t need to worry about screen clarity or brightness.

An Oddly Placed Camera

The Dell XPS 13 is a nice compact laptop, though the one odd thing about it is the placement of the webcam. Dell dropped this webcam into the lower left side of the display, which feels odd considering that most webcams are located at the top center of a laptop. Presumably, Dell wanted to preserve even more room with this camera placement, though it is kind of odd - especially when you are taking part in a web call, and you have to angle your laptop, so that the camera isn’t looking up at you (and hopefully not into your nostrils!).

If you do a lot of web calls via Skype or G+, this might not be the laptop that you’ll want to purchase solely for the webcam reason. Then again, you can buy a portable webcam to place on the top of your display, or you can just get really clever where placement of your laptop is concerned. Aside from the oddly placed webcam, the XPS 13 is actually a decent light and portable (and thin) laptop choice.

All the Usual

Even though Dell definitely went for light and thin with this laptop, you’ll also get everything that you’d want as far as hook-ups including a full SD slot, two USB 3.0 ports, and a mini display port. You will also find some decent side mounted speakers come with this laptop, which is a nice touch considering that most laptop speakers aren’t so amazing.

If you travel a lot, or just want a really lightweight computer that’s not a MacBook Air, the Dell XPS 13 is a decent buy for $799 (starting price). While small and lightweight, this computer has everything that you’d want in a decent machine.