New Dell XPS L521X (Ivy Bridge)

Well, they are in the same weight class. So a comparison is not completely unreasonable. Depends what you want/need. More power or thinner? I hope the XPS 14 will be a viable alternative to the S9. I could care less about the integrated, but I need something with a decent screen, 8GB, and is not too heavy or big for my bag (i.e. the S9 15"). Less than $1400 would be good as well.

 

Thickness is not everything, there are so many things that determine a laptop's value...It's all about what the single customer is looking for. If you care only about thickness, go for a 13" ultrabook (which has nice performarce btw)...

 

The X230 is roughly in the same "weight class," too, but it clearly isn't the same functional class as a Series 9, either. Classifying laptops by weight is both under and overinclusive, and serves as one of the least effective means of classification from the standpoint of grouping by functional equivalence. The XPS 14 and S9 are not functionally equivalent in terms of processing or chassis design. To the extent that one design is an alternative to the other, it is more a function of ambivalence on the part of the consumer than characteristic similarities which would render them of the same class.

With this in mind, if you don't care about the differences in processing power, and prioritize constrained dimensions, then it sounds as though the Series 9 is the better choice for you. That is, you appear to value the advantages posed by the S9 and do not value those posed by the XPS 14. Seems like a relatively straightforward decision

 

The XPS 15 (and even 14 probably) are not anywhere near the same classification as the samsung series 9. One is a multimedia laptop, the SS9 is a full on ultrabook, and the XPS14 seems like a multimedia ultrabook (it has a dGPU right?) It would be like comparing a 11.6 inch netbook with an 11.6 inch ultrabook because they have similar weights.

 

nooo dont say that but i cant keep waiting forever

 

What would you guys recommend for a laptop that has to be taken around quite a bit, screen size and all.

I would use it for my study and it needs to be able to work for a few years.

The XPS13 is out of the picture because it is simply too expensive.
I'll use it for a bit off minecraft, AC:revelations, ACIII on as high graphics as possible ofcourse so a dedicated GPU would be nice.

Other uses will be Office programs, web browsing, watching video's/streaming them to my tv (so a big screen isnt necessary per se)

 

Also keep in mind, as many have noted, Apple unveils their new MacBooks on Monday. What would make more sense, for Dell to have revealed their new XPS lineup at Computex last week amongst the hundreds of other offerings, or wait until the Computex/Apple buzz dies down and unleash their product in another week or two when it will stand out in people's minds?

 

NEW PICTURES OF THE DELL XPS 15 L521X!!!!

Bored of waiting, I decided to Google the known universe and found the following pictures on a Belgian website. They claim it is the new XPS 15 and I agree. It is not the existing 13 and it has different dimensions than the photographed 14 from the other day. Although this website seems like a Euro-Craigslist with dubious background, this laptop clearly came from somewhere. It may be a European variant (i.e. differences in the "enter" button) but examine for yourself and tell me what you think.

Laptop neuf DELL XPS 15 neuf - A vendre | 2ememain.be









Original Tweakers.net photo of Dell XPS 15:

 

nicee lol lookin good, the keyboard looks wierd to me idk why tho

 

The keyboard's strange and not the same from the one in the Tweakers photo. Like I said, just a different variant.

Even stranger, I can't see any speaker grilles on either side of the keyboard. Are they going the Skull Candy route with the Inspirons and putting the speakers below or on the sides?

Also, the ODD has to be on the right because there's not enough room for it on the left with the USB and power plug over there.

Idk what to think about this... On the Tweakers pic it shows a definite gap between the trackpad buttons but on these pics they're built-in.

 

yeah idk im fine with the trackpad, i just cant get over the keyboard lol.. something seems off :S nd yeah no speaker grills

 

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I've asked him to also take pictures of the sides of the laptop (en français ), so hopefully he'll comply

And the keyboard is indeed a Belgian AZERTY layout. (Oh, and Tweakers.net is from the netherlands and they have a normal QWERTY layout, so it's normal that they would differ)

The site itself is more like ebay and is used to sell second hand goods. The seller doesn't really say that it's the 'NEW' Dell XPS, but rather that it's a new/hardly used system.

 

I think the "gap" you're seeing in the Tweakers pic is just a printed line like the one in the new pics.

Those pictures do look eerily similar to the XPS 13... albeit slightly wider and the USB port being in a different position.

Wow you're right! I didn't even notice the letter layout was different!

That'd be cool if we can get some side pics

 

Agreed, but the specs listed would only be on the upcoming XPS 15, not the old one. And I don't think anyone who has seen the old one would confuse it with this model -- they look nothing alike.

 

Hmm, that's true...

It's a pretty weird listing since he appears to have no clue about what he's selling ("8GHz RAM"). There's also a print out of the dell website on one of the pictures. Maybe he was trying to identify the model but couldn't?

 

I'm using Chrome to translate, so maybe between this guy's lack of knowledge and the translation it's completely borked. At least we know it has a CD/DVD burner. Care to guess/translate what a "tocarte network hard drive" might be?

At this point we may know more about what this guy has than he does. Try to get him to join the forum -- we'll help him sell this sucker in less than an hour!

 

French is my third language, so I'm not that fluent in it either and his French just doesn't make a lot of sense

He has mixed up the hard drive (which is probably 1TB) and something about the network card :S

//EDIT
'carte reseau' is a network card. So he probably meant 'disque dur 1TO, carte reseau' (in stead of 'disque dur 1 tocarte reseau'), which means 'HDD 1TB, network card'. (TB = TO = Terra Octet in French)

 

Hmmm... So he doesn't mention anything about a SSD then? Hopefully if it's not default it will be available as an option (mSATA and a HDD).

 

Nicely done. French will be my eighth language as soon as I learn six more after English.

I'm focusing on that screen now. It was stated the 15 would have Gorilla Glass with an Anti-Glare/Matte coating. The reflection does appear slightly muted, but still rather pronounced. And I really can't determine the quality of the screen itself. It's clearly 1080p, but the Task Manager graphs aren't helping to determine the gamut or any other signs of quality. I'm leaning towards WLED and not B+RGLED.

 

The French apparently also call it an SSD (which is weird, 'cause they have their own words for everything computer related).

His description also fits with the leaked specs ( Dell XPS L521X - Preliminary info - Dell News and more)

 

hey, im belgian. gotta see if i can meet up with this guy...

 

I'm from Belgium too, but be careful with this add, it really sounds like he stole it or something

 

It's clear he got one of the first production models with basic specs. It's not like he was able to configure this before it's even been announced to the public. An entry-level proc, HD, ODD -- everything about it seems legit as far as specs, except for how he got his hands on it in the first place.

And for the time being I will have this picture in my sig so people know what we're talking about.

 

i think the reflection was from a high powreed camera flash lol... I wonder how its gonna be for regular lighting. and didn't bill already said its not gonna be the B+RGLED this time?

 

Yeah, like I said earlier, this initial release will most likely only have the WLED option. Even now on Dell's site you can't get the B+RGLED option, so they've clearly exhausted their supplies. The reflection is def from a camera flash, although if that were a MBP the photographer would have been blinded by the radiant blowback. I think this has some sort of coating.

 

was tehre any mention of the weight of the 15? ik the thickness was mentioned to be .95

 

On the original Tweakers.net article, they measured the thickness to be 24.2mm and the weight out to be (or at least translated out as) 2.6 lbs. That seems a little too light for anything not an Ultrabook, but Tweakers was quoting the source of the photo, and having seen it now, I suppose it's possible.

 

yeah that does seem too light lol... the zenbooks are at 2.86 ( the 13 in ones) maybe 2.6 kg?

 

(Oh, and Dutch is my 1st language, so if you don't understand something from the Tweakers article, let me know )

 

what is it saying about the weight oh dutch speaking one

 

I did the conversion. On the site it said 2.6 kilos but never translated it out to lbs. 2.6 kilos equals 5.73 lbs, roughly. That makes much more sense.

 

So do you think the price at €1763 is accurate?

 

They say it is 2.6 kg, which is about 5.7 lbs (according to google).

It also says the screen is 300nits and has Gorilla Glass. The trackpad is made of glass with integrated mouse buttons.

 

That's the "new" price. He's asking for 650, or at least wanting to start there. I don't know how things are valuated in Europe, but in the U.S. those entry-level specs for $2,000 would not be worth it. He may have gotten that from some Dell promotional material listed at MSRP.

 

haha its still pretty hefty even if its thin, the envy is 5.7 also .

 

I think he tried to look up which laptop he was selling on the dell website, but couldn't find one (obviously), so he configured a 'comparable' one. The current XPS15 with maxed out settings is about 1750€, so...

Which doesn't mean it can't be the correct price for the new XPS of course...

 

Expect the XPS around 1200€-1500€

1750€ makes no sense, it wouldn't priced to compete.
Especially for this base model which will probably cost no more than a thousand.

 

First post in this thread. I too have read every post of the 124pg thread. That picture ... hmm. I'm fine with everything else EXCEPT those MASSIVE spaces on the sides. And I can't seem to make out anything that looks like speakers. If indeed speakers do not go there, then PLEASE Dell make those spaces smaller. You can fit a whole numpad there.

I also have a few questions for Bill.

1. I'm looking to buy a laptop for university (currently have my eyes on this and the Zenbook Prime). The Zenbook Prime is obviously lighter than this XPS. I'm definitely going to be carrying this in my bag to school, and I'm wondering if this XPS will be too heavy to do that on a constant basis (daily). I know you can't talk weight, but anything from "it's light enough to carry daily" would be great.

2. Any word on keyboard back-lighting? Not really a deal breaker, but it would be very useful.

Hopefully this machine comes with a good price. Then that'll make deciding that much harder

PS: Anyone have any other suggestions for laptops?

 

Well it's a standard 15.6" laptop, so you'd probably be looking at < 6 pounds, and under an inch thick. I consider that really easy to carry, and it would fit in a backpack pretty easily.

I think an Amazon page popped up earlier this month for 1300$, no news on whether that is the starting configuration or not, but I think we're looking at 1000$+.

The zenbook will obviously be lighter than the XPS like you said, maybe a bit more stylish depending on your tastes, but also correspondingly weaker. If you don't play very many games, the 13" zenbook might be a very good option (I would have gotten that if I wanted an ultrabook). They also might have a GT620M with it, so you might be even able to play some low quality games with it.

Keep in mind though the form factor of the ultrabooks has made some of them prone to overheating etc. I know anandtech did a review on the new Zenbook Prime, so check to see if the emissions there are an issue for you. If they aren't, it comes down to pretty much style/battery life and low quality gaming for a different style/more performance (better gaming) with slightly worse battery life.

Of course, we know the ZBP has an IPS screen to it, which should be better than whatever the XPS 15 has. Unless it comes with an IPS/PLS screen, but the early rumors said a WLED display.

 

The new XPS 15 will come with a back-lit keyboard, at least the option.

The new XPS 15 will average 5.73 lbs. and .95" thick.

 

Just like birdbird I am looking for a laptop for university.

What would you guys recommend for a laptop that has to be taken around quite a bit, screen size and all.

I would use it for my study and it needs to be able to work for a few years.

The XPS13 is out of the picture because it is simply too expensive.
I'll use it for a bit off minecraft, AC:revelations, ACIII on as high graphics as possible ofcourse so a dedicated GPU would be nice.

Other uses will be Office programs, web browsing, watching video's/streaming them to my tv (so a big screen isnt necessary per se)

 

I know, just pointing it out for him

To the above, maybe an Inspiron 15R SE? An HP dv6 might give you more power, but it's HP. The lenovo ideapad y480/y580 might also work, I know some of the y480's were going for 850$. Below 850$... no idea. Asus is releasing a 650-850$ ultrabook with a GT630M in it, so that's another option.

 

I'm trying to decide between this and the new envy 15. It's going to be a tough choice...

 

The keyboard. The Black version of the current XPS 15z

The interior has too much empty space. If the speakers at the bottom, why not make the keyboard a bit larger with proper Home, Page Up/Down keys etc?

Honestly, I don’t like the current XPS 15z keyboard. Maybe I can live with the layout but the keyboard feels too much like “on/off push button”. The keystroke is too short. I hope L521x will have better feeling.

 

tell me about it lol... its basically gonna come down to how much thinner/lighter the dell is.
and if its worth it over better speakers better gpu/cpu

 

Also display matters.......wled (?) +TN (?) display has no match for IPS panel+wled display even if there is some color issue with IPS!

 

How so? There are a few posters in this thread who have raised the issue so frequently that it almost feels like beating a dead horse. IPS doesn't guarantee a high quality display, nor does TN guarantee a low quality display, from the standpoint of brightness, color accuracy, or gamut. In terms of viewing angles, IPS typically has a significant advantage, but I've had TN displays that were fine in that regard. I usually look at my laptop straight on, or nearly so, and will adjust the display for optimum viewing angle. Even with any IPS-equipped laptop I've used, the same story applies even if the range of acceptable viewing angles is somewhat broader (although I definitely notice some level of shift still). Poor color accuracy and gamut, low brightness, or grainy presentation though, I would consider to be a major shortcoming. IPS (or PLS) may, in some cases, increase the likelihood that these other factors are handled well but (as we've seen in some laptops) it's certainly no guarantee.

Realistically speaking, this design is finalized and the display will probably look similar to whatever the 'FHD' WLED displays with which we are already familiar. I guess I understand being disappointed, but chances are Dell isn't going to be moved to change the display situation until after release and seeing if complaints/demands pile up.

 

IPS panels employ pairs of electrodes at the sides of each cell, running the electric field horizontally through the material. This approach keeps the liquid crystals parallel to the front of the panel, increasing viewing angle.

IPS Panels offer a vivid and clear picture.IPS panels display consistent and accurate color from all viewing angles. Other panels may only display partial true color. The discrepancy is normally more than 2 times in terms of color shift(Wiki).

...........look i have used envy 15 and it has low black levels and hence high contrast ratio even at medium brightness and also it has great viewing angles(both horizontal and vertical which is not possible with even highest quality TN panel........i have compared with apple mbp 13 which has very high quality TN panel but has limited viewing angle).

Regarding the color gamut, it generally depends on the led used. RGB led has wide gamut value than B+RG led and wled!

yeah I agree...IPS panels have some problems like one in envy 15(false color reproduction and low color accuracy)!In this regard PLS is more improved technology! And yes, may be L521x will end up having wled 1080p + TN....but as they have used PLS in XPS One 27, I have hope that they will use PLS in L521X!

 

BEen meaning to ask, still no news on any teaser page?

 

X220 has an IPS panel and has less than 70% sRGB gamut. The Envy 'Radiance' display has terrible color accuracy in the reds. So, accuracy and color gamut are both out as defining characteristics; viewing angle is mostly the advantage. However, having used both displays, I honestly found fairly noticeable shift with both particularly in vertical viewing angles. On the X220 in particular, there was a region in which luminance was affected substantially along with color. It would go from bright, to dimmed noticeably, to bright again as I tilted the screen. There really isn't much more to say about this, so I'm not going to argue about it interminably. The overall point is that IPS doesn't guarantee a high quality display. Rather, it simply increases the likelihood (as I noted above).

In any case, this is a largely irrelevant argument. It doesn't appear as though the XPS 15 (at least initially) will be shipping with an IPS (or PLS) display, and I seriously doubt bringing the subject up on every page or every-other page until launch is going to change that fact.