Dell gives world its first wireless-charging laptop if you buy $580 extra kit

Dell has given the world its first wireless-charging laptop.

The Latitude 7285 12-inch two-in-one is in most regards a typical typoslab – the PC's Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, 128 Gb or 256GB solid state disk, 8 or 16GB of RAM and other essentials lie behind a 2880 x 1920 touch screen that can be detached from the keyboard so you can use it in tablet mode. Once you click the keyboard back on, Windows 10's full array of delights is yours for the using.

Where things get different is the optional Dell Latitude 7285 Wireless Charging Keyboard, which uses WiTricity's magnetic resonance charging and lets you power your laptop without the inconvenience of having to attach a wire … once you've bought the Dell Wireless Charging Mat. Which of course isn't magic and needs a wire to connect to an electricity outlet.

Which is where things get a bit weird, because the Latitude 7285 starts at US$1,199, but the Wireless Charging Keyboard costs $379.99 and the Charging Mat is another $199.99. That's an extra $579.98 for the convenience of wireless charging (with a wire for the charging mat).

If $580 sounds a bit steep, know that the 7285 ships without a keyboard and the other option is the $249.99 Productivity Keyboard that includes what Dell calls “a second 22Whr battery” to keep the device running longer. Throw in a spare official Dell power brick for $49 and you'll still save a boss-impressing $280.

If you somehow get the budget to spend $580 on keyboards and power kit, The Register reckons you could be better off buying two of the Productivity Keyboards ($500) plus the power brick ($49) and come away with change for a decent bottle of wine.

Sure, you won't have wireless charging to show off and won't be able to experience the miracle of this astounding technology. But you will have a power brick for home and another for work, a spare keyboard and lots of extra battery. And wine! ®