X

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 Black Edition redesigned for pen users

Smaller, slimmer Black Edition models arrive at CES 2019 with a notch of a different kind.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
2 min read
dell-inspiron-13-15-7000-2-in-1-black-edition-17

This Inspiron's hinge has a surprise inside. 

Sarah Tew/CNET

For its new Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 Black Edition, announced at CES 2019, Dell created a new hinge design that allows you to store the computer's full-size active pen right at the top of the keyboard. 

Drop the pen in the garage and it magnetically holds it in place. The hinge rotates so the pen remains accessible regardless of the position the screen is in. Close the screen to the keyboard and the pen is safely stowed inside. 

A pen garage is a seemingly small innovation, but having to hunt for a pen when you want to use it is a big sticking point for two-in-one users. And as the market for premium models continues to grow, this slight design difference could give Dell an edge on competition such as HP's leather-clad Spectre Folio and the Lenovo Yoga C930 with its 360-degree soundbar hinge. 

Watch this: New Dell XPS 13 and Inspiron 7000 Black Edition fix problems you didn’t even know you had

The new pen notch manages to avoid getting in the way of cooling the system. Air is blown out through the hinge, preventing the vents from being blocked when it's on a softer surface like a pillow. The cooling is adaptive too, adjusting depending on how the computer's being used. 

Dell Inspiron 15 7000 2-in-1 Black Edition is made for pen lovers

See all photos

The Black Edition's keyboard was redesigned also with a power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader. Dell said the change freed up enough space on the 15-inch laptop to allow for a number pad. Narrower bezels around the displays shrank the overall footprint. But if you want it significantly smaller, a 13.3-inch version will also be available. 

Dell did not say what components would be used in the Black Edition and pricing wasn't immediately available. We're expecting more details in May. A silver model without a pen garage will also be on sale. 

All the cool new gadgets at CES 2019

See all photos

CES 2019: See all of CNET's coverage of the year's biggest tech show.

CES schedule: It's six days of jam-packed events. Here's what to expect.