The 2015 version of the Dell XPS 13 added an unexpected gem to the company's arsenal back in January. Sleek, powerful and packing a gorgeous Infinity Display, it ramped up the company's reputation in the consumer space and served up a real alternative to 13-inch Apple's MacBook Air.
The new Dell XPS 15 carries over the XPS 13's Infinity Display, which makes it one of the most compact 15-inch notebooks around. Just as the XPS 13 managed to be around the same size as the 11-inch MacBook Air while cramming in a 13-inch display, the XPS 15 is only slightly bigger than the 13-inch MacBook Air. Lying one on top of the other, you can see that the XPS 15 wouldn't give you that much less space than the Air when slung into a backpack.
At 3.8 pounds, the XPS 15 is noticeably heavier than the Dell XPS 13, but when you consider that it's a 15-inch laptop with dedicated graphics inside, you can't really complain.
There's another advantage to the XPS 15's 15.6-inch display in that it has a higher resolution than the XPS 13. The Dell XPS 15 can be configured with up to an UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD display, which offers a pixel-resolution of 3,840 x 2,160. That means that with even with Windows scaling set to 200%, which makes fonts look incredibly crisp, you still get the same amount of space on the desktop as a 1080p monitor.
In comparison, the XPS 13's 13-inch QHD+ display only gives you the equivalent of a 1,600 x 900 monitor, meaning you get a lot more space on the desktop to snap apps and be productive on the new Dell XPS 15. The XPS 15's desktop wallpaper and the fonts in Notepad were on another level of clarity to non-4K displays, so much so that it would be difficult going back to anything else.
In terms of performance, the XPS 15 packs muscle underneath the hood. It can be configured with up a sixth-generation Skylake Intel Core i7 Quad Core processor backed up by up to 16GB of fast RAM clocked at 2,133MHz. The Dell XPS 15 even promises to appeal to gamers though the option to equip it with up to an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics with 2GB of GDDR5 memory.
It's equally up to speed on the connectivity front thanks to the inclusion of a Thunderbolt 3 port, the newest generation of Type-C connectivity that provides up to eight times the transfer speeds of USB 3.0 (up to 40Gbps, in other words). You'll be able to use the Dell XPS to power up to two 4K displays, which should provide more pixels than you know what to do with.
The Dell XPS 15 can be equipped with a Full HD display, rather than a 4K variant, which the company claims can go for up to 17 hours on a single battery charge. Dell hasn't provided any battery life figures for the 4K version we tested, but you can expect it to achieve at least three or four hours fewer. The XPS 15 is once again available with an external battery pack that can be used to juice it up on the move.
While a subjective point, I was never too enamoured with the Dell XPS 13's keyboard. Its chiclet-spaced keys were well-spaced but felt shallow, something that was put down to that machine's thin dimensions. It seems that wasn't the case, as Dell has ported over the exact same keyboard to the slightly thicker Dell XPS 15 - and it feels just as unsatisfying to type on.
It's bizarre that Dell has chosen to fit its most comfortable keyboard in recent memory on its new Dell XPS 12 hybrid, which is a much smaller 12.5-inch device. If Dell had used the same keyboard on the new XPS 15 then it would have ticked every box going.
Early verdict
There are no surprises with the new Dell XPS 15 - and that's a good thing. If you're seeking a 15-inch laptop and the benefits that come with one without having to lug around a heavy and bulky device, the XPS 15 could be the one you've been waiting for.
It's solidly built, features a gorgeous 4K display and is just as attractive as Apple and other leading Windows manufacturer's flagship 15-inch systems - if not moreso. It could even pique the interest of gamers seeking an all-round device for productivity work and entertainment thanks to optional Nvidia graphics. It's a shame that the XPS 15's keyboard is once again a shallow affair, which may not be a problem if you're not an ardent typist.
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1LjmxQP
No comments:
Post a Comment