Next into the Dell XPS 13, the 15-inch version of Dell's best-in-class laptop has a great deal to live up to. And, though it does not quite fit the score of its 13-inch sibling, the Dell XPS 15 is worth your consideration. After all, it is coming out of the largest laptop supplier to businesses in the United States.
After the battery life deficit found on the last iteration of the Dell XPS 15, we acknowledge that our expectations have been reduced concerning the new model. The unflattering native sound quality and also underwhelming addition of Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics did not get it any favors either.
Fortunately, lots of the problems we experienced last year's model have been shrouded from the 2017 Dell XPS 15. Even better, every one of the facets we enjoyed about it earlier are still present, and there are also a broad assortment of configurations to select from, making the most recent XPS 15 a worthy addition for our finest laptops ranks.
Price and availability
As we mentioned, there are a whole lot of hardware options to pick from in regards to the Dell XPS 15. For that reason, you might wind up getting a very different laptop than somebody who decides to invest more or less in their purchase.
Though the model we had been sent for review is valued at $2,174 (£1,814, AU$2,634), it includes a luxury, 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ quad-core processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, a 4K InfinityEdge touch display, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card plus a built-in fingerprint reader for Windows Hello logins.
Assuming your preferences do not need all of these bells and whistles, everything you get together with the entry level Dell XPS 15 is dependent upon where you live. In the United States, it is $999 for the Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 1080p non-touch display along with a 500GB hard disk paired with 32GB of SSD storage to the OS -- no more different graphics or fingerprint reader at sight.
In the United Kingdom, the Dell XPS 15 starts at £1,429 to an i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a full HD screen (once more, no touch) along with a 1TB hard drive / 128GB SSD combo.
In Australia, you are going to need to pay out a whopping AU$2,209 for the'cheapest' Dell XPS 15. The silver lining is that, along with sporting a 7th-gen Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM plus a 256GB SSD, this model also houses a GTX 1050 plus a fingerprint reader.
Design
At first glance, the 2017 Dell XPS 15 does not look much different than its predecessor. It has a silvery aluminum casing that sticks in on a rubberized cloth surrounding plastic input signals. Just the keyboard was refined since the last time we watched it.
Although the key travel is comparatively low, the Dell XPS 15 boasts a keyboard that's both comfy and spacious, keeping consistent with trends followed with the likes of the HP Spectre x360 15 as well as Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro. The touchpad remains clicky, which is excellent for people who desire that, although this reviewer specifically prefers the hushed clicks exhibited from the Force Touch trackpad on the MacBook.
Nonetheless, the inputs on the Dell XPS 15 compare well to all those of the competing Gigabyte Aero 15 whose keys are so closely packed that it is a hassle trying to get anything done outside of gaming. In the minimum, the monitoring and left/right click detection is par for the class on the Dell XPS 15.
Ultra-high pixel density
For $400 (£210, AU$35) on top of the primary price tag of the 1080p versions, you can get a lush, 4K (3,840 x 2,160) screen that sets the 2,880 x 1,800 resolution Retina Display found from the MacBook Pro 15-inch to pity. Granted, there's no Touch Bar around the Dell XPS 15, however, you could always select a more expensive version of the notebook that features the evasive fingerprint scanner and a full-on touchscreen.
To put a finer point on it, the 4K Dell XPS 15 conveys a pixel density of 282.4 pixels per inch (ppi), while the 15.4-inch display on the MacBook Pro stands at 220.5 ppi. Perhaps it doesn't seem like a steep gap, but contemplating the MacBook Pro prices more for possibly inferior components, there's definitely a worth disparity between the 2 devices.
Though it's sort of a gratuitous decorative feature, there's no denying that Dell's InfinityEdge technology adds gusto into the Dell XPS 15's look. On the other hand, the narrow bezels once more force the webcam into the reduced left corner corner of the upright panel. Seriously consider whether you would like to literally look down in your audience whilst broadcasting and Skyping in the event that you proceed to purchase this laptop.
Performance and battery life
Predictably, the hottest Dell XPS 15 review unit fared much better at the Fire Strike 3DMark seat than the XPS 15 prior to it. Similarly, every other performance evaluation, such as Cinebench's CPU and OpenGL benchmarks, watched noticeable performance gains over the past year's iteration.
Sad to say, the Dell XPS 15 wasn't intended for high-end gaming, according to our Grand Theft Auto V and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided benchmarks. Even in the lowest settings (with DirectX 12 enabled( head ), our review unit could not reach 30 frames each second.
Read more: Dell XPS 15 (2018)
If you don't intend on sticking with significantly less demanding game categories, such as indies and Esports, the addition of Nvidia graphics will not get you a lot further beyond rigorous photo and video editing, and of course 4K media.
Similarly, the Gigabyte Aero 15 outranked the Dell XPS 15 in each evaluation.
Given that they take advantage of the exact same processor, it is clear how outstanding the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 used from the Aero 15 would be into the Dell XPS 15's GTX 1050.
For gamers, the right choice is clear.
But if your selection is between the XPS 15 along with the 15-inch MacBook Pro, keep in mind that Apple's laptop uses just a 2GB graphics processor, while Dell's offering dons 4GB of video RAM.
Fortunately, PC users whose wild lifestyles see them continuously on the go, the battery life to the Dell XPS 15 has seen significant reform.
This is quite likely the outcome of Dell's implementation of a much more energy-efficient Kaby Lake processor plus a 97Whr battery within the 84Whr one at the prior 15-incher.
What results is a battery life of 3 hours and 38 minutes, based on our PCMark 8 testing, a lofty accomplishment compared to the 1 hour and 52 minutes we watched last year.
General assessment
The Dell XPS 15 is what you will need to the day-to-day routine for college, work or lively amusement. It does not really concentrate on any specific trade, but rather, it is a well-rounded notebook with a couple of excusable missteps.
Provided that you are not duped by the Nvidia moniker to anticipating a laptop built with high-end gaming in mind, Dell has once again crafted a trustworthy clamshell that only gets the job done whatever that task might be.
The Dell XPS 15 rankings one of the most effective 15-inch laptops money can purchase, but it is not without its problems. Its space-saving design and fantastic performance add up to some machine that feels just like a competent desktop PC plus a wonderful 4K screen rolled into one.
If you are mainly going to be using this notebook from a wall socket socket, nevertheless, it is a bad option. Neither can it be appropriate if you would like to remain on the very edge of laptop tech for the upcoming few years.
