received XPS 15z, some thought about it

$1099+8.99 shipping (3-5 days)
Ordered on 24th, shipped on 25th.
I checked the label, dell shipped it by fedex 2 days selected

Package:
I don't like it, it's huge wasted and not enviromental friendly...but it's just personaly preference.

first impression:
It's totally different from my xps 14. it is simple beautiful no matter how ppl say it's MBP clone. But I really like it. Yes, it blend though, however, I'm not a person that try to push on the screen cover or back cover to see if it's tough enough to handel

(Very important, I turn off intel useless turbo boost techology. )
Pro:
Same screen as XPS 15, it's the AUO
Beautiful design
Quiet operation when light tasking
--Mid noise level but quieter than XPS14 under load(if MBP is hair dryer, xps 15z is nothing.
--System cools down in less than 30s after heavy loads, fan level is back up to lvl1, system stays at quiet
--fan has 3 level as far as I tried, 1 and 2 are still quiet, 3 is little loud but acceptable compare to MBP 15 (<------this thing is monster)
System is warm
2/5 price off MBP

Con:
keyboard is not good, same as XPS 14. I don't know how to say, it doesn't feel good like thinkpad. Super weak response, not enjoyable to type
Case is not scratches resistant like MBP.......ahhh
Speaker is loud.....but NO base :cry: :cry: :cry: It's far away from XPS 14. it's just loud and clear.

I will add more if I find others

Final thought in 2 hrs usage
For $1099, it has everything I want, design, screen, warranty, etc.
I would rate it's the best notebook I ever have in 2010-2011. I can't find any notebook is better than this one which combine stylish, performance, price, service, thermal design.(I hate LOUD PC)

 

Thanks for your thoughts Yun,

I'm actually on a verge of pulling the trigger on it too. I have a 2010 MBP (15in), and just miss Win7 too much.

Mind answering few questions?

1) Touchpad - Since you had MBP too. How much inferior is it?
2) Heat - Can you hold it on your lap under regular use?
3) Build Quality - How does it feel, any keyboard flex?
4) Battery life - Any chance to go 3+ hours with normal use?

Thanks,

 

Mind answering few questions?

1) Touchpad - Since you had MBP too. How much inferior is it?
glass vs plastic u know it's not compareable.

2) Heat - Can you hold it on your lap under regular use?
never try, i think it will get hot

3) Build Quality - How does it feel, any keyboard flex?
keyboard doesn't flex, top cover and bottom cover flex easily

4) Battery life - Any chance to go 3+ hours with normal use?
I never try it yet, will try it later.
what u mean 3+ hr? light tasking or heavy load?

 

How are the viewing angles and the color reproduction being a WLED screen?

 

When you say that do you mean that key travel is shallow? Or is the response iffy? Like do you have to click right on the center of the key for it to register? Or is the keyboard stiff?

 

. It's closed to SXPS 16 RGBLED.
left and right angel is good, upper is shift, but u have to be like < 80 degree, it won't bother me.

Color reproduction is also on top league.

 

I think it's just response iffy. Too soft in my opinion.
It's same as XPS 14. `

i am using MS ARC keyboard, way better. I think it's personal preference.

 

So you are saying the WLED found matches RGBLED?

 

close, notebookcheck.net has data.
It's 2010 production panel

 

That is not bad at all, considering that my 2011 Acer's screen was produced in 2009!!!

 

Can you please check AIDA64 for screen name, i hope it's AUO 15.6" B156HW01 V.7!

 

According to notebookcheck it's AUO30ED (=B156HW03 v0). witch is of average quality. (~60% gamut, high brightness, unsure about contrast). Probably the newer revision of the B156HW01 v0 screen in my studio 15.

You can check the same name in device manager, monitors, details, hardware ID's = MONITOR/AUO**ED.

 

it's b156hw3 like the last person said.

But i checked notebookcheck.net data

XPS 15Z
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Preview-Dell-XPS-15z-Notebook-in-test.54267.0.html
Information

Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 286 cd/m²
Average: 258.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Center on Battery: 282 cd/m²
Black: 0.55 cd/m²
Contrast: 513:1
ICC File (Datacolor Spyder3Elite)


XPS 15
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-XPS-15-FHD-Notebook.41509.0.html

Information

Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 265 cd/m²
Average: 246 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Black: 0.45 cd/m²
Contrast: 558:1
ICC File (Datacolor Spyder3Elite)


They are very closed

MBP 15

Information

Gossen Mavo-Monitor
Maximum: 302 cd/m²
Average: 288 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 302 cd/m²
Black: 0.52 cd/m²
Contrast: 581:1
ICC File (X-Rite i1Display 2)

 

Any thoughts on battery life yet for general use?

Also, why would you disable Turbo Boost? I've found it very nice to have, you don't have to sacrifice single threaded performance for multiple cores. Nor does it necessarily reduce battery life as tasks finish quicker and so it gets to idle more.

 

You are ignoring the fact the xps 15 monitor has 95% gamut, the macbook pro has 72-75%, and the screen in the new 15z ranges around 60%. This is alot more noticable than a slight difference in contrast.

Also, dont take notebookcheck too serious, anandtech usualy measures quite different, more consistent, numbers.

 

Very true

 

Yeah extremely disappointing that Dell went for a more inferior display. That along with the lack of JLB speakers w/ subwoofer and 2.0 mp webcam makes one really question their business decision making aptitude.

 

is it confirmed that the new xps 15z has a color gamut in the 60's?

 

Have to remember Dell got the price about right with this model. All those added nice things add cost. The benefits of all those things are not very aparent to 99% of people who will buy this laptop as it still sounds better than the ones at local stores, the screen looks better than their old washed out one and most people use their webcam once or twice for fun and never use it again. 99% of people I know dont even know what a mega pixel is, let alone what the implications are in a webcam. The end user with a HD webcam sees little benefit when "Skyping" as the other person is the one who is seeing the results.

Dell's business decisions on this laptop make absolute perfect sense for selling it as cost reduced as possible to a general public who has little/no clue what any of that stuff even really is and could really care less. People like us on this forum represent a very limited and small group of potential buyers. I hope they sell these things like hot cakes so they invest in this slim metal concept to hopefully make a cost effective version for us picky power users in the future.

 

Yes:

Transparent = 72%

 

hmmm, not too bad...at least its matched up with the color reproduction of the macbooks.

I'm currently on the fence concerning the xps15z and the hp dv6t. I'm more inclined to purchase the 15z because of the style factor and power (plus it's 879 w/ no tax via @ AAFES) but i'm allured by the specs on the HP.

 

Really?

MBP 13" vs sRGB (=72%, transparent)

 

ah nm...I thought the number at the bottom represented the gamut. it seems the macbook display is considerably better

 

That's the MB Pro display above, isn't it? The regular Macbook is lower.

 

@OP..Congrat's
If you feel like sharing some pic's, I am sure many in this forum would enjoy seeing them