Dell XPS 15z Review: A MacBook Alternative? Discussion

[Charles P. Jefferies]

The Dell XPS 15z has an ultra-thin metal chassis, a beautiful 1080p display and a backlit keyboard. Add to that an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce dedicated graphics for serious multimedia performance. Is this a worthy competitor to the Apple MacBook Pro?

Read the full content of this Article: Dell XPS 15z Review: A MacBook Alternative?

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[Mitlov]

Thanks for the review. It's interesting, it seems that certain problems from the preproduction 15z that Engadget reviewed (rough edges on the case's front edge that scratched the wrists, awful battery life) have been fixed in the production version. Sounds like a solid machine now that they've ironed out those issues.

The non-z XPS 15 has had issues with fan cycling--momentary bursts of fan noise whenever you open a website window or do any other activity. Was the fan noise relatively even on the 15z, or did it have sudden increases and decreases in noise?

[Charles P. Jefferies]

Thanks!

The fan was sporadic i.e. it only turned on in bursts. I didn't notice it creating a whole lot of noise - you could hear it for sure, but it wasn't annoying. As I noted in the review, it could have been quieter. In the face of things, it's a minor complaint.

The following is not something I would have put in the review. The XPS 15 is a nice notebook without a doubt, but it falls short in several areas and shows its immaturity next to the MacBook Pro. The display hinge, poor keyboard, noticeable fan, and the upgradeability are all areas the MBP excels in. Dell didn't fill in the gaps like Apple, it's not as polished as it should be. They did get a number of things right like the touchpad and overall build quality, and especially the screen. I didn't notice any of the pre production things Engadget noticed.

Depending on the price, the XPS 15 could be worth it assuming you get the 1920x1080 display. The test unit was just too expensive at $2.1k, most of which was the SSD but still. I'm glad I got a chance to test this notebook one way or another, quite a few people asked me about it.

[Mitlov]

Seems to me the ideal XPS 15z build is the base model with the 1080p upgrade and no other upgrades. It comes in at $1099, and has an i5-2410, a 525M (with 1 GB memory), a 500 GB 7200 rpm HDD, and 6 GB memory. The immaturities you mention are a LOT easier to live with at that price point than at $2000+, and those are still pretty reasonable specs.

[mykie]

I'm really disappointed in Dell, seems like they come up with some really great designs with serious flaws that end up being deal breakers...

Using Fn to access basic navigation keys? Really, Dell? That's just poor design...Look at all that space on either side of the keyboard, and Dell couldn't make use of that wasted space?

On top of that, restricted access to usual user-swappable items (Battery/RAM/HDD) means the 15z is a disposable notebook.

Sorry, Dell, but with gaffs like that, you're going to lose me and other customers to Apple.

[BigNerd]

I really wanted to like my Dell 15z... but it just had too many problems (and that chrome trim was awful).

I'm glad I returned it seeing these new ultrabooks come out... now if only someone would make one with a 1080p screen,

[Mitlov]

I really wanted to like my Dell 15z... but it just had too many problems (and that chrome trim was awful).

I'm glad I returned it seeing these new ultrabooks come out... now if only someone would make one with a 1080p screen,

There's always the new Vaio SE, which has a 15.5" 1080p screen and weighs only 4.4 lbs.



Sony VAIO S Series review (15-inch) -- Engadget

[Charles P. Jefferies]

Seems to me the ideal XPS 15z build is the base model with the 1080p upgrade and no other upgrades. It comes in at $1099, and has an i5-2410, a 525M (with 1 GB memory), a 500 GB 7200 rpm HDD, and 6 GB memory. The immaturities you mention are a LOT easier to live with at that price point than at $2000+, and those are still pretty reasonable specs.

Yes, exactly. The base model is a good value. You might be able to get an even better deal if you go to the Dell Outlet.

On top of that, restricted access to usual user-swappable items (Battery/RAM/HDD) means the 15z is a disposable notebook.

To be fair, most customers never upgrade the RAM/HDD, but enthusiasts certainly do. I have no idea where to start taking this notebook apart.

I really wanted to like my Dell 15z... but it just had too many problems (and that chrome trim was awful).

I'm glad I returned it seeing these new ultrabooks come out... now if only someone would make one with a 1080p screen,

The chrome trim certainly attracts a lot of fingerprints, I neglected to mention it in the review.

[BigNerd]

Using Fn to access basic navigation keys? Really, Dell? That's just poor design...Look at all that space on either side of the keyboard, and Dell couldn't make use of that wasted space?

It's one of the things I disliked the most about the 15z (and what I don't like about the MacBookAirs). I tend to use Home/End/Page keys quite a bit so I like them dedicated.

On top of that, restricted access to usual user-swappable items (Battery/RAM/HDD) means the 15z is a disposable notebook.

It's not that bad, if you can get past not breaking the chrome trim when you open the case, it's fairly straightfoward to replace the battery and HD. Some members in the 15z thread in the Dell XPS forum have put in SSDs and report less heat problems.

After watching a tech replace the motherboard on my 15z, you realize than anything slim/thin has to use up as much space in the chassis as possible and making them easily replaceable will counter the slimness. It's why Apple products do that too.

Sorry, Dell, but with gaffs like that, you're going to lose me and other customers to Apple.

See above... nothing on my MacBookAir is "user replaceable".

[Mr_Mysterious]

What were the idle and load temperatures please?

Mr. Mysterious