CES 2019 | Dell updates the Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 and Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 Black Editions with new 'pen garage' and keyboard

Dell has announced an update to the “Black Edition” of the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 and Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 at CES. Surprisingly, this update includes a tweaked chassis design, since it was only five months ago that the Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 line had a design refresh.

Dell’s new design features what they refer to as a “pen garage,” which holds a full-sized active pen. This pen garage is essentially just a magnetic hollow in the hinge that is the right size and shape to let the pen sit slightly recessed into the body. Because of this design, the pen is easily available to the user while also being less likely to detach from a bump or brush.

As a comparison, the Microsoft Surface Pro pen is attached to the side via magnets, and while this keeps it easily accessible, it is more prone to falling or being bumped off. Alternatively, the Lenovo Yoga C930 hides the pen inside its body (a la Samsung Galaxy Note 9), but this makes access more difficult in some orientations.

Additionally, the power button and fingerprint sensor have been combined into one and integrated into the keyboard. This has allowed a number pad to be squeezed in on the 15-inch model. Whether this is a positive change would depend on your preference regarding keyboard versus trackpad location as well as how often you actually use the numpad.

There has been no indicated change to the internal hardware specification. This means that they are likely to share the choice between an Intel i5-8265U or i7-8565U (both Whiskey Lake), and the 15-inch model should have the option to add an entry-level Nvidia MX150 GPU.

Both the 13-inch and 15-inch models will release in either June or July 2019. Pricing will be confirmed closer to the launch date.