Dell XPS 15z Review: A MacBook Alternative? Discussion

[Cactusbill]

I have one of these and I wish I had bought an Apple. The keyboard is so erratic that I will be typing and the cursor suddenly leaves the page. If your mouse slips a little while you type it takes you to the desktop. There are only 2 USB ports. The touch pad is garbage and needs to be disabled to avoid constant problems with the cursor moving.

At best this PC is a toy for your teenager to watch videos. I you want to do real work get something else.

[SemiExpert]

I have one of these and I wish I had bought an Apple.

If that's what you want, that's what you should buy. There are plenty of Window PC notebooks that superficially imitate the outward appearance of a Macbook, without any notable advantages.

The keyboard is so erratic that I will be typing and the cursor suddenly leaves the page. If your mouse slips a little while you type it takes you to the desktop. There are only 2 USB ports. The touch pad is garbage and needs to be disabled to avoid constant problems with the cursor moving.

My first thought would be to turn off the tap-to-click function of the trackpad. I've never heard of any sort of hardware interaction between a keyboard and a trackpad, but I guess anything is possible. Update your touchpad driver from the Dell support site and play around with the touchpad properties, using the "Dell Touchpad" icon in your system tray.

As far as the number of USB ports, that's something you consider before buying. With a Macbook, you might only have 2, or at most, 3 USB ports, but you at least have a decent trackpad and keyboard, so you don't need to use a USB port for an external mouse, and if you do need one, Apple has a very good bluetooth keyboard and external glass touchpad. Similarly, a Macbook doesn't need, and probably can't even make good use of, a cooling pad, so there's another USB port you don't need on a Macbook.

At best this PC is a toy for your teenager to watch videos. I you want to do real work get something else.

Well, that's why I suggest looking at Dell's business quality lineup. Stay away from Dell Consumer and look to Dell Small Business, because the service is better and the Latitude and Precision notebooks are much more robust in construction.

On the other hand, there's always Apple. The choice is yours.

[MSGaldenzi]

Many reviewers say that the keyboard is great... I actually like the feel of it compared to others. Its a little resistant and has less travel than most, but the texture of the keys is great.

The trackpad is not that great. They should have gone with a synaptics one, but for it being what it is... once the drivers are up to date, its totally usable.

The 1080p screen really seems to be hit or miss. Turning off splendid color in windows mobility center (winkey+x) seems to make all the differnce. I thought I had the "screen door" effect until I calibrated the screen and turned off the splendid color. I have had the screen up to a few of my friends screens and there is no doubt that the 15z screen is superior (in my defense, most of my friends have 13-14' computers or 17's.... I have yet to hold it to another 15').
As far as price, paying full retail would be pretty crazy. The dell outlet is stocked with these and when they had their 25% off coupon, that makes them a steal. As for them being 750 with the 1080p screen... thats a bit of a streatch, but still... you can get great deals now.

As for the chrome trim, the issue is that it "cheapens" the design. The computer is covered in aluminum and magnesium but on the outside (the side that gets impacted the most) you get this cheap thin layer of chrome... It just does not make the computer look as "premium" as it really is. I just got mine and the part above the CD drive is already bulging up, as if its not properly attached. Does anyone see it... nope... do I, yup... does it bother me... eh... sorta. Also the chrome trim is sharp at parts. When running my finger alog the front piece, it feels like its not smooth and if I kept doing it, it would end up cutting my finger.
Either way, I am pretty happy with this machine so far. Its not the "best" right out of the box, but its pretty good for what it is. I am a student and like photography on my free time, so it seems to fit my portability and power needs well.

My only "design" issues are the battery and power adapter. The power adapter MUST be the 90w one. Most other inspiron laptops use the 65w... I didnt realize how much bigger the 90w was until I carried it around with me daily. Then that brings me to number 2... the battery. I expected to get a full school day out of mine. I bet I "could" but I am pretty lucky to get 4 hours out of mine with med brightness. I dont care that its non-removable, but I would really hope to get 6 hours of word processing and light web browsing out of it.

[SemiExpert]

The trackpad is not that great. They should have gone with a synaptics one, but for it being what it is... once the drivers are up to date, its totally usable.

Well, this seems to be a common complaint these days. I had to wait from 2010 to late 2011 (or was it early 2012?) to finally get top-notch drivers for the touchpad in my Dell Latitude. So, finally driver support is decent - nearly two generations after I bought the notebook.

My only "design" issues are the battery and power adapter. The power adapter MUST be the 90w one. Most other inspiron laptops use the 65w... I didnt realize how much bigger the 90w was until I carried it around with me daily. Then that brings me to number 2... the battery. I expected to get a full school day out of mine. I bet I "could" but I am pretty lucky to get 4 hours out of mine with med brightness. I dont care that its non-removable, but I would really hope to get 6 hours of word processing and light web browsing out of it.

I know that Dell shifted from a thin form factor 90 watt power supply to a much thicker, more generic power adapter back in the 2011. It looked like a cost cutting move.

[Klee6783]

I have the 15Z and I really hate how the silver trim keeps falling off. It cuts the palms of my hands.. I cry myself to sleep at night in pain.