Dell at IFA 2012: XPS 10 Windows RT tablet, XPS Duo 12 convertible, and more

It’s fortunate that Dell saw the potential: combined with a switch from the company’s budget Inspiron line to its premium level XPS series, the XPS Duo 12 makes a very strong case for this unusual form factor over that of the tablet / keyboard dock combo. We’ve had a chance to use a pre-production unit of the machine here at IFA 2012, and while Dell doesn’t want to reveal specs beyond its 12.5-inch “Full HD” screen and up to Core i7 processor, it’s clear that the company has put together a good option here.

The machine borrows heavily from the quite excellent XPS 13 ultrabook, with a carbon fibre top and bottom, sturdy magnesium alloy chassis, and a strong aluminum bezel around the floating display. That all factors into some weight savings, but unfortunately the XPS Duo 12 is still thicker and heavier than we would have hoped — this is primarily a table tablet that you won’t want to tote like an iPad.

Dell has announced the addition of a 10-point touchscreen to its XPS One 27 all-in-one desktop computer, augmenting the unit’s existing 27-inch quad-HD display. Demoing the new version at IFA in Berlin, the company has also shown off a reclining stand, allowing users to view and interact with the device from a number of angles.

According to a press release just published on Dell’s site, the revamped One 27 will be “available for sale when Windows 8 is available at the end of October.” Check out the video below for a quick hands-on with the unit, as well as a first look at the XPS 12 Duo and XPS 10 tablets.

Today in Berlin, Dell is unveiling the XPS 10; a 10-inch Snapdragon S4 Windows RT tablet with a micro USB port for external storage and a slim-hinge mobile keyboard dock. The dock is also used to house an extended battery that gives the device a combined 20 hours on a single charge. Dell says that the XPS 10 will be available in October for the launch of Windows 8 along with its all-in-one XPS One 27 and convertible laptop XPS 12 brethren.

Dell has announced the XPS Duo 12, a new convertible ultrabook made for Windows 8. It features a 12.5-inch, “Full HD” (we assume 1920 x 1080 pixels) touchscreen with edge-to-edge Coring Gorilla Glass, and is powered by Intel hardware — up to Core i7. If this all sounds a little familiar, that might be because we first caught wind of the XPS Duo 12 via a leak in May.

The XPS Duo 12 can be used either as a laptop or slate, thanks to a flip hinge, and when in laptop mode it has a keyboard and trackpad in addition to its touchscreen. In a brief presentation of the device, Dell revealed that its shell is made of aluminum and carbon fiber. Dell says that the convertible ultrabook will go on sale “when Windows 8 is available at the end of October.” We’re on our way to spend some time with the XPS Duo 12 right now, so we’ll hopefully have some more details for you soon.