Customer reviews for XPS 12 (L221x)
XPS 12 (L221x)
XPS 12 (L221x)
Rating breakdown 162 reviews
5 Stars
84
4 Stars
32
3 Stars
19
2 Stars
18
1 Star
9
(162 reviews) 159
126 out of 16278%of customers recommend this
Customer reviews for XPS 12 (L221x)
Review 1 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Reviewed by:millbank8(Kansas City)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Good
Title:
I Love my XPS 12
PostedNovember 17, 2012
Yes, I would recommend this product
Pros:
This is one of Dells best laptops ever. The speeds at which it boots is amazing, the construction is very durable and the keyboard is rock solid. The flips screen is snug enough to touch without causing it to spin and yet its still easy to flip when you want it to.
This is one of Dells best laptops ever. The speeds at which it boots is amazing, the construction is very durable and the keyboard is rock solid. The flips screen is snug enough to touch without causing it to spin and yet its still easy to flip when you want it to.
Cons: As far as the laptop is concerned I have nothing negative to say. But if you are purchasing this laptop mainly to use as a tablet then my advice is don't do it. Its to heavy to be used as a tablet. The tablet aspect of this laptop is fine if you're sitting on the couch or on a plane but not to walk around holding for long periods of time.
Overall:
The price of the Dell XPS 12 is high BUT its worth every penny. Sometimes as consumers we need to remember spending a bit more to get a quality product can save you money in the long run. I feel my investment in this high end laptop will be rewarded with 2 or 3 years of real enjoyment.
The price of the Dell XPS 12 is high BUT its worth every penny. Sometimes as consumers we need to remember spending a bit more to get a quality product can save you money in the long run. I feel my investment in this high end laptop will be rewarded with 2 or 3 years of real enjoyment.
Pros:office, streaming video, light photoshop
Response from Dell.comBy JohnBforDell, Customer Reviews, November 23, 2012
Millbank8,
Here at Dell we love hearing from our satisfied customers! Great to know the new Dell XPS 12 is working out well for you. This is a very solid system and the power vs cost works out well. Hope you continue to enjoy. If you have any questions or issues please reach out to us using the information below.
Use the information below to contact us. The team members below will get you taken care of.
Please reach out to our Dell Support Team at:
• Dell Community Forums – New to the Community: http://dell.to/GY65Xz
• You can contact our Dell Cares Team on Twitter (@DellCares): http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ
• If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can also go to Dell’s Facebook Support Form: http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ
A Facebook account is not required to use this form. You will be asked to provide your Name, service tag, email address and a brief description of the issue.
Thanks again!! JGB
Here at Dell we love hearing from our satisfied customers! Great to know the new Dell XPS 12 is working out well for you. This is a very solid system and the power vs cost works out well. Hope you continue to enjoy. If you have any questions or issues please reach out to us using the information below.
Use the information below to contact us. The team members below will get you taken care of.
Please reach out to our Dell Support Team at:
• Dell Community Forums – New to the Community: http://dell.to/GY65Xz
• You can contact our Dell Cares Team on Twitter (@DellCares): http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ
• If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can also go to Dell’s Facebook Support Form: http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ
A Facebook account is not required to use this form. You will be asked to provide your Name, service tag, email address and a brief description of the issue.
Thanks again!! JGB
+229points
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Review 2 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:Kurt70Duration of Product Use:1-2 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Best new computer in years
PostedMay 17, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I gave my wife my iPad3 and bought the XPS12 PC-Tablet-Hybrid. Here's what I like best:
1) Near instant "on"
2) Build quality and design: carbon-fiber body, aluminum alloy frame
3) Hands-down the best design for converting between PC and tablet.
4) Great size and beautiful screen for photo portfolio display
5) Interfaces with DSLR camera for shooting tethered
6) Very nice writing and reading device
1) Near instant "on"
2) Build quality and design: carbon-fiber body, aluminum alloy frame
3) Hands-down the best design for converting between PC and tablet.
4) Great size and beautiful screen for photo portfolio display
5) Interfaces with DSLR camera for shooting tethered
6) Very nice writing and reading device
It's great to have USB connections in a device that's a tablet. My most frequent uses include a mouse or trackball, flash drive, CD/DVD reader/writer.
Adjusting to Windows 8 is a breeze. It's really a hybrid between 7 and 8, and you can instantly switch between the two modes. The Windows 8 interface tiles are more flexible to configure in sensible arrangements than the iPad's. The inventory of apps needs to improve, but that's happening over time.
Odd little benefit of the design: this computer lives going into/out of a fabric messenger bag. The rounded corners facilitate this function, no sharp corners to snag the bag, and they seem to be better suited for being in a bag that provides minimal protection of corners and edges.
So, I'm a happy XPS12 owner.
-1point
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Review 3 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:Agsbaseball09(Nacogdoches, TX, USA)
Duration of Product Use:5-6 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:School
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Fantastic PC, has its flaws like all others, BUT VERY OVERLY-SATISFIED!
PostedMay 12, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I purchased the Dell XPS 12 i5 due to the freshly released Windows 8. I was drawn to the XPS 12 i5 for the looks of the PC as well as the reliability of a Dell. Now to the review of the PC:
1. The computer is well built, very sturdy and anyone with concerns about the flipping aspect of the screen need not worry. I have put it through quite a bit of stress and wear since January and it still acts brand new.
2. The Samsung solid state drive is magnificent. I have always had the traditional revolutionary hard drives and the SSD is blazing fast. This computer has the fastest start up time I have ever seen. I believe this is due to the great new Windows 8 OS however.
3. The one flaw and one adjustment I have had to make:
Flaw - I have had a few problems with the reliability of the Cypress trackpad. Sometimes it requires a few tries to react to my input of my finger, but all in all it is not a significant hindrance and believe this will be fixed in the very near future due to the number of "complaints" I have seen about it.
Adjustment - When first using the PC, I struggled constantly with having the spacebar recognizing when I strike it for input. I believe this is due to the difference in keyboards however, people who have used my PC have commented that they must strike the spacebar rather aggressively in order for it to work. But you get used to it after a month or two and are typing flawlessly on the well manufactured and sleek keyboard.
4. Windows 8 OS:
- W8 is a fantastic OS! The utilization of the new start screen tiles is very helpful and I find myself using them constantly while still using the recognizable W7 desktop for MSWord/PPT/Excel.
- The most useful feature I have found, which assists in my college courses and I believe will compliment everyday professionals would be the ability to "snap" windows on the desktop (i.e. Microsoft word and a PDF) so they are viewing side by side. Also, the ability to do this with apps is more useful that you can imagine. While taking notes during school, I snap the W8 finance app which has my watchlist of stocks next to my desktop so about 1.5" of the side of the screen has my stocks which is constantly updating while I type on MS word. GREAT FEATURE!
- I could say so much more about W8 but I would have to recommend you just buy the XPS 12 right now and experience it for yourself.
- W8 is a fantastic OS! The utilization of the new start screen tiles is very helpful and I find myself using them constantly while still using the recognizable W7 desktop for MSWord/PPT/Excel.
- The most useful feature I have found, which assists in my college courses and I believe will compliment everyday professionals would be the ability to "snap" windows on the desktop (i.e. Microsoft word and a PDF) so they are viewing side by side. Also, the ability to do this with apps is more useful that you can imagine. While taking notes during school, I snap the W8 finance app which has my watchlist of stocks next to my desktop so about 1.5" of the side of the screen has my stocks which is constantly updating while I type on MS word. GREAT FEATURE!
- I could say so much more about W8 but I would have to recommend you just buy the XPS 12 right now and experience it for yourself.
In summary, the Dell XPS 12 is a superior product in the marketplace right now. Although it is in the high-end price range, it is like most everything in life, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR (except for Macs, don't even bother with those)!
One last note about Dell, I am not supposed to write about customer service, but I just feel compelled to. Dell customer service is amazing. I have trouble explaining it, but each CS rep I have talked to has made me feel like a highly valued customer and that my business is very much appreciated. If you have any other questions post them, and I will do my best to answer them. BUY THIS PC!
Pros:reliability, speed, windows 8, flawless touchscreen, battery life (8 hours w/ half brightness), flipping screen to make it a "tablet"
Cons:cypress trackpad, widi compatability w/ netgear p2tv 3000 is spotty
+1point
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Review 4 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
3
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Reviewed by:kenqyu(Los Angeles, CA)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Top class hardware design 3rd class software driver
PostedMay 12, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
The XPS 12 I has top hardware spec. at the time, i7-3687u, 8GB ram and 256 SSD. The form factor, convertible flip screen design, build quality and mulimedia quality are all second to none. Yet the basic windows 8 laptop features, touchpad, battery life and energy saving design (e.g. control when and how the hardware responds to command) are very much disappointing.
xps 12 is almost half year after its initial debut, hence there is no excuse some of the hardware drivers are continued to perform with flaw. Be it hardware related or poor software driver, the end result of this is unacceptable at best, but lame to be fair.
For example, I'm not able to disable the laptop automatically switch to "power saver" plan once I check the "Dell extended battery life" setting configuration. There is no going back. The touchpad gesture to slide from edge for windows metro will active not only when swipe from edge but the entire touchpad, so whenever move the cursor around the screen the metro bar will appear as if I swipe too fast. Why can't the swip for metro is limited to be from edges only? "Features" such as these made me wonder if these are software bugs or simply the software designer's "fine" work.
Similarly, the wifi can't seem to manage between falling to sleep to save energy and wakes up when needed. This result frequent wifi idle with no data transmitted or slow speed. Change the power plan option to maximum performance made no difference. Again, not sure this is a hardware problem or software driver, but the issue has been seen on both my xps 12 and xps 13, as well as the xps 14 which was returned due to this.
These are some of the fundamental computing functions which cannot be tolerate, yet these issues are seen reported widely on internet.
However, the laptop/tablet is not lack of love and I'm willing to keep the hope that Dell will release the driver update or fix the hardware issue within the 1 year premium support time. Although I returned my lenovo Yoga 13 which does have anything of these problem, I don't want to feel regret by the decision of continue to remain as a xps laptop consumer after this.
Pros:build quality, form factor design, tablet design, looks sexy and pro., 1080p ips screen
Cons:touchpad needs tweak, wifi malfunction intermittently, battery life is less than average in its class, 1080p on 12.5" screen
Response from Dell.comBy SaraTforDell, Customer Reviews, May 14, 2013
Hello kenqyu,
Thank you for providing your feedback on the XPS 12. I am glad that this system has a lot of features that you love on it. I have a few suggestions that might make your experience a little better. For the touchpad being overly sensitive to the swiping motion, first try installing the latest touchpad drivers (http://dell.to/ZHh9wO) and then configure you settings in the driver. You can turn the sensitivity down and that may help.
For your wireless settings, I would check the wireless adapter in the device manager. There should be a power management tab and under the tab make sure that “Allow the computer to disable this device to save power “ is unchecked.
I am glad that you love the specs, design, and build of this system. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to our Social Media Support team. They are available to help through any of the following channels:
• Twitter (@DellCares): http://dell.to/Tgt5D7
• Dell Community Forums: http://dell.to/pwws14
• Facebook Support: http://dell.to/10icdPW
Thank you again for your review and I hope some of this can help.
-SaraT
Thank you for providing your feedback on the XPS 12. I am glad that this system has a lot of features that you love on it. I have a few suggestions that might make your experience a little better. For the touchpad being overly sensitive to the swiping motion, first try installing the latest touchpad drivers (http://dell.to/ZHh9wO) and then configure you settings in the driver. You can turn the sensitivity down and that may help.
For your wireless settings, I would check the wireless adapter in the device manager. There should be a power management tab and under the tab make sure that “Allow the computer to disable this device to save power “ is unchecked.
I am glad that you love the specs, design, and build of this system. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please reach out to our Social Media Support team. They are available to help through any of the following channels:
• Twitter (@DellCares): http://dell.to/Tgt5D7
• Dell Community Forums: http://dell.to/pwws14
• Facebook Support: http://dell.to/10icdPW
Thank you again for your review and I hope some of this can help.
-SaraT
+1point
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Review 5 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:MountianMan2786Duration of Product Use:5-6 months
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Student and Travel
PostedMay 9, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I am in the US Army and wanted an all around computer to do schoolwork and play a couple games in my down time. I thoroughly enjoy my xps12. The touch screen is great for reading/writing essays and it has enough power and speed to keep up with the simple games I play.
Pros:small, fast, touch, tablet and keyboard
Cons:no cd drive
+2points
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Review 6 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:MikeWeiner(Las Vegas, NV)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:Entertainment
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Outstanding Combination Well Executed
PostedMay 9, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I love my Alienware M17, but I needed something which can provide the same fun, but be a lot more portable. Being a gadget guy, the unique design of going from tablet to notebook and back again was a big lure. However, if that had been poorly executed, I would have passed on the XPS 12. Fortunately, its well designed, well executed, easy and fun to use, and its extremely portable!
I can't figure where to start on how much I love this complet (computer and tablet?), but there's a lot to be said in that.
Let's see, the display is bright and sharp. The interface is clean and very responsive. I never liked Windows 8 until I met this machine (I hoped it would be a good match, and it is).
After using this system for even just a few hours, touching the screen seemed second nature just as it does with standard tablets and smartphones...though occasionally its still incredibly exciting to skip locating the cursor and moving the mouse.
With the price tag it carries, its not for every budget, but if you can go the extra expense and invest in a machine you'll be using for a very long time to come, I recommend it with no reservations.
GOOD WORK, DELL!!!
Pros:fast processor, bright screen, excellent touch detection, lightweight, solid quality feel
Cons:a bit pricey
0points
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Review 7 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
2
/
5
Performance
4
/
5
Value
1
/
5
Reviewed by:wowlfer(Denver, CO, USA)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Retired
Title:
Unacceptable
PostedMay 9, 2013
No, I do not recommend this product.
I find this product unacceptable because after received it the WiFi would not stay connected for even 5 minutes. Updated drivers did nothing to help. In addition, the screen kept dropping down to 50 to 70% brightness erratically with power settings and devices set to DO NOTHING, etc. Dell replaced the screen, motherboard and WifI and it still keeps disconnecting erratically and the although the screen seems better it continues to be erratic. I suspect the hinged system as the culprit which when move the angle of the screen it sometimes drops down in brightness and usually when you open an application it brightens back up but not always. Sometimes it's stuck at the lower level for hours. The only good thing I can say about it is the boot speed is great.
Cons:bad screen design has 'shorts'., wifi replaced or not won't stay connected
Response from Dell.comBy DonaldDforDell, Customer Reviews, May 13, 2013
Hello wowlfer,
I am sorry to hear of your poor experience with your XPS 12 (l221x). This is not indicative of what you should expect. I would recommend reaching out to our Dellcares team. They have support methods, conventional support cannot handle.
Check them out here:
Social Support Team Contact:-
Twitter - @DellCares (http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ)
Dell Community Forum (http://dell.to/GY65Xz)
Dell Facebook (http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ)
They can help!
I am sorry to hear of your poor experience with your XPS 12 (l221x). This is not indicative of what you should expect. I would recommend reaching out to our Dellcares team. They have support methods, conventional support cannot handle.
Check them out here:
Social Support Team Contact:-
Twitter - @DellCares (http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ)
Dell Community Forum (http://dell.to/GY65Xz)
Dell Facebook (http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ)
They can help!
+2points
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Review 8 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:gumsoles(Austin, TX, USA)
Duration of Product Use:3-4 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Design/graphics
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
I LOVE MY XPS12
PostedMay 7, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I have had several Dell's; most were Latitudes & a few XPSs... but the XPS 12 has been the best yet! I was impatient so I got the XPS 14 but ended up selling it to get the 12 which was the best decision I made!
The design, build quality & functionality are top notch.
I am a pixel snob and this full HD display is BEAUTIFUL!
The touch display works well in tablet mode & is great for scrolling on blogs & sites like tumblr.
I have yet to buy, test or use a stylus but plan on it for Photoshop & Illustrator otherwise, the I7, 8GB & integrated graphics handle computing very well.
The touch display works well in tablet mode & is great for scrolling on blogs & sites like tumblr.
I have yet to buy, test or use a stylus but plan on it for Photoshop & Illustrator otherwise, the I7, 8GB & integrated graphics handle computing very well.
The XPS 14 has AMAZING sound so I expected so much less from the smaller sized XPS 12 but WOW, I was shocked - it sounds pretty good.
I could go on and on but let me get to the not so positive...
The only downfall was I had to get new AC adapters (standard Dell's are too large) but that's really it ;)
The only downfall was I had to get new AC adapters (standard Dell's are too large) but that's really it ;)
For those who are scared to spend the money (as I was), trust me, you will never think about the money once you have it power on.
Thank you Dell, I LOVE MY XPS 12!
Pros:fhd, sound, size, design, battery
Cons:standard dell ac adapter does not work
-1point
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Review 9 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
4
/
5
Value
3
/
5
Reviewed by:JC71(Guthrie, KY, USA)
Duration of Product Use:5-6 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
good unit but frustrating
PostedMay 7, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I purchased my XPS12 in November 2012. The computer works well, boots up quick, and navigates easily in both laptop and tablet modes. My major complaint is the touchscreen. It is constantly freezing up. The only "fix" is a restart. This is very frustrating to me, especially when using in tablet mode. In the last 6 months I've talked with tech support, and sent it in for repair, all to no avail. I really like the machine, but the touchscreen issue is getting hard to put up with. As I'm writing this the touchscreen is not working. Time to restart AGAIN.
Response from Dell.comBy JonathanNforDell, Customer Reviews, May 9, 2013
Hello JC71,
I want to thank you for your purchase of the XPS 12 Ultrabook and I apologize about some of the frustrations that you have been having with the touchscreen. I recommend reaching out to our SOS Support team and see if they can help you resolve your issues in a timelier manner.
Twitter @DellCares - http://dell.to/Tgt5D8
I want to thank you for your purchase of the XPS 12 Ultrabook and I apologize about some of the frustrations that you have been having with the touchscreen. I recommend reaching out to our SOS Support team and see if they can help you resolve your issues in a timelier manner.
Twitter @DellCares - http://dell.to/Tgt5D8
+2points
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Review 10 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
3
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:itpaulI use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Works most of the time
PostedMay 7, 2013
No, I do not recommend this product.
The speed of the laptop is excellent... it boots very fast. My only complaint is that every once in a while the Microsoft sculpt bluetooth mouse will not connect and the documentation on how to check on it via the control panel is either wrong or missing (e.g., supposedly you can search for "bluetooth" and check the settings but the search results is that nothing is found.) Sometimes the touch screen is not responsive and I need to reboot to get it to work. Quite often after the laptop goes to sleep the mouse won't work. A quick fix is to do a ctrl-alt-delete which usually restores the mouse functionality thus, just exiting the ctrl-alt-delete screen makes the computer function correctly.
Response from Dell.comBy SaraTforDell, Customer Reviews, May 8, 2013
Hello itpaul,
Thank you for your review. I am sorry that everything has not run perfectly smoothly for you. If you are experiencing issues with your Microsoft Bluetooth mouse, I would advise that you reach out to Microsoft support (http://dell.to/YRvt3m) for assistance. When it comes to your touch screen and touchpad, I recommend that you reach out on the Dell Community Forums (http://dell.to/pwws14). Our support agents and community members may be able to test out a few options with you to help.
I am glad that overall the speed and boot time are excellent for you. Thank you again for your feedback.
-SaraT
Thank you for your review. I am sorry that everything has not run perfectly smoothly for you. If you are experiencing issues with your Microsoft Bluetooth mouse, I would advise that you reach out to Microsoft support (http://dell.to/YRvt3m) for assistance. When it comes to your touch screen and touchpad, I recommend that you reach out on the Dell Community Forums (http://dell.to/pwws14). Our support agents and community members may be able to test out a few options with you to help.
I am glad that overall the speed and boot time are excellent for you. Thank you again for your feedback.
-SaraT
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Review 11 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
3
/
5
Performance
4
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Reviewed by:Motiur(Queens, NY)
Duration of Product Use:1-2 months
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:High Performance
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Great performance, but has some flaws. READ THIS WHOLE REVIEW!
PostedMay 4, 2013
No, I do not recommend this product.
I purchased the $1399 version (i7, 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM).
The good: It boots up in 8 seconds and opens most programs in 1 second. Very fast! The touchscreen looks amazing and is very responsive. The speakers are loud + good quality. It has a USB sleep & charge port. Overall it is very satisfying to use.
The good: It boots up in 8 seconds and opens most programs in 1 second. Very fast! The touchscreen looks amazing and is very responsive. The speakers are loud + good quality. It has a USB sleep & charge port. Overall it is very satisfying to use.
The bad: [1] The placement of ports is bad. The power, mini displayport, and USB ports are all placed on the right, which is annoying for me as I have my desk setup to have wires and peripherals on the left. My power outlet is on the left. My mouse is on the right, so thee things can get in the way sometimes. The USB ports are too close together. Only 0.5cm of space between them! [2] Some USB devices are big and block access to the adjacent ports. [3] Almost every laptop/ultrabook has a card reader, but this doesn't! I use a microSD to transfer movies to my phone, but now I can't without an adapter. [4] The touchpad works fine, but sometimes it won't click and the gestures won't work. This only happens 1-2 times an hour and lasts a few seconds, so it's not too much of an issue. BUT, it should NOT be happening AT ALL for a $1399 laptop. [5] The fan is quite loud in a quiet room. Mostly it is off, but sometimes it comes on while web browsing. [6] The 128GB SSD only gives you 70GB. The recovery partition, Windows 8, and included apps take up a LOT of space. [7] Gaming is quiet laggy on this. Windows 8 store games are smooth, but 3rd party games (Skyrim, LoL, MW3) are only good at low settings. I was expecting better for such an expensive product.
Battery life: Not too bad. For typical usage such as web surfing, documents, presentations, school work, instant messaging, etc, it will last 5 hours (around 30 to 50% brightness). For watching movies, around 4-5h. For YouTube videos, I think 4h. For more intensive applications like audio/video editing, 3-4h. For gaming, 1.5 to 2h. So this is great for common usage, but keep the charger around for intensive things.
Overall I like this laptop, but it is not worth the price AT ALL. I only purchased it because I wanted the tablet functionality (which I rarely use now). Waste of money. Spend your money on something better.
Pros:really fast, very responsive touchscreen, display looks amazing, great sound quality, usb sleep & charge port, nice form factor, good battery life for most duties
Cons:lack of ports, bad placement of ports, usb ports are too close together, no sd card reader!!, minor touchpad issues, loud fan, only 70gb space for user, terrible for gaming, not worth the price!
Response from Dell.comBy JonathanNforDell, Customer Reviews, May 9, 2013
Hey Motiur!
It sounds like your disappointed purchase of the XPS 12 Convertible is more a mismatch of expectations than problems with the system itself. The port arrangement mismatch is something that we could not have foreseen but we do post many pics of the unit on our website! :) Convertible technology (tablet/ultrabook-in-One) is pretty new and its primary existence is to give a great experience on both the tablet and Ultrabook platforms. Like other Ultrabooks on the market, they are not designed for advanced gaming but maybe someday they will have more powerful GPUs and/or discrete graphics too! We appreciate your detailed review and I hope that others get a better sense of how this unit can fit into their computing needs.
It sounds like your disappointed purchase of the XPS 12 Convertible is more a mismatch of expectations than problems with the system itself. The port arrangement mismatch is something that we could not have foreseen but we do post many pics of the unit on our website! :) Convertible technology (tablet/ultrabook-in-One) is pretty new and its primary existence is to give a great experience on both the tablet and Ultrabook platforms. Like other Ultrabooks on the market, they are not designed for advanced gaming but maybe someday they will have more powerful GPUs and/or discrete graphics too! We appreciate your detailed review and I hope that others get a better sense of how this unit can fit into their computing needs.
+4points
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Review 12 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:Atnr(Lisburn, UK)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Really impressed
PostedApril 22, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I've only recently received my XPS 12 but I have to admit I have been impressed so far.
Although it carries a high price tag, I think to a degree it is justified due to the screen size/ resolution/ touch capability, construction materials and internal components. It feels solid and well put together.
Absolutely hate Windows 8 on my desktop due to the clunky UI, however on the XPS with the high res it really does work better than expected once the pointless apps are replaced with more useful ones. Still needs a start button though when in desktop mode!
Performance wise, between the boot times and general speed applications etc... run I have also been impressed. More than meets my needs for office tasks/ programming and light photoshopping.
Overall I really have been impressed by Dell on this one. Its an ultrabook / tablet which performs surprisingly well!
Highly recommend if your looking for a compromise between the tablet / laptop form factors.
Pros:solid build quality, excellent design, brilliant resolution, good hardware specs
Cons:price a bit high
+6points
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Review 13 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:sachin18(Plano, TX, USA)
Duration of Product Use:1-2 months
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:High Performance
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
I own, and I recommend this product
PostedApril 16, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I like the design and product. I would certainly recommend this product.
Dell,
though it has HD quality, please reach cross the level of MacBook pro resolution to stand tall in the market.
though it has HD quality, please reach cross the level of MacBook pro resolution to stand tall in the market.
Pros:hd good performance great designed product
Cons:weight to use as tablet
+1point
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Review 14 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
3
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:Bruce777Duration of Product Use:3-4 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:On the go
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Touch screen and track pad capable but flawed
PostedApril 14, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
Overall, I like the size and features of the XPS 12. It is a great convertible laptop and the battery has enough useful life to it.
The only real difficulties are the touch screen and track pad. The touch screen will somehow get bugged if I use it enough and locks up (or locks me out of using it.) Repeated driver updates do not seem to fix the issue, though I often only use it to scroll instead of using the track pad.
The track pad is too large, or too much in the way. Serious typing ends up with my hand inadvertently activating the track pad and changing the position of the cursor or switching windows, entirely. It is annoying to have to find the cursor after having it jump while typing and correct the messed up text. It seems like after a decade a better track pad would have been available. There are no smart scroll edges and there is no off button for the track pad among the function keys. The track pad is just too large. I will not be drawing on it when there is a touch screen. Honestly, I would have preferred a small pointing stick between the G and H keys to the track pad.
The keyboard is adequate but not as tactile and well laid out as a real keyboard but the XPS 12's low weight helps make up for some of the keyboard's minor human factors issues.
Pros:highly portable (size and weight), converts to a tablet, adequate keyboard, decent battery life, great screen, good connectivity
Cons:bugged touch screen, bad track pad
+4points
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Review 15 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:DRWalker(Kettering, England)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Just phenominal
PostedApril 11, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I recently bought the Dell XPS 12 and i love it!! My previous laptop was over twice the size of the XPS 12 so adjusting to the smaller screen was - to say the least- a bloomin' nightmare... haha but it did not take long and now i get on with it so well!
Boot up speed is just amazingly fast!
The look and feel of the laptop is awesome, and a reel head turner... I've taken it to work a few times and everyone is just speechless and very very jealous lol but I've saved well for it and don't care that it looks like i'm showing off...
The look and feel of the laptop is awesome, and a reel head turner... I've taken it to work a few times and everyone is just speechless and very very jealous lol but I've saved well for it and don't care that it looks like i'm showing off...
The only thing that bothers me about it is the touch pad - its not very responsive but to be honest I've probably not got it set up correctly yet, and again its not really a problem because its a touch screen so you don't rly use the touch pad that much if ever....
All in all its a fantastic laptop/tablet! well worth the money although it would have been nicer if it was cheaper hahaha
I LOVE IT!!!!!!
Pros:fast, good looking, sturdy
Cons:erm... so far none!!!
+1point
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Review 16 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:blahblahblahblahblahDuration of Product Use:3-4 months
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:School
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Best Laptop I've Ever Owned
PostedApril 10, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
Title says it all. This computer in combination Windows 8 makes everything more efficient. The touch screen makes most things very fast and simple to do while if I need to write a report I can just flip the screen around and use the hard keyboard (although the soft keyboard is surprisingly easy to type on too). It seemed a little expensive when I first purchased it but it was definitely worth every penny. I was also sceptical about the mechanism for flipping the screen but it is very well built. Windows 8 works wonderfully with the touch scree. I'd recommend this to anyone.
Pros:performance of a laptop, convenience of a tablet
+4points
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Review 17 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
3
/
5
Reviewed by:jhnl33I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Student
Title:
Great concept, exceptional build, but a few major flaws
PostedApril 8, 2013
No, I do not recommend this product.
Besides the three major flaws I'll discuss later, this is a phenomenal step forward for Dell. There are many important aspects that make an exceptional laptop, and Dell has nailed a good amount of them. Among them are solid build quality, comfortable backlit keyboard with decent travel, gorgeous 1080p IPS screen, and a unique concept. But if any one of these important aspects is less than satisfactory, the entire exerience of the laptop is ruined. Unfortunately, the XPS 12 has given me a bad experience with a few of these issues.
The first and foremost is the touchpad. I cannot express how important this is. How does one interact with their laptop? Via the touchpad. The way you use your laptop is determined by the touchpad. Once the touchpad is flaky and unresponsive, the entire experience is ruined. With my brand new XPS 12, the first thing I did (after updating all the drivers) was to turn the sensitivity of the touchpad to the highest and to disable palm rejection because the touchpad was just too hard to use. It was ridiculously frustrating to glide my fingers on that resistive touchpad and have it not register, then try again, and have it move halfway to its final destination. After I adjusted the settings though, the only issues was that the touchpad wouldn't register every now and then. Also, multitouch gestures are quite finicky on the touchpad and only add to the frustration. The most basic gesture, two finger scrolling, takes way too long to get right and I often find it faster to just page down. If I hadn't made it clear already, this touchpad is terrible. I have used many touchpads in my life, and none have amounted to the frustration this has generated in the last 2 days. It is definitely a dealbreaker for me and I will most likely return the laptop because of this issue.
The other two issues are not as bad.
One is wifi connectivity. For some super odd reason, the wifi is drastically slowed down when I put the laptop on my lap. The moment I take it off, pages load instantaneously. When it's on my lap, pages take sometimes up to a minute to load. I get around that by simply lifting the laptop off my lap whenever I want to load a new webpage. Good thing I use my laptop at the desk most of the time.
The second "not as bad" issue is the screen. Text and other elements are way too tiny on this 1080p screen. I have done the "make everything in Windows 8 150% bigger", but the problem with that function is that it doesn't make everything in Windows 8 150% bigger. The tabs in chrome, for example, are still small. These disproportionate size differences make the Windows experience quite inconsistent. This isn't an issue with Dell, though; this is just Microsoft not perfecting the scaling algorithms in Windows 8 perfectly.
Besides these three issues, this computer is great. I love the direction Dell is going and hopefully they can make a better iteration next time.
One is wifi connectivity. For some super odd reason, the wifi is drastically slowed down when I put the laptop on my lap. The moment I take it off, pages load instantaneously. When it's on my lap, pages take sometimes up to a minute to load. I get around that by simply lifting the laptop off my lap whenever I want to load a new webpage. Good thing I use my laptop at the desk most of the time.
The second "not as bad" issue is the screen. Text and other elements are way too tiny on this 1080p screen. I have done the "make everything in Windows 8 150% bigger", but the problem with that function is that it doesn't make everything in Windows 8 150% bigger. The tabs in chrome, for example, are still small. These disproportionate size differences make the Windows experience quite inconsistent. This isn't an issue with Dell, though; this is just Microsoft not perfecting the scaling algorithms in Windows 8 perfectly.
Besides these three issues, this computer is great. I love the direction Dell is going and hopefully they can make a better iteration next time.
Response from Dell.comBy DonaldDforDell, Customer Reviews, April 9, 2013
Hello jhnl33,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the XPS 12 (L221x). I am sorry to hear your experience did not live up to your expectations. Sometimes turning the settings on the touchpad, all the way up may not give you the results you are looking for. I would recommend adjusting the settings to different levels to get the results you are looking for. If you need help with this or the WIFI connection, reach out to our Dellcares Department.
Social Support Team Contact:-
Twitter - @DellCares (http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ)
Dell Community Forum (http://dell.to/GY65Xz)
Dell Facebook (http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ)
They can help!
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the XPS 12 (L221x). I am sorry to hear your experience did not live up to your expectations. Sometimes turning the settings on the touchpad, all the way up may not give you the results you are looking for. I would recommend adjusting the settings to different levels to get the results you are looking for. If you need help with this or the WIFI connection, reach out to our Dellcares Department.
Social Support Team Contact:-
Twitter - @DellCares (http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ)
Dell Community Forum (http://dell.to/GY65Xz)
Dell Facebook (http://bit.ly/HlJ9LZ)
They can help!
+1point
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Review 18 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Reviewed by:Marty10Duration of Product Use:1-2 months
Level of Expertise:Average
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Parent
Title:
Just what I needed
PostedApril 7, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
The xps 12 is the perfect combination of a laptop and a tablet. I needed a laptop and wanted the i7 processor but loved my ipad too. So this xps12 has really fit my need. I find the screen size is great, bigger than the ipad and perfect for surfing the web, YouTube videos, etc. with the xps12 on my lap. I enjoy how the screen flips around and it sits nice on my lap in bed with the screen flipped and the keyboard facing away from me -this acts like a stand so you can use the touch screen. Bottom line - best option available if you want a tablet that is a full power laptop.
+1point
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Review 19 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
5
/
5
Performance
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Reviewed by:meetmejatin(San Diego, CA, USA)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Expert
I use my PC for:High Performance
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Loved this product
PostedApril 5, 2013
Yes, I would recommend this product
I owned this product from a month. everything is working fine leaving touchpad. As a developer, this product is nice selection for me in both way as tablet and as a laptop. Not able to use in tablet mode for long time as heat comes from bottom part instead of from side part. Hoping driver updates from dell for touchpad soon.
Pros:working both way laptop and tablet, nice battery life compare to other dell laptops.
Cons:fan make sound, touchpad behaves miserable way.
+4points
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Review 20 for XPS 12 (L221x)
Overall Rating
Features
4
/
5
Performance
2
/
5
Value
2
/
5
Reviewed by:MosaicaSky(Newport Beach, CA)
Duration of Product Use:Less than a month
Level of Expertise:Good
I use my PC for:Everyday Computing
Your Lifestyle:Professional
Title:
Beautiful Design - Flawed Wireless
PostedApril 4, 2013
No, I do not recommend this product.
I bought this product because I needed a tablet and a high performance PC. The design of the XPS 12 matched my criteria better than any other product available at the time. However, wireless problems were evident from the day the product first arrived. Dell Support in India attempted some driver fixes with no demonstrable improvement regarding solid, consistent connectivity. A replacement was sent with assurances that would address the reported problems (I'm not the only one). The replacement was no better. After Dell Support suggested my network was at fault, the decision was made to send everything back. The network easily and effectively supports 2 Sony PCs, an iMac, 2 iPhones, an Android tablet, a Kindle, Apple TV, wireless printers etc... Everything works perfectly on the network other than both XPS 12s. Too bad such a beautiful design has such a significant operational flaw.
Pros:design
Cons:wirless consistency, dell support
Response from Dell.comBy JohnBforDel, Customer Reviews, April 8, 2013
Hey MosaicaSky,
Sorry to hear about the wi-fi issues with your XPS 12. If you still have the system, please Use the information below to contact us. The team members below will get you taken care of.
Please reach out to our Dell Support Team at:
• Dell Community Forums – New to the Community: http://dell.to/GY65Xz
• You can contact our Dell Cares Team on Twitter (@DellCares): http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ
• If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can also go to Dell’s Facebook Support Form: www.facebook.com/Dell
A Facebook account is required to use this option. Please use the message button and provide your Name, service tag, email address and a brief description of the issue.”
Thank you. JGB
Sorry to hear about the wi-fi issues with your XPS 12. If you still have the system, please Use the information below to contact us. The team members below will get you taken care of.
Please reach out to our Dell Support Team at:
• Dell Community Forums – New to the Community: http://dell.to/GY65Xz
• You can contact our Dell Cares Team on Twitter (@DellCares): http://bit.ly/Hhh2SQ
• If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can also go to Dell’s Facebook Support Form: www.facebook.com/Dell
A Facebook account is required to use this option. Please use the message button and provide your Name, service tag, email address and a brief description of the issue.”
Thank you. JGB
+4points
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