[NEWS] Studio XPS 15 and XPS 17 !!

I'm unclear on this as well. GDDR3 is based on DDR2 but is tweaked for less heat and better clocks. DDR3 is based on DDR2 but is tweaked for less voltage and higher clocks. I'm not sure DDR3 will reach the same speeds as GDDR3 (when overclocking).

 

does anyone know if the blu ray BURNER not just reader from the studio xps 1640 will work on the new XPS 17 if i swap out the drive? Dell doesn't offer one for the 17.

I am in the middle of a system exchange and they are offering me a XPS 17 but only with a blu ray reader ( RAM upgrade since no burner available)

Thanks in advance.

 

If you can swap it there's no reason it wouldn't work, but the XPS uses a tray loading mechanism and the Studio XPS a slot loading one.

 

Dell XPS 14 review -- Engadget

 

didn't know that the XPS 17 uses a tray loading mechanism - probably wont work then since the actual otter housing wont match up -- what do you guys think? should i just go for the extra memory upgrade? they said it would be between 2 and 4 GB additional upgrade from my previous 4gb config. they wouldn't give me the actual amount yet because they haven't put it together by the dispatch team.

first of all is that even worth it? is Dell trying to screw me over? should i fight for my blu ray burner?


Thanks.

 

If you are in the US, there is still hope. I just talked to a Dell Rep (for about half an hour) and was finally able to add the Backlit keyboard to my laptop. Feeling safe now! I don't know about Australia but you could try calling them and placing your order.

 

In the UK, it's not even an option, which is a bit disappointing for a decent multimedia laptop.

 

Maybe someone who has received their XPS 15 can comment on this, but in the Engadget review, they complain about a glossy plastic bezel. I thought these had a metal bezel... maybe its a difference between the 14 and 15-17?

 

This page has a video of the xps 15, doesnt look like shiny plastic to me
Dell XPS 15 Review - Laptops - CNET Reviews

 

They're probably just out of stock right now.

 

Yep, and again with the heat, I doubt the XPS 15 will fare any better with heat either. So it looks like this notebook is going to run hot.

 

I think we need the Anandtech review for a more reliable answer to that question and it's almost here, although not quite . There's an article entitled 'Dell XPS 15 L501x: A High Quality MacBook Pro Alternative'. Just enter XPS into the search box and it's half way down the page.

Home - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

 

How in the world did you find an article in the process of being written? That's some king of amazing, you know. In a creepy notebook stalker kind of way, or the kind of amazing that puts a chloroform-soaked rag over your mouth in the dead of night.

 

Huh? Where? I guess they killed the link.

 

It's not listed in the website but it comes up when you search for it. If you type in 'XPS 15' into the search bar on Anandtech, the very first result is the review for the XPS 15, and it states that it has been listed for the past 7 hours. When you click on it, it takes you back tot he main page.

We'll be seeing it very soon.

 

So 3 big (?) reviews come out in one day, coincidence?

I think whoever said on the forum a while ago about Dell telling the reviewers the date on which to release the review may have been right!

 

Made a colossal mistake: cancelled my XPS 15 EPP order, PM'd nk290, but haven't heard from him and the best price I could get for a lesser config (viz. without a backlit kb and Intel 6300) is more than $300 over the price of my cancelled order

 

Let´s expect Dell only told them "when" to release the reviews, and not "what" to say about the XPS!

I just noticed the article´s title at anandtech.com and hurried myself up to coment it in here, but i guess i´m not the only one whos really anxious to know if what i bought is actually going to work!!

By now it says the article has benn release 8 hours ago, but no operative link yet... let´s wait; i guess it would be the only really reliable review, and for it´s titling, it´ll bring some calm to our expectations...

 

One question that´s been going around my heade lately... i just ordered my xps with the 720p screen... is it as terrible as they all say? I mean, just didn´t feel like paying more for some more dots and that recognition software; but as long as i see 720 is just crap!

I´m really used to my HP dv4's 1280x800, just wondering if it´ll be worth to modify the order, pay the extra premium (wiht now ys a little bit more expensive than 2 weeks ago) and wait... maybe 'til Xmas to receive my XPS...

I´m plannin to get the Ultra Sharp full HD 21,2 inch ITS Professional monitor from dell, as i work a lot with 3d modelling, rendering, image editing and product presentation; and guess my xps will be set upt here as a Desktop for most the time, so then i don´t really know if it will be eorth to modify my order, as i ordered on Octuber 22nd, but it´s been cancelled and re-entered by Dell (due to a part code mistake they said) lasdt monday... i´ll just keep waiting, and waitn, and, of course paying for the laptop without having it (as i paid by credit card)...

So, what would you do then? Need some opinions!

 

Aha, I knew it... I knew I was not paranoid, the same thing happened with the Envy 14 all the reviews were more or less on the same day.

 

So...will the backlit keyboard be brought back? How long do you think that would take?

 

@Gonzalo, 1080p on a laptop means you can have multiple programs open next to eachother instead of tabbing between them. Honestly, that's worth the 100$ for me.

 

I see; thanks for the advice; of course it´ll be worth $100 more, but also an extreme increasing over the shipping dat; anyway i´ll have to wait till monday now...

 

This is a PC Magazine Review of XPS 15

 

Hey guys!

I'm new here and am planning to order the new XPS 15 in about a week from now.

I just have few questions:

1. Will the B+RGLED 1080p screen consume more power than the standard 720p screen?

2. Will the 9-cell battery stick out unlike studio laptops?

 

@kajouma, you're a little late on that one.

@Gigacore
1. Yes, but probably mostly because of graphics processing.
2. It will stick out, but I find that a good thing because it raises the laptop, lets it air out on the bottom a bit more, and makes it better ergonomically.

 

I absolutely agree! I ordered with the 9 cell too; as i said i currently hav a dv4, sometimes i put it over one of those archiving folders to raise the laptop at an angle from the table, it gets your screen higher, and your palms an wrists more comfrotable while typing, functionallity over aesthetics

Still wondering if i should cancel and upgrade to 1080p...

 

@MaxGhost, thanks for the reply! But I think since the build of laptop is quite bulky, the 9-cell battery may make it bulkier. So I am in bit of a dilemma.

 

It may depend on your setup... did you ordered the i5 + optimus? Maybe tha way it´ll work well with the 6 cell.

I ordered the 9 cell as i jumped to the i7+435m, as for transporting, i´m planning to carry both battery and the laptop separately in my backpack, so i can put thigs somehow they dont bother. Maybe a little difficult, but power´s worth it (in my case)

Edit: besides, you can always buy a 6 cell battery once they´re available at the accesories store, i guess it´ll be cheaper ordering the 9-cell with the overall package and buy the 6-cell separately, than dping the opossite.

 

@Gonzalo, Nope I am yet to order the laptop, will do it in a week or so. And yes I am opting for core i5 + nvidia optimus and 1080p screen.

 

@Gigacore, check this review

Dell XPS 14 Notebook Review: Optimus Infused - HotHardware

Probably not the most accurate on, but in page 6 you can finde some testing about battery life

"Dell claims you'll see up to 5 hours and 23 minutes of run-time on a single charge using a 6-cell battery, or up to 8 hours and 29 minutes using a 9-cell battery. BatteryEater Pro showed significantly less, though that's because it's designed to eat through battery life with reckless abandon. Think of BatteryEater Pro as the 3DMark Vantage or CineBench of battery performance metrics."

It may help on your desicion.

 

Anandtech has their XPS 15 review ready. only not yet available on the site . Don't know if someone can do some more research to this site: Search Results for - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

You see the first link where the XPS 15 is compared to a Macbook pro. Good luck hunting.

 

It's a good find

Did Apple veto the review? ha, ha.

 

I was under the impression that the XPS 15 came with a backlit keyboard in the UK which was backed up by some comments from other posters. On checking my order I noticed it just says " Keyboard : Internal UK/Irish Qwerty Keyboard" so I thought I'd clarify. Chat with Dell below:

Disappointing

 

I'm not confident in the authority of Dell Sales Reps. When I chatted online with Ryan Welch (Dell Sales Rep.) He assured me the back lit keyboard was available in the U.S. even though it's not listed on the Dell website. When I received his email with my requested configuration not only was the back lit keyboard not included but the price was $120.00 more than when I configured it myself. I'm still waiting his reply to me request for clarification of this descrepancy.

 

The dell reps are useless!

I have it in writing that the keyboards are backlit. If mine turns up and is not back lit I will be straight on the phone to dell to sort it out

here is a couple of lines from our conversation, I made him state twice it was backlit:
10/27/2010 11:25:18AM Agent (Svetanga_Vangari): "It comes default."
10/27/2010 11:25:27AM Dave Millican: "oh really!"
10/27/2010 11:25:29AM Agent (Svetanga_Vangari): "Multimedia control buttons
External display, wireless on/off, extended battery life, brightness -, brightness +, backlit keyboard activation, mute, volume -, volume +, rewind, play/pause, forward, touchpad deactivation button"
10/27/2010 11:36:03AM Dave Millican: "although I may get the 15 now I know it has backlit keyboard"
10/27/2010 11:36:16AM Dave Millican: "and just put up with the nvidia 420m"
10/27/2010 11:36:34AM Agent (Svetanga_Vangari): "Yes, backlit keyboard is the default option."
10/27/2010 11:36:47AM Dave Millican: "great thanks"
10/27/2010 11:36:56AM Agent (Svetanga_Vangari): "You are welcome"

 

well m about to buy one of these.
Do you think i should opt for 720p screen or 1080p b+rg screen.either of these with 435m.I dont think 435m is that powerful for 1080P gaming!
What say!

 

We have time and time again proved Dell's Sales Agents' incompetence, all over the world. Good thing the majority of their techies aren't.

Google your Dell rep he's probably on facebook.

 

Hi Guys,

I dont know if this is allowed on this forum, but if anyone in the uk wants one of these new xps machines have a look at:
Dell XPS 15 Laptop Deals, E-Value Codes and Coupons

for some cool savings. It worked for me and I got 10% (£90) off my build

 

Yes, coupons are allowed, as long as their public use coupons, not exclusive deals like EPP coupons.

 

They quoted from the Tech Specs page. Dell XPS 15 Laptop Details | Dell UK

If you look there now the backlit keyboard activation bit isn't listed:

 

Did anybody in the UK save a copy of the tech specs page when it did show 'backlit keyboard activation'?

 

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XPS 15 Laptop





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Design
Tech Specs

Processors
Intel® CoreTM i3 standard, Intel® CoreTM i5 and i7 options



Operating System
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-Bit
Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate 64-Bit


Memory
Up to 8GB dual channel DDR3 memory
1066MHz memory standard with i3 and i5 processors; 1333MHz standard with i7 processors



Chipset
Intel® HM57



Graphics
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 420M with 1GB graphics memory (standard)
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 435M with 2GB graphics memory



Displays
15.6 HD WLED TL (1366x768) 720p standard
15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) 1080p



Audio and Speakers
JBL 2.1 Designed & Certified Speakers +Waves MaxxAudio ®
2.1 Audio: 2 X 4W + 12W sub-woofer 20W Total


Hard Drives
Up to 750GB1; 7200RPM speed standard
Solid state drive options up to 256GB1, Free Fall Sensor



Optical Drives
16x DVD+/-RW (standard), Blu-ray DiscTM combo (reads Blu-ray DiscTM & writes to CD/DVD); 12.7mm tray load



TV tuner
Yes (optional integrated)



Power
6-cell LI (2.6Ah) standard; Up to 5 hours, 23 minutes2 of battery life with 6-cell battery
9-cell LI (2.8Ah); Up to 8 hours, 29 minutes2 of battery life with 9-cell battery



Camera
2.0MP HD with single digital mic (H.264)



9-in-1 media card reader
Supporting SD, SDIO, SDXC, SDHC, MS, MS Pro, MMC, MSXC, xD



Wired communications
Integrated Gigabit ethernet 10/100/1000
Modem upsell via USB dongle



Wireless (WLAN)
Wi-Fi Options:
Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1000
Intel® Centrino® Ultimate-N 6300 802.11 a/b/g/n (3x3)
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 802.11 a/g/n
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 802.11 a/g/n

Mobile Broadband Options: (WWAN)
Dell Wireless 5540 HSPA mobile broadband3mini card
Dell Wireless 5620 EVDO-HSPA mobile broadband3 mini card

WiMax:
Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 802.11 a/g/n

Bluetooth Options:
Bluetooth® 3.0

WiDi, GPS enabled


Ports, Slots, Chassis
Externally Accessible
Mini DisplayPort (1),
2 total USB 3.0
1 USB 2.0 (eSATA/powershare combo)
Integrated network connector 10/100/1000 LAN (RJ45)
HDMI 1.4
AC adapter connector
Audio jacks (headphone with SPDIF support (2), 1 Mic-in) Dimensions & Weight
Width: 15" (381mm)
Height: 1.3" (32.2mm) front /1.5" (38.2mm) back)
Depth: 10.4" (265.4mm)
Weight: Starting weight of 6.14lbs. (2.78kg)4 with 6-cell battery; 6.51lbs.(2.96kg)4with 9-cell battery

Others
Multimedia control buttons
External display, wireless on/off, extended battery life, brightness -, brightness +, backlit keyboard activation, mute, volume -, volume +, rewind, play/pause, forward, touchpad deactivation button
Capacitive keys
Windows® Mobility Center, Audio control panel, user configurable launch button
LED lights
Palmrest: battery indicator, wireless and caps lock; hinge: hard drive activity and battery charge.

Regulatory and Environmental Compliance
Regulatory Model: PP17s
Product Safety, EMC and Environmental Datasheets
Dell Regulatory Compliance Home Page
Dell and the Environment

















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snWW07

 

I talked with another agent on the phone. The guy on the phone seemed much more knowledgeable. He was surprised when he looked on the internet that the back lit keyboard was not offered as an option as it show up on his internal net work as an option. He added it to my system configuration and sales quote in an email so I'm confident now that I have it in writing from Dell.
Has anyone found any coupons for the XPS 17? There seems to be some around for the 15 in the UK but I haven't found anything for the 17 in the U.S.

 

Since I am always paranoid and coming up with conspiracy theories, I wont be surprised if Dell is creating an artificial or perceived shortage, so when they re-introduce it on to the site, there would be a boost in sales.

Since the battery life on the i5 doesnt seem to be that great I wish there were some reviews stating what the i7 battery life is like. The only reason I wanted the i5 instead of the i7 is because of the increased battery life with optimus.

 

Hey guys,

Maybe this will be a silly question for most of you but is it possible with the XPS 15 to add a firewire port for my digital camera.

Thank you!

 

Doesn't seem to be an option that comes up anywhere. Neither is it mentioned in any reviews or the official documentation. I was a bit bummed out by this too, still have a DV camera at home that I woulda liked to transfer video from.

Also, interestingly, on the XPS 14 the only high speed connection is eSATA. How would one transfer video onto there from cameras? I am not entirely sure what connections the newer HD cameras etc use

 

You won't be able to get a firewire port on the laptop, but I'm sure you could find an adapter that will let you use it through USB.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=fi...+to+usb&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

 

Those types of adapters work ?

I would of thought the data rate and data format would be different between USB2.0 and Firewire

Edit: I stand corrected. http://www.ehow.com/how_6896683_convert-firewire-usb-2_0.html

USB2.0's 400Mbps would be more than enough for transferring DV footage

 

Guys, i'm planning on replacing my m11x with xps 15 on i7 1,7ghz and 435 video. What do you think? And what bout battery life on xps series?

Also Is there anything plannin new on dell? Heard about sandy bridge chipset, it is there?