Intro, design and performance
Unlike rivals, like HP and Acer, that target the mass consumer audience with their Chromebooks, Dell is taking a more niche approach. Dell's Chromebook 11, for example, was aimed at the education market, and this year Dell is back with a larger, more premium Chromebook 13 targeted at enterprise users.
Constructed using premium materials, the Chromebook 13 ($399, £255, AU$542) competes in the same space as the metal-clad Google Chromebook Pixel and Asus' stunning Chromebook Flip. But unlike these consumer-grade offerings, Dell packs its Chromebook 13 with enterprise-grade VPN software, mobile management and deployment tools, virtual desktop software, and powerful specs, said Neil Raggio, Chrome Marketing Director, in an interview ahead of the device's launch.
Design
Not only does the Chromebook 13 come with enterprise-ready software, it also looks the part for the job. The device itself looks like a mashup of Dell's existing products, borrowing the best features from Dell's XPS 13, Latitude 12 7000 Series (E7250) and Inspiron 7000 Series.
Dell uses a woven carbon fiber design on the Chromebook 13's lid, a feature that looks like it was taken directly from the XPS 13 and Latitude to help reinforce and protect the screen. Opening up the lid, you'll find a metal keyboard deck constructed from magnesium alloy with chiclet-style backlit keys. A large glass trackpad is centered with the keyboard.
On the left hand side, you'll find a single USB port, HDMI, headphone and microphone combo jack, SD card reader, and power port. A single USB port and a locking port is found on the right-hand side.
To continue its metal build, a sheet of aluminum wraps the undercarriage of the notebook, where you'll also find a set of bottom-firing speakers.
"There is a chasm between the Pixel and cheap, plastic Chromebooks," Raggio said. After examining the market, Dell said that it is applying the same strategy it applied with its education-focused Chromebook 11 to the enterprise market. In executing this strategy, it will give enterprise users the features and specs they demand at an affordable price.
The Chromebook's hinge is built into the body, in a design that's very similar to the hinge on a MacBook Pro. Concealed behind the hinge are vents for cooling the laptop. The fan fired up in the hour or so that I tested the Chromebook 13, juggling 10 Chrome browser tabs while running a virtualized Citrix desktop in the background. The fan was very quiet, and I didn't notice it unless I was actively listening for it.
Performance
The Dell Chromebook 13 comes in a few different configurations. Users can choose between an Intel Celeron processor or an Intel Broadwell Core i3 or i5 processor. The Chromebook 13 can be outfitted with 2, 4 or 8GB RAM. You can also choose either a 16GB or 32GB solid state drive, and storage can be augmented with an SD memory card.
Even with the power packed in, heat was not a problem in my early testing of the Chromebook 13. The aluminum undercarriage is cool to the touch in my hour-long hands-on testing of the system.
At the highest configuration with an Intel Core i5 processor, 32GB storage and 8GB RAM, the Chromebook 13 is priced at $899, which is just $100 shy of the $999 asked by Google for the Chromebook Pixel. That extra $100 buys you more ports and a higher resolution display.
Dell states that the 6-cell battery will last you 12 hours on a single charge, but we weren't able to verify Dell's claims in our hands-on time with the unit.
Unfortunately, the Chromebook 13 doesn't come with any options to add a 4G LTE modem for wireless connectivity when you're away from a Wi-Fi access point. Dell informed me that this decision was made by Google.
Rajen Sheth, Senior Director of Product Management, Android and Chrome for Business and Education, explained that adding a 4G modem would only increase the cost. Because so many people already have a smartphone with them, Sheth said that users can tether, which would eliminate the need for a separate data plan.
In addition to tethering, Android smartphone owners can also rely on their phones to automatically unlock their Chromebooks when the phone is within close proximity of a Chrome OS device.
Display
The Chromebook 13 comes with two display options. We looked at the 13.3-inch anti-glare non-touchscreen version with a full HD 1080p resolution screen, but Dell will also offer a touchscreen option with the same FHD resolution. The touchscreen option will use Gorilla Glass to protect it from scratches.
In my hands-on time with the Dell Chromebook 13, I found the anti-glare option nice. Under general overhead office lighting, the screen is very comfortable to see, and compared to the touchscreen variant, there is no glare or reflection.
Dell uses an IPS screen on both models, providing for wide viewing angles. This helps to make up for the limited screen recline. Unlike the lay-flat 180-degree hinge on the Chromebook 11, the display doesn't tilt as far back as I'd like on the Chromebook 13, which is unfortunate given that the Asus Chromebook Flip comes with a 360-degree hinge that allows the device to convert into tablet mode.
This only comes into play if you're using the Chromebook 13 on your lap, since the screen doesn't open out wide enough for a comfortable viewing angle. However, you should be fine if you're using the Chromebook 13 on a desk.
Even though the screen's resolution can't compete with the Pixel's high resolution 2,560 x 1,700 display, I didn't have any problems with it. It's sharper than the 720p HD screens found on competing Chromebooks.
The thing I miss from the Chromebook Pixel is the 3:2 aspect ratio of the display, which means I didn't have to scroll as much when viewing longer webpages or Google Sheets spreadsheets. The 16:9 screen on the Dell Chromebook 13 is better for watching videos as there is no letter-boxing at the top and bottom of the display.
For watching videos and movies, I found that even though the downward-firing speakers sound clear, retaining good audio fidelity, they weren't particularly loud. You'll definitely want to connect external speakers if you prefer louder volumes when listening to music, podcasts or audiobooks.
Keyboard
Dell says that the Chromebook 13 comes with a full-sized backlit keyboard. Individual keys, however, appear slightly smaller than the keys on my MacBook Pro. In fact, the reduced key size reminds me of the keyboard on the Latitude 12 7000 Series (E7250).
Unlike the Latitude 12 7000 Series, key travel on the Chromebook 13 is a little more shallow. I had initially expected a less ergonomic typing experience with keys that would bottom-out quickly when typing, but thankfully this isn't the case. Dell did a good job with creating clicky, responsive keys that feels comfortable, despite being marginally smaller and with shallow key travel.
One of the features that users of the Chromebook 11 will miss on the Chromebook 13 is that the keyboard is no longer spill-resistant. This is an odd omission for Dell considering that many enterprise notebooks come with a spill-resistant keyboard.
The feature was included on the Chromebook 11 because students are a lot tougher on their devices, said Kirk Schell, Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Client Solutions at Dell. Schell expects that enterprise customers will be less harsh on their devices.
To get around not having a sealed keyboard and trackpad, Dell will offer customers the optional ProSupport Plus extended warranty package, which comes with accidental damage protection.
Windows and early verdict
Getting Windows on Chrome
The Chromebook 13 comes with support for various desktop virtualization software, which enables you to run Windows on Chrome OS. With support for Citrix, VMWare and Dell Wyse, you can virtualize Windows 7, 8 or 10 on your Dell Chromebook 13.
On the Chromebook 13, Citrix took a while to launch Windows 7 Enterprise over the office Wi-Fi. Once it was up and running, programs were quick to open, and I didn't have any problems using Microsoft Office or even Internet Explorer. However, if you're switching between using Citrix in full-screen and using it in a smaller window on your Chromebook 13's desktop, the program takes a few seconds to redraw the window.
Your experience with speeds when running a virtualized desktop will be dependent upon your internet connection. Because the computing is done at the server level with powerful components, like Intel's workstation-class Xeon processors, you likely won't notice any lags or delays with most tasks if you're on a stable and fast internet connection.
However, if you're dealing with videos, large graphic files or big data analysis, you may be better off with a workstation or a more capable system.
If you just need a few Windows programs virtualized and don't want to bother running a full-scale virtual machine, you can use the Dell Wyse vWorkspace, which gives you access to the specific programs you need. With Wyse, it was a lot faster to get started in Microsoft Word or Excel as you don't need to go through Citrix and run the full Windows operating system.
Additionally, enterprise users also connect to their corporate networks using Pulse Secure, Dell SonicWall and Cisco AnyConnect.
Dell is making it easier for IT administrators to deploy and adopt Chromebooks. With Dell KACE, Dell brings its mobile management solution to Chrome OS.
Early verdict
Dell is bringing its enterprise savvy to take what could be viewed as a lightweight consumer operating system into the corporate environment. Starting at $399, Dell's Chromebook 13 comes with a solid build, but it also faces stiff competition from cheaper consumer-class devices, including Acer's Windows-powered Cloudbook and other inexpensive Chromebooks on the market.
At the entry- and mid-level configurations, the Dell Chromebook 13 makes for a compelling alternative to Google's Chromebook Pixel, but at the highest $899 (£575, AU$1,221) configuration, the $999 (£640, AU$1,357) Chromebook's higher resolution screen and larger assortment of ports make it more appealing.
However, when viewed as a package, Dell may have arrived at a winning formula. Its managed mobility solution makes it easy for IT managers to deploy and manage Chromebooks, and tested support for VPN connectivity and virtualized desktops makes it easy for users to not miss a Windows computer.
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1L9hrYJ
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