ON the first day of the year Dell announced "2020 XPS 13 Developer Edition" [1], whereupon media wrote a lot about it [2-17] -- as recently as today (nearly one week later). All the links below are already scattered in different installments of Daily Links and in the past we covered issues associated with Dell.
"So let's hope more OEMs do the same in 2020 onwards."Dell's latest offering is generally good for GNU/Linux. It doesn't mean that it's the best or most ethical option, but if all large OEMs did what Dell does here, we'd be better off -- not just in the choice sense but also the freedom sense. So let's hope more OEMs do the same in 2020 onwards. ⬆
Related/contextual items from the news:
We are proud to announce the latest and greatest Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition. The system, which is based on 10th Gen Intel€® Core™ 10nm mobile processors represents the 10th generation of the XPS 13 Developer Edition (see a list of the previous nine generations below).
This 10th generation system features an updated design and comes with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS preloaded. Two areas of note are that the new XPS 13 will be available with up to 32GB of RAM as well fingerprint-reader support.
Up to now the most recent Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop with Ubuntu Linux has been using Comet Lake processors while now the 10th Generation XPS 13 Developer Edition has been announced with Ice Lake processors.
The new Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will begin shipping in February with the latest Ubuntu 18.04 LTS HWE support. Beyond being exciting for having Ice Lake processors with Gen11 graphics, the developer edition finally goes up to 32GB of RAM (rather than 16GB) and fingerprint reader support is also finally going to be available.
Dell has unveiled a redesigned Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition ahead of the Project Sputnik’s tenth anniversary.
Having sported the same overall look for the past few years Dell is using this opportunity to make a redesign. The new Dell XPS 13 is thinner and lighter than the models it replaces, yet remains built by the same core materials: aluminium, carbon and glass fibre.
Famed for its stunning displays, the latest entrant in the XPS 13 line boasts a 13.4-inch “InfinityEdge” screen with thinner bottom bezel. This latter reduction means this device, as noted by Neowin, boasts a fantastic 91.5% screen-to-body ratio.
Smaller bezels have allowed Dell to use a 16:10 aspect ratio screen in both FHD and UHD+ and touch and non-touch variants. This slightly roomier screen size provides more vertical height, which should be useful when working on documents or surfing the web.
The XPS 13’s keyboard is wider with larger key caps, and the touchpad has been increased by 17% — good news for those with big hands, I guess!
Specifications are also marginally improved here too. The new Dell XPS 13 swaps Intel’s Comet Lake processors for Intel Ice Lake ones across i3, i5 and i7 SKUs — with the latter integrated Iris Plus graphics, too.
Look like Dell listing to customer feedback. Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition is the ultimate Linux laptop for developers and Linux enthusiasts/power users. The Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition 2020 now supports 10th Gen Intel CPU and 32GB ram. This system comes pre-installed with Ubuntu Linux 18.04, but you can install any other distro.
One of the most requested features for Dell XPS 13 developer edition was an option for 16GB or more RAM to run VMs or Linux containers workload. Dell listened to our demands, and you can grab device up to 32GB RAM.
If you’ve been following the steady march of progress from Dell’s Linux-first Project Sputnik team, you’re no doubt aware that the “Developer Edition” variant of the XPS 13 is one of the finest Linux-ready ultrabooks you can buy. Just ahead of CES 2020, Dell is pushing out a few more improvements including a feature that’s been hotly requested: fingerprint-reader support.
Ahead of CES 2020 next week, Dell has released new details on its updated Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition which will ship with Ubuntu 18.04.
The latest edition of Dell's popular laptop for developers includes the company's first-ever four sided InfinityEdge display which will feature a 16:10 aspect ratio as opposed to the 16:9 display found on the previous generation. The new Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition can even be outfitted with a 4K 3840 X 2400 touchscreen panel with HDR 400.
One new addition that will likely be welcomed by developers is the inclusion of fingerprint-reader support that will make it easier for secure authentication. However, this feature won't be available at launch but will be rolled out shortly after via an OTA update.
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The latest XPS 13 Developer Edition will be released at the beginning of February and the device will have a starting price tag of $1,119 for the Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
However, if you'd prefer to pick up the latest model of the regular Dell XPS 13, it will be available in January starting at $999. The reason the Developer Edition is priced a bit higher is because Dell offers better baseline specs for its developer-focused systems than it does for its consumer-focused machines.
It is coming with 4K Ultra HD+ (3840 x 2400) display and also, XPS 13 DE, for the first time, sports a 4-sided InfinityEdge display. Additionally, the new display features a 16:10 aspect ratio, up from 16:9 seen in the previous generation model.
Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will be powered by 10th Gen Intel Core 10nm mobile processors, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS OS, and supports up to 3x faster wireless with Killer AX1650 built on Intel WiFi 6 Chipset.
As far as the storage and RAM is concerned, consumers can beef up the configuration up to 2TB PCIe SSD and for the very first time, Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition series will support up to 32GB and also boast fingerprint reader support (driver initially available via OTA update).
Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition will be available in February (initial Windows configs will be available on January 7). It will be released initially in the US, Canada and Europe and start at US $1,199.99 (this represents an i5-based Developer Edition with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, an FHD display and with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS preloaded).
The newly overhauled Dell XPS 13 uses the same core materials, carbon fiber, CNC-machined aluminum, and woven glass fiber, as does its predecessors, however, it is lighter and thinner now. Unlike current-generation XPS 13s that use Intel’s 10th-generation ‘Comet Lake’ CPUs, Dell’s latest offering uses the “Ice Lake” CPU, a 10nm chip that includes Iris Plus Graphics.
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Along with the updated “Ice Lake” CPU, the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition comes with Ubuntu 18.04 preloaded and is available with up to 32GB of RAM and fingerprint-reader support. However, the fingerprint-reader support will post-launch via an update.
Dell's lead on Project Sputnik developer systems, Barton George, also blogged about Dell's new 86-inch 4K interactive touch monitor, as well as their upcoming Latitude 9510 notebook and 2-in-1 laptops, promising "a new ultra-premium class of products" offering 5G mobile broadband capabilities, AI-based productivity capabilities, and 30-plus hours of battery life.
If we leave aside the niche hardware manufacturers like System76 and Purism, Dell is one of the few mainstream PC manufacturers that have shown some real commitment to the Linux-using crowd. With its dedicated lineup of laptops that run Ubuntu Linux out-of-the-box, it has provided a convenience of support that no other vendor has been able to offer.
For a long time, Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition with Ubuntu has been the favorite of the open-source professionals. Its Windows counterpart, the regular XPS 13, has also been regarded as one of the best Windows laptops your money can buy. At CES 2020, the company is updating this machine with tempting upgrades that are worth checking out.
Dell is kicking off 2020 with a significant refresh of its XPS 13 laptops, including the Ubuntu-powered XPS 13 Developer Edition.
The updated version of Dell's popular XPS 13 laptop has been launched just ahead of CES 2013. Dell XPS 13 happens to be one of the company's most popular laptops of all time. The updated version of Dell XPS 13 bears the model number 9300 and features a bigger display with a 16:10 aspect ratio this time around. Now, it flaunts even slimmer bezels than its predecessor, among other things. We take a look at what the refreshed Dell XPS 13 line-up is all about.
In terms of the design, the XPS 13 still retains some of the key elements. For example, the design and build are made up of metal and glass. However, the trackpad and of course, keyboard have become slightly bigger. Powering the Dell XPS 13 is Intel's 10th generation processor under the hood. It's the same CPU that also powers Samsung's Galaxy Book Flex Alpha 2-in-1 convertible PC, which will be available to purchase in the first half of 2020. In addition to the XPS 13, Dell also launched the XPS 13 Developer Edition, which runs the latest build of Ubuntu.
Dell mentions that the new XPS 13 Developer Edition will be first made available in the US, Canada and Europe at a starting price of US $1,199.99 (Rs. 86,000 approx). The particular variant will offer i5-based processor with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, an FHD display and with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS preloaded.
Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition (2020) Features
Dell has designed a new display for the latest XPS 13. The ultra sleek notebook boasts the first-ever 4-sided InfinityEdge display, which is touted to be virtually borderless. The new screen features a 16:10 aspect ratio (up from 16:9 on the prior gen) for a better real-estate for multimedia streaming and productivity tasks. The new XPS 13 also offers larger keycaps, and trackpad within a form factor which is claimed to be smaller and thinner than the previous generation XPS 13 models.
Dell also mentioned that the much-awaited fingerprint-reader support will not be available at launch. The security feature will first offered as an OTA (over-the-air) update and then as part of the preloaded image.
Dell ahead of next week’s annual CES has announced a new version of its popular XPS 13 2-in-1 sporting a larger display, faster internals and a thinner profile to boot. Look for them to go on sale starting January 7, 2020.
The new XPS 13 is constructed of machined aluminum, carbon fiber, woven glass fiber and Corning Gorilla Glass and packs a 13.4-inch, 16:10 display in an 11-inch form factor that Dell said should still fit neatly on an airplane tray table. The XPS InfinityEdge display is also 25 percent brighter than before, we’re told.
Under the proverbial hood, you’ll find 10th Gen Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor options as well as an array of memory and storage configurations. You also have options when it comes to the display: there’s the standard FHD+ (1,920 x 1,200), an FHD+ variant with a touchscreen and a UHD+ (3,840 x 2,400) model with touchscreen.
World, please meet the Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop, which continues Dell's Project Sputnik and its Linux portfolio by offering customers the latest and greatest XPS 13 laptop powered by 10th Gen Intel Core 10nm mobile processors and up to 32GB of RAM.
The 2020 Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition laptop also comes with an updated design and fingerprint-reader support, giving users the option to unlock their computers with a fingerprint. However, Dell said that fingerprint-reader support will be available after the initial launch as an update.
Linux users are in for a treat when Dell releases the next iteration of the Ubuntu-powered XPS Developer Edition laptop.
To anyone who has spent any time researching companies that offer hardware with Linux pre-installed, chances are you know about the Dell XPS Developer edition. This began as project Sputnik in 2011, when Dell’s Barton George realized that no major OEM was building a fully-supported Linux laptop that included drivers and provided a great out of the box experience.
Fast forward nine years later, and the project is still going strong. In fact, the Dell XPS Developer Edition has been declared a best in show Linux laptop by numerous reviewers and outlets. Dell knows this and understands the audience for which this hardware is targeted. Dell also listens to the communities they serve.
Case in point, the Linux community.