XPS 16 purchasing questions

Im looking to make the jump to purchase the XPS 16. I thought about the Sony F series but the additional size (while it is not much larger than the XPS) is too much for me to be carrying around for school next year. I am majoring in Aerospace Engineering so I will be pushing it slightly more than an average user, but nothing too horrible. Here are the Specs im looking at:

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My Components
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium Edition
NEW 2010 Intel® Core™ i5-540M (2.53GHz, 4Threads, turbo boost up to 3.06Ghz, 3M cache)
2 Year Basic Service Plan
6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3
Edge-to-Edge FHD Widescreen 15.6 inch WLED LCD (1920x1080) W/2.0 MP
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
9-cell Battery
High Definition Audio 2.0 with SRS Premium Sound
Slot Load DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write)
Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish
My Accessories
Microsoft® Office Starter 2010
McAfee SecurityCenter, 15-Months
Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year

If anyone had any insight as to my purchase that would be appreciated. I also wanted to ask about the RGB LED cancellation and if the WLED LCD is a decent screen. Id love to play with one of these in a store so i can get a real feel for what I may purchase. Does anyone know any electronic retailers that happen to have the XPS? Lastly, should I expect Dell to be releasing anything in the near future in the terms of a new line of XPS or anything that may make me want to hold off on this purchase?

 

any particular reason to go for the 540m instead of the 520m? The clock difference is pretty small and the upgrade is like $75-100 if I recall correctly. I'd rather take the 520m and spend the money on something else.

The WLED by all accounts is definitely a decent screen. Like anything the reaction to the RGBLED runs the gamut from people who thought it was too instense and oversaturated, to people who can't see much if any difference, to people who love it so much that the say there's no comparison to the WLED. In general though, it is accepted that while the WLED is a nice screen it can't touch the RGBLED.

And as far as an XPS refresh, no one knows. It seems the general consesus is that there won't be a refresh anytime soon, but you never know. As always, the best idea is to determine when you will need your laptop and then wait until the last possible moment to order (unless maybe some insane deal comes along that saves you a nice chunk of money, at least).

 

You could save the extra money on the CPU upgrade - but also remember that in notebooks, the CPU is sometimes not upgradeable, or it is a tough upgrade to complete. With the M1730 you needed to almost take apart the entire system, although Im unsure as to how easy it is with the XPS 16 TBH.
Personally, I tend to go for the best spec I can afford due to the restrictions in upgrading notebooks.......

 

The CPU is 100% upgradeable in the Studio XPS 1645. I assume it is likewise with the 1647. This is just from personal observation, though, not actual testing. The CPU is definitely removable,etc.

You would only be restricted by the socket and the motherboard/BIOS, I would say.

Is what you're doing CPU limited? If so, a hundred MHz here or there isn't going to constitute a very noticeable difference even then.

 

I can't imagine 130MHz is going to make any real difference in anything - something CPU intensive might finish a second or three quicker but I can't imagine anyone would notice the difference unless they were timing it, and certainly not in any normal applications or in the responsiveness of the OS.

 

But, then again, it's only $50 more. Those few seconds can add up over a few years and I, personally, would be willing to shell out a little more if I had some. It's that destructive "gotta have the best" mentality you get with computers.

~Ibrahim~

 

Get it!
The spec is fairly high and the WLED LCD you are asking about is... well fantastic to say the least.
Sony is too overrated and over priced IMO anyway.

On that note though, I would think of buying extended warranty if you are not planning any upgrades for the foreseeable future.

 

Do any of you have major recommendations to this build that Ive looked at? Im pretty flexible with money at the moment and could add in different parts. I just want a computer that could last me 4 years through Engineering as well as a little extra leisurely use. Im open for any suggestions you guys may have (especially when it comes to which processor you find best)


Also, I really am not a HP fan at all, but the HP Envy 14 looks somewhat comparable. In your opinion is the Dell better by a longshot?

 

I was exactly in your position mate Sony F or Dell XPS 16....i literally almost got the Sony until I saw one of these Dell's in person...the aesthetic quality of it is great. I'd like to think they compete with Macs in terms of looks.

As far as build quality goes...its no mac but it wont be worse than the sony. That being said its definitely better than anything HP has.


The computer is fast for everyday things but be warned if you play heavy duty games for prolonged periods of time you will get what is called "throttling" which basically means your cpu speeds will be reduced during those times. There is also a minor heat issue but it doesnt bother me like it bothers others.

I saw the sony in person and i didnt like its looks. But people over on the Sony forum are not complaining as much as people here are. If I were you, I'd do a little more research and go to a retailer to see both of these laptops side by side and then decide.

As far as the wled screen goes-it is great.

Good luck

 

Is there a difference between selecting the Finish with leather vs not having leather when it comes to selecting a display? With no leather I have the following options

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Edge-to-Edge HD+ Widescreen 15.6 inch WLED LCD (1600x900) W/2.0 MP [subtract $75.00]
	 Edge-to-Edge FHD Widescreen 15.6 inch WLED LCD (1920x1080) W/2.0 MP [Included in Price]

but with the leather finish i can choose

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15.6 FHD WLED Display in Obsidian Black with Leather and 2.0 MP Webcam [Included in Price]

Is there any thing notable about the different choices? Which is considered the absolute best?

 

I too was wondering about this. My guess is that since it still says FHD when selecting leather, it is the 1920x1080 resolution screen