New Dell XPS L521X (Ivy Bridge)

Shhh. That's a secret.

But, but, but XPS wants to play, too.

My comment here is very bland and uninformative, but I have a good reason. So, apologies in advance.

If you like the current XPS 17, you should order it when you're ready.

 

Loved the old XPS M1530, motherboard just went on it, waiting for the new Ivy Bridge XPS and hoping it doesn't take to long to debut. Not having a laptop is really inconvenient. Love dell computers and the specs on this guy look amazing.

 

Thank you. That was very informative honestly and more than I thought you might be able to tell me. I appreciate it.

 

I'm really pumped about this launch. I get excited about every product we launch in Consumer, but these XPSs coming out are really nice. A very significant evolution of the current XPSz's, not a bland refresh with new CPU/GPU/SSD. I would buy either one.

 

I may be late but when is the new XPS gonna b released? Is there a set date yet?

 

Dell-Bill_B, should we expect two lines of XPS like now or only one slim replacement for the Z series?

 

I think i know what's happening, Dell is making the next gen xps more expensive(envy like) and moving the inspiron R up a bit too. Now the inspiron line is a competitor for the HP G series but in the next gen it will be for the DV series.

 

I think not there will be a 17" version of XPS as it will happen for the next MBP.

This is very important question.
Maybe i wrong but I think to have understood that there will be two lines XPS.

 

↑→ Bill?
and don´t panic, that´s my only question, I don´t want to strain you like in the good old Studio 17(47) times. Thanxx!

 

Could you comment again about the different variants of the upcoming XPS line. I believe I read from your earlier posts that there will be 2 XPS variants (XPSz and XPS) in 2012. Is the XPSz the higher end laptops and the XPS is the mid range or vice versa? Are there going to be XPSz versions for all screen sizes (13, 14, 15, 17) this year since the 17 in doesn't currently have a XPSz version ? I am only interested in the higher end laptops in the XPS 17 (Quad core i7 SB, Nvidia GT 555M) in the current XPS laptop generation so I would be looking for something similar in the 2012 XPS refresh (17 in, Quad core i7 IB, Nvidia GT 650M, etc).

I guess my confusion stems from the current notation based on my observations that the "z" in the XPSz model meant thin and slim. Any details to help me understand this is appreciated.

 

New dell docs online (inspion, sadly)

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins5520/
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins7420/
http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins7520/

14" + 900p + GT640m = yay.

 

Bill,

My Latitude E4300 has been an amazing machine. We've been through a lot together, but she recently fell (was pushed) off a table, broke the hinges, and now I have a laptop that I cannot close (a.k.a. a desktop). Needless to say, I'm eagerly awaiting IVB. I'd love to move up to 15" from my current 13", but I can't take the bulk!

Can you answer one question for me? I don't have a need for the latest and greatest graphics, but quad-core is absolutely essential, and breaking the 1-inch-thin barrier is extremely important. The current XPS lineup forces the consumer to choose between quad-core awesomeness and sleek-for-portability yumminess. In the future (the immediate one, not the distopian one), will Dell obviate the need to make that choice?

Thanks!

 

Think I've decided to go with the new Inspironr SE. Really interested in the new XPS but think it'll be a few months before it'll be within my price range. Any hints to when the Inspiron will be shipping to the rest of the countries?

 

Admin should rename this thread: Siege at fort Dell-Bill

 

I would not be surprise if Dell-Bill has nothing to do with Dell and just have a good fun.

 

B-but, there's a picture of him, and it says Dell on it!
Nah, seriously, I think he's probably legit. He's also been posting a lot in the Alienware forums where he's actually allowed to talk about things instead of just hinting at them. And, if he was faking it, it would mean he's fooled an awful lot of people over a long period of time with those forum stats.

 

I feel bad for poor Bill.



Then again, he spoke first, lol. I think I speak for the masses when I say that even the little bits he has told are terrific of him to do (provided of course he isn't a leprechaun leading us on a merry chase for the pot of gold )

 

I know Bill has a lot of questions, but I unfortunately have one more.

Can you comment n how hard it'll be to open the new revision and put a different HDD in? I have a ssd already so I would just buy one with the cheapest HDD and upgrade myself.

I looked at upgrading the HDD in the 14z and 15z and the videos make it look like a pretty big pain.

Thanks Bill!

 

Hey Bill_B,
Can you just tell whether the screen in XPS L521x is as good as L502x?(I am sure you can!)

 

haha i think bill might be holding off making comments now that hes got our attention

 

I actually agree: the more you guys ask questions to Bill the less he's going to be inclined to answer. Don't harass or he mights just stop answering or even coming here! He knows he's got our attention so don't make him leave!
He seems to be a very decent guy and seems to be willing every information that he is allowed to tell us. I don't think he's voluntarily holding back on any info. Why don't we all be patient and wait until he can tell us more, which I'm sure he will in the upcoming weeks.

 

We should all chip in and get him a fruit basket.

 

Do you think he would get it if we just sent it to...

Bill
Dell Corporate Headquarters
One Dell Way
Round Rock, TX 78682

 

LOL!

Make it Dell-Bill_B and I bet it will

 

He is legit.

LinkedIn

 

Technically, the L521X doesn't exist (even though we all know it does), so if you want ask a question about it, you might have to phrase it differently.

 

Of course he's legit ... he's wearing a Longhorns shirt in his profile pic! Dead giveaway he lives in Round Rock . Go Sooners!

 

OK...I’m following him, if he knows something he will have to speak...

 

We have a date set, that has been pushed back recently by a few days. We can't share an exact date (never can), but I can say about mid-summer is where we sit now. I consider us in late-early summer now. (Texas summer starts early and runs late, natch.)

Can't comment on what's going to happen with "z" branding right now. I think we can tell this story after the XPS launches.

A very lucid observation. I will confirm or refute when I can.

You just made me shudder with that 1747 reference. I've learned more about DPC latency since that issue cropped up than I ever wanted to know.

It will come to Germany, but will there will be a bit of a gap between the APJ release and the rest of the regions. I don't know the whole story, but for some reason APJ wanted to launch now.

I can't comment specifically on the rebranding just yet, but the "z" moniker will still mean thin where you see it used.

Can't comment on specific CPU offerings at this point. If they happen to launch without any component customers want available, we'll hear about it in social media and get the reporting over to the marketing and product planning teams for review.

Don't know offhand, but I do recall the gap between the APJ launch and the rest of the regions was at least 30 days.

I work for Dell. Dell branded Twitter account. LinkedIn profile. Profile on the Dell Community site from like 07 somewhere. You can even see how goofy I look on video if you dig around on YouTube hard enough in a Vostro keyboard-related video from about 2008 or so. My tech screwdriver skeelz are on display and in full effect. I even bust out the plastic scribe at one point if memory serves.

It ain't easy. We always post the tear down guides in the system documentation on Support.Dell.com.

Can't say exactly, but I can say I don't think we're backsliding on screen quality on any product in general that I know of. The trend is higher resolution and moar NITs.

Bingo. That's my never updated LinkedIn profile. If you ever see any updates, you will know I've gotten in hot water with my boss.

You, sir, have drawn my ire. If we don't put it on the Sooners this year, we will the next 3 years after. We had some recruiting hiccups in '08, and a lot of the guys we had on campus were recruited to run the spread. We're going to a heavy ground game like the old Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Priest Holmes days. Our 3 tailbacks make up the best backfield in the country, IMO. This will pay dividends when these monster O-linemen we're recruiting start getting up to speed.

On a sadder note, I'm a bit depressed by this news.
Beastie Boys Co-Founder Adam Yauch Dead at 47 | Music News | Rolling Stone

 

Now this stings... I guess it means July now... I sure hope the wait is worthwhile!

 

Bill,
What about the color space? Is L521x going to have full adobe RGB color space or merely sRGB?

 

Honestly too early to answer anything that specific. Sorry about that.

 

Hey, Bill.

First wanted to thank you for taking the time out to answer so many questions even if you're not allowed to say anything just yet.

I did want to ask something since you mentioned that the leaked image on Tweakers did not do justice to the real McCoy... The image leaked makes the new XPS look identical to a MacBook. Now, I'm no fan of Apple and will definitely be getting a Dell, however, can you please explain the thought-process, the ideology of why Dell would copy a MacBook, when Apple sells less than 5% of the world's computers, PCs make up over 90% (with Dell being a heavy contributer to that) -- why would you guys feel the need to copy the runner who's coming in at 20th place? It's somewhat infuriating.

For example, I'm seeing in that leaked image reduced size on the arrow keys, no dedicated page-up/down, home/end keys. I know you can't say anything substantial, but your thoughts on this would be appreciated; or better yet, please correct me if I'm wrong and that leaked image is a complete fake. As it stands right now, the Inspiron R SE looks more faithful to Dell than the L521x.

Sorry for the rant. Either way, thanks in advance for whatever you can say.

 

Anyone heard or read anything, based on speculation, about the optical drive in this hypothetical L521X? Is Blu-ray offered? Tray- or slot-load?

 

It most likely won't differ from the current line: tray-load for XPS, slot-load for XPSz, Blu-Ray for either if you pay for the upgrade. I'm hoping for a slot-load on the XPS (although some people have problems with the slot). Hopefully, if the XPS is thin enough, they have to go this route. It looks thin in the picture.

 

I would definitely prefer a slot. I don't know what the advantage of a tray is. It just gets in the way for me.

 

Slot-load drives are a pain if you get CDs stuck. They have hairpin manual eject things, but I've have a run of bad luck with those. That said, I'd probably prefer a slot-loading drive. Trays just seem... old. In fact, I'd do away with the optical drive entirely and just add a second hard drive bay. (I'm one of those people that virtually never uses CDs)

 

I'll bet the percentage of people who actually use their DVD/CD drive are less than 10% and of those it's less than once or twice a month. Better off copying all media to a 2nd HD for long trips or whatever, and not lug around all those discs. I have 30 DVDs currently loaded on my XPS. Never use the drive at all.

 

I use discs to rip music upon a fresh OS install and to install new games when I get them. And I get physical copies of games and music because, well, I like to own the actual data on a disc instead of just a virtual license to download it for as long as it's available, but I digress. Honestly, it's not very often, but it's often enough that I'd rather just have it built into the machine instead of having an external drive taking up space in a drawer. That's just me, though, I know a lot of people also like their laptops being free of optical drives.

 

Not to sound dismissive or trite, but design trends (at least at Dell) do not rely on what any competitor's product looks like. We have multiple inputs for researching customer preferences, some paid like focus groups, in home studies, market sales analytics, some free like social media, ratings and reviews, our own sales figures, and honestly a tiny bit of what is selling from our competitors. This whole "blantant MBP rip off" is taking on a life of its own. I don't know what I see more- "Dell should shut down and give all the money back to the stockholders" or "Way to go, Dell. Another Mac copy."

The proof is in the pudding. XPS 13, said to be a MBA rip off, is selling at nearly 3X forecast. That's a bit bad forecasting and a bit popularity phenomenon if you ask me. More risk of sounding trite: If we could clone anything with an exact copy and not run afoul of copyrights (we don't; see above), we'd do it if it sold at 3X forecast all day long. At least I would if I was anyone with decisive power around here. I think we're here to sell units and hold margin while we do it.

Again huge qualifier here that I don't mean to sound like a smart alec or minimizing your concern in any way.

EDIT:
A word about the sales figures you cite- Where Apple lives in units sold is always going to be low. Their margins are crazy high, though. It's well-documented that we're shifting from a black box maker of generic, no nonsense systems into higher margin growth areas like services, software stacks and servers on the enterprise and commercial client side, and higher margin PC emphasis on the consumer side. We'll still sell the lower margin stuff to maintain supply chain leverage, but we're not going to live and die by sheer numbers. We'll leave that to other vendors.

 

I completely respect your answer. I'm 100% Dell all the way. The XPS 13 is a beautiful device and I never thought for a moment that it was derivative of a competitor's design. The new XPS looks gorgeous as well, and if you say I haven't seen anything yet to make such a determination, fair enough.

My concern stems more from Dell's design choices rather than what the market dictates. The arrow key and page up/down issues are rather significant, not only for me but I assume for others as well. The keyboard and screen are the major factors in buying a laptop, and it is a valid concern that the choices, options and input devices have either been eliminated and/or reduced in size. XPS is more of a gaming device than a business machine. I get that. I'm just trying to understand the mentality of why these changes were made with regards to the focus groups, home studies, etc. etc.

EDIT: As far as Apple's numbers, they price a product at 200% more than its PC equivalent and the iDiots don't question it and gobble it up. You never have to justify or compare anything in this world to what Apple does. I had an Apple IIc when I was a kid. WHEN I WAS A KID. Then I grew up and realized I needed to interact with society. I went with a PC and never looked back.

 

Bill, thanks for your input. It's great to hear these things in a "mostly technical" forum.

My XPS 15 is barely a year old and I'm eyeing the new design. That new Inspiron 15 SE is quite tempting. However, I'm still on the fence relative to the beautiful XPS 13.

 

I little light housekeeping... toodaloo...

 

Bill, could you comment if we have seen the last of 1366X768 screens and a new default of 1600X900?

 

Can't say specifically, but 1366x768 will probably always be the standard offering on smaller screens (13" and below). For the other XPS's, I can't say just yet. I can say, "screen resolution too low" was one of the top detracting features from the current generation, and we listen to this feedback.

 

Sorry for the double post. Mods, feel free to combine the two. oops.

As a current XPS 15 owner, you should wait. Not that the SE isn't a great offering, but I think you will have a tougher decision here in a couple of months or so. I'd wait and look at the slew of launches we have coming up and see what looks good price-wise and functionality-wise with all of them side by side.

 

That is good news, I think 900P is the sweet spot on a 15" laptop. I would be even more over the moon if Dell decided to go IPS!

 

In anticipation of Windows 8's touch capabilities, does Dell have any plans to create a Multi-touch 1920x1080p screen for any of its upcoming laptop lines?

 

This is my official out of office for vacation post. If I missed any replies, I apologize and will try to catch up when I return on May 21. If there are any service related issues that need immediate attention, please use the links in my signature or PM DellChrisM or Dell-Jesse_L.

 

Have a nice vacation