Dell XPS 15 - need feedback on battery life, heat

1

101010

Disciple
I'm planning to buy a Dell XPS 15 with i3 processor and full HD (1920x1080) screen. I plan to use it mainly for low-end academic uses, and occasionally for high-end graphics editing. The high-resolution screen is the main selling point for me.

If you have used a similar Dell XPS configuration, please let me know:

a) What is the maximum battery life I can expect, assuming low-end use? The Dell sales person said 4 hours. Is that accurate?

b) How good is the heat dissipation? Is it comfortable to keep on the lap? Is it cool around the touchpad?

Thanks!
 
Graphics editing?

I recommend you to select the i5 model and add the 6K for FHD screen as i5 is better than i3 intense applications

I suggest this only if you are ready to ditch BluRay for this

Else go for it at 56K

a)With 6 cell 4hrs

With 9 Cell 6hrs max

b)Its quite fine as i have seen

I have ordered it with i5+420M+WLED(Standard screen) and still they are taking ages to deliver it

it is still in Work In Progress

So your wish
 
any reviews with the standard screen..some forums say that the standard screen is not that good...am planning to go for standard screen..but not sure, am not panning on gaming but will watch HD movies, lower resolution does not make much difference to me....
 
Engadget had a review of the dell-xps-14/ which comes with standard 720p screen. But if u read AT's review they have really praised the 1080p screen. And as you said you not gonna play games much on it and your priority seems watching HD movies on it; I would suggest upgrading to the 1080p screen :)
 
Guys, thanks for all your replies. Very informative tips and links.

Just to clarify, my main requirement is academic - i.e., creating documents, reading online articles, ebooks etc. But yes, I am looking for a largish screen (15 inch) with a resolution that's easy on the eyes for long hours of reading. Unfortunately Dell's Inspiron series has a max of 1366x768 for their screens. Which is why I'm looking at XPS. Regarding my occasional Graphics requirement, I've clarified it below.

@teja92: Many thanks for your valuable tips, esp. about the long waiting period. Regarding Graphics editing and i5, my requirements are probably not too high-end for i3 (I don't know). I basically need to use photoshop/Illustrator along with my Wacom graphics tablet. But yes, I'd need the response to be snappy with no lag between stylus movement and screen drawing. That's about it. No video editing and no gaming. Would [i3 + 4GB RAM + 1 GB Nvidia GT 420M GPU] be powerful enough for this? Moving from i3 to i5 adds 4K to the price. Also, I remember reading somewhere (maybe at Anandtech) that i5 consumes more power than i3 while not giving a significant gain in performance.

@jags1987: Thanks for pointing me to that excellent review at AnandTech. They've done some very detailed tests on battery life.

Another question: i3 supports NVIDIA's Optimus technology, correct? There seems to be some confusion about this on some forums.
 
looks like dell india has made changes to the web site..xps14 available now..the config i was thinking of has gone more costlier now...and how many guys in india have actually received it from dell india as yet..
 
101010 said:
Guys, thanks for all your replies. Very informative tips and links.

Just to clarify, my main requirement is academic - i.e., creating documents, reading online articles, ebooks etc. But yes, I am looking for a largish screen (15 inch) with a resolution that's easy on the eyes for long hours of reading. Unfortunately Dell's Inspiron series has a max of 1366x768 for their screens. Which is why I'm looking at XPS. Regarding my occasional Graphics requirement, I've clarified it below.

@teja92: Many thanks for your valuable tips, esp. about the long waiting period. Regarding Graphics editing and i5, my requirements are probably not too high-end for i3 (I don't know). I basically need to use photoshop/Illustrator along with my Wacom graphics tablet. But yes, I'd need the response to be snappy with no lag between stylus movement and screen drawing. That's about it. No video editing and no gaming. Would [i3 + 4GB RAM + 1 GB Nvidia GT 420M GPU] be powerful enough for this? Moving from i3 to i5 adds 4K to the price. Also, I remember reading somewhere (maybe at Anandtech) that i5 consumes more power than i3 while not giving a significant gain in performance.

@jags1987: Thanks for pointing me to that excellent review at AnandTech. They've done some very detailed tests on battery life.

Another question: i3 supports NVIDIA's Optimus technology, correct? There seems to be some confusion about this on some forums.
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Dude as yyou say photoshop, I recommend you to go with i3+1080p+Bluray for 56k

Else go for i5+WLED if PS is not that important

But also do take a look at the new XPS 14 that is present in Site now
 
i3 config + 1080p + backlit keyboard + bag will cost me ~ 54K... Will probably ditch the Bluray. Sounds good :)

What are your thoughts on the 3-year complete cover (+12K if I buy it now, probably more if I buy it later)? Is it a scam or does dell usually honor its warranty? I generally think of a laptop purchase with at least a 3-year horizon in mind. Dell says "complete cover" will cover any kind of damage (internal, external, accidental) but not theft. Hmm... 12K for peace of mind?
 
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