New XPS 14

that's the impression I get. There seems to be a much more noticeable jump in overall size from the 14 to the 15 than there is from the 13 to the 14.

I'm still debating the 14 vs the 15. I won't have a big graphics need with this, so the GPU discussion raging in the big thread really doesn't do much to help me decide.

At this point the biggest thing is probably the screen resolution. I'm bouncing back and forth between feeling like I'd be content with 1600x900 or wanting that 1920x1080.

 

Trust me, 1080p on 15" destroys your retinas (should be called a no-Retina display lol). 900p @ 13/14/15" hits the sweet spot - if using Word, IE, SQL, C# etc. 1080p is only useful for gamers/movie watchers.


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I've worked extensively with a 17" 1080p that I had eye strain with initially but adjusted to quickly and enjoyed. I haven't seen it on a 15".

I'd rather the size of the XPS 14, I think it hits the sweet spot for me, but I'm sure I'll go back and forth on the decision several hundred more times once they're finally released.

 

Can't you adjust the resolution on a laptop display just like you would on an LCD monitor? I know screens have "native" resolutions, so there might be a decrease in quality, but is it at least possible?

 

Yes, the displays work the same in that regard.

 

Yes but if you change from the native resolution it will be slightly fuzzy and not as sharp. Also if you alter the DPI in Windows your icons & toolbars in things like Word, SQL etc will look big & clunky - some won't even fit on the toolbar anymore and some dialogs get chopped in half. Altering native resolution is a mess so rather than just maxing out you need to consider picture quality vs readability. 900p all the way for me, unless 17" or bigger in which case 1080p or more.


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If the pictures are acurate the 14" will be a good size not much bigger then the 13" but upgradable and a better screen so this will be the one I am going with as I wanted the ivy cpu.

 

Agreed. 14" for me, to replace my Latitude E6400. Providing I can replace the SSDs with my own super-fast ones, I'm sold.

 

Do either the new XPS 15 or the new XPS 14 have a thunderbolt port? I've tried reading up on various sources but can never seem to find this information. This is potentially a dealbreaker for me.

 

None of them have it.

 

So I find the 14 somewhat disappointing, it has a ULV CPU and a mediocre GPU, but still weights 4.6 lbs.

Does it have any advantages compared to the Sony S13?

 

Yes, it's a Dell not a Sony.

Seriously, it probably has a better build quality (non-flimsy lid) and nicer keyboard. That's about it though.

If I buy one I'll fit my own SSD then it will perform much much better than with that clunky old 5400 drive. 32GB caching SSD doesn't cut the mustard!


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I too, find it disappointing. Engadget only got a 3DMark 2006 result of 6995. For a GPU with GDDR5, that is just pathetic. The UX32VD beats the XPS 14 in about every single regard.

 

Source?

The OLD XPS14 got a score of over 6800, so I sincerely doubt that score is accurate.

 

Dell XPS 14 review: a 14-inch Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge and graphics might -- Engadget

 

One of the reviews specifically called out a problem with excessive fan noise. Honestly, I didn't expect that given the size of the chassis

 

Would it be possible the switch out the HDD for an SSD?

 

Yes it is possible, but it is not as easy as on previous dell models.

 

Thunderbolt? Oh that Apple thing....who have now embraced USB 3...thank goodness. I know very few people who are happy with Thunderbolt. The hubs are big and expensive and it's been an Apple "lock-in" that's been a PITA for most users. Seriously, USB 3 is the WAY to go.

 

You mean an intel thing marketed by apple?

 

I have no idea why this product exists? They added a 1/2 pound from the 14z while ditching the optical drive and still manage only average battery life. Not priced competitively and the gpu/cpu isn't very powerful either. Makes no sense to get this instead of a Sony S. Ok, dell has a better warranty.

 

Although I think it needs some tweaking, I have to admit that I like this first design. I like where Dell is going with the XPS brand, which has always been one of my fav. That being said, the 14 needs to bump-up the dedicated GPU and think about an IPS display. I am not bothered by the weight, given the premium materials. It is starting to remind me more of the old XPS brand now.

 

With all of this info about the XPS 14 and the review by Engadget.... what is everyone leaning towards for $1,000 - $1,200 price range?

 

The xps 14

 

The 630m indeed is a really weak choice.

 

Not sure...considering Sony S13, one of the Vizios, or just going with an ultrabook of some sort. Yes I know the 14 is technically an ultrabook but you know what I mean...the ordinary sort that are light . One of the reasons I even considered something bulkier than an 'ultrabook' (of the ultraportable variety...) is considerations regarding noise, since they often use these tiny centrifugal blowers that are loud and high-pitched. If I can't get away from that even with a major sacrifice on portability, I may as well take portability back I guess. 630M means I'm not going to use it to game much at all; at most, only in a pinch. Engadget's complaint regarding viewing angles is a concern as well.

All together, I think the problem is that the major pros for it (for me) are Dell's support (which is big for me), the ability to change out the hard drive easily for an ordinary SATA SSD, and the unit's overall looks. On the cons, though, are weight, power, noise, and possibly ergonomics (still not sure about that keyboard).

I am probably going to wait a bit, though. If Dell addresses the noise issue that Engadget raised, and especially if they do something about the weak GPU, I might be on board. Otherwise, I'm not sure...

 

I learn what dell's engineering & design team culture are.

1. Doesn't care about weight in order to oppose apple care every ounce .
2 Doesn't care noise, no need to spend money and research some better thermal system. To oppose apple research better thermal system in much thinner case.
3 Advertising they are made by FINEST material but still get beated up by a $949 Vizio laptop (TN vs IPS screen ) .

Overall, dell has so much confident that they believe customers care about warranty more than the products.

I have to agree dell offers best warranty. (This is the only reason I am still hopping to buy xps 14)

Don't forget dell is tricking customers and call XPS 14 is ultrabook, I mean , SERIOUSLY ? LOL. 4.9lbs is an ultrabook?

Compare to vizio, for $949, 128GB SSD, 3.4lbs weight, IPS screen. The only downside is probably the warranty which I care about. Because ASUS gave me the worst experiences, I'm scary now

 

Found another review - Dell XPS 14 (Summer 2012) Review & Rating | PCMag.com

Engadget mentioned problems with fan noise too. However, PCMag doesn't mention what it's like on basic tasks (e.g. video playback) or just working with a bunch of documents. Maybe it's just loud while under heavy load but otherwise quiet?

 

Some more reviews (mainly the 14, but same thing!)

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc...ptops-and-netbooks/dell-xps-14-1085876/review

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/26/3117147/dell-xps-14-xps-15-laptops

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/06/dell-xps-14-review-beautiful-and-powerful-but-wait-for-windows-8/

http://www.laptopmag.com/review/laptops/dell-xps-14-2012.aspx

What puts me off more than anything is "the palm rest is a grease magnet" - I really hate that in a laptop, almost as much as a finger print prone lid!


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Hmm...well only two of those are really reviews. The reviewers seemed to feel ambivalent towards it. I don't know; these quotes (connected with ellipses) are sort of what I got out of these reviews...

Gizmodo UK -

Laptop Magazine (3/5 Stars [60%]) -

 

I prefer this review:

Dell XPS 14 product preview - Laptop - Trusted Reviews

Quote: "Quite frankly, the XPS 14 is a thing of beauty, with the kind of minimalism usually reserved for Apple machines. The entire laptop is constructed using anodised aluminium, milled from a single piece to make for a true ‘unibody’ chassis.

Build quality is accordingly superb. If the new XPS entrants are not the best-built laptops we’ve yet seen, they’re certainly up there. We realise this is a sweeping statement, but these puppies could make a MacBook Pro feel slightly inadequate. "

 

has anyone figured out how/if you can upgrade the i5 model to 8gb of ram?

doesn't seem to be a way on home, home/sml biz, or biz sites to do this on the XPS 14. from the user manual on the support site, it's only a single 204pin dimm buried deep in the bowels of the case. some dissassembly required.

i guess it's gonna be up to me to upgrade the ram and HD, no option (yet) for the SSD on the i5 either.

i guess i could go for the i7, but i'm going for max battery + least noise and heat...just don't trust the i7 is gonna deliver on those given the reports of noisy fan activity.

 

Except that is a preview, not a review, as evidenced by the header/tab at the top, and qualified language such as that the mSATA SSD "should be speedy and reliable," or that 'light gaming' is "also an option," as well as "It was difficult to get an accurate impression of the laptop’s audio talents"

The other two were actual reviews in which the system was put through its paces. The others seemed impressed by build quality and looks (honestly, is anyone unimpressed by the looks? ), but their enthusiasm was tempered by the noted criticisms they had. I guess I felt more comfortable relying on in-depth testing and analysis, rather than first impressions, when trying to get a complete sense of what I would be in for with this notebook. It will be interesting to see what TrustedReviews has to say when they review the XPS 14 in full.

 

Bah! Just typed a lengthy reply and TapaTalk lost it all grrrr.

 

Preview maybe. But the things that concern me - styling, build quality and a decent keyboard are all covered. I know the processor is fast enough, the screen is acceptable & better than what I'm used to do don't care if it's not IPS etc as long as the resolution is there. I don't game, I code - so this seems perfect for me. I've wanted a true MBP equivalent in the PC world and this is it. I don't care about price as its an MBP rival, not a rival for the Envy or DV6 like the previous gen. I don't care about the HDD as I'm fitting a Samsung 830 SSD and using the HDD in a caddy for storage. This thing is a real box ticker.


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Whats the performance difference between the i5 and i7? like ~15%?
W/ only the 3 choices available now (w/ nvidia card), it narrows down the options of course, would have like to pick the i5 8gb ram, & 256 ssd but I suppose I could aftermarket the ram/ssd (or wait until more options are available from Dell).
So then the choice to jump up to i7 gets you 8gb ram but still 5400rpm hdd.
I'm wondering if the i7 is that much more powerful?

 

i7 is obviously faster but unless your doing hard core stuff you'd probably not even notice. Without doubt the best upgrade you can ever do is install a fast SSD like the Samsung 830 - then watch that baby fly!


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My sentiments exactly. With sandy bridge and 1st gen i-Series, there are definitely performance differences...particularly 1st gen. But, that gap has narrowed, including battery life to a point. I haven't seen much on the heat/noise differences between the ivy bridge i5/i7, but it was enough w/ sandy bridge to still reduce battery life, increase heat...and for very little in a performance increase (like you said 15%, maybe 25% in this case).

I want exactly that, core i5 ivy, 8gb ram, and I've got SSDs in my currently e6510 laptop that i'll move over or just buy a new 256 Crucial M4.

But custom config doesn't exist yet. Dell is selling a single 204pin sodimm for these models (support.dell.com) and the user manual is there for disassembly and upgrade. So you could easily do it yourself. Dell's memory is double the price of an 8gb sodimm elsewhere. But possible is the point. I would just rather build it and be done w/ it though...no desire to swap out parts these days if I don't have to.

 

Just looked through the pictures on notebookcheck. Really is a gorgeous looking notebook. I wish the balance between features and performance, weight, and price had come together better. I'm going to withhold final judgment until I try one in person, though. My feedback hasn't been overwhelmingly positive, but that's mostly because I had seriously hoped to be blown away and had my purchasing decision made easy for me. Three weeks ago, I thought this would be my next notebook, so that tends to accentuate the disappointment and focus the criticism.

I wish I could use one of these for a day or so in a normal environment and see how it does. Before anyone suggests it - I don't consider buying, and then possibly having to return it, to be a very practical solution as having the money tied up is very inconvenient, and it also just seems a little cheesy. It's too bad most stores are so loud that I can't really evaluate noise, and the ability to do much with the machine is typically so limited that I can't test much. I guess that's what reviews are for!

 

Taken the plunge myself but not despatched yet - I got the SSD 17 8GB version which should improve performance and battery life. There is now another mid-level spec (i7 with HDD) review here from PCWorld.au Dell XPS 14 (L421X) Ultrabook review - reviews - Notebooks - Performance - PC World Australia