Dell Inspiron 13 7390 and 7590 2-in-1 have magnetic "pen garages" for housing the stylus

Higher-end models from the flagship XPS or Alienware families will typically get the most attention during large press events like CES or Computex. They are, after all, the most photogenic products with their top-of-the-class materials and thinness. Still, we shouldn't discredit the mid-range or even budget categories.

Dell is now shipping the new Inspiron 13 7390 2-in-1 and Inspiron 15 7590 2-in-1 to replace the aging Inspiron 13 7386 2-in-1 and Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1, respectively. In a surprise twist, however, both models will actually be slightly thicker and heavier than their respective predecessors. The 15.6-inch Inspiron 15 7590 2-in-1, for example, is 18.9 mm thick and 2.17 kg compared to 17 mm thick and 2.08 kg on last year's Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1. So, why the thicker profile?

As shown by the images below, the new chassis design houses a magnetic recess in between the hinges for fitting a full-size active stylus. Dell calls it a "pen garage" and it's the manufacturer's unique solution to the common problem of how most business convertibles have poor methods of cradling a stylus when it is not in use. Edge magnets like on the XPS 15 9575 are both unreliable and insecure while in-chassis recesses like on the Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga tend to limit the thickness and thus comfort of the stylus. The Dell pen garage solves both of these issues at the slight cost of chassis thickness and weight.

Aside from the new stylus holder, the models sport new keyboards, a fingerprint power button, and new "Adaptive Thermal" technology where the system can automatically adjust its performance profile when in laptop mode or tablet mode.

Both the Inspiron 13 7390 2-in-1 and 7590 2-in-1 are now available starting at $1450 and $1500, respectively.