Dell Pro 13 Plus 13.3" 3M5CR Silver 2022

A featherlight business 2-in-1 that's great for travel and terrible for fun. Buy it for spreadsheets, not for anything with pixels that move fast.

The Core Ultra 7 265U is a 12-core chip that handles multitasking well, and the 16GB of DDR5 is enough for a dozen browser tabs plus a video call without breaking a sweat. What surprised us is how competent the integrated Arc Graphics are for everyday use, it's a solid step up from older Intel UHD silicon. But don't get excited. The gaming score of 9.4 out of 100 is one of the worst we've seen, and the 512GB SSD is just average. This thing is built for productivity, not play.

The obvious competitor is the MSI Prestige 13, which offers a similar thin-and-light profile but often with a better display and lower price. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max is in a completely different universe for performance and screen quality, but it's also heavier and way more expensive. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are gaming machines that will crush this Dell in any graphics test, but they're also thicker and hotter. For pure business travel, the Dell holds its own against the MSI, but the MSI usually wins on value.

Pricing is all over the place, from USD 1,885 to USD 2,680 across two US listings. At the low end, you're getting a solid ultraportable with Thunderbolt 4 and a touchscreen. At the high end, you're getting robbed. If you're buying in the US, hunt down the cheaper listing and don't pay a cent over USD 1,900. The CAD 2,602 price in Canada is harder to judge without local context, but it doesn't scream bargain.

The Dell Pro 13 Plus is a business-first 2-in-1 that nails portability and build quality, but it's not trying to impress anyone with raw power. The one thing to know? This is a travel companion for spreadsheets, email, and the occasional touchscreen scribble, not a machine for creative work or gaming. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265U and 16GB of DDR5 keep Windows 11 Pro feeling snappy for office tasks, and the 1.40kg weight means you'll actually want to carry it. But that 45% NTSC display and integrated Arc Graphics tell you exactly who this is for, and who it isn't.

If you're looking for a laptop that can handle gaming, video editing, or any kind of creative work, this isn't it. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or a MacBook Pro instead. And if you care about display quality, the 45% NTSC panel will drive you crazy. This is a machine for people who live in Outlook and Excel, not Photoshop and Premiere.

If you need a lightweight Windows 11 Pro 2-in-1 for office work and travel, the Dell Pro 13 Plus is a fine choice at the right price. Just don't expect it to do anything beyond productivity. The display is mediocre, gaming is a non-starter, and reliability scores give us pause. Buy it for the portability and Thunderbolt 4, not for the screen or the GPU.