Dell XPS Duo 12: a Windows 8 Ultrabook That Can Swivel into a Tablet

Over the next few weeks, you’re going to hear a lot of noise from manufacturers about how one hybrid product or another gives you all of the benefits of a laptop and a tablet, with no compromises on design. The Dell XPS Duo 12 is one of the few that actually seems to back that up.

The XPS duo 12 is built using Aluminum and Carbon Fiber, and sports a 12.5-inch full HD multi-touch display, which is covered from edge to edge by Gorilla glass. The XPS duo will be a premium device, and processor options will go all the way up to Ivy Bridge based Intel Core i7.

Unlike others, the XPS doesn’t have a detachable display unit. Instead, you can flip the display unit over to use it in a tablet like form factor. The distinctive disadvantage of this is that even when you are using the XPS duo 12 as a tablet, you will have to put up with the additional weight of the keyboard.

The XPS duo 12 is an interesting device, but it seems to be a notebook first and a tablet second. The large form factor and bulk might make it a bit too bulky to be used regularly as a tablet. However, it will be among the most powerful hybrid devices around.

Dell will be releasing the XPS duo 12 when Windows 8 becomes available on October 26.