XPS 12 Owners Lounge

I fear the screen issues after sleep weren't completely fixed by the A02 BIOS update :/
Could someone confirm this?

 

Any photo editors on here?

I just installed and am trying to run Canon Digital Photo Professional. It's telling me that the programs requires a screen capable of running 1024x768 res to run, so it won't open....

 

GUYS DO NOT UPDATE TO WINDOWS 8.1.

Trackpad almost completely fails to function and there is no fix. I now have to completely reinstall windows 8 as there is no way to uninstall and it wiped my restore points too

 

I have experienced issues also after the bios update.

 

I wouldnt dare update to 8.1 until Dell release drivers for the XPS 12 running Windows 8.1 which I imagine would be >=30 days after 8.1 release

 

Jut thought I'd jump in here - I've had the XPS 12 Core i7 3517u model since last December (from the UK), but I've had a few problems with it over that time, and last week Dell agreed to send me a replacement machine.

Much to my surprise, and I still can't quite believe my luck, but I've today received a Core i7 4650U, with Intel HD Graphics 5000 model! I'm not sure if this model is available elsewhere, but certainly in the UK the only Haswell variant is the i7 4500U with the 4400 graphics. So anyone from the UK about to buy a machine might just want to consider waiting a short while, as it looks as if a newer version is on the way!

 

That's exactly the one I got 1 month ago, in the Netherlands. It's nog on the website, but I also received it as replacement model.

However, that one is back at Dell now, I've got my money back.. Poor build quality all over..

 

Can anyone tell me what are the read/write speeds of the hardrive in this machine? I want to know if it can be compared to that of the sony vaio pro 13 and acer aspire s7 as those machine are getting close to 1 gb read.

 

@lovenokia

The XPS 12 doesn't have a PCIe SSD like for example the Sony Vaio Pro. I don't think it makes a noticeable difference in real word scenarios though.

 

FYI - Dell released a new wifi driver. I'm about to install it. Wish me luck!

 

Ummm benchies on that HD5000 please!

 

I'm looking to by one of these for my wife. I got a quote from dell $1627+tax. Is this a good price or should I hold out for a better price. The specs are 4th gen i7, 512ssd, 8gb ram. Thanks

 

That seems like a good price, $172 less than their US website price of $1799. How/where did you get that price? I'm interested because I just ordered the same thing but with a 256GB ssd for $1499. For $128 more I'd consider going with the 512.

 

I have a question for all the XPS 12 (mid 2013) owners: How is your screen sitting in the frame? Any uneven gaps or bends?

Four weeks ago I bought one of the new XPS 12 models which went back for multiple reasons but one of them was the placement of the screen in the "swivel frame". Now I decided to give it another chance and while the placement on my second unit is much improved the screen doesn't close off with the frame. It "sinks" very noticeable on the lower right corner. When you press the screen out of the frame and look at it from the top you can see the screen bend from the middle to the right.
My colleague has an "old" 2013 XPS 12 and the screen is almost perfectly aligned with the frame.

So is this a comon problem with the new mid-2013 model?
Should I ask the support to send someone with a replacement screen?
Or is this something I might have to live with because it won't get much better?

 

Just through chat. Ask what he could do with the price and that I needed to keep it close to $1600.

 

Guys, I just bought the new Haswell XPS 12, with i7-4500u. However, when resuming from sleep, sometimes the screen goes black (a system reset must then be performed). Also, sometimes (when resuming from sleep, i think) the touchscreen stops functioning...

Is there a solution for this? If not, I will be returning promptly. I cannot believe that the issues with ivy gen xps 12 are still on the haswell xps 12. Dell is kind of a joke?

 

Look back through this thread, plenty of discussion about it. You need to disable Intel Rapid Start and/or get the latest BIOS.

 

Thanks for the reply. I just installed the A02 bios Hopefully that solves my issues. Otherwise, I love this ultrabook. I have it sitting right next to the Acer S7-392 (haswell) and right now my favorite the XPS 12, although the Acer is amazing as well. Soon have to decide on which one goes back... They both get about the same battery life, from what I can tell. The XPS has a larger battery but the Acer is more power efficient.

 

Have the convertible features of the XPS 12 been useful to you? I haven't received mine yet, I'm hoping that the convertible-ness will make up for any other short-comings.

 

Just got it! i7, 8GB, 256GB.

Will post more info after I turn it on and play with it.

 

For everyone who still experiences a black screen after resuming from sleep:
You do NOT have to force off your notebook (I've read this quite a few times).
It's enough if you slide the power switch for just a quick moment which will put your machine back to sleep (takes a few seconds).
After that you can just try it again.

This approach will "rescue" your unsaved changes in open documents.
Hope it helps

 

Guys, please help me decide between the XPS 12 and Acer s7 (haswell editions)!!! I am torn! Please factor in the prices (I got both at extreme discounts): I have these versions:


Dell XPS 12 (i7-4500u, 8gb ddr3, 128gb ssd) for $912 + tax.

OR

Acer s7-392-9460 (i7-4500u, 8gb ddr3, 256gb ssd) for $1169 + tax.

Thanks in advance!

ps- im not looking for logic really... Just decide for me (because one of 'em has to go back)!!! haha

 

I just did a quick Google, and the S7 is not convertible right?

From a form-factor perspective, I would definitely go XPS 12.

If they both become tablet-ish, I would go with the 256GB hard drive.

 

No, the s7 is not convertable. But it is way thinner and sexier. However, the XPS has a way better keyboard. Also, with the money saved on the XPS, I could just buy a 256gb msata and still be ahead $ wise.

 

That's your biggest decision then.

My two biggest factors were convertibility, and Haswell.
So the XPS 12 was a natural decision for me even though there were lighter/thinner touchscreen ultrabooks.

 

I bought an initial model that I sent back because I got a better deal on a 512GB for 100 bucks less! However, this new unit isn't as perfect as the initial one was - so that's a bummer. I have a tech coming out to replace just the screen portion of my device. My new 512GB model has a "creaky" lid when in tablet mode (or slate mode), but not in regular ultrabook mode (are their standard names for the different convertible positions?).

One of the locking/magnetic latches I just think is sub-par - my first unit felt solid, aligned, and tight, this new one is a little sloppier and as I said, it squeaks/creaks in the lower right in tablet mode (on the side with the windows start hardware button). Also, I noticed the upper left protrudes maybe 1mm higher than the other corners. I wouldn't care about the very slight protrusion if not for the noise the screen makes when interacting with it via touch. I'm guessing that they probably have a couple panel suppliers and the QC might be lacking somewhere in the supply chain. Maybe a bunch of replaced monitors will get to Dell to find the source.

 

Can someone confirm that the writing on the touch screen on the new Haswell model is really bad like I am experiencing? I cannot write on the new Haswell XPS 12. Most of the touch pens do not work properly, and even the Adonit Jot Pro has squiggly lines and looks absolutely awful. It is really unusable to write on.

 

Ok I've just recieved the XPS 12 Haswell edition. There were a few problems which were ironed out in time, with the exception of one.

When I plug in my earphones, there's this slight static-y sizzle noise that starts whenever the computer "anticipates" a sound being made, which continues for the duration of the sound. Is anyone else experiencing this?

 

@hanbalfrek: If you have any use for the convertibility of the XPS 12, I would go with that. Otherwise, at least from what I've heard, the S7 would be a great choice (lighter, thinner, probably more durable due to gorilla glass on the outside). The battery runtimes are said to be almost the same (MobileTechReview). Maybe the keyboard is a problem for you, too. It really depends on your personal preferences.

@Double A: My unit has the same problem. The integrated sound card doesn't handle low impedance devices very well. It gets better with bigger loudspeakers/headphones. My Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (32 Ohm) had less background noise than my Sennheiser IE80 (16 Ohm). When I tested it in my car, there wasn't any background noise at all.

@All: For everyone who's gutted about the touchpad's scroll behaviour, I would highly recommend "two-finger-scroll". Especially in combination with something like the "Chromium Wheel Smooth Scroller" extension for Chrome, the experience gets very enjoyable

 

The same here. There is static as soon as the 3.5mm headphone jack activates.

@S7 vs. XPS 12: I can't really see anything with glass on the outside to be "more durable" than anything that is made out of material that doesn't shatter. The glass on the outside is actually what put me off the Aspire S7. I don't understand that decision by Acer. It doesn't work well for phones so why should it work for Notebooks/tablets? I'm actually less carefull with my Laptop than my phone. It looks good though.

Regarding tablet mode: I use it quite often because I don't have to open the lid just to quickly check something on the web. I also use the "movie/presentaion (?)" mode (Screen on the outside but the lid is open, Keyboard behind the Screen). It's perfect if your on a plane or train and don't have the space on the Little table to open the lid past 90° (especially if the guy in front of you wants to sleep). I like the choice I have with the XPS 12 screen.

 

RE: Two-finger scrolling issues ("jumping to the top").

... seemed to stop when I went into Dell's touchpad utility and brought the "touch pressure" slider all the way towards the minus sign.

RE: low-impedance earphones

Well that sucks that the laptop can't handle low-impedance earphones very well. I exclusively use earbuds. Is there anything that can be done to minimise the effects of this?

 

@gokpog: of course, glass is more fragile if you drop your device or apply very strong pressure on it. However, unlike phones, I've never dropped a notebook and I've always ended up with scratches on the lid, which wouldn't happen if it was scratch resistant (like Gorilla Glass).
If you like the tablet or tent or movie/presentation mode as you called it, the decision seems obvious to me.

@Double A: these settings made scrolling a little bit better, but still far from enjoyable. Especially on youtube, I experienced jumps to the end of the page which were VERY annoying.
Regarding the sound: well, apart from buying an external usb soundcard (like the Asus Xonar U3 ) or wireless bluetooth receivers (like the Sony MW600 or Jabra Play), I don't think there's anything we can do about it. Maybe an impedance adaptor, but I'm not 100% sure about that.

 

Have you updated your drivers (especially the ones related to the BIOS and the trackpad)? That might help.

Lowering/disabling palm sensitivity might help too. I've experienced zero jumping since doing all of these.

 

The XPS 12 doesn't have an active digitizer which means most pens won't work with it. It's just a plain old capacitive touch screen like an iPad. Here is a list of all active digitizer (pen-enabled) Windows 8 devices thus far: https://skydrive.live.com/view.aspx...25C114!107&app=Excel&authkey=!AAO1lowxloMJjhM

 

Ok, I see what you mean by durable and I agree. It's pretty easy to scratch aluminum and the glossy plastic lid from the past are the worst. It might be a little more difficult to scratch hardened glass. But I still don't think it's practical to put glass on a protective surface. You don't need to drop the notebook. If you drop something on it or if you travel with it a lot and bump into something/someone you always have to fear the nice spider web design you could end up with. I can live with a scratch or a dent. A broken glass front is probably harder to live with (for me anyway).

The choice wasn't that obvious to me. Once I ruled out the Aspire S7 I had my eye on the Ativ Book 9 also but from the moment I got the XPS 12 I realizied how convenient the tablet mode is.

 

Yes but having said that, I have used the Adonit Jot Pro on the XPS 12 (Ivy Bridge) and while the writing was not terrific, it was usable. In the new XPS 12 (Haswell) it is awful. Totally unusable to write on at all.

I have used devices without an active digitizer and they all work much better than this new XPS 12 model. Something is just wrong with the touch screen when it comes to writing on it.

 

Do you have any problems using it with your fingers, too? Might be a faulty screen
I don't have a capacitive pen, so I can't test it for you, sorry.

@gokpog: You're right about dropping something on the notebook, although that never really happened to me. The Gorilla Glass 2 of my Galaxy S3 seems to do a good job, but that's a much smaller surface area.
I have also considered the Samsung Ativ Book 9 or Acer S7 but would have had to carry an additional tablet around with them. After all, I'm pretty happy with my decision, now that the black screen after resume and scrolling issues were resolved (or at least 90% resolved).

 

Hi, guys,
I am planning to have XPS 12, and dell currently have both XPS 12 (2012 - Ivy bridge) and XPS 12 (2013 - Haswell with same Price (RM3999). I am confuse which one more worth value of money? pls help me to analyze .....
Below is the part that is different with 2 models

XPS 12 (2012)
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3337U processor (3M Cache, up to 2.7 GHz)
8GB Dual channel DDR3
Dell Backup and Recovery - Basic
47 WHr 6-Cell Battery
7.4 to 4.5mm DC Converter Cable
1.54KG

XPS 12 (2013)
4th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-4200U processor (3M Cache, up to 2.6 GHz)
4GB Dual Channel DDR3L-RS 1600Mhz (On Board)
No Dell Backup and Recovery - Basic
50WHr 6-Cell Battery
No Additional Cable Requested
1.52 KG

p/s:
1. What is Dell Backup and Recovery - Basic?
2. I am more concern about the 8GB RAM. If Haswell model with 8GB RAM cost RM5099 that is far over budget.

 

@peanutsyap:

I don't know what Dell Backup and Recovery is, so that might be something that speaks for the older model...

However, this is what speaks for the 2013 model:
- cpu slightly more powerful (and better integrated graphics), see cpuboss
- newer wireless standards (NFC and 802.11ac), I don't think the 2012 model has them, correct me if I'm wrong
- better battery life (because of lower power consumption of haswell)
- newer software and firmware available (for example the A02 BIOS)

The 4GB of ram could be a disadvantage if you have any use for more than 4GB (I personally don't know many who have ever exceeded a usage of 4GB).
As a reference point: the idle usage on my 2013 model is around 2.1GB

 

@peanutsyap: That depends on what you want. The 2013 one has better battery life and graphics power, while the 2012 one will net you more RAM/storage for cheaper.

---

So Dell seriously pulled a fast one and drastically lowered the price of the i7/8/256 model a few days after I recieved my i5/4/128 model. Fortunately, Dell has awesome customer service and I was able to organize a refund in order to buy the higher end model. Unfortunately this means I'll have to go another month or so without an ultrabook, but I suppose it's worth it.

 

Any one know the actual usage battery life between XPS 12 (2012) and XPS 12 (2013) (If both i5)?
I am still cant decide cuz the 8 GB RAM is benefit and i like more RAM but at the same times if the battery life can up to 8 hours (2-3 hours more than XPS 12 (2012)), i find that is very useful also.....

 

i think i need to decide this couple of day cuz i knew that the XPS 12 (2012) must be old stock. It could be discontinued anytime

 

I have the haswell i7-4500u, 8gb ddr3 xps 12 version. with moderate usage (wifi on, web browsing, 50% brightness) I am getting around 7.5 hours of usage on a charge.

 

Anyone have XPS 12 (2012) battery usage? if moderate usage can last for 5 hours?

 

I use that ALL the time to stream movies or TV shows, and to play games, or just for general use as well. I love it--that's one of the big reasons I bought this laptop. I often will lie on my back and place the laptop on my chest with the screen flipped around, and it fills my whole field of view, so it's essentially like watching on a large screen. When using the touchscreen functionality, it's nice to not have to reach over the keyboard every time. For when I need a keyboard, I bought a Bluetooth one so I can use that while I have the screen flipped. So far it's been the best laptop experience I've ever had (had it since February).

 

I now have a problem where I will charge the laptop to 100% and within 30 seconds it will go down to 92% (it is 92% every time) this seems to have been after I updated the bios.

 

Possibly a defective battery?

 

It was working fine before the bios update

 

Hey guys!
I found that the A02 bios update helped a bunch of problems, but the other day, windows demanded a shut down and restart for some updates. Since then, the problems with sleeping, wifi disconnect/reconnect and the occasional touchscreen unresponsiveness have all come back....anyone else with these problems?

 

I haven't noticed any issues since A02. A02 fixed all those issues for me, and my system is also fully up to date with the windows updates.