What would make your XPS more perfect?

Personally mine is pretty spot on, but I do have a few things that would be nice to see in the next iteration of the xps.

1) Numpad: While the number row is sufficient, a dedicated numpad can be fitted without sacrificing the rest of the keyboard. Plus it makes entering numbers so much easier (I type alot of IP addresses a day) and removes those peasky dust magnet speaker grills. Plus who wants a huge grill for a 1in speaker???

2) All metal chassis: Well there is no real excuse for an XPS to not have this. While I love mine and the chassis is OK, my vostro 1700 is a low end business model and its built alot better. Mostly just the screen portion should be metal.

3) 3 Button Trackpoint: While this is a stretch for a non business model, I find this input device to be much better then a trackpad.

4) 16:10 screen: Not huge problem for this size, but the extra 10% screen space would be nice.

5) Built in coffee maker: No explanation needed.

IMHO everything else stays the same.

 

Good business list you have here!

I disagree with the num pad, but I've never usually used one. I think the keyboard is just perfect for me. No flex and no useless keys with a wonderful backlight.
16:9 screen is perfect for movies, but I was a little shocked when I first opened it as it is a little vertically challenged compared to other notebooks. But now I love it!

For mine to be a bit more perfect I'd get rid of a few ports I don't use. HDMI is the only one I need with the USBs/eSATA and headphone jacks. Get rid of the VGA and ethernet and the other one which hasn't caught on.

Anything else I'd change would just be nit picking! And I love it too much to say bad things about it!

 

I love the keyboard too! But the oversized speaker grills could be used for the numpad easily. As for ports I use all of them but DP and eSata, but thats not to say I wont use them in the future. The aspect ratio is fine for me at this size point, but I also didnt buy my laptop to just watch movies on. Plus watching a movie on a 16:10 vs a 16:9 screen is really no different. The difference is when you are done with the movie and you want to work, then the difference is quite noticeable. But all in all I still find the useability of this rig to be perfect for my needs. All the power of a 17in but thin and light enough to take around easier then a 17in workstation.

 

For it to dispense money at will when I am shopping online. (never ending money, that is)

Not much, I am just really enjoing it, maybe not make the touchpad so sensitive...but that could be *user-defined*


I will let you all know when Dell procesesses my first request!!
Cin...

 

USB credit card maker perhaps?

 

It needs to be between 13" and 14". *hint, hint* Dell! and axe the dust catcher grills.

 

Yeah, that would work for me just fine

It would also be nice to see it in a Merlot Red & Alpine White Option w/out Leather. And, maybe some other color choices.

Cin...

 

Well, as long as they keep their 15.4" model. I use this laptop as my main computer, so a smaller screen would be a definite negative for me.

In terms of perfect... hmm:
1) Track pad could be improved, with my main complaint being that using the "side scrolling" isn't very reliable for me (seems the extreme right edge isn't included in the "scroll zone", so you actually have to go a bit in from the edge to scroll, super annoying!)
2) Numeric pad would be nice for number entry and for Dwarf Fortress (love that game, but it needs a numeric pad)
3) Display port, firewire, and VGA are all useless to me, but VGA is nice for connecting to older projectors, but they don't bother me either.
4) USB 3.0
5) Non-glossy finish for the wrist pads, the rest is fine.
6) Move the exhaust air vent such that it isn't blocked by the lid when open.
7) MAKE ME COFFEE!!!

 

^^^They had a 15.4" that was the 1530.


Cin...

 

Ofcourse by 15.4" I mean whatever it currently is (maybe 15.6"?)

 

OP, I'm right with you! I really, really wish the xps 16 had a num pad. And a trackpoint/3 button added on like a thinkpad would be soooo nice! I've been grumbling ever since the industry listened to all the customers who just had to have their 1080p and followed suit with a downgrade from 1920x1200 to 1920x1080. I guess most people didn't realize wuxga is better than 1080p. I'm jealous every time I sit down next to my girlfriend with her m1530 with 1920x1200 display (until I compare the colors, as mine's RGBLED...) As far as metal chassis is concerned, it would be nice, but I'm all about functionality so the other 3 points you made are things I agree very strongly with and I can't find anything else to add.

 

For me, it's

1. Number pad
2. Ability to turn the media lights off
3. All metal body
4. Thinner display
5. 2nd internal fan, you can remove the CD tray for this as a last resort
6. Button-less trackpad like the Macs
7. Secondary screens on the palmrest to multitask while something is going on on the main screen (like checking weather during a movie, or IM)
8. Make the laptop smaller, since there's a massive border around the screen
9. ATI 5870 GDDR5
10. USB 3
11. Removeable graphics
12. Removeable BIOS chip

 

Oh another thing that would be nice is actual buttons as opposed to the the capacitive media buttons. I have by nature brushed the dust off the buttons and it in turns wifi off speakers up and eject a cd/dvd. Its a neat design, but a PITA for me. Id rather just have buttons to handle those tasks instead of capacitive touch sensors.

 

I'd like to press or unpress Caps Lock and not have a two or three second keyboard hang until some damn silly icon fades away.

 

16:10 is horrible for watching movies because you get two different colors of black bars. Like it or not, the industry is going 16:9 (or already has). I like the idea of having the same aspect ratio across all displays whether they be tv's or monitors.

 

Honestly all this laptop needs is a better GPU. But icy on the cake would be:

Metal Construction (this is almost equally important)
USB3.0
Wireless HDMI
Less bezel on the sides of the screen
Bigger trackpad (however I like my buttons)
Better speakers

Even though it is really far out there I would love to see a totally carbon fiber shelled production computer.

 

Aside from Throttling issues, the XPS 1645 is a solid 4-star laptop for me (out of 5), and I'm pretty picky with the little things.

Check out my post here (it's the second post): http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-xps-studio-xps/493578-things-you-hate-about-your-xps.html

If you're wondering what I consider a 5 star laptop, the answer is a Thinkpad T61p (obviously it's a bit older now). Reliable, high performance, cool/quiet, and inexpensive.

Hell yes! But don't forget the updated power supply!

 

I'd agree the touch sensors are a neat idea but drive me crazy, I have cats so I am always brushing off the dust/hair, which means off goes the wireless, volume changes and out pops the disc in the drive...

 

I am with you on that one. I don't know how many times I've been doing something, decide to brush that area and shut off the wireless. It sometimes takes me a minute to figure it out because while it dims slightly, in certain light it is hard to notice this.

I like the way the media keys are integrated into the keys with the studio models over the touch sensitive for that reason.

 

Good luck with that one, it's already runs hot enough as it is, there simply isn't the room to have sufficient cooling for a very powerful card.

The media keys don't bother me much imo, I rarely brush past them. The only real annoyance from them is when they get dusty and you can't wipe them.

As for a numerical keypad, I honestly couldn't care less for one. The fact is that most people who would buy this laptop have no real use for a dedicated numerical keypad and so the space would be put to waste to make a cluttered keyboard instead. If it really bothers you then just get a USB one. Although there are times where I think a dedicated pad would be useful, I don't for a minute think that I'd rather have it sitting there cluttering up the rest of the computer while I barely ever use it.

Having USB3.0 would be nice too, it should be within dells reach to impliment it in a line update (if they ever have another one, which I highly doubt).

What I think they should really do is make it so we can make the screen dimmer than the current dimmest setting. The battery life really isn't the best and in night conditions the screen, even on its lowest setting, is more than adequate, so maybe if we could make it even dimmer we might get an extra 20 minutes battery life.

 

None of my 16:10 laptops had any more black lines while watching a movie then my SXPS does now. The color was the same and it looked just as good but had the added benefit of having a decent amount more screen to use the other 95%+ of the time I used my laptop.

I have to disagree with this one. The chassis would need to be alot thicker and the PSU upgraded to a 150w unit for that to work out. The 5850 would be as far as I would go in a 15in laptop and that would require a new and improved cooling system and a much thicker bottom. Not to mention changing the hinge system to allow for a more open vent.

 

WOW I never even realized that the wireless icon was a touch sensitive button...neato!

 

1. switchable graphics
2. usb 3.0
3. tray-load dvd drive
4. proper enhanced heat management
5. 16:10 FHD screen
6. price under $1000 USD

 

i have been thinking of doing lid mods to my m1730, so this is an interesting thread.

which 17" Dell lid do you think is the coolest?
i was thinking the silver m1710. i could make it real aluminum