Dell XPS 15 Touch Screen Laptop Review
Dell's XPS line of laptops have always been about foregoing compromise in the pursuit of a premium mobile experience. The company's latest lineup of XPS 15 touch-enabled systems carry that tradition into a new era of computing, driven by Microsoft's Windows 8.1 operating system. These machines are anything but cookie cutter, and even if you're not a fan of the unified approach Microsoft took with Windows, there's more here than just a touch computing experience. Much more.
To begin with, the real star of the show is the optional 15.6-inch Quad HD+ (3200x1800) display. Dell's the first system builder to employ a QHD+ IGZO panel, which trumps any of Apple's MacBooks with Retina-class displays. Packing 5.7 million pixels into a 15.6-inch frame results in a stunningly sharp viewing experience, and it looks gorgeous from virtually any angle.
There are three configurations to choose from starting at $1,500. Dell sent us its highest end model, priced at $2,350 and loaded with an Intel Core i7-4702HQ processor, 16GB of DDR3L-1600 RAM, a high performance 512GB mSATA solid state drive, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M graphics with NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching technology. Further adding to its future-proofing configuration are amenities like 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0, and SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports with PowerShare technology,
In short, Dell provides a lot of bang in exchange for all those bucks, and at a glance, we're hard pressed to discern any obvious weak points. We've gone beyond the spec sheet, however, and like all systems that end up at HotHardware, we put this one through the wringer. Find out what we learned on the following pages.
To begin with, the real star of the show is the optional 15.6-inch Quad HD+ (3200x1800) display. Dell's the first system builder to employ a QHD+ IGZO panel, which trumps any of Apple's MacBooks with Retina-class displays. Packing 5.7 million pixels into a 15.6-inch frame results in a stunningly sharp viewing experience, and it looks gorgeous from virtually any angle.
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In short, Dell provides a lot of bang in exchange for all those bucks, and at a glance, we're hard pressed to discern any obvious weak points. We've gone beyond the spec sheet, however, and like all systems that end up at HotHardware, we put this one through the wringer. Find out what we learned on the following pages.
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| Processor | Intel Core i7-4702HQ (6MB cache, up to 3.2GHz) |
| Operating System | Windows 8.1 64-bit |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 |
| Memory | 16GB DDR3L 1600 MHz DRAM |
| Display | 15.6-inch UltraSharp QHD+ (3200x1080) touch display |
| Storage | 512GB mSATA solid state drive (SSD) w/ Intel Rapid Start Technology |
| Optical | N/A |
| Wireless Connectivity | Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth 4.0 Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) 3.0 ready Near Field Communication (NFC) |
| Interface | 3 x USB 3.0 w/ PowerShare 1 x USB 2.0 w/ PowerShare 1 x mini DisplayPort 1 x HDMI 3-in-1 media card reader 1 x headphone jack Noble lock |
| Webcam | Widescreen HD webcam w/ dual array digital microphones |
| Battery | 91Whr (6-cell) non-replaceable |
| Power Adapter | 130W AC adapter |
| Dimensions | 14.6 (W) x 10 (D) x 0.3-0.7 (H) inches |
| Weight | 4.44 pounds |
| Manufacturer Warranty | 1-year |
| Pricing: | $2,349 (as configured but options in config are available) |
You'll notice this laptop teeters on the edge of being an Ultrabook with a height that ranges from just 0.3 inches to no more than 0.7 inches at its thickest. That's impressive when you consider all the power sitting underneath the lid, though at 4.44 pounds, the XPS 15 Touch won't challenge the lightest laptops out there in terms of weight.
The additional weight isn't wasted, as you won't find an Ultrabook that offers everything the XPS 15 does. Dell uses premium materials such as machined aluminum, carbon fiber, and hardened Corning Gorilla Glass. In doing so, the XPS 15 Touch looks and feels like a high-end laptop, which is not always the case with true Ultrabooks.
The additional weight isn't wasted, as you won't find an Ultrabook that offers everything the XPS 15 does. Dell uses premium materials such as machined aluminum, carbon fiber, and hardened Corning Gorilla Glass. In doing so, the XPS 15 Touch looks and feels like a high-end laptop, which is not always the case with true Ultrabooks.
