USB Type-C On The Dell XPS 13 (2016) And 12-Inch MacBook: Review

Transition to a new connectivity technology is never smooth. But there's a lot of potential with USB-C because you can plug in virtually anything. And Dell's newest XPS 13, XPS 15, and Apple's 12-inch MacBook are three laptops leading the way.

Over the last few months, I've been using the 12-inch Retina MacBook, the Dell XPS 13 (2016), and the Dell XPS 15 (late 2015). All three come with a space-saving USB Type-C port and more than a few connection options.

With the new Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15, Dell swapped out the Mini DisplayPort (on the early 2015 models) for a USB-C port. Apple, on the other hand, came boldly right of the gate with a sole USB-C connector (that's it, no other connectors) on the 12-inch MacBook. What follows is my experience so far. Note that I've been using two Dell displays: a U2715H 27-incher (with the 12-inch MacBook) and U2515H 25-incher (with the XPS 13) -- both with native resolutions of 2,560-by-1,440 pixels. 

Dell XPS 13 and XPS 15: Both spanking-new laptops come with a USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port*. I have two adapters: (1) the Dell USB-C to HDMI/VGA/Ethernet/USB 3.0 multiport adapter and (2) a Dell USB-C to HDMI adapter that supports HDMI 2.0. The bumps: So far, the only major hiccup on the XPS 15 has been a failure to come out of standby. This happens when I connect to Ethernet via the Dell USB-C multiport adapter. On the XPS 13 (where I've done more experimenting than I have on the XPS 15), I've confirmed that you need an HDMI 2.0-compliant USB-C adapter (like Dell's cited above) to get to 2,560-by-1,440 at 60 Hz on Dell's 25-inch monitor. Because the Dell multiport adapter does not support HDMI 2.0, it can only drive up to 2,048-by-1,152 resolution -- which a warning message shouts out in bold letters in Windows 10 display settings. The upshot: based on my experience with the XPS 13 on Windows 10, if you have a 4K-class display, you'll need an HDMI 2.0-compliant USB-C adapter. Mostly smooth: The new Dell XPS 13, packing the latest  Intel Skylake Core i7 processor, is an amazing piece of hardware and works fine 99 percent of the time with the Dell U2515H display and other external connections via the USB-C adapter. Ditto on the XPS 15. So, I wouldn't let the issues mentioned above scare you off. The point is, when you move to a new connection technology, a few bumps in the road are unavoidable. 

12-inch MacBook: The big bump: Actually, it might be better expressed as big pothole, rather than a bump in the road to USB-C nirvana. I was more than a little upset when I realized that my 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display had been bricked by the 12-inch MacBook (to be precise, it was obsoleted by the USB-C port but, in effect, it was bricked). The smooth: After I got beyond that, it was easy hooking up the 12-inch MacBook to the Dell 27-inch monitor. In fact, it worked exactly as advertised: using the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, I could simultaneously drive (via HDMI) the Dell 27-inch display (2,560-by-1,440 at 60 Hz), connect a USB device, and plug the MacBook's AC adapter into the wall. There isn't a lot more to say beyond that. When something works, it works. Now, I just have to figure out what to do with the 27-inch Apple Cinema Display sitting on the floor in the corner of my office.

*The USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port supports: Power in/charging, Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps bi-directional), USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps), VGA, HDMI, Ethernet and USB-A (the old USB connector) via a Dell Adapter (sold separately). And, unlike the 12-inch MacBook, both the Dell XPS 15 and XPS 13 come with other ports, including traditional USB 3.0 ports and a 3–in-1 Card Reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC).