The 15.6-inch LED-backlit glossy 16:9 display in our high-end XPS 15 configuration has a 1,920x1,080-pixel full-HD display, which costs an extra $150 on Dell's Web site to customize. They're so good, they're going to be one of primary features you'll show off to friends and family, and they'll probably make you skip using headphones-to the chagrin of neighbors or roommates. Music and movies play with crisp pop, punch, and separation, and gaming shows off the surround-simulating effects. Like last year's XPS, the included 5.1-speaker/subwoofer array is one of the best we've ever heard in a laptop. We're not huge fans of the column of page up/down buttons lining the right side of the keyboard, relegating the Enter/Shift keys to inner positions that aren't instantly touch-intuitive, but it's a trend that's growing for laptop keyboards everywhere. And, though last year's XPS had function-reversed volume and media control keys, they've flipped back to requiring pressing the function key in this year's model.
#XPS 15 MULTITOUCH UPGRADE#
We do have a few gripes: the backlit keyboard is now a $40 upgrade instead of an included feature on the entry-level model. Typing feels very comfortable, although there could have been room for a number pad in the wide chassis. It's a nicer look, but it doesn't add up to anything significantly more ergonomic than the previous XPS. The keyboard is new, a shift from the flat keyboard with raised key surfaces seen on many of last year's Dell laptops. A wide, generous palm rest and keyboard deck is covered in more brushed metal, with a raised chiclet-style keyboard centered right in the middle between two speaker grilles. However, this is a laptop that gets a lot better once you actually start using it.
#XPS 15 MULTITOUCH PRO#
The thick chassis has some noticeable flex on the sides, giving an impression of being not quite as solidly built as other high-end laptops such as the MacBook Pro and HP Envy. It nearly acts like a dock, giving this XPS a very desktop-friendly feel for keeping wires out of the way, but making access a little tough for lap use. The XPS uses that back lip for a handful of rear-facing ports, including HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, the power jack, and one of its two USB 3.0 ports. The hinge-forward design on the XPS mirrors other recent Dell laptops, such as the Inspiron R and Mini 10, pushing the screen forward a little in relation to the keyboard but giving the rear end significant chunk. The XPS has undeniably throwback looks, and not in a good way. Especially with the extra riser added by the nine-cell battery option, the overall effect is one of the thickest laptops we've seen on the market. A thick, slightly tapered base and wide, flat, brushed-aluminum lid look, at first glance, like they belong on a budget laptop. The size and shape of the Dell XPS 15 is best described as beefy and bulky, with a flat, wide silver profile that looks like plastic but is actually metal. Nvidia GeForce GT540M + Intel GMA HD (Optimus)
#XPS 15 MULTITOUCH 1080P#
But don't feel like you have to spring for all the upgrades the base model should be more than enough for most-unless you're looking for Blu-ray and a full 1080p display. It's a heavy beast, and expensive, too, but if you're looking for a media laptop that can blast movies, play games, and show them off on a great screen, the new XPS 15 could be just what you're looking for.
Unlike last time, Dell sent us a top-of-the-line fully rigged model, the XPS15-L502X, running around $1,488 on Dell's Web site: a quad-core 2GHz Core i7-2630QM CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 750GB 7,200rpm hard drive, Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics, a Blu-ray drive, and a 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution screen, along with a chunky but longer-life nine-cell battery. It comes with a 2.3GHz Core i5-2410M CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GT525 GPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB, 7,200rpm hard drive. The base model of the new XPS 15 is actually even cheaper than last year's, at $799. Finally, the built-in Intel Wireless Display is now WiDi 2.0, incorporating HD streaming up to 1080p. The keyboard has also been given some tweaking, which we'll go into in more detail. The GPUs have also been revamped, incorporating newer Nvidia GeForce GT 500-series graphics. First and foremost, all XPS models now have new second-gen Intel Core i-series CPUs. Still, there are a few key differences with the 2011 update. The new XPS 15 looks a lot like the old one-which isn't that old, really: we reviewed it back in November 2010.
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