Dell Studio XPS 16 Review
Introduction and Specifications
We had the pleasure of reviewing Dell's Studio XPS 13 back in early May and found the machine to be sleek and stylish, and a good value. In an effort to provide that same sleek styling and great performance to those looking for a somewhat larger machine, Dell has now issued an updated Studio XPS 16 that seems to up the ante in a number of key areas. The 16" notebook realm is a bit less crowded these days than say the netbook sector and the full-on 17" desktop replacement arena, giving Dell the perfect opportunity to stand out and make a play for those dead-set on a 16" rig.
The Studio XPS 13 set itself apart from prior Dell notebooks by adding a touch of flair that was somewhat unheard of for the company previously. The all-black, low-profile keyboard coupled with the edge-to-edge LCD and subtle leather strip on the lid gave the Studio line a motif that even fashionistas could love, and all that's still firmly in place on the Studio XPS 16. Essentially, the machine we're testing today is just an oversized variant of the Studio XPS 13, but the extra room inside enabled Dell to beef up the specifications.
In fact, the machine looks so good that it's easy to forget that it's not exactly the thinnest or lightest machine on the block. Now, it's certainly nimble enough for most, and we're actually impressed with the overall look and feel considering its screen size. Also, the added room enabled Dell to install a full-size keyboard, more powerful speakers, a 1080p panel and a potent 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon 4670 GPU, which is admittedly the star of the system.
Click To Enlarge
The Studio XPS 16 hits a sweet spot in between a mainstream gaming notebook and a full-on desktop replacement. It's large enough to get a Full HD display, a powerful, discreet GPU and full-size keyboard, yet small enough to be sufficiently portable and still rather attractive. In the pages to come we'll be taking a look at how this rig handles the day-to-day rigors as well as gaming duties. Join us as we break things down from top to bottom, won't you?
The Studio XPS 13 set itself apart from prior Dell notebooks by adding a touch of flair that was somewhat unheard of for the company previously. The all-black, low-profile keyboard coupled with the edge-to-edge LCD and subtle leather strip on the lid gave the Studio line a motif that even fashionistas could love, and all that's still firmly in place on the Studio XPS 16. Essentially, the machine we're testing today is just an oversized variant of the Studio XPS 13, but the extra room inside enabled Dell to beef up the specifications.
In fact, the machine looks so good that it's easy to forget that it's not exactly the thinnest or lightest machine on the block. Now, it's certainly nimble enough for most, and we're actually impressed with the overall look and feel considering its screen size. Also, the added room enabled Dell to install a full-size keyboard, more powerful speakers, a 1080p panel and a potent 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon 4670 GPU, which is admittedly the star of the system.
;)
Click To Enlarge
The Studio XPS 16 hits a sweet spot in between a mainstream gaming notebook and a full-on desktop replacement. It's large enough to get a Full HD display, a powerful, discreet GPU and full-size keyboard, yet small enough to be sufficiently portable and still rather attractive. In the pages to come we'll be taking a look at how this rig handles the day-to-day rigors as well as gaming duties. Join us as we break things down from top to bottom, won't you?
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;)
- Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1) 64-bit
- Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz Processor
- 1067 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 Cache
- 4GB of 800 MHz Memory (2 x 2GB DDR3)
- ATI Mobility Radeon 4670 (1GB)
- 16.0 Inch Glossy Full HD RGBLED Display (1920x1080)
- VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort Output
- Seagate Momentus Momentus 7200.4 500GB Hard Drive; 7200RPM
- 4x Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive; (DVD/CD +/- RW +BD Read)
- Intel Wireless 5100 Card (Wi-Fi)
- Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0
- Integrated Stereo Speakers
- 2.0 MP Camera
- 8-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader
- ExpressCard 54 Slot
- 2 x USB 2.0 Ports; 1 x Mini 1394 (FireWire); 1 x USB 2.0 compliant / eSATA port with PowerShare; 2 headphone jacks; 1 audio input
- 0.95" - 1.34" (H) / 15.15" (W) / 10.02" (D)
- 6.5 Pounds - Weight
- 6-Cell 56Wh Battery
- Retail (Before Discounts) Price As Tested: $1758.00 currently (starting price $1099)
- 1 Year Standard Warranty
