New Dell XPS L521X (Ivy Bridge)

Exactly! My XPS M1530 is also about four years old. You could choose from multiple displays/resolutions, multiple processors and hard drives, nvidia or AMD graphics, antivirus or no antivirus, and so on. I asked about customization in the hang out, and was told that big companies (like Ford) who order multiple units now have the option to have consumer-side systems custom built, but not consumers themselves. Rev Davis did say to find him on Twitter or in the NBR Alienware forum though for more help with this.

 

The retina display like display that may be present in the future will be power saving as well. He mentioned how LCDs are getting more power efficient every year while providing the same quality, colors, and brightness. And he also said that a retina type display in the future would take about as much energy as the display currently in the XPS 15.

 

Another happy owner of a 4 year old (man that was fast) XPS1530. Haven't had to send this thing in for a single repair, and my only real issue with it is the overheating of the defective GPU they put in it. Let's just say the HD4000 igpu in my desktop puts my notebook to shame in Diablo 3.

Was there really not a single question on G+ hangout about customization after initial release? Would be nice to know now, so I can start shopping around if they have no plans to give us any options at all

 

So my best bet is to call a rep and try to get them to give me a 100$+ discount? Could I do this online with a rep, or will it likely only work with a phone call?

Anybody have a GT630M GDDR5 benchmark?

 

Phone call is your best bet. Have a system saved in your cart or wish list

 

Alright thanks for the tip. I might try that out tomorrow morning then. The GDDR5 630M should perform exactly like a GDDR5 540M/550M depending on the Cuda core count right?

Edit: nvm, 550M is same as 540M with higher clocks it seems. Notebookcheck says there is a version with 144 shaders though >:O anybody know how to make sense of this/talked with a rep?

 

Sorry man, not to denigrate you, but I don't think so, especially having some Digital Electronics basis... And, supposing that the screen doesn't require per itself more power, the rendering of 4x pixels from the GPU doesn't consume more power?

Rastering 1024x768px is NOT the same as rastering 2880x1800... (numbers put just for example purposes).

But let's giving up, Dell has made their choices, now it's time to us to make ours, and personally mine won't be Dell...

 

In the hangout, customization was asked about and the response was that due to the new design of the XPS, and the attempt to keep down thermals, fan noise et al. that there would/could only be a set number of options, and that's what you're seeing in the 3-4 builds when you visit the website.

As others have noted, new displays, possibly even CPUs, may be made available in the coming months, particularly with the release of W8, but that the myriad pages of options that we've all come to know and love about Dell are pretty much gone. Just look at the Inspiron sites -- it's the same story there.

 

Sweet... nice one mate... Hopefully some reviews by them.

Quidco is only valid for another couple of days though.

By the way, is that code valid along with student discount? I don't think the previous one was.

 

Does the UK have a student discount? I asked and they said no. Apple has 15% which sucks.

 

I'm relaying basically what the Dell Rep said, I guarantee I butchered some of what he said or added parts that he didn't say accidentally, but that was basically the reason. It is a small power difference and Dell went with the choice of power saving.

 

Dunno really... Just googled it the other day and found this:

Dell Student Computers

 

So what about SSDs? I thought I heard something about the possibility of them being added?

 

You can get the HD+mSATA combo now or a 512GB SSD option. For 256GB SSD, you will have to wait weeks or months, they weren't specific.

 

I've seen that, but have no clue how it works and if it works.

Looks like a seriously old site.

 

I really don't see why Dell couldn't do both, in terms of pre-built and customized builds. Weren't they doing this recently? There were systems that were advertised as "ship within 24 hours", or you could go in and tweak it a bit and your ship date would be pushed back a few weeks. I don't know, maybe this was just really expensive for them, and more people bought the ready-built systems than the custom, and so that's the direction they went with the new lineup. I think I am going to have to wait and see what happens. I bought a new 7200 rpm HDD for my current XPS, and hopefully that will take me into next year when Haswell is released and the options improve. I am really curious to read reviews though, and see what those of you who ordered now think of them.

 

I am suspecting an overflowing stock of 512Gb SSD's and 128mSATA+1TbHDD's... I remember seeing the 256Gb SSD available in other countries.

 

The warranty costs more than the standard Inspiron warranty because of the premium support, accidental damage.

You don't have to buy the premium warranty for years 2-4. You can take the free year offered with the system, and get one of the sales guys that hang out on these forums to tack on another 1-3 years of standard warranty. They could probably whip that up for you via PM/email within an afternoon and a couple of emails. Truth be told, if you really have a problem with the premium support, you could probably raise your objection after point of sale with the @DellCares team and request a refund for the cost of the warranty in exchange for whatever term of standard warranty. I can't guarantee they will do that, but you could always ask. Worst they could do is say "no, but do you want us to tack on some standard warranty?"*

*For a price, of course.

 

I'm going to try this, as I have 0 use for lojack or mcafee etc, but I do like the ADW and On Site service.

 

I have to say, that having Bill and other Dell reps here in the forum, and hosting events like the hangout on Google+, really add to the benefits of owning a Dell. The support is phenomenal and they listen to their customers. I have never bought any computer other than a Dell, and all have lasted quite a long time with nary a problem. My boyfriend has a MBP that is a year older than my XPS M1530, and he had to replace a bulging battery within the first year that he owned it, and in the last 15 months he had to replace the logic board twice. I'm really jinxing myself here, but other than some BSOD issues lately, my XPS has been wonderful. It still does everything I bought it for four years ago. More recent games, not so much--but that's to be expected with any aging machine.

There are other, very pretty and very tempting laptops out there, and with my student discount, the MBP+R is the same price as the high end XPS 15. I really think the MBP+R is the only laptop I see myself choosing over the XPS 15. If Dell came down in a price a bit, and offered something other than a 1tb 5400 RPM HDD in the top-end build, I would probably buy it.

 

Have you done a memtest and or done a clean install of windows lately to solve your BSODs?

 

The previous panel, from the L502x (B+RG) had a 92% gamut, not 72. It was widedly regarded as one of the best laptop displays of all time.

Incidentally, if Dell support is one of the reasons people like Dell so much, I don't get it. My experience with them in the past week has SUCKED BAD.

 

I do a memory test each time the BSOD happens, and no problems. I did a clean install about a year ago so it is probably due, but I'm putting in a new hard drive this week.

 

Feedback to Dell:
I have a L501x with an i5-560m, B+RG display, and I added an SSD. I was really hoping for something with a i7-3720 and an SSD with a really nice display, before Windows 8 is out. I like the new XPS but not the specs. I don't need that much portability. The 15R SE doesn't work either, so I guess I'm waiting. And if they don't fix the Metro start page for laptops and desktops I'll have to buy a copy of windows 7 too.
But I'm certainly not getting a MBp.

 

See, this I just don't understand. Yes I know we're not forced to purchase the added warranty, but if we want more than a 1 year warranty there is no option for a simple 2-3 year hardware warranty without paying the extra for "premium". Why not offer one set of standard warranties and a set of premium? The total dumbing down of the ordering process is going to turn a lot of customers away in my opinion.

With that said, is what you say really possible? Will every Dell rep be able to extend the 1 year to a hardware only warranty for a certain cost?

Appreciate the support Bill. I'm not trying to sound so cynical even though it probably comes off that way. Just disappointed that we are given essentially zero options for customization, even non-hardware related. This is one of the big draws that brought me to Dell in the first place.

You must be in Australia? I don't see a 512GB SSD option for the U.S.

 

I agree the lack of customization pushes buyers like us away. The abundance of options freaked out members of my family and overwhelmed them to be honest. I kind of see it as:

Old Dell options = Great for techies

New Dell preconfigured systems = More inviting to non techies.

 

well updated touchpad drivers and bios drivers today. let youguys know, the touchpad is alot better with clicking. my only complaint is i wish the bios was not a bios but an UEFI setup.

 

Windows 8 can't manage properly a RD, so is useless and if they not used B+RG display because it take much power, why they want use this kind of screen... for me nonsense.
IPS screen? LOL seems the only IPS display 1080p for a 15.6" is the same of Envy and Sony so we can have orangegate with XPS too (oops now is blue/violetgate).
We already know there are a mSata 512/256/128/64 SSD in spare parts of XPS.
Choices to battery reason is an apology for everything, but they can study a battery profile that doesn't push HW to its limit, for example with battery profile GT650m go to GT640m max clock and volt, same thing for CPU.

Multitouch or touch panel is so useless in a notebook, just think you must to hold your arm raised for so much time...
Windows 8 can support 2550X1440, but hasn't the management of OS X for this high resolution in fact you see like a 1080p display is OS X.

AnandTech - Dell XPS L501x: An Excellent Mainstream Notebook
Display RGB of Studio XPS 16 was almost 120% of adobeRGB
Display B+RG of L501X/502X was more than 96%
72% gamut is value of normal 17" display WLED used in Precision M6600 and XPS17.
Display RGB IPS of Precision offer 100% of gamut.
Therefore drop isn't 12% but 36% (for B+RG) 40% (for RGB IPS) 68% (for RGB of studio XPS16), I think is noticeable for almost all.
Maybe RGB LED displays can have much power consumption because there are 3 kind of LED, but B+RG is a normal WLED with only kind of LED.

but B156HW01 v0 is not screen of XPS15, because it has 350nits, so maybe power consumptions is worse.

InsprironR 3 years NBD cost 101$ (87€ in my country)
XPS15 3 years NBD cost 200$ (280€ in my country )

I agree, specially with donkey flying in the sky :laugh:

I agree

There are a lot of options, we have seen in spare parts for XPS14/15

 

I can't imagine too many non techies buying an XPS that starts at $1200 though. Those types of people are generally the target market for the Inspirons. It would make more sense to do it the old way for XPS and have a few preconfigs for the lower end lineup.

I really do like the look of this notebook. Just some of the specs they chose are totally out of place, like the 5400rpm drive in their high end XPS.

 

No, but if you buy me a first class ticket, I'll go anywhere in the world you want. And yes, to my enemies, that includes Hell.

The 512GB config is an Aussie option, not a U.S. one, but that just goes to prove they're still rolling out the full set of possibilities each country at a time. And as stated earlier, the 256 option will come eventually, stateside no doubt.

 

Appears to work though... When you click on laptops it takes you to the main site with an epp located in the url somewhere as a ref.

The linked site says that you enter your college / uni in the company field or something like that.

 

Interesting points. I'm actually curious about battery life. downlinx said about 4-6 ish depending on the load, but I'll be interested in other reports.

I have to disagree. If family members (who aren't tech savvy) buy a computer they will either ask myself or someone else for help, or go instore where there aren't tons of options. There are also quick-ship models available online. The ability to customize is a bonus to buying directly from the manufacturer.

 

Downlinx, do you know if your graphics card is overclockable at all through any software, and if so does it have any effect on thermals?

Also: Check your PM. I would appreciate it immensely if you could do something like this for me. (Sending it soon) Although I don't know if it will be possible.

 

you can overclock but not much, everytime you OC you will introduce more thermals into the component and in turn you will hear more fan noise.

 

I apologize if you listed this elsewhere, but did you run GPU-Z and figure out if the 630 was the 28 or 40nm part?

 

^ I believe dell has said it is a 28nm part. But either way, can you run a GPU-Z? I would love to know all the information. Post screenshot please!!

 

it is the 28nm version with ddr5

 

Not sure if this has been posted yet.

It's been confirmed the keyboard IS spill resistant. good news!

 

Is it too much trouble to post the GPU-Z? (I mean that in a sincere, non sarcastic way) I would love to know the shader count/clocks of it. iirc, there are two GT630M's, one has 96 shaders, and the other has 144. At least, according to Notebookcheck.

 

I did see that on the NBR review. Does that mean it can take a minor spill (say less than an ounce) and be fine, or more along the lines of a Thinkpad where it can handle insane amounts of liquids?

 

Did Bill ever say if there would be a black cover option?

 

i can not post an accurate gpu-z as dell still has the gpu specs locked down. but here is the validation from gpu-z, notice things are still missing
techPowerUp GPU-Z Validation 642re
I am still waiting for there unlocking drivers.

 

The black cover option is a leather lid that's only available on the models with mobile broadband.

 

Oh ok.

Wait, you can't install Nvidia drivers, or what? :O

 

i can but i would have to install modded inf drivers, and on a beta test you try not to do that.

 

i just want them to be available at best buy. free xbox here i come.

 

Is this something exclusive only to the beta, or is this going to happen with the real XPS line? Anybody know? This would be pretty sad

 

As I said earlier in this thread: A touch option would be awesome for Windows 8! Even if they had that option before it's released I'd get it (For $50 or so) because October is too long to wait... Also the $15 Win 8 upgrade is an amazing deal.

I hope that when they do allow customization (soon?) they will offer separate options for each disk... Example:

1. 2.5" Hard Drive or SSD
   • None
   • 500GB HDD
   • 750GB HDD
   • 1TB HDD
   • 256GB SSD
   • 512GB SSD
2. mSATA SSD
   • None
   • 32GB
   • 128GB
   • 256GB
   • 512GB

Of course they would need to check that at least one disk was selected for their OS and bloatware
I also wish for the GT640 to be standard across all of the configs... It's like that in the UK right now.

I see in your signature that it says 128GB SSD... is that 2.5" or mSATA? How did you manage to get that from Dell?

You better be able install drivers direct from Nvida, Intel, Synaptics (etc.)!!!!!

 

Base model of XPS15 starting at 1199.99 at Best buy: Dell - 15.6" XPS Laptop - 6GB Memory - 500GB Hard Drive + 32GB Solid State Drive - Aluminum Silver - XPS15-1591

Edit: And I definitely hope to hear from Bill on the drivers. We WILL be able to install drivers directly from Nvidia etc. correct? If not, I will be really disappointed :/

 

Wow.... I'd be okay with the cheaper price if there were customization options through Dell right now....

That's the way it should be: Cheaper prices and faster ship/availability times are in-store but online through the manufacturer should have vast customization options... It's what virtually every other manufacturer does (ahem.. HP)