Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Review & Owner's Thread

[sargent75]

Two options now.

1. Wait for ivy bridge from Fujitsu Ultrabook.

Or

2. Get a good discount bundle from Dell. e.g. HP Folio is selling at RM2999 (Malaysia), which is less than USD999, same specs and solid built. Free 2nd unit power adaptor. Fast sata3 SSD.

[sargent75]

I didn't say it, but since they expose it as a separate line item, i was going to call Amex and dispute it if they didn't return it. If the laptop was just $1499 and they didn't expose the hot spot as costing $100 - I would have just accepted the free hot spot. But on my CC it shows up as an another charge, just like on the invoice.

You can always try for another rep. I got my invoice emailed within 5 minutes of ordering, and tried to cancel as soon as i saw it - maybe that is what was different.

I totally understand you. It's the business ethics that is in conflict with our own personal principle. It's not about the money. It's how they just nick it from your wallet. It's no different in principle from a pick pocket thief.

I know most here thinks they make enough money and is not bothered about Dell nicking small hidden amounts here and there. So far there is no favourites in Brand names anymore. I will just choose from the best model they make and comment from real people. Not paid blogs or paid marketing reviews.

[pdagal]

My HP Folio 13 came with a SATA 2 SSD drive. So did my Envy 14 Spectre. I don't believe HP is shipping SATA 3 drives in their consumer notebook lines.

Two options now.

1. Wait for ivy bridge from Fujitsu Ultrabook.

Or

2. Get a good discount bundle from Dell. e.g. HP Folio is selling at RM2999 (Malaysia), which is less than USD999, same specs and solid built. Free 2nd unit power adaptor. Fast sata3 SSD.

[slopokdave]

My HP Folio 13 came with a SATA 2 SSD drive. So did my Envy 14 Spectre. I don't believe HP is shipping SATA 3 drives in their consumer notebook lines.

I think this is correct.

The only other notebook I've seen with the Samsung SATA 3 drive is the new 2012 Series 9, US version. I think the UK has shipped with SanDisk? Ouch.

[alphadog00]

@Dell-Bill_b

Is the Quickset task tray icon (not working) being looked at too? Going to c:\progfiles\dell\quickset and clicking quickset.ext launches windows mobility center - i assume this is what it is supposed to do?

[Drivingrain]

this thread is pretty difficult for someone to walk into. Perhaps split it up among reviews, troubleshooting, prospective buyer quetions and suggested improvements?

[jjchang]

Third quick note re: "Windows loses focus" feedback- We have seen this one before on XPS 15z, and we saw it on this box when looking at the touch pad drivers. This is not the light sensor. This is a bit more complicated. It has to do with the algorithms that are used to determine whether contact along the edges of the touch pad is intentional or the result of a touch typist who's resting his/her hands on the palm rest while typing (like I do). The algorithms are supposed to detect the shape of whatever's contacting it along the edge of the touch pad and determine whether it is the edge of the palm (at the base of the thumb where a touch typist would contact the touch pad) or whether it is a finger tip requesting an intentional user input. I say "algorithms" instead of "algorithm" because there are 2 of them that work together- one in the firmware and one in the driver. What we've found is one of the algorithms needed to be tweaked, and that tweak is part of the changes to the upcoming driver release. In other words, it's basically erroneous clicks caused by the driver/firmware.

I just know that after I disabled ambient light detection, it doesn't lose focus at all anymore (and honestly I don't really miss it much anyway because I like doing that manually). I tested this out without my hands anywhere near the laptop and it still lost focus. Does it have to do with hands at all or do the algorithms freak out on their own? Also I noticed that if you change the backlighting (even manually) it'll lose window focus so I thought that the ambient light was changing the backlighting and thus losing the focus.

Thats exactly what I said and the ESL phone rep said that he would have to return the entire laptop... this is stupid... can someone give me an escalation path to have this returned? I do like the laptop, but this policy is ridiculous.... Im tempted to return it just for spite from the terrible phone support...

I went through terrible service with my 11z order in December... over a month of delayed orders.. then had to order a second one in January to get it shipped.

I returned mine absolutely no problem. Explained that I didn't want it and it took a matter of minutes to return it. My rep emailed me my ups shipping sticker and I was good to go with a full refund so I guess it just depends on your rep.

[Azureal]

At the knomo website look under laptop sleeves for the Macbook Air 13" sleeve at $79.95 or just click this link:

Macbook Air Envelope - 13 Inch - Laptop Sleeves - Women

I know it's not cheap but neither is this Ultrabook. I love and it fits into my leather messenger bag with my other crap required on a day-to-day basis.

I did some checking on the measurements, the MacBook Air 13" looks to be very close in size to the Dell XPS 13.

I just ordered my Knomo sleeve! I decided on UPS ground shipping, not sure where it ships from, but it should just be a few days early next week at the latest. It looks like a very nice product. Thanks again for the tip apatz!

[9Blu]

I tested this out without my hands anywhere near the laptop and it still lost focus. Does it have to do with hands at all or do the algorithms freak out on their own? Also I noticed that if you change the backlighting (even manually) it'll lose window focus so I thought that the ambient light was changing the backlighting and thus losing the focus.

I had the exact same experience. At first I suspected the trackpad so I took my hands away and it was still losing focus.

[nick333]

Lisa G (pdagal), could you provide any details on the trackpad driver you're testing? What's better about it?

If I don't get the trackpad scrolling issue resolved soon, I'm returning my XPS 13. Scrolling is essential to my productivity and it's currently totally unusable with any of the 3 drivers I tried.

The other major issue I have is a high-pitched noise from the power adapter when the laptop is in sleep. It oscillates in time with the fading white light in the front of the machine. Anyone else notice this? From what I read, people have been complaining about the SSD's constant high-pitched noise, but what I'm describing is much much louder, and it goes up and down so it's horribly obnoxious.