Dell don’t keep me in the loop about their Linux laptop plans <salty></not_salty> but all the major tech sites bring word today of an updated Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition preloaded with Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
The revised model doesn’t buck any conventions. It’s a refreshed version of the XPS 13 model released earlier this year, albeit offering the latest 11th generation Intel processors, Intel Iris Xe graphics, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and up to 32GB 4267MHz LPDDR4x RAM.
These are also the first Dell portables to carry Intel “Evo” certification.
What’s Intel Evo? Think of it as an assurance. Evo certified notebooks have 11th gen Intel chips, can wake from sleep in under 1s, offer at least 9 hours battery life (with a Full HD screen), and support fast charging (with up to 4 hours from a single 30 min charge) — if they can’t meet any of those criteria they don’t get certified.
But 9 hours isn’t the most you can expect, as Engadget report:
“The Linux-based Developer Edition is pre-loaded with Ubuntu 20.04LTS and Dell is targeting a maximum battery life of nearly 19 hours. It also boasts an updated, InfinityEdge FHD+ display.”
No lie: 19 hours for a Linux laptop is insanely good going. Power efficiency improves with each Linux kernel release but it remains some way off of what I’d considered ideal. If Dell has managed to make some gains in this area is it pretty exciting (and, selfishly, one hopes not exclusive to XPS machines).
No word on pricing yet, but the updated models will be available to buy in the USA and Canada from September 30th via the usual Dell outlets. European and Asian releases will follow.