Dell's Adamo brand of notebooks emphasise design as well as mobility, and its latest offering seems to have an abundance of both. But will breaking tradition help the Adamo XPS trump the MacBook Air?
Upside
The Adamo XPS looks impressive with its aluminium body and extremely thin form (Dell touts it as the thinnest laptop ever at close to 10mm). The monitor has a larger footprint than the keyboard, the latter nestling within the bevel of the monitor while closed, a major difference to all other notebooks in the market.
The difference is most obvious when the laptop is open. Once the keyboard is folded out, it stands at a 20-degree angle, allowing for better cooling of the internals as well as a more ergonomic typing experience. Opening the laptop itself is a novel experience, with a swipe of a finger across the top lip of the body unlocking the capacitive hinge. It also features a 13.4-inch screen with a 1366x728 resolution and a full-sized keyboard akin to those found on Apple's MacBook Pros.
The XPS is run by a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor, a respectable 4GB worth of RAM, a 128GB SSD hard drive and comes pre-installed with Windows 7, so it looks up to scratch performance-wise. It also comes with two USB ports (on opposite sides, which is a good thing) and DisplayPort for outputting to a separate monitor. Network access is provided by 802.11n or Ethernet through a supplied dongle.
Downside
While on paper the Adamo XPS looks good, there's still a question over its practicality. The elevated monitor and keyboard seem impractical for anything but a flat surface, and if the advantages to cooling are to be believed, using it on your lap could probably lead to overheating. Similarly, not everyone likes elevated keyboards and reaching over the trackpad to type may not suit smaller hands.
The AU$2500 price point seems a bit on the pricey end, with the high-spec MacBook Air coming in cheaper and the mid-spec Toshiba R600 coming in at roughly the same price.
Outlook
The Dell Adamo XPS's form is inherently different from that of other laptops to necessitate its thinness — which will either make or break the system. We're wary of whether the notebook's design will remain practical whilst on the go — first glance says no, but we'll find out in the coming months.
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