Dell XPS 13 Range

Saundie · 20 Mar 2016 at 17:09

That's a shame, because it really is a lovely little laptop - it's even nicer to use than the HP EliteBook 820 G2 that work gave me, given that the screen is slightly bigger despite having a slightly smaller chassis. As you say, doing any kind of serious photo editing is going to be compromised by the brightness issue. For normal office applications, web browsing, watching films etc. it's really not an issue that I've noticed. I guess the UHD version is no good to you? I can't stand glossy screens, hence going for the FHD version.

2StepSteve · 20 Mar 2016 at 17:19

Originally I wasn't even consider the FHD model, but the battery life is insanely better and as you say the matte screen is more workable.

What also has put me off the UHD is how Windows behaves, Windows and their applications still have a way to go with scaling. On a 13incher UHD is going to be insanely small at native res.

2StepSteve · 20 Mar 2016 at 18:02

According to this: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19615395?pi41097=5#20719601

A firmware update to switch off the adaptive brightness is never going to happen for the FHD model. Appears that it is the panel which is in control and responsible for this feature, the FHD panel is not firmware upgradable "in the field".

What a terrible oversight on such a premium device.

Skeeter · 24 Mar 2016 at 00:12

Having spent 2 years using a super glossy screened first generation XPS 13, I had an all to brief time with my new XPS 15 with the matte FHD display and I can confirm that it's worth its weight in gold! Being able to work without starting at a reflection of my own ugly mug is bliss!

xGBHxPegasus · 24 Mar 2016 at 08:10

2StepSteve said:
Originally I wasn't even consider the FHD model, but the battery life is insanely better and as you say the matte screen is more workable.

What also has put me off the UHD is how Windows behaves, Windows and their applications still have a way to go with scaling. On a 13incher UHD is going to be insanely small at native res.

Found this out with the laptops at work. I'm currently the only one that has the UHD display (IT testing and all) and the rest of the users have the bog standard 1080.

lovely laptops and a huge improvement over the previous version, we had nothing but trouble with them and now moved pretty much everyone to the new ones.

Saundie · 24 Mar 2016 at 19:27

I had an old XPS 13 (the L321X) with a glossy screen, and I hated it. Fortunately, being in the desktop support team, I was able to fob it off onto somebody else in short order and got an EliteBook 820 G2 instead.

MassiveJim · 9 Apr 2016 at 20:31

i've just picked up a xps13-l322x 2nd hand and its running very hot (core I7)
It goes over 80oC during normal use, have cleaned out the fan and reseated heatsink with fresh paste which helped but surely it shouldn't run this hot ?

TheOtherOption · 15 Jun 2016 at 09:40

Am once again looking at the XPS 15 and just wondered if anyone (Skeeter?) had found anything different that's equally good as yet?

With the 7% off offer and 10% Quidco it would come nearer to a respectable £1576 ish!

Am highly tempted by the top spec XPS 15 to hopefully last me a good few years! Would only be used for older games so nothing too recent hence happy with the 960M 2GB chip it has.

What are delivery times like from China on these - if I ordered one today would it arrive by end of next week?

Sandude · 15 Jun 2016 at 14:48

Doesn't matter what you buy, as soon as u buy it there will be a later version soon after u bought it, Murphy's Law. I nearly bought the XPS 15 but too many unreliability reports for the 13 & 15 so gave it a miss. Also, call me old fashioned but I need a DVD/BluRay burner on board which these don't have.

JGBR · 15 Jun 2016 at 15:35

is the latest gen 13inch glossy? really need an ultraportable and want to go back to windows from OSX.

Art · 16 Jun 2016 at 22:17

Out of curiosity, have any of you guys tried installing Linux on one of these? I'm considering getting a refurbed XPS 15 and running something like Debian on it.

Minstadave · 16 Jun 2016 at 22:19

You can buy them with Linux on iirc so should be fine.

Minstadave · 16 Jun 2016 at 22:19

JGBR said:
is the latest gen 13inch glossy? really need an ultraportable and want to go back to windows from OSX.

The 4K screen definitely is. Think the full HD one will be too.

JGBR · 17 Jun 2016 at 08:56

Does anyone have the latest 4K model? really intrested in this being my first windows 10 ultraportable.

Saundie · 18 Jun 2016 at 13:30

JGBR said:
is the latest gen 13inch glossy? really need an ultraportable and want to go back to windows from OSX.

The 4K version is glossy. The 1080p version is definitely matte. I wish I'd gotten mine with 16GB, otherwise it's the best laptop I've ever had from a portability perspective. It's much nicer to use than the EliteBook 820 I have at work, although it's not as powerful - the EliteBook has an i7, 16GB and two SSDs.

XeNoNF50 · 18 Jun 2016 at 17:00

FHD much better on battery

Omar · 25 Jun 2016 at 03:37

Saundie said:
The 4K version is glossy. The 1080p version is definitely matte. I wish I'd gotten mine with 16GB, otherwise it's the best laptop I've ever had from a portability perspective.

What sort of actual day to day battery life are you getting with the high res version?

Edit: Whoops, just read up and think you might have the FHD version? Same question I guess on battery life please?

Minstadave · 25 Jun 2016 at 08:58

High res gets about 6hrs with light use.

Omar · 26 Jun 2016 at 23:54

Minstadave said:
High res gets about 6hrs with light use.

Thanks, is that with the latest BIOS updates? I read that there were some early issues with the SSD power profile that were fixed with updates.

muon · 27 Aug 2016 at 15:54

Dell have just reduced the range available online.

Possible sign that Kaby Lake refresh is out soon.

If they can get the 4k screen real world battery life up to the 10 hours the FHD version gives, the laptop will still remain as the best ultra portable laptop.