Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 evaluation: Proper gaming chops in a exiguous notebook computer

Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 is essentially an evolutionary update to the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 we reviewed final year, nonetheless with one key trade. Because of the Intel’s 11th gen Core i7-1165G7 chip, gaming is in level of fact seemingly on this sub-three-pound notebook computer.

Most other issues didn’t trade, and we maintain now our beefs about the fabricate. But that sport-ready efficiency boost on my own makes the XPS 13 2-in-1 special. 

This evaluation is phase of our ongoing roundup of the very finest laptops. Dash there for knowledge on competing products and how we examined them. 

Gordon Mah Ung

XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 specs

Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 devices a aged for skinny-and-mild Home windows laptops that’s exhausting to beat—with a stamp to match. The mannequin we examined ($1,714 as configured from Dell.com) stays factual to offer. But there are drawbacks to laptops this exiguous, which we’ll slip into after we seek for on the specs.

CPU:  Intel Tiger Lake 11th-gen quad-core Core i7-1165G7

GPU:  Intel integrated Iris Xe graphics

RAM:  16GB LPDDR4X/3266

SSD:  512GB Toshiba/Kioxia BG4 NVMe PCIe, permanently soldered

Expose:  13.4-stoop, 1920×1200, 16: 10 IPS, rated at 500 nits and 90 p.c of DCI-P3 coloration gamut. Contact- and pen-enabled (pen optional), with Gorilla Glass 5.

Wireless:  WiFi 6

Dimensions (inches):  11.7 x 8.2 x about a quarter-stoop to half-stoop thick 

We’ve complained about the non-upgradable SSD on this notebook computer in prior generations, and an equally disappointing fabricate decision is the port selection. Dell controversially dumped the appreciated rectangular USB-A port, and it never regarded aid. Images snarl the story, and you most definitely can scrutinize on the left facet of the notebook computer you get a single Thunderbolt 4 port with a microSD reader.

Gordon Mah Ung

And no, there’s no USB-A on the reliable facet both. Dell does offer you a USB-A to USB-C dongle, nonetheless we can snarl you that unless you chain it to the notebook computer, this can slip missing reliable whenever you happen to need it. Fortunately there is mute an analog audio port, something you most definitely can’t depend on now that Asus has eliminated the headset jack in its ZenBook Flip. No longer that we’re upset about that.

Gordon Mah Ung

The keyboard also stays the a connected, which is yet every other consideration. While Dell’s implementation hasn’t proven to be as at risk of breakage as yet every other company’s (*coughApple *cough*), we’re no longer fans of low-go keyboards for prolonged sessions of typing.

Gordon Mah Ung

This story, alternatively, is essentially about Intel’s newest 11th-gen CPU constructed on a 10nm route of. With four CPU cores with Hyper-Threading that hit a tight clock, plus Intel’s posthaste Iris Xe graphics, it’s been a ray of sunshine for the corporate. Our beefy preview of Tiger Lake is here, nonetheless we’ve been making an strive to slip making an strive to search out it implemented in a production notebook computer that aims rather bigger on the efficiency scale. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is reliable this kind of machine, and it wrings a shapely amount out of Iris Xe—ample to invent gaming credible on a thin-and-mild notebook computer.

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 Performance

We’ll launch with the fundamentals, led by Maxon’s older Cinebench R15. It’s a 3D rendering benchmark that provides a indispensable methodology to measure multi-core efficiency.

Whenever you seek for down on the chart, the first takeaway is how unheard of faster the XPS 13 9310 2-in-1 is in comparison to the single other production 11th-gen notebook computer we’ve seen: the Asus ZenBook Flip 13. Both laptops that comprises the a connected CPU, nonetheless the XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 is about 17 p.c faster on the default atmosphere. Credit ranking the developed vapor chamber cooling internal of the XPS 13 2-in-1 and what Dell is willing to fabricate with it. Some acquire less heat on the shell, and some acquire extra noise.

We also curiously scrutinize very exiguous incompatibility between the efficiency atmosphere of the XPS and the default.

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While vendors treasure to market multi-core CPUs and the clicking likes to hype it, the overwhelming majority of applications and tasks that most of us fabricate on a exiguous notebook computer employ only a single core. Running Cinebench on reliable one thread, we can scrutinize each the Asus and Dell 11th-gen laptops main the pack in the truth is a tie.

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Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 long encode 

While Cinebench can even be thought of a CPU flee that tends to settle on high clock speeds, the assorted facet of CPU efficiency is how properly it would climate a prolonged load—especially in thinner laptops that are more durable to preserve wintry. We employ an older model of the free HandBrake utility to remodel a 30GB, 1080p movie utilizing the Android Tablet preset. This process can pressure the CPU exhausting for 20 minutes on an 8-core CPU, to 40 minutes on most quad-core CPUs—long ample to stage off any short-boost advantage and focal level on thermal stress over time.

Whenever you seek for under you most definitely can scrutinize that the XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 does somewhat properly pondering that it’s a “only” a quad-core CPU, nonetheless the muscle of AMD’s Ryzen 4000 can’t be touched.

We also scrutinize that whereas the efficiency atmosphere of the Dell didn’t give us unheard of on the unheard of lighter workloads, on HandBrake letting the notebook computer bustle the fans louder helps reasonably loads. We also again scrutinize the Dell without issues outpace the Asus ZenBook Flip 13.

Shall we mute display veil that the fan noise on the XPS 13 2-in-1 wasn’t as pronounced throughout its HandBrake bustle because it turn into in any other laptops. Overall, the love vapor chambers within the XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 appear to aid it elevate out prominent efficiency amongst the 11th-gen laptops in its weight and dimension class.

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Our final check that leans extra on the CPU is PCMark 8’s Work check. It’s a CPU-centered check that simulates mainstream productiveness tasks. Most novel laptops a long way exceed the threshold for passable efficiency on this check. That acknowledged, here’s mute a merely showing for the XPS 13 2-in-1 9310, even when few of us can have the choice to yell the incompatibility. 

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XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 gaming efficiency

We’ve usually urged that anyone purchasing for a gaming trip take an precise gaming notebook computer, nonetheless the graphics cores in even extremely-mild laptops maintain gotten enormously better with Intel’s 10th-gen Iris Plus, AMD’s Ryzen, and now the 11th-gen’s Iris Xe. The XPS 13 2-in-1 is in level of fact in a position to gaming at a moderate stage we’d maintain thought very no longer going reliable about a years ago.

To display veil we launch with UL’s FutureMark Sky Diver benchmark. It’s an man made check, nonetheless very legit and repeatable. For proof of reliable how a long way Intel graphics maintain come, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is the truth is on high of the pile for integrated graphics.

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One enlighten with artificial tests is that they aren’t as messy as precise video games and don’t repeatedly translate straight into particular titles, so we ran the XPS 13 2-in-1 by about a video games. The connected laptops are drawn from our 11th Gen Tiger Lake preview and goal a pair of 10th-gen XPS 13 laptops, a Ryzen 4000-basically basically based Lenovo, and an Intel reference notebook computer utilizing its Core i7-1187G7 chip. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 (in mild blue under) in A ways Divulge: Unusual Morning time does somewhat properly, with a median of 25 fps at 1920×1080 resolution, with the game online page to its Traditional preset. That’s ample to preserve it reliable barely forward of the Lenovo Slim 7 with its Ryzen 7 4800U.

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We also ran Upward thrust of the Tomb Raider in DX11 mode online page to Very Excessive and 1920×1080 resolution. Performance is again fine gorgeous, reliable rather slower than the Lenovo Slim 7’s. The XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 wants to be able to play most older video games at 1920×1080 resolution. More moderen video games would require turning down the resolution or sport settings. It isn’t by any stretch a gaming notebook computer, nonetheless it absolutely’ll fabricate for the most smartly-liked video games.

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XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 battery life

The largest metric for some isn’t CPU efficiency nonetheless battery life. To examine that, we loop a 4K video utilizing Home windows 10’s Movies & TV app, with the notebook computer online page to Airplane mode and earbuds in plugged in. We online page the display veil veil brightness at a somewhat intellectual 250 nits to 260 nits, which is a merely brightness for watching a movie in an place of work with the lights on. The battery life is in level of fact somewhat merely, taking in contrivance over 14 hours to drain. That’s rather higher than the Lenovo Slim 7 nonetheless a merely bit no longer up to a pair of HP Spectre x360 laptops. The HP’s and the Lenovo each sport bigger batteries, though.

Be aware, too, that notebook computer are treasure your automobile: Your mileage will fluctuate reckoning on how exhausting you pressure it. If we’re seeing 14 hours in an effortless video bustle-down, you would possibly perchance well perhaps perchance get half that having a stare the online. Shave off yet every other couple of hours ought to you’re doing something extra CPU- or GPU-intensive. Whenever you’re taking half in video games, you most definitely shouldn’t query higher than three hours at simplest. 

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Conclusion

Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 has long been the long-established against which to make a decision all other Intel-basically basically based laptops, with its match and fabricate, and its swing-for-the-fences efficiency. Add the credible gaming chops shown here, and there’s a merely probability the XPS 13 2-in-1 will preserve the bar for being the fastest 13-stoop convertible notebook computer utilizing the Core i7-1165G7 chip. The waters are admittedly murkier now with Ryzen and even aggressive Apple offerings, so we’ll deserve to slip making an strive to search out if the XPS 13 can preserve onto its main problem.

• The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 will get Intel’s 11th gen Core i7-1165G7 chip, that formula gaming is in level of fact seemingly on this sub-three-pound notebook computer.

  Pros

  • First fee battery life
  • Appropriate single-threaded efficiency
  • 16: 10 facet ratio display veil veil with no bezels

  Cons

  • A piece costly
  • No USB-A port
  • SSD can no longer be upgraded

One among founding fathers of hardcore tech reporting, Gordon has been covering PCs and parts since 1998.