Posts tagged "Dell"

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Coming next Week, User Manuals Available Now

We covered the unveiling of the Dell XPS 13 during CES 2012, which revealed some general information and specifications. But maybe you’re still looking for more details to help decide whether you want to throw a thousand bucks at Dell’s new XPS 13 Ultrabook? Well, it looks like you counted your lucky stars because several user manuals and documentation have found their way online a week before its release! The guides contain a plethora of information including detailed specifications and other things like pictorial instructions on how to remove many of the XPS 13’s parts, such as the keyboard, battery, and I/O board.

Overall, we believe that the XPS 13 will be a strong Ultrabook competitor; its high quality and compact design and its 13-inch screen definitely make this laptop unique and is great for those who prefer a smaller footprint for their laptop. However, the lack of an SD card reader and HDMI port might curb some enthusiasts from buying it.

Here’s the list of leaked documentation, so have a read and decide for yourselves!

The XPS 13 owner’s manual has guides on how to disassemble the XPS 13 such as you see in the diagram below that shows how to remove the SSD:

You can reserve the XPS 13 at Dell’s official website, which simply means they’ll send you an email invite to purchase the XPS 13 when it becomes available next week.

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Dell XPS 17 (L702X) Review

The Dell XPS 17 L702X is a desktop replacement style laptop that is powered by an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and Nvidia dedicated graphics.  The XPS 17 L702X can be configured and purchased on Dell.com starting at $ 899 for the entry level configuration.  You are able to configure the XPS 17 to your hearts delight, doing so causes the price to quickly ramp up with all of the options and upgrades that are available with this model.  As such, the XPS 17 can be configured as a mid-class desktop replacement style laptop or a fully tricked out gaming machine.  The XPS 17 cannot be configured as powerfully as Dell’s more powerful and expensive Alienware m17x, but it can still run modern games on mid to high settings if you configure it with Nvidia GT 555m graphics and a Core i7 processor.  This review involves a more modest configuration, or “budget” setup of the XPS 17 if you will.  Below are the specs of the XPS 17 under review:

• Model: Dell XPS 17 (L702X)
• Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
• Memory: 6GB,DDR3,2 DIMM
• Screen: 17.3 in HD+ WLED TL (1600×900) with 2.0MP HD webcam
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 550M 1GB graphics with Optimus
• Storage: 640GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
• OS: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• Optical Drive: 8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
• Speakers: JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3
• Wireless: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000
• Battery: 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Webcam: 2.0MP HD with single digital mic
• Ports: Mini DisplayPort (1), 2 total USB 3.0, 2 total USB 2.0 (1 / 1 eSATA/powershare combo), Ethernet LAN (RJ45), HDMI 1.4, Audio jacks:headphone(2 total) with SPID/F support (1), 1 Mic-in
• Weight: 7.41lbs
• Dimensions: 16.3″ x 11.3” x 1.3” – 1.5” (Width x Depth x Height)
• Price as configured: $ 699 (on sale)

The Intel Core i5-2410m processor can be overclocked to 2.90GHz when necessary using the TurboBoost feature. The graphics can be switched between Intel HD3000 and Nvidia GeForce GT550M depending on what applications you are running, obviously anything gaming related will lean on the Nvidia card to get things done. When you switch to web surfing and Office productivity apps the Intel graphics will suffice and help to save battery life.

Dell XPS 17 (L702X) Video Overview

I put together a short video to just review the components, design and ports you get with the XPS 17, click the play button below to watch:

Dell XPS 17 Packaging

The XPS 17 arrived in an all black shipping box, which is one design step up from a typical brown Dell box.

Inside you find a black box with the power cord and adapter inside, the XPS 17 itself braced between Styrofoam inserts and wrapped in a black cloth, and then documentation and disks inside cardboard sleeve. Overall the presentation is nice, though not on par with the HP Envy 17 I recently did an unboxing of.

Once you remove all of the packaging you’re left with the XPS 17 with a bunch of protective stickers on, the power cord wrapped up and secured with twisty ties, and a sleeve of disks.

Design and Build

I’ve heard it said that the XPS 17 looks somewhat frumpy with its design, I can’t say I disagree. It just doesn’t look as sleek and cool as the competing HP Envy 17. It’s a big laptop and it doesn’t try to hide it, the curves are exaggerated and it makes it look like a bumper car or VW Beetle.  Not that I’d prefer sharp cornered edges, but the curves at the top of the screen are almost reminiscent of the fruit colored Apple iBook.

The colors used on the XPS 17 don’t exactly excite.  The lid is made of aluminum and silver in color.  Inside the keyboard area has a brushed metal look and then a black trim around the edges.  The case is made of a mix of aluminum and plastic, the aluminum portion doesn’t have the same sheen as the aluminum on the HP Envy or MacBook Pro so the overall design effect is not as impressive. The aluminum does at least add to the overall build quality, the laptop feels solid and there’s little flex in the chassis.

The XPS L702X got an updated keyboard in the form of a chiclet style design.  This means that each key is an island and stands by itself and you see the keyboard tray plastic in between each key.  The plastic tray is glossy and shiny and tends to show dirt and dust, this can get annoying.

One design touch that does really help the XPS 17 is the backlit keyboard:

Not only does the keyboard backlighting offer a nice design touch, it also contributes to usability making the keyboard much easier to see in the dark. Notice that you also get a number pad on the keyboard due to its spacious size.

XPS 17 Performance

I mentioned before that the specific configuration of the XPS 17 under review is not earth shattering in terms of specs.  The configuration I have is more of a desktop replacement style mid range laptop than than a gaming rig.   The Nvidia 550m card I have is rated as a fast middle class graphics card.  A lot of people ask about getting the Nvidia 555m Vs. 550m, the GT 555m is a $ 150 upgrade for the XPS 17 and comes with 3GB of dedicated RAM.  The 555m card will give you in the range of 10 – 15% better performance and scores for 3D related benchmarks.  The 3GB of RAM is kind of wasted as a graphics card of this class can’t really utilize that amount of RAM.  Whether this graphics card improvement is worth $ 150 to you is really based on individual needs, to me it seems like a steep sum to pay for not a whole lot of gain.

I think the bigger question comes with the processor and whether the upgrade to an Intel Core i7 over the i5, a $ 190 upgrade, is worth the price.  If you really need performance and want to do some gaming, I’d say it definitely is.  However, if you just want to use the XPS 17 as a desktop replacement for productivity, some entertainment and have little need for 3D performance then a Core i5 processor will do just fine.

I ran some benchmarks and found that the more capably configured Envy 17 whipped the XPS 17 we have, but that system cost $ 500 more.

While the benchmarks aren’t impressive on this XPS 17 configuration, remember the price was a budget level $ 699 and not at all high end. The XPS 17 offers a lot of upgrade options and it also has dual drive bays so you can easily put in an SSD after market.

In terms of perceived performance in every day use, the XPS 17 was snappy and there was generally no lag.  Watching HD movies provides very smooth playback and didn’t cause the system to break a sweat.  The bootup and program opening could certainly be helped if an SSD were used.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard on the XPS 17 is full sized and very spacious, it offers a built-in number pad which will appeal to accountant and other number cruncher types.  The older L701X XPS 17 had a regular keyboard while the XPS 17 L702X has a chiclet style keyboard design.  These days it’s hard to find a laptop that doesn’t have a chiclet style design, so for the most part by day this will just look like any other keyboard.  However, by night the keyboard backlighting will kick in and the effect is impressive, transforming an also ran looking keyboard into a sleek and cool looking keyboard.  I can’t emphasize how handy it is to have keyboard backlighting, it makes it easy to find those hard to see keys such as Page Up and Page Down, even if you’re a touch typist it’s hard to master finding every key without looking down.

The keyboard feel on the XPS 17 is nice.  There is no sag to the keyboard, it’s very firm feeling.  The travel of the keys is somewhat short, that’s good for fast typists with a light touch but not so good if you really like hammering at keys and feel them go in like myself.  The tactile feedback of each key is decent, though not as good as the ThinkPad X220 keyboard I use as an everyday laptop.  On the whole the XPS 17 keyboard gets a solid passing grade of a B.

The touchpad is provided by Synaptics.  I had to disable the pinch to zoom feature that was automatically enabled, it seemed to be overly enthusiastic and would now and again zoom in the screen even when I was only using one finger.  Meanwhile the two finger scroll wouldn’t work no matter what I did.  For the most part the touchpad worked ok for normal usage, i.e. moving the cursor, but advanced features were hit or miss.

The mouse buttons on the other hand were great.  They are a good size, have the perfect amount of travel and in general are just easy to use and feel great.

I’m a big fan of the touchpad and mouse buttons so far. The mouse pad is very responsive, much more so than the touchpad on the HP Envy 17. In addition, the mouse buttons are nice and easy to push, with great travel and feedback.

Input and Output Ports

The port selection on the XPS 17 is impressive, you get all the latest port technologies:

On the left side you get a USB 2.0 port at the back and media card reader at the front

On the right side you get the optical drive, either DVD Burner or Blu-Ray

Zooming in on the ports at the back you can see two headphone jacks, one microphone and an eSATA / USB combo port

On the back right side you get two USB 3.0 ports and the power jack

On the back left side you get a mini DisplayPort, HDMI and Ethernet RJ45 port

I usually don’t like having a lot of ports on the back of a laptop, but with a desktop replacement style laptop it makes sense because most people will be keeping this on a desk with accessories permanently plugged in and don’t need to be reached or pulled out frequently.

XPS 17 Screen

The XPS 17 can be configured with either the standard 1600 x 900 screen or for $ 100 more a higher resolution 1920 x 1080 display.  For those that want to get higher frame rates and better performance when gaming the lower resolution screen will actually be the better choice.  If you’re interested in high resolution 1080p HD movie watching in all its glory then the 1920 x 1080 upgrade will be worth it.  The other advantage to the 1080p display is you can fit more on the screen, thus making you more productive with less scrolling.  If you have poor eye sight then the text size might be too small, so be careful with your decision on the resolution.

The colors on the XPS 17 screen really pop, it provides for a great movie viewing experience.   The colors are enhanced by use of a glossy screen.  The glossy finish helps to enhance colors, but the downside is that it causes screen reflections that can lead to eye strain.

Viewing angles on the XPS 17 horizontally are very good, meaning if you’re off to the side colors hold true.  Vertical viewing angles are not as great, this is typical of TN panel technology screens like the XPS 17 has.

You’ll notice in the pictures above that when the screen is tilted back colors tend to invert and lose clarity.  Of course, if you view the screen straight on there are no issues.

Screen brightness is perfectly adequate, at the top level the screen is very bright, I had to keep it a couple of notches down from the brightest level for comfortable viewing.

Heat & Noise

The XPS 17 is a large and powerful laptop and such machines have a reputation for being hot and noisy.  This is not the case with L702X, the fan at the back does a good job of carrying heat away from anywhere your hands may fall, the keyboard and palm rest stays cool to the touch.  When you start to play games and peg the processor and graphics card the fan will get noisy, it’s the only choice you have to keep the machine cool.  Under more normal usage such as web surfing and using MS Office the heat stays to a minimum and the fan will not sound like a dust buster, in fact it’s barely audible in a room with ambient noise.

Speakers

The speakers on the XPS L702X certainly stand out relative to your typical laptop.  The fact you get a subwoofer means you’re in a rarefied field of laptops that include such a feature, you actually get some bass!  The speakers are JBL branded and definitely get loud enough to fill a room.  These are some of the best laptop speakers I’ve heard in a long time, but with that said for the best possible audio experience you’ll still want to plug in a high quality pair of headphones.  The XPS 17 offers to headphone ports if you have somebody next to you that wants to listen in on a movie as well.

Conclusion

The XPS 17 doesn’t look as appealing design wise as the competing HP Envy 17, but it starts at a lower price and has certain features that may appeal to some like a built-in subwoofer and choice of 1600 x 900 or 1920 x 1080 screen.   There are a slew of upgrade options on the XPS L702X, you can get up to a Core i7 Quad Core processor, 3D capable screen, touch screen, Nvidia GT 555m graphics and an SSD.  It’s easy to make after market upgrades on the XPS 17 as it has two hard drive bays that are easily accessible via a bottom panel.  The 2 memory slots are also accessible under this same panel for easy RAM upgrade.

My main complaint with the XPS 17 is that it starts at a reasonable price but the upgrades are all very expensive.  After making a few choice upgrades the laptop can quickly reach the $ 1,500 price point and at that point I’d be looking at either the HP Envy 17 or Alienware m17x as more attractive laptops at that price.  Still, there’s a lot to like about the XPS L702X, it’s got a high quality build and Dell gives good support to the XPS brand so you can buy with confidence if you determine this laptop has all the right features for your needs.

Pros

• Starts at a reasonable price of around $ 800
• Nice build quality, solid feeling case
• Backlit keyboard
• Excellent JBL speakers, subwoofer

Cons

• Cost of upgrades is expensive
• Nvidia Graphics card is not powerful enough for running latest games in high detail
• Design is nothing special

Related Reviews

• Dell Inspiron 14z Review
• HP Envy 15-3000 Review
• HP Envy 17-3000 Unboxing

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How to Transfer a Dell Laptop Warranty

Many people purchase second-hand computers on eBay, Craigslist, or from a private seller and if the device has any time left on its warranty, they most definitely should take advantage of it in case something malfunctions; you’re always taking a gamble when buying second hand electronics.

However, it can be a difficult process to transfer the warranty in your name if you are unaware of the options that are available to you, so here are the steps to make it happen as far as Dell products are concerned.

First, navigate to Dell’s Transfer Warranty page (international users should go here) and click the Automatically detect my service tag button (Note that this only works in Internet Explorer and not in Firefox or Chrome).  After doing this the following screen will appear, click “Yes”.

If you do not use IE you will have to manually type in your Service Tag and Express Service Code number, these can be found on the bottom of a Dell laptop.  In the next section, under Previous Owner, if you know the owners name then type that in but if you don’t (as is often the case) then just type “No Information” in both the first and last name and zip code fields.

Now, after clicking continue you arrive at the New Owner Information (that’s you!).  Enter in as much information about yourself as you can and hit Continue.  The last page you simply confirm and submit the transfer and the warranty should now be in your name!

Some customers have found that it works best if you actually have the site “validate” your service tag. If this fails, you might have to manually enter the express service code, which is located next to the 7 digit service tag. If the transfer is instant, it will confirm this on the last page after you hit submit; however, some users have reported that even if it tells you the tag has been successfully transferred, the submission might take a few days to process.  If you don’t get an email confirmation within 7-days, you might want to call Dell to make sure the warranty has been transferred to your name.  A representative can do this simply by using the Service Tag number as a lookup.

Related Reviews

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Lenovo Y470 vs. Dell XPS 14z Comparison: Faceoff of Two Powerful 14” Laptops

It’s often desirable to have portability and power in the same package. A 14” notebook represents a good compromise. Two notebooks popular in this space include the Lenovo IdeaPad Y470 and the Dell XPS 14z. The Y470 starts at $ 719 and the XPS 14z $ 899. We configured both of these notebooks with typical configurations and came up with a verdict on which is best to buy!

	Lenovo IdeaPad Y470	Dell XPS 14z
Processor	Core i7-2670QM quad-core	Core i5-2430M dual-core
Screen	14” 720p glossy	14” 720p glossy
OS	Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit	Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce GT550M 1GB	Nvidia GeForce GT520M 1GB
Memory	8GB	8GB
Storage	500GB 7200RPM	750GB 7200RPM
Optical Drive	DVD burner (tray-load)	DVD burner (slot-load)
Weight	4.85 lbs	4.36 lbs
Thickness	0.8~1.3”	0.9”
Ports	2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, eSATA/USB 2.0 combo, VGA, HDMI, Ethernet	1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, Ethernet
Battery Life	4.0 hrs	7+ hrs
Web Camera	Yes	Yes
Audio	JBL speakers, 2.0	Standard (non-branded)
Price as Configured	$ 769.00	$ 1,099.99
Product Images

Screenshots for the pricing on the above configurations are shown below:

Price

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

The XPS line of Dell notebooks is aimed at the higher end of the notebook market. There are several preconfigured models available for each; we kept the configurations as close as possible. Lenovo gets the undeniable advantage in this category; it includes a far more powerful processor and graphics card. We’ll talk more about this later on, but the bottom line is that the Lenovo offers far more performance for the money – if that’s your goal.

Design

Advantage: Dell XPS 14z

Although Lenovo recently revamped the design of its IdeaPad lineup, it is not able to catch Dell in terms of putting out a premium product. The Y470 is mostly plastic where the XPS 14z is made entirely of metal. Additionally the Dell features a backlit keyboard; it is not even offered on the Y470.

Not only is the Dell more stylish – it’s also a lot more durable thanks to the metal body. The Y470’s overuse of glossy plastic means a cleaning nightmare. The glossy surface also shows scratches easily; the 14z’s anodized metal surface is much better in this regard.

My last observation is that the Dell is both thinner (just 0.9”) and weighs about a half-pound less than the Y470.

Battery Life

Advantage: Dell XPS 14z

The Dell takes the field again here; it includes a larger, more powerful 8-cell battery (the Y470 only has a 6-cell) that propels it to over seven hours of battery life. The Y470 on the other hand is only able to squeeze four hours.

Screen

Advantage: Neither

Both notebooks are each other’s equals when it comes to the screen. The same specifications are offered on both notebooks: 14” diagonal with a glossy surface and a 720p (1366×768 pixels) resolution. This screen is not impressive in any particular way; the 720p resolution is low and using two windows side-by-side is near impossible; additionally the glossy surface is reflection city in well-lit environments.

Processor Options and Performance

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

The Y470 is the clear winner here – it offers a powerful quad-core Intel Core i7 processor. The XPS 14z only offers dual-core processors. The Y470 will be far faster at applications that can take advantage of a quad-core processor including Adobe Photoshop and some modern games. For the general user, both the quad-core and the dual-core will provide almost the same performance, however.

Graphics Card

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

While both the Y470 and XPS 14z offer 1GB of graphics memory, the Y470 has a far faster Nvidia GeForce GT 550M. Put into practical terms, the GT 520M in the XPS 14z will struggle with modern games where the GT 550M will be able to play almost any modern game on maximum settings (at least at the 720p resolution on these notebook’s displays).

Weight and Thickness

Advantage: Dell XPS 14z

It has already become clear that the XPS 14z is the better travel companion; it not only has better durability and battery life, but also weighs less (4.36 lbs vs. 4.85 lbs) and is thinner (0.9” vs. 0.8~1.3”). The XPS 14z is one uniform thickness all around, which makes carrying it easier.

Ports Selection

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

The Y470 has twice the amount of USB ports and includes an eSATA port as well, which is great for high-speed connections to external hard drives. The XPS 14z has just two USB ports, which may not be enough.

Speakers

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

Neither notebook has fantastic speakers by any means, but the Y470 has the edge. It includes name-brand JBL speakers that provide fuller sound than the XPS 14z. I can’t see this as a big factor when deciding between the two machines, but if it’s meaningful to you then consider this.

Warranty, Support and Return

Advantage: Lenovo IdeaPad Y470

Notebook buyers often overlook the importance of the warranty. Dell and Lenovo offer 24/7 phone and online support including chat. Lenovo’s upgraded warranties are far cheaper, however; extending the base warranty from one to three years is just $ 99. Three years of warranty with accidental damage protection is just $ 164. Dell on the other hand charges $ 299 for a base warranty extension to three years – which is shockingly high – and it’s another $ 168 to add accidental damage protection to that.

And the winner is?

The XPS 14z may be the more stylish notebook but it is defeated by the Y470 in most areas. The XPS 14z has better battery life and is slightly more portable; additionally it has better build quality and a backlit keyboard. Spec’d comparably to the Y470, however, it is a good deal more expensive.

The Y470 comes out ahead in just about every other area. Its performance is light years ahead thanks to the quad-core processor and beefier graphics card. Additionally it has more ports and better speakers. Last but not least, at the time of this writing it is only $ 769.00 where the XPS 14z with similar specifications is $ 1,099.99. The major downside to the Y470 is the 4 hour battery life; the XPS 14z gets 175% of that.

Unless battery life is super important, the performance and value of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y470 are unmatched.

Related articles

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Dell XPS 17 L702X Video and Unboxing

The Dell XPS 17 is a desktop replacement style performance notebook, the L702X is the latest XPS 17 model that contains the Intel Sandy Bridge 2nd generation of Core i5 and i7 processors.  The XPS 17 L702X can be configured online at Dell.com starting at $ 899 with a base configuration.  You can of course configure the laptop to your hearts delight and the price will quickly ramp up with all of the options and upgrades available to you.  The XPS 702X can be configured as a mid-class desktop replacement for an affordable price or tricked out to make it a capable gaming laptop.  Though the XPS 17 isn’t going to be able to match the performance of Dell’s more powerful (and expensive) 17-inch Alienware m17x, it will still be able to run the latest games at mid to high settings with decent frame rates if you choose the Nvidia GT 555M graphics and a Core i7 processor.  My needs are more modest and I simply wanted to test a “budget” configuration of the XPS 17-702X with the following specs:

• Model: XPS 17 (L702X)
• Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
• Memory: 6GB,DDR3,2 DIMM
• Screen: 17.3 in HD+ WLED TL (1600×900) with 2.0MP HD webcam
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 550M 1GB graphics with Optimus
• Storage: 640GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
• OS: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• Optical Drive: 8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
• Speakers: JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3
• Wireless:  Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000
• Battery: 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Webcam: 2.0MP HD with single digital mic
• Ports: Mini DisplayPort (1), 2 total USB 3.0, 2 total USB 2.0 (1 / 1 eSATA/powershare combo), Ethernet LAN (RJ45), HDMI 1.4, Audio jacks:headphone(2 total) with SPID/F support (1), 1 Mic-in
• Weight: 7.41lbs
• Dimensions:  16.3″ x 11.3” x 1.3” – 1.5” (Width x Depth x Height)
• Price as configured: $ 699 (on sale)

The Intel Core i5-2410m processor can be overclocked to 2.90GHz when necessary using the TurboBoost feature.  The graphics can be switched between Intel HD3000 and Nvidia GeForce GT550M depending on what applications you are running, obviously anything gaming related will lean on the Nvidia card to get things done.  When you switch to web surfacing and Office productivity apps the Intel graphics will suffice and help to save battery life.

Dell XPS 17 (L702X) Video Overview

I put together a short video to just review the components, design and ports you get with the XPS 17, click the play button below to watch:

Dell XPS 17 Unboxing

The XPS 17 arrived in an all black shipping box, which is one design step up from a typical brown Dell box.

Inside you find a black box with the power cord and adapter inside, the XPS 17 itself braced between Styrofoam inserts and wrapped in a black cloth, and then documentation and disks inside cardboard sleeve.  Overall the presentation is nice, though not on par with the HP Envy 17 I recently did an unboxing of.

Once you remove all of the packaging you’re left with the XPS 17 with a bunch of protective stickers on, the power cord wrapped up and secured with twisty ties, and a sleeve of disks.

Dell XPS 17 L702X First Thoughts

I’ve heard it said that the XPS 17 looks somewhat frumpy with its design, I can’t say I disagree.  It just doesn’t look as sleek and cool as the competing HP Envy 17.  It’s a big laptop and it doesn’t try to hide it, the curves are exaggerated and it makes it look like a bumper car or VW Beetle.  Not that I’d prefer sharp cornered edges, but the curves at the top of the screen are almost reminiscent of the fruit colored Apple iBook.

The colors used on the XPS 17 don’t exactly excite, it’s black and a dull grey, the case is made of a mix of aluminum and plastic, the aluminum portion doesn’t have the same sheen as the aluminum on the HP Envy or MacBook Pro so the overall design effect is not as impressive.  The aluminum does at least add to the overall build quality, the laptop feels solid and there’s little flex in the chassis.

One design touch that does really help the XPS 17 is the backlit keyboard:

Not only does the keyboard backlighting offer a nice design touch, it also contributes to usability making the keyboard much easier to see in the dark.  Notice that you also get a number pad on the keyboard due to its spacious size.  The keyboard has a chiclet style design and is pleasant to use.  The key travel is quite shallow but the tactile feedback is good, making it a good choice for fast touch typists.

I’m a big fan of the touchpad and mouse buttons so far.  The mouse pad is very responsive, much more so than the touchpad on the HP Envy 17.  In addition, the mouse buttons are nice and easy to push, with great travel and feedback.

The port selection on the XPS 17 is impressive, you get all the latest port technologies:

On the left side you get a USB 2.0 port at the back and media card reader at the front

On the right side you get the optical drive, either DVD Burner or Blu-Ray

Zooming in on the ports at the back you can see two headphone jacks, one microphone and an eSATA / USB combo port

On the back right side you get two USB 3.0 ports and the power jack

On the back left side you get a mini DisplayPort, HDMI and Ethernet RJ45 port

I usually don’t like having a lot of ports on the back of a laptop, but with a desktop replacement style laptop it makes sense because most people will be keeping this on a desk with accessories permanently plugged in and don’t need to be reached or pulled out frequently.

I mentioned before that the specific configuration of the XPS 17 under review is not earth shattering in terms of performance.  I ran some benchmarks and found that the more capably configured Envy 17 whipped the XPS 15 we have and even the HP Folio 13 Ultrabook was able to outperform on benchmarks thanks to its SSD.

While the benchmarks aren’t impressive on this XPS 15 configuration, remember the price was a budget level $ 699 and not at all high end.   The XPS 15 offers a lot of upgrade options and it also has dual drive bays so you can easily put in an SSD after market.  We’ll try doing that ourselves to get an idea of the benchmark and performance improvements it yields.  Stay tuned for a full review of the XPS L702X.

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Deal: Dell XPS 17 (L702X) for $699

Dell has an incredible deal on their XPS 17 model L702X laptop which you can get for $ 699 right now with coupon code 7WR1C2?HTTQQ11 (expires January 31).  Simply use this link to get to the Dell XPS 17 that’s on sale, it’s a fast ship model so will arrive within two days.  The XPS 17 is listed for $ 849.99 but when you apply the $ 150 off coupon at checkout you’ll get the $ 699.99 price.  The XPS 17 on sale has the following specs:

• Processor: Intel Core i5-2410m 2.30GHz

• 

• Screen: 17.3” (900p) LED Display
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GT 550M 1GB VRAM
• Memory: 6GB
• Storage: 640GB 7200RPM SATA HD
• Optical Drive: 8x Tray Load CD/DVD Burner
• Battery: 6-cell Li-Ion
• Wireless: Intel N 1000

It’s going to be tough to find a 17” laptop with dedicated graphics for cheaper than $ 699.  Granted, the graphics on board are not high end and it’s not Core i7 graphics, but performance is still going to be very good.  It also has nice options such as a dual hard drive potential so you could put in an SSD very easily to boost performance.  The XPS 17 also has a backlit keyboard and USB 3.0, both nice features to have.

Deal Link:  XPS 17 on sale for $ 699 with coupon 7WR1C2?HTTQQ11

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Deal: Dell Vostro 3450 & 3750 $50 Off Coupon

Dell Business has a great deal on both the Vostro 3450 and Vostro 3750 laptops right now when you use $ 50 off coupon code XK2SG3C?X4KWB8.  The Dell Vostro 3750 with a Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM and 320GB HD can be had for $ 580 and the same configuration for the smaller 14-inch Vostro 3450 can be had for $ 529.00.  Here’s how to get the deal:

Both the Vostro 3450 and 3750 are very well built laptops and with an Intel Core i5 processor will give you great performance for work related tasks.  Both of these laptops also have backlit keyboards, which is a nice feature to have and not typical for a laptop that’s under $ 600.  The latest USB 3.0 port is included on both and you also get an HDMI port for outputting video to a TV or monitor.  We reviewed the Vostro 3450 and found it to be a good choice in laptops for either work or even home, the one downside is that the Vostro 3450 is quite heavy for a 14-inch laptop.  The larger Vostro 1750 would of course be even heavier, but it is intended as a dekstop replacement style notebook and so you wouldn’t expect to be taking it anywhere.

Here are the specs on the Vostro 3450 that’s $ 529:

• Screen: 14.0 inch High Definition LED Display (1366 x 768) with anti-glare
• Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2430M 2.40 GHz Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.00
• Memory: 6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHZ, 2 DIMM
• Keyboard: Backlit Keyboard with Gesture Touchpad, English
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 with up to 1.6GB Dynamic Video Memory
• Integrated HD Webcam and Digital Array Mic with Dell Webcam Central
• Storage: 320GB SATA Hard Drive
• Security: Fingerprint Reader with Digital Persona software
• Optical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability
• Wireless: Intel WiFi 1030 802.11 b/g/n/BT3.0 Combo
• Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

And here are the specs on the Vostro 3750 that’s $ 579:

• Screen: 17.3 inch High Definition LED Display (1600 X 900) with anti-glare
• Processor:  2nd generation Intel Core i5-2430M 2.40 GHz Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.00
• Memory: 6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1333MHZ, 2 DIMM
• Keyboard: Backlit Keyboard with Gesture Touchpad, English
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000 with up to 1.6GB Dynamic Video Memory
• Integrated HD Webcam and Digital Array Mic with Dell Webcam Central
• Storage: 320GB SATA Hard Drive
• Security: Fingerprint Reader with Digital Persona software
• Optical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW with double-layer DVD+/-R write capability
• Wireless: Intel WiFi 1030 802.11 b/g/n/BT3.0 Combo
• Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Don’t forget to use coupon code XK2SG3C?X4KWB8 for $ 50 off at checkout and select the Free upgrade to 6GB of RAM!

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Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook Specs Revealed at CES 2012

The Dell XPS 13 has surfaced at CES 2012, it took awhile for Dell to get into the Ultrabook game but they have arrived in style with this 13-inch screen laptop entry.  The XPS 13 Ultrabook weighs 2.99lbs and is a mere 0.71-inches thick and goes all the way down to 0.24-inches at its thinnest point at the front.  The chassis is built of carbon fiber, a super light but extremely durable material.  The lid is made of aluminum to protect against pressure placed on the laptop when in the closed position.  The palm rests use a soft touch material on the surface to provide more comfort for the wrists.  However, while your wrists may be comfortable on the palm rests, the front end sure looks sharp, so you might need to keep wrists away from that razor shaped front!

The full specs for the Dell XPS 13 are below:

• Screen: 13-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution with Gorilla Glass scratch resistant layer, 300 nits brightness
• Processor: Intel Core i5 or i7 (Sandy Bridge initially and a refresh with Ivy Bridge later in 2012)
• Graphics: Intel HD3000 / HD4000
• Storage: 128GB SSD or 256GB SSD
• Memory:  4GB RAM base
• Ports: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, Mini Display Port, headphone jack
• Webcam: 1.3 megapixels
• Thickness: 0.71-inches at the back, 0.24-inches thin at the front
• Weight: 2.9lbs
• Keyboard: backlit chiclet style
• Security: TPM
• Battery Life:
• Wireless: 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0

The price on the Dell XPS 13 will start at $ 999 when it becomes available in February 2012.  It will be sold through both the Dell Home and Dell Business websites as it is considered a laptop that will appeal to both businesses and consumers.  To appeal more to business and IT heads Dell has included enterprise type security feature options such as TPM, custom BIOS, and asset tagging.  Still, since this has been branded with XPS the assumption is it’s a more consumer targeted device.

Overall the XPS 13 looks like a strong Ultrabook competitor, however the lack of an SD card reader and HDMI port is going to be a deterrent for some people.  The high quality materials used and very compact design, it uses a 12-inch size chassis for a 13-inch screen laptop, is definitely unique and a good thing for those that prefer a smaller footprint for their laptop.  We’ll know more about the XPS 13 Ultrabook when reviews start to surface with its release next month.

[via Laptop Reviews]

Dell Inspiron i14RN Laptop with Intel Core i5 $499 at Staples

Starting tomorrow (January 8, 2012) Staples will have the Dell Inspiron i14RN-1818DBK laptop for $ 499 with the following impressive specs:

• Processor: Intel Core i5-2430M (2.4GHz, 3MB Cache) processor
• Screen: 14.0″ High Definition (720p) WLED Display with TrueLife
• OS: Genuine Windows 7 ® Home Premium (64-bit)
• Memory: 6GB installed memory
• Storage: 640GB hard drive
• Optical Drive: 8X CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
• Wireless: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1030 with Bluetooth
• Ports: (2) USB 3.0, (1) USB 2.0, (1) USB 2.0 with E-SATA & Power Share, HDMI v1.4 Port, VGA Port, Integrated network connector 10/100, LAN (RJ45), AC adapter connector, Audio jacks (1-line out, 1 Mic-in), Media Card Reader
• Web Camera: Integrated 1.0MP HD (1280 x 720) webcam
• Battery: 6-Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48 WHr)
• Dimensions 13.5″W x 1.29″H x 9.68″D (4.89lbs)
• Warranty: 1 year warranty

You can see our review of a different configuration of the Dell Inspiron 14R here.  Basically, it’s a budget laptop in terms of build but the specs are mid to high end and you’ll have a lot of performance for the dollar with the Intel Core i5-2430m that can overclock to 2.90GHz.  The 6GB of RAM is certainly enough for any average work tasks and you’ll have plenty of storage with the 640GB HD. 

In terms of ports selection, you get the latest USB 3.0 port for fast data transfer along with an eSATA USB combo port for a second alternative to fast data transfer.  You also get an HDMI port that allows you to output video to a large screen TV or monitor.  This laptop also comes with Intel WiDi technology so you can wirelessly stream video to a TV.

The Inspiron 14R has a switchable lid design, so if you don’t like the black lid this model comes with you can change the design simply by purchasing a different lid for around $ 30.  The Inspiron 14R with Intel Core i5 starts at $ 649 on Dell.com, so you’re looking at a savings of over $ 150 with this particular configuration at Staples.

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