Intel's strategically timed CES 2015 launch of their new 5th Generation Core Series processors for notebooks was met with a reasonably warm reception, though it's always difficult to rise above the noise, with the sea of announcements from competitors and the like. CES is always such a zoo and that's by design. Performance claims for Intel's new chip promise major gains in graphics and more modest increases in standard compute applications. However, the biggest bet Intel placed on the new Broadwell-U architecture is performance-per-watt throughput and battery life in premium notebook products that are now in production with major OEM partners like Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, Toshiba and Dell .



A few manufacturers were early out of the gate with new Core i5 5XXX series-based machines and Lenovo had a few interesting models to show off. However, none of the major players caught the same kind of buzz and fanfare that Dell received, with the introduction of their new XPS 13 Ultrabook , powered by Intel's 5th gen, Core i5 series processors.





Hipster "lifestyle" shot many manufacturers seem to think is cool, complete with coffee table.



This year's XPS 13 model not only got a major upgrade at the component level with Intel's new Broadwell-U platform on board, but, as we've already shown you, Dell also decked-out the design of the XPS with a near bezel-less 13-inch WQHD (3200X1800) display packed into an 11-inch carbon fiber and aluminum frame. In short, the XPS 13 is a proverbial "schooling" in industrial design, the likes of which even those fancy-pants folks in Cupertino will be jonesing over.