Design
The Dell XPS 15 sports a matte silver anodized aluminum lid that doesn't pick up fingerprints, but it seems a bit dull. Fortunately, Dell offers 200 different Dell Studio lid patterns (an $85 add-on). On the plus side, we appreciate the small black bar that sticks out behind the lid, which has a backlit XPS logo that pulses when the system is asleep. We also like that the matte finish continues on the sides and bottom, areas too often ignored by other notebook makers.
The dark brushed aluminum deck on the inside of the machine and the diamond-cut, silver trim that surround the keyboard and touchpad look more modern. The JBL speakers, which sit on either side of the keyboard, have a unique pattern that looks a bit old-fashioned.
At 15 x 10.4 x 1.5 inches and 6.6 pounds with the nine-cell battery, the XPS 15 is one of the bulkier 15-inch notebooks we've tested. It barely fit into a standard notebook bag, and it weighs a lot more than the 5.6-pound 15-inch MacBook Pro and the IdeaPad Y560d (6.2 pounds). Also, because the nine-cell battery tilts the system upward, the back side increases to 2.25 inches tall.
Heat
Throughout our testing, the Dell XPS 15 stayed pleasantly cool. Even after streaming a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the touchpad at a reasonable 91 degrees Fahrenheit, the keyboard at 93 degrees, and the bottom at 93 degrees. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable.
Keyboard and Touchpad
At first glance, the XPS 15's keyboard has a lot going for it: an adjustable backlight, large, well-placed keys, and a generous, comfortable palm rest. However, the keys themselves were somewhat stiff. This led us to be more deliberate when typing. We notched a 74 word-per-minute score on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, 6 wpm lower than our typical average.
Above the keyboard sit a few status lights and three touch-sensitive buttons. The first button launches Windows Mobility Center, a mini control panel that allows you to easily manage your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and display settings; we particularly appreciated being able to set the keyboard backlight's brightness. The second button is user-configurable, and the third button launches Dell Audio by Realtek, an audio control center.
The large 3.9 x 2.2-inch touchpad on the XPS 15 offers just the right amount of friction and smoothly executes multitouch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom. It also has two discrete mouse buttons that offer good tactile feedback.
Display
The 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 resolution display on the XPS 15 is one of the brightest and most colorful we've tested. Even at viewing angles of nearly 90 degrees to the left or right, images stayed sharp and bright.
The XPS 15 played every video we threw at it without hesitation, from a 1080p QuickTime trailer for Thor to a 720p Episode of Fringe streamed from Fox.com to a Blu-ray movie of Hitch. The screen is so sharp that it exposed some film grain in the Hitch Blu-ray.
Audio
The XPS 15 is good enough to serve as your home stereo. The JBL Speakers and bottom-mounted sub-woofer offer incredibly loud and accurate sound. Whether we were listening to a bass-heavy R&B song such as "Forget Me Nots," a funk classic such as Kool and the Gang's "Summer Madness," or a classical tune such as Richard Strauss' "Thus Spake Zarathustra," sound was bright and true, even at maximum volume. In fact, when listening to these songs we were able to hear a clear separation of instruments, from the twanging of the bass line in "Forget Me Nots" to the percussion in "Summer Madness."
The Wave MaxxAudio sound enhancement software plays a huge role in providing this level of fidelity. When you hit the Waves MaxxAudio button that sits above the PrtSrc key, you get a control panel where you can turn MaxxAudio on or off and make fine adjustments to its settings. The software also includes preset levels that are optimized for music, movies, gaming, or voice conferencing. However, our favorite feature is the Leveler, which automatically adjusts your speakers to give you the best possible fidelity at maximum volume, It also has a "midnight" setting that gives you lower volumes for late-night listening.
Ports and Webcam
The Dell XPS 15 has a few high-end ports. On the right side are a headphone jack, a microphone jack, and an S/PDIF connector, along with a USB 2.0/eSATA combo port. On the back, the XPS 15 has an HDMI port, Ethernet, mini DisplayPort, Kensington lock slot, and a USB 3.0 port. On the left side is one more USB 3.0 port. The front lip contains a 9-in-1 card reader. The XPS 15 doesn't have a VGA connection for video output, but that's not a big deal for the target audience.
The 2-megapixel webcam provides 720p video output that works with Skype HD. The low-light performance seems improved over that of the XPS 15 we tested last fall. In both our dim living room and a dark cubicle, we were able to get reasonably bright images when using Skype or taking photos with Dell's Webcam Central software. Dell's software offers a wide array of additional features, including the ability to use one of 10 "avatars" in lieu of your face. These choices include a baby, a kitten, and an alien.
Intel WiDi 2.0 and 3DTV Play
Like other notebooks with second-generation Intel Core Series processors, the Dell XPS 15 supports Intel's Wireless Display technology for sending the contents of your desktop to an HDTV with a compatible adapter attached (such as the Netgear Push2TV HD). The technology supports full 1080p transmissions, but it does not yet work with DRM-protected content.
Though the XPS 15 does not have a 3D-capable display or emitter, its Nvidia GT 540M video card can stream three-dimensional video to a 3D-enabled television using Nvidia's 3DTV Play software and the system's HDMI 1.4 port. 3DTV Play will display photos or videos you capture with a 3D camera or camcorder, as well as content from the web. To take full advantage of this software, though, you should equip the XPS 15 with a Blu-ray drive that can play 3D Blu-ray movies.
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