Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Review & Owner's Thread

[mark_pozzi]

hey guys I currently have a dell xps 15z and the build quality is horrible and had massive wireless issues. Has anyone heard if dell with do a 15 inch ultrabook with the same build quality as this. Otherwise looks like I am buying the new samsung series 9 15 inch

[apollo77]

Did anything come of the bigger heatsink postings? I still think my fan is on way too much.

More anoying for me though is the change in fan speed every couple of seconds when streaming video. I probably wouldnt notice it so much if it didnt keep changing frequency.

[CowboyCoder]

hey guys I currently have a dell xps 15z and the build quality is horrible and had massive wireless issues. Has anyone heard if dell with do a 15 inch ultrabook with the same build quality as this. Otherwise looks like I am buying the new samsung series 9 15 inch

I think you'll see a shift from both HP and Dell into the 'premium build' category. Its well known they make next to nothing on laptops built to compete on price, the penny has finally dropped that to compete with Apple you need comparable build quality - the premium price and higher profit margins follow on from there.

I expect a 15" variant of the XPS 13 in the Summer, with Ivy Bridge, to replace the 15z.

[alphadog00]

I think you'll see a shift from both HP and Dell into the 'premium build' category. Its well known they make next to nothing on laptops built to compete on price, the penny has finally dropped that to compete with Apple you need comparable build quality - the premium price and higher profit margins follow on from there.

I expect a 15" variant of the XPS 13 in the Summer, with Ivy Bridge, to replace the 15z.

I agree.... also, there will always be different consumer interest - some want the cheapest; some want most for $$$ regardless of size or weight, and others will pay premium for features they want.

After lugging around well spec'd business laptops, i want a well spec'd lightweight laptop. If I want a gaming powerhouse or Video transcoder I build a tower myself.

[GordyM]

Did anything come of the bigger heatsink postings? I still think my fan is on way too much.

I have been wondering about this myself. Has Dell asked this owner to keep "hush.... hush" about the replacement Dell did?

[Dell-Bill_B]

I have been wondering about this myself. Has Dell asked this owner to keep "hush.... hush" about the replacement Dell did?

Nothing hush hush. We looked at the part number dispatched, and it's the same as the one they use at the factory and have been stocking all along for warranty replacements. If the second heat sink for the unit in question is indeed different than the one originally on the box from the factory, it's a mystery to us.

[GordyM]

Nothing hush hush. We looked at the part number dispatched, and it's the same as the one they use at the factory and have been stocking all along for warranty replacements. If the second heat sink for the unit in question is indeed different than the one originally on the box from the factory, it's a mystery to us.

The reason I asked about the "hush....hush" is because I don't see the post where the heat sink was replaced in this thread any more. Is it still here and I have missed it?

[OsageCowboy]

UPDATE from the road.

I've been using this ultrabook now for the past 3 weeks. I can say without hesitation it is the BEST laptop I have ever owned, Mac or otherwise.

I am in oil and gas and have to make frequent trips to local courthouses to document legal instruments and this thing makes my life MUCH easier than anything I've owned previously. Excellent battery life, quick sleep/wake up, best keyboard I've ever used on a mobile device, solid wi-fi, tough as nails construction, need I go on? Dell hit a homer with this thing.

[jabbok]

UPDATE from the road.

I've been using this ultrabook now for the past 3 weeks. I can say without hesitation it is the BEST laptop I have ever owned, Mac or otherwise.

I am in oil and gas and have to make frequent trips to local courthouses to document legal instruments and this thing makes my life MUCH easier than anything I've owned previously. Excellent battery life, quick sleep/wake up, best keyboard I've ever used on a mobile device, solid wi-fi, tough as nails construction, need I go on? Dell hit a homer with this thing.

This is good to know because I need to replace my dead xps m1330 with another one of this size, I was waiting to see if the fan issue was fixed because I can't stand to have the fan run all the time and is really loud. I was also debating on the macbook air as to max out both of them is about the same price.

[heavyharmonies]

Just chiming in on the XPS 13 vs. new iPad discussion. I have both, and in my opinion they fill two entirely different needs and use patterns. It's not necessarily an either-or scenario.

When I go to coin/stamp/collectibles shows and am away from home, I take both devices. In the shows when going through dealer stocks, I need my reference materials and inventory easily accessible in sometimes awkward seating/standing situations, and this is where the iPad use model really excels. being able to pop back and forth between pages and documents with a finger swipe while standing is superior to a clamshell design.

However, when I'm in the hotel at night, and am catching up on email and articles, I prefer the traditional laptop format, as I'm a diehard Firefox user, and can't live without my add-ons, plus I like having a real keyboard to use.

That said, the retina display on the new iPad is absolutely phenomenal; I upgraded from gen 1 to this one, and it's a no-brainer decision. The people that say they cannot see the difference between 1024x768 and 2048x1546 are the same ones that cannot see the difference between 480p and 1080p HD. To me the difference is night and day...