New XPS 15z

Answer is very simple. I'd Choose XPS 15 because it got JBL Speaker, Quad Core CPU, 2GB GT 540M, FHD B+RGLED Better Compare to WLED, A regular drive better then A slot loading drive because problem with a slot loading drive is that you can't insert mini disks, 2.0MP HD webcam with single digital mic (H.264) better compare to A 1.3 megapixel webcam.

Dell XPS 15Z Completely fails

I Hope It Helps

 

Hope they have fixed the wireless connectivity issues plaguing the XPS 15

 

Neither. Both suck in their own way. The XPS 15 has great specs but bulky and its port placements are a mess. As for the XPS 15z, well, just read the rest of this thread. The perfect XPS would be a slimmed down XPS 15 with the aluminium/magnesium chassis; a screen that doesn't have the god awful bezels and last but not least, a proper keyboard. But this will never happen, I fear.

 

Yuckkkkk
It's priced like an apple yet it's a dell that isn't even that powerful.

With a weight of 6.51 lbs. , it weighs more then the 15" apple as well.

The last good laptop from dell IMO was the aluminium XPS 15. Their new xps 15 seems cheap and plastic even if they do say it's made of aluminum.

 

I replaced the slot load in my Dell XPS Studio 16 for a hard drive, it should be the same thing except the SXPS 16 was easy to take apart. The XPS 15 is more of a PITA to take apart, who knows about this model?

 

The keyboard I'll give you, it doesn't look the greatest, but I think we need user impressions before we can really judge the keyboard/laptop as a whole. I5-2410m is about as powerful as an i7-720QM in a 35w package, having 45w in aluminum cladding is a bad idea because it's going to be hot, remember aluminum is a heatsink. What's wrong with the bezels? They do it the way they do for a reason, cables, support, styling of the laptop itself..

It's priced $500 less than it's nearest apple competitor, it weighs 5.54lbs, not 6.51lbs.

 

I have the SXPS 16 and got the XPS 15 for my GF. Mine will get burning hot sometimes on the bottom, but so far my GF hasn't had the same complaint. Mine's a G1 i5, her's is a G2 i7 quad core.

It's bulky but you gotta give it credit for having good thermal management.

 

How many times must it be said?

PCMag and LaptopMag both tested battery life with web browsing.

Engadget (and CNet) both tested battery life with looping video playback.

No duh Engadget (and CNet) are going to get lower battery life results.

 

Because audio is one place where size DOES matter.

It takes space to create good sound and likely one of the tradeoffs for having a laptop as thin as the 15z is that there's not enough room for such a high-end (for a laptop) system. Besides, from the reviews it sounds like the 15z's speakers are still fairly decent anyway.

 

Can anyone clarify as to what webcam comes with the 15z? Under tech specs it has it listed as 1.3mp but when you try to configure one, it claims it is 2.0mp.

 

So, they're probably using some kind of video player or codec or both that forces the machine to use the discreet graphics instead of the IGP.

While on the MBP, they're probably running some content that only uses the IGP and also running it off a 5400 rpm hard drive which will of course help skew the MBP's numbers compared to using a 7200rpm hard drive.

 

MBPs don't come with 7200RPM hard-disks.

Also 5400RPM vs. 7200RPM won't make a consequential difference.

In addition, video playback decreases battery life due to higher CPU utilization, not due to running the discrete graphics.

 

The 7200RPM drive doesn't use that much power over a 5400RPM, usually their power consumption is only 5-10% higher, at least according to Seagate and other brands.
The IGP though uses far less power than the dedicated graphics, so using that instead of the NVIDIA card will give higher numbers, but bear in mind that OS X has better power savings features than any Windows to date. If you put Windows 7 on MacBooks, their battery life will be the same (or even lower than) with a PC with the same hardware.

 

Wow, lots of hatred toward this poor little fellow! Let me guess - some bitter XPS 15 owners perhaps? lol!

But seriously, as an XPS L502X owner, I think this new XPS 15z is answering some of the main criticism of XPS 15 in a nice package with respectable specs. I would say, for vast majority of the consumers, this will be a great buy, and if I dare, a better buy than the XPS 15, as they would get a powerful SB cpu and solid mid-range gpu with 1080p display in a slick and stylish chassis. Unless there are some gross issues with the internal design and heat - and that is yet to be seen - I would recommend this machine over XPS 15 to anyone, unless they have (or expect) a true need for a quad core cpu or internal bluray... I agree that the keyboard could have been spread out more, but other than that, I would commend Dell on this job, even if it may be considered an apple copycat. This thing is going to go like hot cakes (with good coupon/discounts of course!).

PS - but hopefully, not literally like "hot" cakes haha! Soon we will know...

 

It looks like a great laptop, I don't get why the hate for this. Actually yesterday I was a bit down since I already bought and paid for envy 14 and then i saw someone selling this.

However, I did not know it had a non replaceable battery! That makes it a no no for me.

 

because basically a lot of people want a MBP that runs windows natively (without bootcamp). and you'd think if dell was going to copy the MBP, they could have at least fitted the same specs inside the thing. why cant they just open up a MBP and actually just copy it, and then stick windows 7 on it.

 

Yeah, I don't think it looks that bad, neither. It has 1920*1080 screen, and fairly lightweight (especially considering that it has 8 cell battery). I don't like the look of keyboard and grill, though -- they make it looks like a toy. IMO, MBP and Vaio SB look more professional, even with similar design cues.

That being said, given XPS's track record of heat management, I would wait for some guinea pigs or notebookcheck review, if I was interested inthis laptop.

 

Notebookcheck already made a preview of this notebook and it seems kinda loud (near 50dB with load) and pretty warm too (near 47* C in the upper left corner). Maybe they had a test machine and the retail is better.

 

Why buy it?

1. Cheaper than a 15" MBP.
2. 15" MBP does not have 1920x1080.
3. Current Envy does not have 1920x1080.
4. PC-style keyboard (although I prefer dedicated pg/hm/end keys)

As for why they can't directly copy an MBP, other than Apple is sue-happy (see Samsung), they probably wanted it to cost LESS than an MBP which is why I ordered one yesterday.

 

I think comparing this to the original XPS 15 is unfair. They belong to two totally different category and are targeted at different people.

 

My xps 15z is shipped!!!! So fast! my last dell experience was taken 2 months to deliever

 

I ordered one too! It will be here Friday!

 

Did you guys order the 1080p screens?

When I placed my order, expected shipping for the Full HD ones was 6/3 and when I checked out, it estimated 6/7 (I even used Next Day Shipping).

But based on your posts, I checked my order status today and it shows as "Shipped".

Is it going to be a good Memorial Day weekend for me?

 

Amen Brother.

 

Can anyone confirm whether the XPS 15z comes with a 2.0 or 1.3mp webcam? It says 1.3mp under tech specs but 2.0mp when you try to configure it.

 

All the reviews say 1.3 MP webcam. I'd trust the reviews since they actually had one physically. And they tested the webcam.

 

That's a shame because compared to the XPS 15, it has a worse webcam, screen, speakers and cpu/gpu options. Not to mention hideous keyboard. But I do give Dell some kudos for the new chassis although I really wish it was unibody like the MBP.

 

Was it with the 1080p screen?

 

As someone else said, 15 and 15z does not occupy the same segment. 15z is 15" laptop that you can carry around, XPS15 is bulky desktop replacement. You just cannot expect the same hardwares...Besides, it costs way less than MBP15" or Vaio SA, even though these two laptops have better performance-to-size ratio than 15z.

 

I wouldnt call it a desktop replacement. Its only .3lb more then the 14in ASUS laptop I have, and its completely portable. And the XPS 15 is only what, .5in thicker then the z? I dont see the big deal, or why its called chunky so much. Just cause its not an uber slim laptop, doesnt mean its chunky.

Actually its basicaly just as thick as my ASUS. Its 1.5" in back, 1.3" in front, my ASUS is 1.4" thick and I dont think its fat by any means.

Yeah the 9 cell adds a bit, but I prefer that as it helps keep more air under the laptop to help with cooling.


If a laptop is too big to comfortably sit on your lap while you are on the toilet, then its a desktop replacement

 

You couldn't have used another example besides "while you are on the toilet?" lol. But yeah I have been reading a few reviews where the 15z gets really warm especially around the lower left hand side area. With the XPS 15, I have had no problems with heat which is largely credited to its design. It seems the 15z is the elegant replacement for the Studio XPS 16, sadly inheriting the slot drive and heat problems. Too bad it doesn't have the highly touted RGB screen, it doesn't even have the B+RGLED of the XPS 15.

 

What heat problems? under 69c here on gpu and cpu while playing Starcraft 2 for hours. With a repaste and dust filters removed the 1645 is a great machine And defiantly better then its replacement. The Xps 15 and 15z are fail in my books. They lost there good looks and the beautiful screen

 

are there any other portable mediocre gaming 15" laptops besides the 15z and MDP??

 

I think both XPS 15 and 15z are targeting the same population. Think about the specs:

- Both have the 2nd gen SB, and with most programs currently around not optimized to use more cores, most people won't notice the lack of quad cores in 15z - as a matter of fact, it is likely to perform even faster given the higher clock speed.

- The gpus are essentially the same - 525 and 540 are very similar in all aspects.

- Both have 1080p panels. True that XPS has one of the best 1080p panels, but from a marketing point of view it may not be necessarily the best. I have heard people complain of the colors on XPS 15 being "oversaturated" while the problem really is that people are used to crappy displays on laptops which cannot reproduce colors (especially red) accurately, and now that you show them how colors were actually meant to be displayed, they think it's "oversaturated." In other word, XPS 15 panel is so good that it gets "bad".

- Speakers are good in both and definitely above average

- The rest of the specs are essentially the same: both support 8GB ram at 1333Mhz, upto 750GB storage (and SSD), etc. btw MP counts of webcam is a none issue for most given the usage of a webcam.

The only important thing missing in 15z is a bluray player. I know that it must use a thinner drive but don't know if they are available. Hopefully Dell is working on a solution to integrate bluray in 15z.

Given all, I do think that XPS 15z will ultimately largely replace XPS 15. XPS 15 is a great machine and I personally like mine, even its design and alleged "bulkiness", but its "bulky" design has generated criticism in almost all reviews. Is it really bulkier than the competition? Not at all, it's just a visual illusion, because most other laptops have tapered front, which creates the illusion of being thin, but XPS 15 front has the same thickness as the back end this creates the perception that it's not as slick, but there is no denying that XPS 15z is significantly thinner and slicker.

My account of the story is that XPS 15 was already due for a redesign, and Dell didn't want to miss the SB bandwagon, so they rushed in the L502x while working on a refresh, which came out as XPS 15z. My prediction is that they will soon either introduce quad cores into the 15z line, or make them exclusive to alienware, and eventually discontinue the current XPS 15... If my prediction is anything near truth, we should expect to see an XPS 17z soon as well... Other than that, the only way to salvage current XPS 15 line is introduction of beefier gpus (555m at least) that makes a marked distinction with the 15z line, or else, it wouldn't make any sense buying an XPS 15 when XPS 15z is available...

(My 0.2 cents)

 

I'm looking forward to this laptop hitting the outlet. I was wanting an M14x, but there seem to be a few problems with it. The GT 525m is plenty fast for CoD BO, and the 4-6 hours of battery life is great for when I'm traveling.

 

Agree with mazyarjr's prediction that XPS 15z is probably just going to be replacing the XPS 15 in the future. That would make sense and I'm sure they will have i7 and bluray as options in the next release. I just picked up a l502x from the outlet myself about a month ago and was surprised how all the l502x models were marked down so much since they just came out in February. The l402x and l702x were still pretty expensive in comparison. With the 15z out now, those prices make a lot of sense. I'll be waiting for the 15z to hit the outlet too...hopefully in the next year sometime.

 

what do you think about build IN battery. what is best way how to use it if some days i am on the go whole day some days just siting at home with pluged in charger

 

Is the battery of the XPS 15z non-replacable?

 

Hamina.

Fedex just dropped my 1080p 15z off... my mouth is still open.

Looks much better in person. Keyboard is still wonky to me but the screen is really nice (although a bit too glossy since I'm used to matte displays).

Really wide... and feels heavy but the design is actually minimalist with the curves and stylish with the chrome accents.

My only wishes are a keyboard like the older Latitudes (6-key pg/hm/end cluster in the upper right) and 1920x1200 vs 1920x1080... but considering that WUXGA is extinct... I'll take FullHD.

 

Any thoughts on when the 14-in model might be released? Debating whether to pull the trigger on the 15z, or waiting around for the 14" model, as I'd really prefer a slightly smaller machine (though prefer something larger than 13")

 

I've been watching the 15z since Acer blew the 3/4830TG models. Its seems a good notebook. But I wondered if any users have upgraded the drive to a blu-ray burner slot load one like this: Internal SATA Laptop Blu-ray Drive DVD Burner Drive | eBay


I think it could be possible. If it had a blu ray burn I would must likely grab one now.

 

Where can I fine clear, large photos of the keyboards on the XPS 15 and the new XPS 15z? Dell's site has only arty angled shots, none that clearly show the entire keyboards in readable fashion

I want to compare both keyboards to see what keys they contain. For example, someone here wrote that the new 15z does not have Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys.

 

Not dedicated.

PgUp/Dn is Fn-Arrow Up/Dn, Home/End is Fn-Arrow Left/Right.

It's a typical layout similar to the Sony ones where there is not a dedicated vertical row for the keys I just mentioned.

Insert and Delete are on the top row just to the right of DVD-eject (which is to the right of F12).

 

So after playing with it for the day...would you still buy it again?
Mine comes tomorrow!

 

@slot-load drive haters

Whoa. Whoa. What did a slot-load drive ever do to you? And the complaint about not being able to put in a mini-disc: yeah, we all got loads of those. /sarcasm.

lol, jk....but, seriously, the slot-load drive is one of the best enhancements ever made to the optical drive. Get rid of those 1990's trays.

 

@BigNerd

Can you give us an brief impressions review!?!? TYTYTYTYYY

I also agree that Dell should make an XPS 17z and 13z. If they want to copy the MBP line, then they might as well. All the better for us consumers!

 

Yeah... this one is a keeper... a bit expensive but considering I've been looking for a 15" high def notebook for a few years now... I'm tired of waiting.

Totally worth the next-day shipping to get it so quickly... actually surprised considering Dell's site said it wouldn't ship until 6/3 and my order status STILL says 6/7.

At least I have a long weekend to switch out my main systems, copy files, install programs, tweak settings etc. This would actually be a good time to switch my email to IMAP, change my WiFi router and do some other things I've been holding off on.

Nerd-fest weekend!

 

My initial one wasn't brief enough? Heh.

What in particular do you want to know?

 

Um.

Touchpad responsiveness.

Keyboard responsiveness and feel. Does it feel satisfying when you're typing?

Estimated battery life. (I know that you have to go through a few cycles to get its full potential)

Heat and sound from fans. Does it go "WOOOOOOOSHHHH WIRLLLL" a lot?

I'm highly considering this for college. Thus typing and battery are important. And I don't want a hurricane fan while I'm in the library.