For a stay-at-home mom, I get around A LOT.
Press events and trips. Weekend getaways. Appointments, business meetings and coffee dates. Picnics. Even the backyard, avoiding splashes from the kiddie pool.
And through it all, I simply must stay connected.
Think I tote my smartphone everywhere? I suppose I do; you’d be hard-pressed to find a social media enthusiast without a trusty handheld device. But I absolutely loathe trying to organize my life, business and fun with just two thumbs. There is only so much one can accomplish!
So, I tried the tablet route. And while everything is bigger, I feel like I’ve swapped my thumbs for index fingers. Yes, some people will swear that a tablet is the way to go, but from a gal who uses a keyboard 99% of the time, I feel like I’m enabling carpal tunnel syndrome as I type away at a touchscreen. #notmycupoftea
However, not willing to change my lifestyle, I began compiling a wishlist for a device that would keep up with me and my social demands – both at home and on the road. It would have to be:
1. Lightweight
2. Exceptionally fast
3. With a full keyboard
4. And a large display
5. Long battery life
6. Powerful!!!
Could such a dream machine exist? How wonderfully it would complement my life! But how to start – where to look?
Thankfully, I didn’t have to search long – the tech gods at Dell answered my prayers by sending the XPS 13 Ultrabook for review. Ladies and gents, meet my VERY FAVOURITE way to stay connected.
Why I LOVE it:
1. Lightweight: The XPS13 is razor-thin – a slim 6mm at its thinnest point (WOW!) and only 18mm at its thickest point – with a weight of just 2.99 lbs. In plain English, that means it’s only slightly heavier than the average tablet, yet HALF the weight of a MacBook Pro. Plus, it tucks nicely into medium totes and shoppers; outer luggage pockets; even under your arm :)
2. Exceptionally Fast: You may not believe me, but I swear I’m telling the truth – the XPS13 boots up in UNDER 8 seconds (on average for me, 4-5 seconds each time). With a solid-state drive and Intel Rapid Start Technology, you can actually come out of sleep mode in just ONE (1) second!!! I don’t know about you, but one of my biggest pet peeves is waiting for laptops to power up. With the new XPS13, I’m always getting social first.
3. Full keyboard: Hallelujah, I can type. And, I’m typing in comfort: with a full backlit keyboard, I also enjoy a comfort-designed, soft-touch palmrest and integrated button touchpad with gesture support. Translation: I blog for hours without strain or discomfort. When was the last time you typed out a blog post, long e-mail or FB message on your tablet? Painful, I know.
4. Large display: Totally cool feature here – the innovative design of XPS 13 enables an expansive 13.3” edge-to-edge display in a compact body similar to an 11″ laptop. So, you’re getting extra bang for your buck; the luxury of a wider screen encased in a smaller laptop. Win/win!
5. Long battery life: I devoutly used the XPS13 during my recent press trip to Fisher-Price headquarters. At one point during the late afternoon, a fellow blogger looked over at the laptop and exclaimed in surprise, “Don’t you have to re-charge?!” HA! I was proud as a peacock to inform her that the Ultrabook actually has an extraordinary battery life – on a full charge, up to 8 hours and 52 minutes, to be exact! That means that I can forget about toting around a bulky charger; I’ve got more than enough juice to take me through the day.
6. Powerful: Warning! Tech talk ahead. With 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, this Ultrabook delivers enviable speed and performance. For those days when you’re juggling a presentation, keeping up with email and social networks, and downloading new music — plus doing it all on the go — the optional 2nd gen Intel Core i7 processors and Intel HD 3000 graphics can help you stay on top of your world. Intel’s top-of-the-line processors start up ultra-fast and offer the ultimate in responsiveness.
I’m looking forward to taking my Dell XPS13 with me everywhere I go. I simply can’t stop gushing about it! For social media lovers, moms on the go, students, entertainment buffs and more, this laptop makes perfect sense.
I need one of these. my XPS is a wonderful thing but it’s the larger/heavier version and was a bear to truck through airports and on my last press trip. Great post as always Lena.
Thanks Julia. I am so much in love with this laptop, and truly believe that it will make your life a lot easier too. Definitely I’d recommend checking it out.
Great post! I think you’ve convinced me! I’m looking into a new laptop, as my Macbook is dying. I’m *gasp* not a Mac fan. I don’t know why.
*Gasp* you’re not a MAC fan? Ha, well, I’ve never owned one, so I can’t compare the two, but I can tell you that you’ll love this compact, super ergonomic Ultrabook.
Hot damn that looks great!
Why do I want to buy everything you talk about? This sounds like the perfect fit for me, I checked out the specs and cant believe how thin and light it is.
Don’t question it Carlee, just buy, LOL! Seriously though, I’ve been using the laptop for just about a month now, and ADORE it.
Love at first sight!!! Thanks for sharing, great post Lena.
YW! Hope I blew your mind ;)
Very nice laptop. One thing I would add is a number key pad to the right. Otherwise perfect. The battery life alone would convince me to buy.
Ah, I would LOVE a number key pad on the side too! Alas, I understand that to keep the Ultrabook compact, they had to do away with it. In fact, I haven’t seen a numerical keyboard in ages :(Thankfully, in blogging, it’s more about the letters for me, ha!
I think you just created me a need ! I just changed my laptop but it’s too heavy, I almost need a truck to move it (Ok, not really ^^). It looks that you can now blog for hour with this powerful tool, for our greater delight! :-)
I think one of the reasons that so many bloggers choose tablets over laptops is due to the bulkiness. I love that the XPS13 is so lightweight! You could literally tote it anywhere :)
Very convincing post Lena – I just love the features of the XPS13. Will try to coax hubby into getting me one for my birthday soon.
Good luck! It makes a FABULOUS birthday present!
This sounds exactly what I need! My current laptop is far too heavy for me, I need something lightweight. The only thing I am not sure about is the screen size. For someone who has numerous windows open at once and wears glasses is a 13″ screen size large enough?
Hmm… that’s a great question. I normally have 4-5 tabs open, and do wear glasses, and I’m just fine – but everyone has a different comfort level. Keep in mind that you’re sacrificing a bit of space for the compact and lightweight benefits. Best option? Check out a 13″ in-store before you buy!
This little device sounds great. I’ve only just recently heard of it and was looking for a review. Thanks so much for that. I may need to get one. My girlfriend keeps try to sell me on the iPad3 though. I guess we’ll see.
I think the iPad 3 will be a glorious little device – but, it’s no laptop. There are distinct benefits of both; you’ll have to decide which fits your lifestyle! Of course, I’m a huge fan of the Dell XPS 13!
I own a dell right now and really like it. I will be doing some more investigations. Thanks again for your tips.
You’re very welcome! The XPS13 continues to be one of my favourite machines.
I have had my XPS 13 for a couple of months now and generally love it. But I did come up with a challenge this weekend that I can’t figure out. I was trying to play some music from my laptop through external speakers and I don’t think that is an available feature. I am not a big techie, so it is possible that I can’t figure out how to do it. Anyone know?
I will certainly find out for you!