The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    XPS 13 ultrabook

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by Mitlov, Jan 10, 2012.

  1. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    Reputations:
    2,681
    Messages:
    5,689
    Likes Received:
    909
    Trophy Points:
    281
    Mitlov, Jan 10, 2012
    #1
  2. BigNerd

    BigNerd Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    538
    Messages:
    1,013
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Strange that it has no HDMI-out.

    Will probably sell to their biz customers... but for consumers... they're going to have to lower the price... an i3 for $999 is pretty high.
     
    BigNerd, Jan 10, 2012
    #2
  3. rabbitz

    rabbitz Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The article says i5 now. Very nice looking laptop but I just read about the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga. Lenovo's IdeaPad Yoga convertible tablet runs Windows 8, is set to arrive later this year for 'around $1,000' -- Engadget

    Same price, a bit bigger and a bit heavier but comes with 1600x900 ips multi touch screen.... on the down side it will come with the ulv i5/i7 processors (although the xps 13 article doesn't say which one it comes with), and no word on the hard drive. A comment says that it comes with a 256gb ssd but dunno how true that is.

    I don't know.... at the same price it is just really hard to see how the xps 13 will be better than the ideapad....
     
    rabbitz, Jan 10, 2012
    #3
  4. Bronsky

    Bronsky Wait and Hope.

    Reputations:
    1,653
    Messages:
    9,239
    Likes Received:
    247
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Even worse for Dell, Lenovo hasn't even released information on its Thinkpad line refresh, which will be announced closer to the release of IvyBridge. After waiting for years to replace the XPS 13, Dell has really missed the mark. This needs a proper port selection (HDMI and SD card at least) and an HD+ display option. Otherwise, it's a non-starter.
     
    Bronsky, Jan 10, 2012
    #4
  5. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    Reputations:
    2,681
    Messages:
    5,689
    Likes Received:
    909
    Trophy Points:
    281
    I thought the XPS name was an odd choice, as I normally think of XPS machines (laptops and desktops) as being first and foremost multimedia-related. There is NOTHING multimedia-related about this machine.
     
    Mitlov, Jan 10, 2012
    #5
  6. alinad

    alinad Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    182
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    xps again ? waiting ivy bridge and lower price model.
     
    alinad, Jan 11, 2012
    #6
  7. Sam_A_1992

    Sam_A_1992 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    139
    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    No hdmi due to its size i guess. Looks good though, i might get one.
     
    Sam_A_1992, Jan 11, 2012
    #7
  8. REMF

    REMF Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    "thoughts?"

    Sandy-bridge GPU is inadequate.

    Given this is arriving in March, how long before it gets an upgrade to Ivy-bridge?
     
    REMF, Jan 11, 2012
    #8
  9. rabbitz

    rabbitz Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yea... I think it would have been better if they called it the xps 13z although I can kinda see how the xps name refers more to the level of quality rather than the type of laptop.
     
    rabbitz, Jan 11, 2012
    #9
  10. BigNerd

    BigNerd Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    538
    Messages:
    1,013
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Except for almost every other ultrabook has HDMI (some of them fullsize).
     
    BigNerd, Jan 11, 2012
    #10
  11. Bronsky

    Bronsky Wait and Hope.

    Reputations:
    1,653
    Messages:
    9,239
    Likes Received:
    247
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Almost every 11.6" notebook has an HDMI and even a lot of 10" Atom powered netbooks have one. It is inexcusable to omit it. If they left anything out, they could drop the display port.
     
    Bronsky, Jan 11, 2012
    #11
  12. jaug1337

    jaug1337 de_dust2

    Reputations:
    2,135
    Messages:
    4,862
    Likes Received:
    1,031
    Trophy Points:
    231
    The Intel Live stream, mentioned that the i7 will be a offer as in the Ivy Bridge release :)
     
    jaug1337, Jan 11, 2012
    #12
  13. Sam_A_1992

    Sam_A_1992 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    139
    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Their currently offering a i7 2637m in the xps 13.
     
    Sam_A_1992, Jan 11, 2012
    #13
  14. waja2000

    waja2000 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    33
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    no LAN port and Card reader too?
    my god, hard to put 1K on this XPS...
    i used LAN port everyday. specially in office only used LAN cable.
    also used card reader transfer photo/video from camera
     
    waja2000, Jan 12, 2012
    #14
  15. waja2000

    waja2000 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    33
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Display port (DP) can used adapter convert to HDMI.
    and DP no need pay license.
     
    waja2000, Jan 12, 2012
    #15
  16. Bronsky

    Bronsky Wait and Hope.

    Reputations:
    1,653
    Messages:
    9,239
    Likes Received:
    247
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Don't know about you, but I prefer not having to use an adapter with an ultraportable. Kinds of defeats the purpose of having something so portable. Sorry, but IMO, this is a crappy design for an ultrabook. Dell needs to rethink this when it redesigns for Ivybridge.
     
    Bronsky, Jan 12, 2012
    #16
  17. BigNerd

    BigNerd Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    538
    Messages:
    1,013
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    31
    At minimum, these ultrabooks should have a (DP or VGA) AND a HDMI.

    I guess you can argue USB to video but then you have to dongle-ize.

    I also think 3 USB ports should be required... with one or two being at least 3.0.
     
    BigNerd, Jan 12, 2012
    #17
  18. Sam_A_1992

    Sam_A_1992 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    139
    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I do agree with this and about no lan.
    There is a usb 3.0 port, from what i heard anyway.
     
    Sam_A_1992, Jan 12, 2012
    #18
  19. Bronsky

    Bronsky Wait and Hope.

    Reputations:
    1,653
    Messages:
    9,239
    Likes Received:
    247
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Just compare the Dell to the Samsung Series 5, 13" Ultrabook which comes with an Ethernet, VGA AND HDMI ports, has a matt display, multiple USB 3.0 ports and costs $100 less than the Dell. Hands-on with the Samsung Series 5 ultrabook - Liliputing What are Dell's engineers thinking?
     
    Bronsky, Jan 12, 2012
    #19
  20. FlipBack

    FlipBack Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    311
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yeah, an ethernet port is a must, an HDMI would be nice, and you can't argue with $100 cheaper. But the matte screen could go either way for me, I only need 1 USB 3.0 port, and I would actually prefer NOT having a VGA port.
     
    FlipBack, Jan 12, 2012
    #20
  21. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    Reputations:
    2,681
    Messages:
    5,689
    Likes Received:
    909
    Trophy Points:
    281
    The Series 5 ultrabook has no backlit keyboard and is 20% heavier (2.9 lbs versus 3.5 lbs).
     
    Mitlov, Jan 12, 2012
    #21
  22. Darkstone

    Darkstone Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    45
    Messages:
    253
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Except for the fact both HDMI and VGA refuse to drive anything over 1200p or 2048x1536, for VGA.

    (mini) displayport is really the only way to go. Nothing sucks more than buying a new notebook and then realizing it cant even drive your expensive monitor...
     
    Darkstone, Jan 12, 2012
    #22
  23. BigNerd

    BigNerd Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    538
    Messages:
    1,013
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Is Tosh going to be the only one making ultrabooks with dedicated Pg/Hm/End keys?

    I think DP is better too... at least it can convert to other outputs easier.
     
    BigNerd, Jan 12, 2012
    #23
  24. waja2000

    waja2000 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    33
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    so summary this XPS 13 just failed product not worth to buy due to,

    1. No LAN port
    2. No Card reader
    3. No HDMI
    4. 2 USB port only

    so i thinking Toshiba's Portege Z830 with same price and can get above all.
    and weight only 2.5 lbs
    http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops/portege/z830/
     
    waja2000, Jan 13, 2012
    #24
  25. REMF

    REMF Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    none of those things matters to me.

    the XPS 13 has a fantastic form-factor and appears to have decent build, so its only real crime is to be lumbered with the sandybridge GPU when ivybridge is around the corner with four more shaders cores and sporting DX11.
     
    REMF, Jan 13, 2012
    #25
  26. waja2000

    waja2000 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    33
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    i like the design too.
    but i just not complete with no LAN ,HDMI, card reader ....
     
    waja2000, Jan 17, 2012
    #26