Convertible / 2-in-1

Google is expected to unveil quite a few new pieces of hardware in October: the Pixel 3 and 3 XL handsets, the second-generation Pixel Buds, a Pixel-branded smartwatch, and now an updated PixelBook with narrow bezels is joining the list as well. Sadly, nothing is official yet.

The Surface Go created a bit of a splash when Microsoft announced it two weeks ago. The ultracompact 10-inch 2-in-1 is the spiritual successor to the non-Pro Surface 3, but with the advantage of using a higher spec'd x86 processor for smoother performance. CostCo is now advertising a new configuration that wasn't announced at launch, including the Type Cover at no additional cost.

The aging Asus Chromebook Flip C302 could soon have a proper successor if the "Rammus" code name is any indication. With IFA 2018 not far off, the Taiwanese manufacturer could be preparing an announcement for its overdue Chromebook refresh. Early rumors point to a mainstream or high-end offering with a backlit keyboard and Kaby Lake U-class or Y-class processor options.

Intel announced the Amber Lake-Y CPUs back at Computex in June, but core count or frequency details were not provided. This week, Dell and NextLab501 revealed names and specs for three Amber Lake-Y CPUs, and it looks like the new ULV chips should come with increased frequencies, but the core configuration and the iGPU remain the same.

Although the changes were quickly removed, Dell's Chilean website has been up for a while showing the XPS 13 convertible with two Amber Lake processors, namely the Intel Core i5-8200Y and the Intel Core i7-8500Y. Now, it only remains to see how long does it take for Dell to make these processor options available for real.

Kensington has announced the availability of the SD7000 dock for the Surface Pro. The SD7000 dock connects to the Surface Pro using the Surface Connector and provides USB ports, Ethernet, USB-C, HDMI, and a DisplayPort converting the tablet into a mini Surface Studio of sorts.

Glare getting in the way of work? These consumer notebooks may not necessarily be the best, but they are some of the brightest available for outdoor visibility with some models reaching close to 700 nits.

Although the Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y processor was expected to remain a Microsoft Surface Go-exclusive, it looks like the HP Chromebook x2 convertible will soon get a version with it inside as well. Even more, a variant with an Intel Core i5-7Y54 inside is also on its way. Both have been spotted in a leaked technical document.

Those eagerly waiting for the XPS 15 9575 with 32 GB of memory have just received a new confirmation from Frank Azor, who mentioned on Twitter that Dell is currently aiming for a September launch. For now, this convertible is only available with 8 GB or 16 GB of soldered memory that cannot be upgraded.

Microsoft has launched the Surface Go, a US$399 Windows 10 tablet targeted at the students, schools and the entry-level tablet market dominated by the Apple iPad. As rumored, the device is powered by an Intel Pentium Gold chip instead of an ARM-based chip as could have been the case for this type of device.

Most Windows laptops prioritize battery life at the cost of a dimmer display. If you frequently find yourself squinting at washed out content when using your glossy laptop or Windows tablet outdoors, then disabling this automatic feature can make things a little easier.

Samsung has updated its Chromebook Plus to Version 2.0. While it picks up some new features, its display gets a notable downgrade from a QHD resolution to FHD.

There is mounting evidence that Google is working on allowing its Pixelbooks to natively support Windows 10. What's more, it seems that Google could also be chasing official certification from Microsoft meaning that the Pixelbook could even ship with Windows 10 pre-installed.

The convertible is essentially a ProBook x360 440 G5 but with 360-degree hinges and a 1080p touchscreen. Its 14-inch form factor and relatively inexpensive starting price will set it directly against the Lenovo ThinkPad 14 and Dell Inspiron 14 5000 series when it launches before the end of June.

Asus has taken the covers off a stunning dual-screen notebook of the near future it is currently calling Project Precog, in a hat tip Phillip K. Dick's 'Minority Report." The AI-driven device features a stunning laser etched finish and is expected to arrive as a shipping product next year.

30% more performance, 20% longer battery life and 20% faster Gigabit LTE speeds are the main features compared to the existing Snapdragon 835 SoC.

Despite swiftly killing off its Chrome OS-based Yoga Book early last year, Lenovo may have been silently working on a brand new Yoga Book 2 all along. The "YOGA BOOK Pen2" could suggest a brand new stylus for a yet-to-be-announced Yoga Book successor. The original Yoga Book launched two years ago as an attractively thin 10.1-inch Windows convertible with a proof-of-concept touch keyboard.

Qualcomm is working on an exclusive SoC for upcoming Windows 10 on ARM devices. Entries for a new Snapdragon chip were found on Geekbench and all clues point it to be a performance-based variant of the Snapdragon 845 adapted for the extra thermal headroom in notebooks and 2-in-1s.

Although its high-end variant is also available in black — unlike the XPS 15 9570 laptop — and features an 8th generation Intel Core i7-8705G processor, the XPS 15 9575 convertible only comes with 16 GB of soldered memory, so there is no upgrade option available. Fortunately, Frank Azor has just confirmed that a 32 GB variant should arrive in the last part of the year.

Laptops, smartphones, and convertibles are slowly eating into the shrinking tablet market. The biggest bright spot is perhaps the convertible notebook market with the only positive compound annual growth rate of 8.8 percent until 2022. Sales of traditional laptops aren't as steep as previous years due in part to the increasing sales of gaming PCs and inexpensive Chromebooks.

The convertible Acer Chromebook Spin 15 promises to deliver a 13-hour battery life and features two upward-facing speakers, as well as full support for Android apps via Google Play. It is expected to reach the North American market in July for a starting price of US$449, while the EMEA region should get it in June.

The latest BIOS update for the Dell XPS 15 9575 convertible should take care of the fans issue, revealed Frank Azor on Twitter yesterday. In the last month, more users complained that the fans of the new XPS 2-in-1 are extremely loud even under light load, some of them even stumbling into this problem on more than just one XPS 15 9575.

Control your smart home with a compatible Acer laptop. The free update will begin rolling out today for Spin 3 and Spin 5 owners with more on store shelves beginning in June. Instead of offering the software as an option, however, owners will have one more pre-installed software application that they will have to manually uninstall if they have no interest in Alexa or if they prefer Microsoft Cortana.

Rumors are flying concerning Microsoft's Surface line, speculating that the Redmond regent may soon produce another low-cost Surface tablet to compete directly against Apple's iPad. If true, the budget Surface will feature a 10-inch screen, rounded corners, and USB Type-C.

Tired of not being able to see your laptop screen when outdoors? HP’s EliteBook x360 1030 G3 is going to be almost three times brighter than the average Ultrabook to overcome both glare and sunlight for improved outdoor visibility. The display will easily be one of the brightest in both the consumer and business markets. Expect availability as early as next month along with new Envy x360 and Elite x2 products.

HP has announced refreshes to its Envy notebook lineup including the Envy 13, Envy 17, Envy x360 13, and Envy x360 15. The standout feature of these notebooks is the new minimalist chiseled appearance similar to the patterning found in sword blades made from Damascus steel. Internally, all notebooks receive an upgrade to the Intel 8th generation CPUs with the Envy x360 offering AMD Ryzen with Vega graphics options as well. The Envy x360 15 also sports a 650-nit bright panel for excellent outdoor legibility.

HP's premium Chromebook X2 is up for pre-order at Best Buy. The x2, which is expected to ship June 7, is one of the first true 2-in-1 Chromebooks on the market that offers a detachable display allowing it to be used as a standalone tablet.

With the 13-inch variant of the Yoga 730, users can get an FHD IPS touchscreen, and can opt for an i7-8550U or an i5-8250U CPU. They can further add 8 or 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 512 GB of NVMe SSD storage. This model specifically impresses with the 2x Thunderbolt 3 connectors that come standard on any variant.

Responding to a question on Twitter, Frank Azor bluntly stated that the likelihood of a dedicated GPU making its way into Dell's XPS 13 2-in-1 is slim to none. "Don't hold your breath," said Azor, effectively squashing any hope of a variant of the convertible with a dGPU. However, is that such a bad thing?

There has been a report suggesting that Dell and HP could be working on new high-end Chromebooks. Currently, there are scant options when it comes to choosing a premium Chromebook for use in the enterprise sector; the Google Pixelbook Chromebook and HP Chromebook 13 G1 are two options. It is claimed the new devices would utilize up to 16 GB RAM and operate with Kaby Lake processors.

Although the new XPS 15 2-in-1 (9575) was supposed to begin shipping more than a week ago, Frank Azor has just confirmed that many early adopters still have to receive their machines due to a delay that has been caused by "a small bad batch of the Mag lev keyboard." Even more, the i9 processor upgrade for the XPS 15 9570 is not available yet but will be added on May 10.

Dell has introduced a new SKU to its lineup that halves the storage capacity for a cheaper introductory price of $1300 USD. Core specifications are otherwise untouched from the Core i5-8305G CPU, FHD touchscreen, Radeon Vega M GL GPU, and 8 GB of DDR4 RAM. The new SKU is a smart move since the SSD in the XPS 15 9575 is easy to upgrade if necessary.

The new Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 is a less powerful — but convertible — sibling of the 15.6-inch Precision 5530 mobile workstation. Its specs are similar to those of the Dell XPS 9575, but this mobile workstation features Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL graphics and is scheduled to hit the market in July/August.