Dell Value-Priced 2-in-1 Can Run With Costlier Rivals

Dell Value-Priced 2-in-1 Can Run With Costlier Rivals

- Eric Grevstad

Convertible hybrid notebooks are often called 2-in-1s, not 2-for-the price-of-1s; machines that can flip and fold between laptop, tablet, and other modes tend to carry a premium price. But Dell has kept the premium to a minimum with the Inspiron 13 7000 (7378). The $799.99 base model we tested features a seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of memory, a 256GB solid-state drive, and niceties including a USB-C port and an infrared camera for Windows Hello face recognition. It doesn’t have the swank two-tone styling or the available 4K display, but it’s otherwise an affordable rival to our Editors’ Choice for high-end convertibles, the HP Spectre x360 13. As such, we’re rating the Dell above the older, heavier Acer Aspire R 14 as our new top pick for midrange convertible hybrids.

The entry-level Inspiron, unlike some bargain systems with only half as much RAM or storage, is more than adequate for office and on-the-road productivity. For those who crave more power, a $999.99 model steps up to a Core i7-7500U CPU, and a $1,099.99 configuration combines the Core i7 chip with 12GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. A 13.3-inch full HD touch screen is standard across the line.

HEY, GOOD LOOKIN’

A silver brushed-aluminum lid and keyboard deck, the former decorated with a dark Dell logo and a shiny wraparound beveled edge, give the 7378 an esthetic edge on its all-plastic competitors. At 0.76 inch, it’s thicker than the Spectre x360 13 (0.5 inch) or Acer Spin 7 (0.43 inch), and its 12.7 by 8.8-inch footprint covers the HP’s (12 by 8.5 inches) as well, but the 7378 still slips easily into a briefcase. You’ll notice its weight there, however—3.5 pounds versus 2.8 for the Spectre and 2.7 for the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1.