This might be the best thing since Jay-Z’s Black Album. Okay, okay, that’s a big ole piece of hyperbole, but still, this is a pretty cool laptop. Available sometime in May (price TBD), Dell's Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 Black Edition is sleek and functional.
Why You Should Care
The Black Edition is a culmination of the power of the pen and magnets. The laptop is the first system to feature a full-size magnetic pen bay. Located in the hinge, the Active Pen rested securely as I switched the 2-in-1 from laptop, tablet, tent and stand mode. And when it's time to use the pen, it easily popped out so I could do some lackluster doodles.
Design
As the name suggests, the 7000 Black Edition is a stone-cold stunner in black aluminum. Both the 13 and 15-inch versions of the system are available in silver, if the all-black motif isn’t your thing. Although Dell has yet to release the exact dimensions, the company claims that the laptop is slimmer than previous iterations of the 7000 series.
Dell has given the keyboard a slight makeover, allowing the company to make room for the power button on the keyboard deck. The button also has an integrated fingerprint scanner for easy logins. The 15-inch model has a full Num Pad.
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Other noteworthy design changes, concerns the cooling system. The air intake vents are located on the bottom while the output vents are located in the hinge. That way, don’t have to worry about hot air blowing on your no matter the position. And thanks to the Adaptive Thermal technology, the laptop can sense when it's on a desk, being held or in a lap and adjust its performance accordingly to cut down on the heat.
Specs
The Black Edition will be absolutely stacked when it ships. It’s slacked to have an Intel Whiskey Core i7 processor, a 4K display. However, there’s no word as of yet on storage options or graphics, although it’s a safe bet it’ll come with an integrated GPU.
Bottom Line
The Dell Inspiron 13 7000 Black Edition is slim, stylish and extremely versatile. In addition to transforming from laptop to tablet and several other modes, the laptop also features an Active Pen, which will appeal to creative professionals. We’re also impressed by the Adaptive Thermal technology, which will help keep things nice and cool. Overall, the Black Edition will be a great addition to the Inspiron family.
