small help with choosing between the two XPS

Hey,
I know this has been disscussed before and I read that, but I have two deals on my hand and would like to know your opinion.

Im buying a laptop and its gotta be Dell (partialy because of the international warranty) so even though I know some laptaps are better for the same budget, I (un)fortunately have to get a dell.

Now Im looking for a swift and good all-around laptop. I stoped playing games a while ago, but I ocassionaly want to be able to play some (latest) games at least on some level.

The price tag is around 1500usd (including extended warranty to 3 years). Im indicesive between the older XPS 15 (L502x) and the newer version 15Z.
Here are the specs of both that I customized:


XPS 15-L502x for $1,574.99:

Software & Services
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional, 64bit, English
2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM processor 2.20 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.30 GHz
Microsoft® Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word & Excel w/ ads. No PowerPoint or Outlook
3 Year Good Service Package
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M 2GB graphics with Optimus
8GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
McAfee SecurityCenter, 36-Months
15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) and Skype-Certified 2.0MP HD Webcam & Facial Recognition
8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 & Bluetooth 3.0
90 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3 + Creative SoundBlaster X-FI MB 1.2
My Software & Accessories
Elemental Silver Aluminum
No Mobile Broad Band Selected
My Accessories
DataSafe 2.0 Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Also Includes
XPS 15
Backlit Keyboard - English
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader


XPS 15Zfor $1,599.99 first config:

Genuine Windows® Home Premium, 64-Bit, English
My Software & Accessories
Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2010
3 Year Good Service Package
McAfee SecurityCenter, 36-Months
750GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
My Accessories
DataSafe 2.0 Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Also Includes
2nd generation Intel Core™ i7-2620M processor 2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 2GB graphics with Optimus
8GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 1333MHz Memory
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 & Bluetooth 3.0
64 WHr 8-Cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Waves Maxx Audio 3
XPS 15z
Elemental Silver Aluminum 15.6" 300-nit FHD (1080P) WLED Display with Webcam
Backlit Keyboard - English
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card
Adobe® Reader X


XPS 15Z for $1,219.99 second config:

Genuine Windows® Home Premium, 64-Bit, English
My Software & Accessories
Microsoft® Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word & Excel w/ ads. No PowerPoint or Outlook
3 Year Good Service Package
McAfee SecurityCenter, 36-Months
Elemental Silver Aluminum 15.6" 300-nit FHD (1080P) WLED Display with Webcam & Facial Recognition
My Accessories
No Dell On Call
DataSafe 2.0 Online Backup 30GB for 1 year
Also Includes
2nd generation Intel Core™ i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 1GB graphics with Optimus
6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 1333MHz Memory
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 & Bluetooth 3.0
64 WHr 8-Cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Waves Maxx Audio 3
XPS 15z
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Backlit Keyboard - English
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card
Adobe® Reader X

If you guys think that there is actualy better laptop or better set-up (Im a student) than please let me know and Ill look into it. For example the XPS 17 which I can get with these specs for 1700

My Components
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional, 64-Bit, English
2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM processor 2.20 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.30 GHz
Microsoft® Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word & Excel w/ ads. No PowerPoint or Outlook
3 Year Good Service Package
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M 3GB graphics with Optimus
8GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
McAfee SecurityCenter, 36-Months
17.3" FHD (1080p) with 2.0MP HD Webcam & Facial Recognition
8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 and Bluetooth 3.0
JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3
My Software & Accessories
Elemental Silver Aluminum
Standard Keyboard - English
My Accessories
DataSafe 2.0 Online Backup 10GB for 1 year
Also Includes
90 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
XPS 17
No Mobile Broad Band Selected
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card
Adobe® Acrobat® Reader

Thank you very much!!

 

What is your general usage of the notebook going to be?

What software are you going to be using? Are you going to be carrying the laptop around a lot? How much do you care about battery life?

Note that the 15z doesn't have a quad core CPU and that the XPS 15's 1080P screen is known to be one of the best around.

 

15z sound very bad and lcd also not good, compare by fhd l502x.
buy 15z better buy macbook pro.

 

15z sucks Go for the XPS 15 if you don't mind to have a very heavy laptop.

 

Thank you all for your insights. I am leaning towards the older XPS15, but wanted to know some opinions. I will be carring the laptop, but I think Ill be able to handle few more pounds. The software will pretty much be office, some rowsing and ocasionalu latest games, but its not like Ill be gaming all the time (hopefully).
One of the main reasons I was considering XPS15z was its newer,sleaker and in my opinion much better design + its size and weight. Other than that I think older XPS is better in almost everything. Be it screen, the speakers, processor and gpu. And its the same price. Am I right?

 

There is no comparison between the two regards build quality. Just look at the XPS 15z thread, and you will see issues with the quality of the screen, the finish and plastics strips pealing off. It also runs hotter, as it lacks the cooling abilities of the XPS 15. Finally, it can support only dual core, which may be an issue for you. Sound is night and day, once you hear how good the XPS 15 sounds, with its built in sub you will be blown away!

Oh and no removable battery!

 

Ok, so last two question if I might. Do you think it is worth paying $125 for i7-2620QM 2.20GHz processor over"basic" i7-2630QM 2.00GHz ? I mean will it make any diference performace/game-wise? And the same with $60 for 8gb ddr3 over 6gb ddr3 memory? The point is will it make any difference since the graphic card will be "only" gt 540?

oh, really the last thing, how would this XPS 15 compare to Precision m4600 for $1721?

Mobile Precision M4600:
Precision Mobile M4600 M4600 1 [225-0382] 1
Processor:
Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM (Quad Core 2.20GHz,6M cache) with Turbo BoostTechnology 2.0 I72720Q 1 [317-6074] 2
Operating System:
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional, No Media, 64-bit, English W7PN61E 1 [330-6322][421-8099] 11
Productivity Software:
Microsoft Office Starter: reduced-functionality Word and Excel with ads. No PowerPoint or Outlook START10 1 [410-0348] 22
System Recovery:
Resource DVD - Contains Drivers RDVD 1 [331-1471] 47
Media Bay Devices:
8X DVD+/-RW tray Load w/Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVD™, no media 8XDVRTN 1 [318-0351][318-0354][421-4370][421-4539] 16
Hardware Support Services:
3 Year ProSupport with 3 Year NBD Limited Onsite Service After Remote Diagnosis U3IPY 1 [929-9667][935-4808][939-3802][953-5320][983-8272][984-4800][989-3449] 29
Memory:
4.0GB, DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS 4G2D3 1 [317-6435] 3
Graphics:
AMD® FirePro® M5950 Mobility Pro Graphics with 1GB GDDR5 M5950 1 [320-1915] 6
LCDs:
15.6" UltraSharp™ FHD(1920x1080) Anti-Glare LED-backlit with Premium Panel Guarantee FULLHD 1 [318-0349][320-1972] 10
Security Software:
Trend Micro Worry-Free Business Security Services, 30-days TMWF30 1 [410-0329] 38
RAID Configuration:
All Hard Drives, Non-RAID, 1 or 2 drive total configuration NORAID 1 [342-2435] 25
Primary Storage:
500GB 7200rpm Hard Drive 500G72 1 [342-2360] 8
Primary Battery:
9-cell (97Wh) Lithium Ion Battery 9C 1 [312-1174] 27
Wireless LAN (802.11):
Dell Wireless™ 1501 802.11b/g/n Half Mini Card DW1501 1 [430-3973] 19
Bluetooth:
Dell Wireless® 375 Bluetooth Module BT375 1 [430-3979] 13
Camera / Microphone:
Light Sensitive Webcam and Noise Cancelling Digital Array Mic CAMMIC 1 [318-0345][421-1201] 17
Internal Keyboard:
Internal English Keyboard ENG 1 [331-1251][331-2169][331-2809] 4
Fingerprint Reader Options:
No Fingerprint Reader and No Contactless Smartcard Reader NOFR 1 [331-1391] 9
Systems Management:
No Out-of-Band Systems Management CSMD 1 [331-1879] 21
Energy Star/E-PEAT Gold:
No ESTAR Enabled NOESTAR 1 [331-2973] 40
AC Adapter:
180W 3P, A/C Adapter 180AC 1 [331-1459][331-3864] 15
Processor Branding:
Intel Core i7 Label I7NBR 1 [331-1640] 749

Thanks!

 

Well those two CPUs are NOT both quads. One is a dual-core, one is a quad. I believe the 2630 is the quad, but check the names, a "QM" means quad-core mobile". That would be the one I suggest, far better for multi-tasking.

As for the RAM, you can easily upgrade that yourself later if you like. Get just 4GB from Dell (the minimum) and buy a 2x4GB pack for around $50 online (Newegg, Amazon, etc). Or get the 6GB and just buy a second 4GB stick yourself for $20-25. But I would definitely suggest upgrading to the full 8GB somehow, whether you pay Dell's outrageous prices or do it yourself. RAM helps for multi-tasking and if you like a lot of tabs and such open, it is good to have.

 

Both cores a qm. I wrote it wrong way, the more expensive one is i7-2720qm 2.20 GHz for $125 more than basic i7-2630qm 2.00 GHz. I see that you yourself went with the more expensive one
As for the ram, s that I understand it correctly. I buy the 6gb basic ram and then remove the two gb stick and replace it with 4gb one that I buy separately?

Btw I see that hou listed in your specs that you have GT 555 (if Im not mistaken). Did you swap the cards or just overclocked the, say gt540? Because Ive heard that theyre all the same just running different clocks (gt525,540,550).

 

Ah, 2720 versus 2630, gotchya. I'll explain why I got the faster one. I do a fair bit of gaming, which I wanted this system to handle, the 2630 probably would have been plenty for that. But I also do a lot of CAD work being a mechanical engineer by trade, and the extra grunt of the 2720 is nice. Not having a 2630 to compare to I can't tell if it really does, but I decided the boost in clock speed between the two cards justified the upgrade price. I would have even gone to the 2820 but that upgrade jump is way overpriced for the small gain you get (.1 GHz and 2MB extra L3 cache).

RE: your RAM question, yes you can just swap out the 2GB stick with a 4GB. I generally don't like to mix RAM brands, which you would in this case, but if you match the speed (it will be 1333MHz RAM), it ought to work perfectly fine.

Yes I have the 555m. I have the XPS 17, which offers the 550 and 555 instead of the weaker 525 and 540 that the 15 has. (I realize you are looking at 15's, but the systems are largely the same) The 555m that Dell has is more than just an overclocked 550, it also has a wider memory interface and a few other things, it is a very powerful card in reality. It also overclocks to a GTX 460m performance level with little apparent effort. I got the 17 because I don't have classes to go to and such. My laptop is for when I take trips mainly. Use it in hotel rooms, guest room when at parent's hosue, etc. I can also use it to go visit friends for the weekend and still be able to game comfortably. Previously I would have to tear down my desktop for that... I like the larger screen for that, easier on my eyes.