Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 release date, specs, price news: Convertible laptop with edge-to-edge display for $999

Dell has decided to kick off the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with the introduction of the latest version of its most popular and successful notebook, the XPS 13, which has been transformed into a 2-in-1 device for 2017.

In 2016, the Dell XPS 13 earned several "Laptop of the Year" awards from publications like The Wall Street Journal, Laptop Magazine and Windows Central. It was also touted as "Editor's Choice" by the likes of PC Mag and Digital Trends, among others.

Now, the laptop has been made even better with the inclusion of a 360-degree hinge that allows it to transform into different modes.  Aside from the traditional laptop mode, the device can also be turned into a tablet, lie flat on a surface and positioned in tent mode for presentations or sharing of images. According to Dell, the laptop now offers greater productivity and is more flexible in meeting the different needs of users. Furthermore, it is thinner and sleeker than its predecessor.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 is said to be the world's smallest 13-inch convertible laptop. It features a nearly borderless InfinityEdge touch display with a Quad HD+ resolution of 3,200 x 1,800 pixels. A model with lower specification will also be available with a Full HD touchscreen with a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution. The device's display will also be able to support high dynamic range (HDR) to produce realistic images while watching HDR10 content.

The new XPS 13 will be powered by Intel's seventh-generation Core vPro processors with up to 16 GB of random access memory (RAM) and up to 1 TB of built-in storage. It also comes with Dell BIOS and manageability software.

The recently unveiled convertible laptop will also run the Windows 10 operating system. The fingerprint sensor has support for Windows Hello so users' data will always be secure and they will be able to log in just by touching the device. Later in the year, Dell will also release a version with an infrared camera that will enable logging in via an iris scanner.

The Dell XPS 2-in-1 will be available for purchase in the United States beginning Jan. 5 with a starting price of $999.