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New XPS 15 absolutely crushes MBP
- Thread starter grennis
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Some of the issues were resolved with software updates but some issues are strictly hardware related. For instance, my XPS 13 wifi card was horrendously bad. It would constantly drop out and indicate only 1 bar of signal in my home office, which was just 30 feet from the router. In the same place my 2015 MBP and current 2016 MBP get full bars with no issues. Hell, even my phone gets full wifi signal in that room.
This still remains very much an issues in the XPS 13 and XPS 15 and the only way users have truly resolved it is by physically swapping out the wifi card for a more powerful one. Admittedly, this is a 20 minute project and a $25 part. Nonetheless, it's still annoying and shouldn't be an issue with a $1500+ machine.
In addition, the 4K display has terrible contrast, making text difficult to read. Calibrating the screen helped a bit but didn't completely resolve it. As reported by some review sites, this is more of an issue with the 4K touch screen having multiple layers and can't be fully resolved with just software. I breathed a big sigh of relief when switching from reading text on the XPS 13 to the new MBP. My eyes strain significantly less when trying to read on the MBP display.
Of course you are. But your needs could have been 95% met with a rMB attached to a monitor.
It's not an either or, there are lots of intersections in the Venn diagram of Pro-Sumer and Pro-fessional. It's just that, that's as far as Apple goes anymore. If you can't recognize that, then I'm sure you are struggling to understand the disappointment expressed on this site and elsewhere.
Then maybe we should stop using the misleading term "Pro-fessional" and just start speak of specific needs? I can understand and respect that you and some other people might be in need of a powerful GPU or 32GB RAM in a laptop. However, you also need to understand and respect that making such niche machines is not part of Apple's business, not does this fact somehow makes the MBP a less capable computer. Apple's recipe for the MBP has stayed more or less constant over the last 10+ years and if it doesn't do what you want it to do then just shop elsewhere. I honestly don't understand this obsession with criticising Apple for not offering a product they never ever offered or planned to offer. If the current MPB doesn't make you happy, then no MBP in history of Apple ever could.
Historically the success of apple products and cause of sales was never based on the specs of their products but more the "innovative" features and actual user experience but I get your point.
Please don't mistake, not relative on COW and Disk Caching , Windows use Application prefetching for every program and make it launch fast on anther launch. OSX not use this technology.
Instead, OSX will reload everything for the program.
Please don't mistake OSX individual program may build their cache on temp folder when fast launch, it not relative to System build.
Please don't mistake, it not relative on Virtual Memory, OSX based on Unix and highly restrict on access resource, even today Windows 10 dll can easy share by another program.
Unless you tweak unix system level, the program is rarely install something on system and provide to another software use this.
For example, LAV H264 lib in OSX need every program with their copy inside their app bundle, and Windows system LAV H264 lib will install on system level and can be access every program which need LAV.
OS X virtual memory manager includes statistical learning which accomplishes the same thing as well as bunch of other optimisations techniques (such as on-the-fly defragmentation etc. which AFAIK does not exist in Windows). Amit Singh, author of "Mac OS X Internals", has a very nice list of most important techniques Apple uses: http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/misc/optimizations/
Both OS X and Windows have a very rich permission system, with ACL lists and so on. And both use it to protect their files, even though Windows seems to be still less consequent about it.
Thats because OS X uses application bundles, which are based on a different philosophy (and btw, bundles themselves are an optimisation technology because they group relevant files together and the system can optimise file access accordingly). Most of the time, it makes more sense to bundle a library along (or even statically link it) to avoid version conflicts. Still, many OS X applications install shared frameworks, which are essentially the same thing. And of course OS X has shared libraries and a typical OS X app uses many dozens of them, often more than a typical Windows application which usually links only to the core system DLLs. For instance, Safari links to 53 shared libraries on my system, which in turn are linked to dozens other libraries. In fact, a quick and dirty attempt to track all the shared libraries loaded by Safari reveals at least 300 of them. Yes, thats essentially 300+ 'DLLs' loaded when Safari is starting.
Really interesting. In addition to having Windows, which in itself is a weakness
I read a bit the links you provided, seems several of those issues have been solved via software / firmware updates ?
The problem with the coil noise would be a deal breaker for me. I didn't understand if it was a generic problem or just some people getting it ?
I guess what would make everyone happy would be to get a mbp with the same specs as the XPS 15 !
Let's not forget all the issues the 2016 MBP has.
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What "innovative" features have Apple came up with since the first MacBook Pro Retina was released back in 2012?
They have an "innovative" selling style that allows them to outsell their competition.
You've completely missed or have ignored the point of my original post.
Anyhow regarding issues with the newest macbook, although I wouldn't get one myself, I recently was an owner of a 2011 MacBook Pro which up until about a month or so ago finally started acting up and needed the logic board replaced. Took it the Genius Bar and Apple basically gutted and reinstalled a new logic board, keyboard, new OEM battery and bottom case all for free.
No issues, no fees.
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As a 'technical professional' (developer), it appeals to me as much if not more than past MBPs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But you said it doesn't appeal to technical professionals, so which is it? It does or it doesn't?
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Have to reply when I see nonsense posted. The 9560 not only has new processors, it's also an entirely different motherboard and video card. It's not logical to say 9550 driver issues will plagued the 9560.. Also most of these driver issues were very early on and at no fault to Dell. They also plagued the surface line and others.. The fact remains the XPS line is much much better value than the MacBook Pro and higher performing..
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Really interesting. In addition to having Windows, which in itself is a weakness
I read a bit the links you provided, seems several of those issues have been solved via software / firmware updates ?
The problem with the coil noise would be a deal breaker for me. I didn't understand if it was a generic problem or just some people getting it ?
I guess what would make everyone happy would be to get a mbp with the same specs as the XPS 15 !
How is Windows a weakness? The coil issue only affects the 13 inch, also it's not a big deal..
no need to talk further, if you only deal in absolutes, especially after I further explained it later.
Have a good day.
(Completely subjective, obviously)
I find Windows .... Not very nice, to put it lightly.
Options & menus are not where you'd think they are, UI is very cluttered and frankly, ugly ( See about everything from Explorer to Outlook ) , the bugs, the crashes, the security -even though it's better recently from what i understand -, the weight as it uses a lot of resources. The amount of "hotline" you need to do with your parents, girlfriend, grandmother, compared to mac OS.
The OS has a very bad feel all over.
Last and not least, macOS has always been a sweet spot between a good looking everyday OS, and a work (Linux) machine for us web developers.
If macOS was working on other machines ( even just a few selected ), this would be great. Windows is truly something that blocks me, even nowadays with version 10.
I wish it wasn't !
That depends what one values, of course. If you pay attention only to a few specs, the XPS may get them before the MBP. If you also value screen brightness, contrast and accuracy, SSD speed, battery life, more powerful/flexible ports, external monitor support, speakers, quietness, coolness, small size and weight, build quality, and Mac OS, the comparison isn't so simple.
I doubt the contrast claims. I understand you may have had a one off experience, but so far every reviewer has said the 4K dell screen is superior. Maybe yours was an older version, this new IZGO version (which the macbook will eventually switch to) seems to beat the current macbook in every way, including contrast and color accuracy (something like 168% Adobe RGB).
And ports? Really? Biggest strike against the macbook pro. You would be better off not mentioning that the mac even has ports, its so bad what they've done with all usb c.
I wont bother going through the whole list, but lets just say you are greatly exaggerating.
I haven't exaggerated anything, not even a little.
According to reviews by experts, the brightness, contrast, and initial color accuracy of the XPS UHD all significantly lag those of the new MBP. The color accuracy can be fixed with calibration, but that requires additional equipment and know-how. (You appear to confuse accuracy with gamut.) It's simply false that every reviewer has said the XPS screen is superior. That is a great exaggeration, at the least.
Again, and this is a plain fact as well, the ports for the new MBP are more powerful and flexible than those of the XPS, even the forthcoming one. They may require adapters, but they can do more than other ports can.
If you want more details, you can find them at this customer review, which includes the numbers and links:
https://www.amazon.com/review/R27MBWO99H5LZJ/
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Not to mention that having to use adapters is actually a positive in some cases. For instance, I previously hooked my 2015 MBP into Power, Mini Display Port, Audio, and USB A to connect my phone for development purposes.
That was 4 separate connection points that I had to plug in on my old MBP whenever I got into the office. However, with Apple's USB-C AV Multiport Adapter and a switch from Mini Display port + Audio to HDMI, I'm able to consolidate all of those 4 connection points into 1 by hooking the adapter into HDMI/Power/USB-A. So the use of an adapter actually eliminated 3 connection points when plugging my computer in for work each morning.
Ah, I think I get it now. Thank you for explaining. So, can we agree to amend your original post to the following? Is this closer to what you meant originally?
You probably haven't use Windows for years.
I know that a lot of users here don't like the UI, but the Windows 10 is quite stable and rarely crashes.
It can also run on an old Pentium 4 computer with 1GB of memory.
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We'll have to agree to disagree. You think that intersection consisted of 90% of the Pro-fessional, and i think it's much less.
Well, with the number of Apple Pro-fessional users that are left, it might be larger than it used to be.
I'm sorry to barge in the middle of your discussion, but what exactly puts you in a position to determine who is professional and not? And what needs do professionals have?