A closer look at Dell's affordable Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 (pictures)

The new Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 doesn't look like a US $750 laptop. But it is.

Sure, the design isn't particularly inspired, but this inexpensive Windows 10 machine is made of aluminum and glass!

You get your pick of 13- or 15-inch screens for the exact same price, and with the exact same specs.

There's also a 17-inch model that adds a numpad and discrete Nvidia graphics, but is bulkier and costs far more: $899 to start, or $1149 if you want a solid state drive. (Trust us, you want it.)

The only difference between the 15- and 13-inchers, other than the screen, is a slightly deeper and notably wider body to accommodate the larger screen.

Even the ports are the same: two USB 3.0, one HDMI, one 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C socket and an SD card slot. That's true of the 17-inch model as well.

And it's a very good thing that these laptops are the same, because it means both of them have a pretty decent keyboard and an excellent touchpad.

My favorite feature: an infrared camera that lets you sign into Windows with your face. No kidding.

The screen is pretty great, too -- a crisp 1080p panel with wide viewing angles. It's a touchscreen.

And, yes, like many recent premium Windows laptops, that screen bends over backwards, letting the computer transform into a touchscreen tablet.

It's just a shame the screen is so glossy, but that's the price you pay for touch.

You can't see it here, but the keyboard has a backlight, too.

Unlike many Windows laptops, this touchpad is excellent at two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom gestures.

Yes, that metal body extends all the way around -- it's not just a facade up top.

That's a full-depth SD card slot you're looking at: the card slides completely inside the frame instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.

Okay, here's a big annoyance: this power button (and volume rocker) on the right front edge are easy to hit by accident.

Look at that sheen off the beveled aluminum edges.

Even the hinges are made of metal, unusual for a laptop this inexpensive.

My second favorite feature: an optional $100 (AU$179, £112) external battery that can deliver an additional 80% charge through the laptop's USB-C port.

It's a shame it doesn't work with the 17-inch version, only the 13- and 15-inch ones.

You can also use the USB-C port for breakout multi-port adapters, like this $60 unit from Dell. It adds a USB 3.0 port, an Ethernet jack...

...and your choice of an HDMI or VGA monitor.

It also doesn't work with the 17-inch model, only the 13- and 15-inch ones. Blah.

The power adapter that comes with these laptops is pretty small, too, though it's got an ugly, bulky cord and uses a barrel jack instead of USB-C.

Just know these laptops are fairly heavy: 3.86 lb (1.75kg) and 5.84lb (2.65kg), respectively, for the 13-inch and 15-inch models, and 6.12lb (2.77kg) for the 17-inch one.

One last shot of me using the 13-inch Dell Inspiron 13 7000.