(This question was originally part of another one, which has been divided in two for clarity.)
In my search for a new computer, I narrowed my focus to 2-in-1s (convertibles between laptop and tablet) that allow a dual drive configuration (solid state storage plus spinning hard drive). This will give me a helpful combination of speed, storage capacity, and versatility. It narrows my selection a great deal because there aren’t a lot of computers like that.
I tend to buy direct from major manufacturers where I can get a service contract, so I’ve been mainly looking at Dell and HP, and that narrows the selection to just a few models. The following is a complete list of what I've found from those two companies, along with the basic configurations I worked up and their prices including three years of on-site service with coverage for accidental damage and including offered discounts, plus my bottom-line assessment of each one. They are listed in the order I came across them.
- Dell Inspiron 17 7000 2-in-1 (review)
- 17", i7, 16 Gb RAM, 128 Gb SSD, 1 Tb HD, $1,430
- Too bulky
- HP Pavilion x360 Laptop - 15t (review)
- 15", i5, 16 Gb RAM, 256 Gb SSD, 1 Tb HD, includes stylus, $940 (accidental damage coverage not available)
- The review suggests it’s not just inexpensive, but cheap (i.e., not a good value)
- Dell Precision 5530 2-in-1 (review)
- 15", i5, 16 Gb RAM, 512 Gb SSD, space to install HD, $2,487 (excluding HD)
- Too expensive
- Dell Inspiron 7590 2-in-1
- 15", i7, 16 Gb RAM, 512 Gb SSD (32 Gb Optane), 2 Tb HD, includes stylus, $1,707 (including HD ordered separately and installed by user)
- Very attractive set of specs (more than just what's listed here) for reasonable price
One of the things that impresses me about the 7590 is that it is one of the very few touch screen computers that incorporate a crevice to hold the stylus when not in use. To me this indicates the engineers were thinking carefully about the design of the whole system. I was astounded to find out how rare this obvious and simple feature is.
Two drawbacks of the 7590 are that it’s not available with a matte screen, so its use outdoors will be limited, and that it does not have a socket for a Noble lock, which I find handy when I need to step away from the computer for a few minutes. There's also a concern about the available hard drive, which I ask about in a separate question. Most important, it’s so new that there are no reviews of it yet, so I’ve posted a separate question to ask if anyone has seen and used it yet.
I’m interested in input from people on this buying decision. Are there other machines I should be considering? I’ll consider buying from a different company if I can be confident of the quality of hardware and availability of service. Or are there few computers like this because it’s not a good idea for some reason?
