The Dell Latitude 7285 is the first 2-in-1, high-end hybrid to feature wireless charging in a PC. It is also Dell's pilot device to determine how consumers respond to the new technology that supposedly supports more mobility and convenience.

However, Dell will not be using the technology on its other devices. It is still not ready for mainstream laptops due to slow charging capabilities and low wattage processor limitations.

The wireless charging technology in smartphones did not take-off as expected, but still Dell took the chance in its pilot device as a way to test consumers' response to the technology. Dell targets business users for its high-end Dell Latitude 7285. These are users who may need the wireless charging feature while they are on-the-go or in-between meetings, adding mobility and convenience as new innovations.

Dell Latitude 7285 Wireless Charging

The Dell Latitude 7285 employs wireless charging with a specialized keyboard dock that attaches a wireless charging matt similar to how smartphones are charged. The wireless charging keyboard mat promises 15 hours of battery life although Dell has not yet benchmarked this functionality according to PC-World.

Wireless charging in the Dell Latitude 7285 is actually optional with wired charging also available. The 2-in-1 has actually two other power options, the slim travel keyboard and the productivity keyboard that comes with a four-hour power pack on top of the device's six hours battery life, ZDNet reported.

Dell Latitude 7285 As Pilot Device

Dell will not be applying the technology on other devices since the company believes that wireless charging is still not yet ready for mainstream laptops. The magnetic resonance technology that WiTricity created has still has few restrictions. It has low charging speed and limited to low wattage processor like the Dell Latitude 7285's low-power Intel Kaby Lake chips running at 4.5 watts of power.

How consumers respond to the Dell Latitude 7285 in terms of usability, charging speed and performance will be the company's basis to determine the future of wireless charging. It will not be as powerful as Alienware, but Dell's Shannon MacKay reveals that the hybrid is "powerful enough" for business users.

Dell Latitude 7285 Release and Pricing

The Dell Latitude 7285 is a 2-in-1 device with a detachable screen attached to a keyboard. It comes with 512GB of solid-state-drives storage, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 and the 802.11ac Wi-Fi. It retail price starts at $1,099 dollars with wireless charging mat and keyboard costing extra in a still undisclosed amount when the product was announced in CES.

Topics Dell