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Talk me out of the 15" Dell XPS

The one with GTX 960M is like $1899 isn't it? I did check the Dell store.

That said, I've owned 5 laptops since 2008. 1 MBP, 1 MBA, 1 Sony, 1 Acer, 1 Asus. And most of the time, Windows machine got laggy and slow after 2 years of use. My Mac machines stood fine.

Take it as you will. I'll buy a Mac to be my work computer, as I want it to last. I'll also build a desktop PC for raw power (which could easily be upgraded by buying separate components), so that I can easily play games/edit videos/edit photos when I come home.
 
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XPS 15 materials are rubbish. Tried it out in the microsoft store. The keyboard is mushy, trackpad is a 5/10 at best and they somehow made metal & carbon fibre feel like cheap plastic, which apparently stains easily w/ fingerprints. The only laptops with comparable build quality are the surface book and the razer blade, and the blade is plagued with QC issues.
 
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Zenithal said:
I said the same the other day. If it wasn't for someone's snooping, no one wouldn't have known that OSX sends data to Cupertino, Google, Bing and others. Apple states they are committed to user privacy. So on a fresh install of OSX Sierra that's up to date, and the computer running Little Snitch, why do outbound connection alerts popup in droves every so often connected to non-public Apple URLs. Apple validates installs using other methods, possibly one check after initial account creation, too. The only time Apple will want to pull the computer info is if the user went to find their warranty status under "About this Mac" dialogue window. And I say this with all location services chosen to be off, no login supplied to the Applications store, and nothing that would require an internet connection. Not even a browser running, and all notifications disabled through Terminal. Essentially a cordoned off machine.

With OSX being closed source, one should not have faith that Apple do as they say.
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I think there's a lot of information that isn't made available to the public about spying and how deep all this goes. We got a lot of info from Snowden...but what is really surprising is that signals intelligence involves thousands of people. Thousands. And none of them said a damn thing. I used to think "come on. If all this were going on, you know a bunch of people would be talking about it". Nope. Secrets are kept pretty well it seems.
 
XPS are certainly a nice computers why should we talk you out of it? It has a very nice screen, albeit at half of brightness of the new MBP, the performance of both should be more or less on par, Dell's battery life is worse, but its significantly cheaper. Sounds like a reasonable deal if you are ok with windows.
 
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some people should just stay only with macbooks - they seems to have too many problems with win-laptops...
 
Seriously? The question is 'is the only difference between a Dell laptop and a Macbook Pro, OSX?'

Erm. That IS a difference, of course, but it is 'just' an OS.

But surely the biggest difference is that one is a plastic Dell, a mass-market provider who is trying to compete with high end by loading the spec, and one is a unibody aluminium Apple with proven longevity and build quality.

You can buy tremendously kitted out (and quite expensive) Ford Mondeo's now. Desperately trying to complete with the luxury class. It's more well equipped and significantly cheaper than a Mercedes C-Class. It could be arguably a 'better car'...

You will never hear anyone say though 'So, I can pick up the Ford for £10k cheaper than the Merc. The only thing I'd miss out on is the Mercedes drive train, right?', When the difference in design and build is so evident.

Of course, if you want a Dell there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying it's not all about comparing like for like processors and RAM here...
 
Barnfather said:
Seriously? The question is 'is the only difference between a Dell laptop and a Macbook Pro, OSX?'

Erm. That IS a difference, of course, but it is 'just' an OS.

But surely the biggest difference is that one is a plastic Dell, a mass-market provider who is trying to compete with high end by loading the spec, and one is a unibody aluminium Apple with proven longevity and build quality.

You can buy tremendously kitted out (and quite expensive) Ford Mondeo's now. Desperately trying to complete with the luxury class. It's more well equipped and significantly cheaper than a Mercedes C-Class. It could be arguably a 'better car'...

You will never hear anyone say though 'So, I can pick up the Ford for £10k cheaper than the Merc. The only thing I'd miss out on is the Mercedes drive train, right?', When the difference in design and build is so evident.

Of course, if you want a Dell there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying it's not all about comparing like for like processors and RAM here...
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The Dell isn't made of plastic, it's made of carbon fibre and metal. And there is nothing to suggest that a Dell doesn't have the same longevity. I wouldn't personally get a Dell over a mac but you're just making things up. I've actually used the computer in person.
 
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gooseta said:
Surface book? Microsoft seems to be the only pc vendor with half decent customer service.
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Ugh. No. Microsoft has terrible customer service for the Surface line! The only way I would suggest buying a Surface is through Dell who will handle all the warranty issues on Microsoft's behalf.
 
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zhenya said:
Ugh. No. Microsoft has terrible customer service for the Surface line! The only way I would suggest buying a Surface is through Dell who will handle all the warranty issues on Microsoft's behalf.
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The Microsoft Store offers a two year warranty for laptops purchased there for $99 and most of the time just replaces defective laptops.
 
gooseta said:
The Microsoft Store offers a two year warranty for laptops purchased there for $99 and most of the time just replaces defective laptops.
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If you happen to live close to one of the comparatively few Microsoft stores, and if you happen to get a CS rep that feels like helping you out that day. For everyone else, unless you have an enterprise agreement you are left to send your device in to the black hole that is MS service. Microsoft has learned to say all the right things in the press, and at the first tier of customer support. It's when you actually need them to do something for you that it all falls apart.
 
gooseta said:
The Dell isn't made of plastic, it's made of carbon fibre and metal. And there is nothing to suggest that a Dell doesn't have the same longevity. I wouldn't personally get a Dell over a mac but you're just making things up. I've actually used the computer in person.
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My bad. It just looks like plastic then.

I use Dell Notebooks for work (albeit not the XPS). I've found them to be terribly unreliable (mine has had a mainboard and HDD replaced already in first six months of ownership), which is why I don't see them as particularly aspirational or high-quality.
 
Will it last 6 years? It may be $1000+ cheaper but you can bet everyone of those, you'll need to replace it before you would a Mac.
 
gooseta said:
Who keeps a laptop for 6 years. . .
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Plenty of people on here are running machines 5+ years old. I'm still using a 2010 MacBook as my main computer and I doubt I'm the only one.

For me, it's one of the reasons Mac's are justifiably more expensive. They simply last longer and hold their value considerably longer than PC. People are still paying £5-600 for my notebook on Amazon second hand, can the same be said for Windows machines that old?
 
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haydn! said:
Plenty of people on here are running machines 5+ years old. I'm still using a 2010 MacBook as my main computer and I doubt I'm the only one.

For me, it's one of the reasons Mac's are justifiably more expensive. They simply last longer and hold their value considerably longer than PC. People are still paying £5-600 for my notebook on Amazon second hand, can the same be said for Windows machines that old?
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You can't seriously consider resale value when buying a laptop? It's not a car. Not sure how a professional uses the same laptop for 6 years and the other main users, students don't keep laptops for 6 years.
 
Easy "Dude, you're getting a DELL"!

Seriously though:
Yes the specs on paper are better but here are issues I run into with non-Mac PCs and Windows overall:
  1. Apple wins in track pad by years ahead of competition
  2. Scrolling is jittery on Win vs. OS X
  3. OS X advantages as a Unix based OS (too long to list but can be Googled)
  4. Aluminum body
  5. Superior customer service by far over Dell and others.
  6. Battery quality chosen for Mac lasts longer than those put on DELL PCs (others too)
  7. Resale value
 
BeefCake 15 said:
Easy "Dude, you're getting a DELL"!

Seriously though:
Yes the specs on paper are better but here are issues I run into with non-Mac PCs and Windows overall:
  1. Apple wins in track pad by years ahead of competition
  2. Scrolling is jittery on Win vs. OS X
  3. OS X advantages as a Unix based OS (too long to list but can be Googled)
  4. Aluminum body
  5. Superior customer service by far over Dell and others.
  6. Battery quality chosen for Mac lasts longer than those put on DELL PCs (others too)
  7. Resale value
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1. Ok
2. If scrolling plays a more important part than hardware in your assessment of a laptop I guess
3. No difference to the non pro user, although I don't remember what op's use case is
4. The Dell is made from aluminum and carbon fibre lol
5.Proof of this? Especially when purchased from a Microsoft Store
6.proof? Pretty sure they all use li-on batteries.
7. Why does this matter?
 
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gooseta said:
You can't seriously consider resale value when buying a laptop? It's not a car. Not sure how a professional uses the same laptop for 6 years and the other main users, students don't keep laptops for 6 years.
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Would I look to sell mine? No. But longevity and re-sale values are a sign of quality and therefore justify the higher price tag.
 
gooseta said:
1. Ok
2. If scrolling plays a more important part than hardware in your assessment of a laptop I guess
3. No difference to the non pro user, although I don't remember what op's use case is
4. The Dell is made from aluminum and carbon fibre lol
5.Proof of this? Especially when purchased from a Microsoft Store
6.proof? Pretty sure they all use li-on batteries.
7. Why does this matter?
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4. I mention in my post that it goes beyond just DELL too
5. Anyone that dealt with Apple CS to fix a problem or when having issues can attest to that hands down.
6. So does generic no brand batteries from the dollar store...DELL is notorious for having their batteries go bad a year later.
7. Upgrades?
 
haydn! said:
Would I look to sell mine? No. But longevity and re-sale values are a sign of quality and therefore justify the higher price tag.
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Longevity, yes, resale value no. . . If I buy a brand new Mercedes, it's a quality car, but will lose a lot of value in the first week of me owning it. . Still a quality car though
[doublepost=1477937927][/doublepost]
BeefCake 15 said:
4. I mention in my post that it goes beyond just DELL too
5. Anyone that dealt with Apple CS to fix a problem or when having issues can attest to that hands down.
6. So does generic no brand batteries from the dollar store...DELL is notorious for having their batteries go bad a year later.
7. Upgrades?
Click to expand...
5. I have dealt with Apple service and frankly I find going to the store just to be able to make an appointment ****ing stupid.
6. Any proof? How do you know apple doesn't use cheap batteries?
 
All you have to do is read the Dell XPS 15 owners thread on notebookreview.com.

Now, all laptops have issues now and then - but just the sheer amount of problems on this - also check out the Dell Reddit thread.

XPS 13 has its issues too (coil whine), but the amount of issues on the XPS 15 is frighteningly worrying.
 
gooseta said:
Longevity, yes, resale value no. . . If I buy a brand new Mercedes, it's a quality car, but will lose a lot of value in the first week of me owning it. . Still a quality car though
[doublepost=1477937927][/doublepost]
5. I have dealt with Apple service and frankly I find going to the store just to be able to make an appointment ****ing stupid.
6. Any proof? How do you know apple doesn't use cheap batteries?
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5. you go to the store to make an appointment? there is a web portal for that...
6. I'm on a 2012 rMBP with 6+ hours use case no issues...DELL computers I had personal and business lines needed a change a little less than 2 years in
 
Back in the day, I bought a $4000 Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop. Loaded. It even had the kitchen sink in there..

Anyways, I had a top of the line nVidia card in there -- only one problem.. Dell managed to make the card so that it wouldn't work with the normal nVidia updates -- you could only use the Dell updates for it. And, Dell only released a video card update every so often (slowly).

So, the modding community "fixed" it, and I could run their version of the video card driver (which meant I could get the newest version of the nVidia driver). Except, doing that made my Bluetooth module refuse to work. Dell wouldn't provide an update, so, I needed to buy a $60 bluetooth driver to make it work again -- only, it didn't work again without a few days of screwing around with it. Then, when it did work, it would fail every so often after updates/upgrades.

Then, Windows 7 came out -- initially, Dell provided drivers for Win7, but then, they disappeared. Literally.

It weighed about 10lbs, lasted 2-3 hours (max) on the high capacity battery (I had two batteries so I got about 4 hours out of it..). Charging was painfully slow.

Even when Dell does something "right", they tend to go out of their way to screw it up too.. The moral is that the grass isn't always greener on the other side...
 
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