Dell XPS 15 2020 ('Fiorano')

[grmlin]

I always thought that Apple should have doubled the 1680 × 1050 screen they had as an option for their 15". That would be perfection on a 15" screen. They even use it as their default scaling option now, but it's not the same :/

Anyway, I think 1080p on 15" simply isn't sharp enough. I'm spoiled by the MacBooks and 4K screens I use(d) and can't go back. So 4K is it for me. On top of that do different scaling factors for different screens suck on Windows/Linux.

 

[Alex W.]

This laptop is what im considering vs the 16" MBP, but its identical in price.

 

[maflynn]

This laptop is what im considering vs the 16" MBP, but its identical in price.

The dell is cheaper looking at the stock configurations.

Base model with a discrete GPU starts off at 1750, top end XPS 15 is 2,450. The lowest end 16" MBP starts off at 2,400

 

[grmlin]

You can also upgrade the Dell by yourself with RAM and SSDs, and it's not really that configurable yet in the store.

 

[maflynn]

it's not really that configurable yet in the store.

No, that's one of my frustrations I have had with Dell, when I was looking to get a new laptop, the lack of options was surprising - so what did I do? Buy a Razer that had no configuration options

 

[grmlin]

hahaha, sounds fine to me ?

It's a problem with many laptops right now though. It's the same in Lenovos shop. Don't know if it's any better when you call/chat them.

 

[TSE]

Dell really did a great job on this laptop - I think one takeaway would be if they could, and would use the AMD H-series chips, that would allow the thermal headroom for a beefier GPU, like an RTX 2060 - making it leaps better than the MacBook Pro.

 

[Falhófnir]

Dell really did a great job on this laptop - I think one takeaway would be if they could, and would use the AMD H-series chips, that would allow the thermal headroom for a beefier GPU, like an RTX 2060 - making it leaps better than the MacBook Pro.

I think the high end 17" does offer the 2060 - though how well or poorly it performs awaits to be seen. I think 35W AMD would be quite something in these thin and light designs though, as you say! Hopefully next year if not later in the cycle...

 

[Alex W.]

PSA avoid the new dells !!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DellXPS/comments/fgxejn
tons of issues on the new units, don’t get them

 

[michael9891]

PSA avoid the new dells !!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DellXPS/comments/fgxejn
tons of issues on the new units, don’t get them

Every product will have people that experience issues with them. It won't be a massive percentage of units sold though. And while I'm sure the internals are very similar, you're linking to issues with the 13", this thread is for the 15".

 

[grmlin]

That’s the XPS 13 though.

 

[AndyMacAndMic]

PSA avoid the new dells !!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DellXPS/comments/fgxejn
tons of issues on the new units, don’t get them

I just as easily can pick 10 threads of off MacRumors and make the same claim: 'Avoid the new Macs!' or 'Avoid the new iPads!'(Bend gate, keyboard problems, Catalina, etc. etc.). What is your point exactly? Picking anecdotal references and generalizing them to make a claim never makes for a good argument. It only shows bias or a hidden agenda.

 

[michael9891]

I must admit, my XPS 9300 is looking at the 15" (and more so the incoming 17") with jealousy!

It's ironic that I got the 13" because I thought it would be a perfect size for traveling (it replaced a 12.9" iPad). And with the current situation, I'll have probably owned it over a year before I fly off anywhere....

 

[maflynn]

PSA avoid the new dells !!!

PSA avoid MBPs:
Ghosting
External monitor issues
T2 crashes
GPU KPs
Speaker crackle
butterfly keyboard failures
flexgate
staingate
Throttling
bulging battery
Constant Bluetooth issues

See what I did there - I perused the MBP forum and just scrolling there were these issues

Overall, we'll need more objective and encompassing reviews to determine the quality and construction of the Dells.

 

[Alex W.]

PSA avoid MBPs:
Ghosting
External monitor issues
T2 crashes
GPU KPs
Speaker crackle
butterfly keyboard failures
flexgate
staingate
Throttling
bulging battery
Constant Bluetooth issues

See what I did there - I perused the MBP forum and just scrolling there were these issues

Overall, we'll need more objective and encompassing reviews to determine the quality and construction of the Dells.

ghosting, yes nothing else with the units.
the issues on that reddit are game breaking atm, so the new dells have a lot of issues. Some reviewers are saying to avoid them currently.

some major problems if you search 9300 beware on YouTube you’ll see an in-depth look at the issues, making it not comparable to the mno

 

[michael9891]

ghosting, yes nothing else with the units.
the issues on that reddit are game breaking atm, so the new dells have a lot of issues. Some reviewers are saying to avoid them currently.

some major problems if you search 9300 beware on YouTube you’ll see an in-depth look at the issues, making it not comparable to the mno

Why link to one product calling out issues when we're talking out something different?

 

[alpi123]

I wish companies would take an approach to other touchpad mechanisms.
Recently tried the force touch trackpad on the MBA for the first time and it felt so good. The click felt very much real, I expected something like a haptic touch on an iPhone, but nope.

 

[Alex W.]

im going to buy a 15" and compare myself and report back here. Ive been looking at the technical data on the ups and it appears to have ghosting swell due to slow 50ms pixel response time.

Is the 4k or FHD better? -- given that its 15", scaling and battery life and the extra 100 nits britness of FHD, im taking FHD is better?

 

[TSE]

im going to buy a 15" and compare myself and report back here. Ive been looking at the technical data on the ups and it appears to have ghosting swell due to slow 50ms pixel response time.

Is the 4k or FHD better? -- given that its 15", scaling and battery life and the extra 100 nits britness of FHD, im taking FHD is better?

I personally think the FHD is better - the extra battery life and fact that everything "just works" with this resolution is why I preferred to buy it. The money saved is the cherry on top.

 

[c0ppo]

some major problems if you search 9300 beware on YouTube you’ll see an in-depth look at the issues, making it not comparable to the mno

And what would you say about mac keyboards from 2015 to 2020?
Keyboards are main input 'thingy' in any laptop. I've criticised Dell in this very thread. But if I would look at any device with your view, I would never purchase anything. And after butterfly keyboard fiasco, T2 kernel panics, ghosting, throttling, etc... I would never purchase anything Apple related ever again. And those things didn't happen in one single model, they went on for 4+ years.

 

[maflynn]

ghosting, yes nothing else with the units.

Nothing else with MacBooks?

I listed a number of things, including the butterfly keyboard that was a problem for 5 years. The GPU Kernel panics are still ongoing, and Apple has struggled with the T2 kernel panics for 5 years.

You can't say that the MBP's quality is high and/or largely problem free but yet call Dell's quality into question. If you want to search forums and postulate that Dells are poorly made machines, you need to be consistent and apply the same logic with Macs.

 

[TSE]

Nothing else with MacBooks?

I listed a number of things, including the butterfly keyboard that was a problem for 5 years. The GPU Kernel panics are still ongoing, and Apple has struggled with the T2 kernel panics for 5 years.

You can't say that the MBP's quality is high and/or largely problem free but yet call Dell's quality into question. If you want to search forums and postulate that Dells are poorly made machines, you need to be consistent and apply the same logic with Macs.

No doubt about it though, Dell has had some serious stinkers - but I agree with you. To deny Apple's is just fanboying.

 

[Falhófnir]

PSA avoid the new dells !!!

https://www.reddit.com/r/DellXPS/comments/fgxejn
tons of issues on the new units, don’t get them

I would always wait a while after the release of a new product to see if any major issues show up, but none of this strikes me as anything more than pot luck manufacturing defects (and one jaded user looking for problems?). These will be present on literally any mass produced computer from any manufacturer. Unfortunately major problems like the butterfly keyboard only seem to show up as significant problems later, when units have been out in the wild for months and lots of corroborating stories start to show a pattern.

 

[Alex W.]

So I got he 13 and 15 inch XPS, I’ve had a ton of issues so far with slow booting, I did a fresh install to avoid issues but there’s some hardware and bios issues, I’m having fan noises on idle, hot temps, some throttling, but the slow restarts are getting to me.

trackpad is okay, keyboard great.

the screen seems to have some ghosting that isn’t much different from the MacBook, so I think the whole thin laptop screen industry has gone this way Or something.

debating on keeping the Mac, as calling and dealing with dell support has been to say the least extremely frustrating. they have some issues to sort out with the new units or the ones I’ve gotten.p but the basis of their service is concerning as I don’t have much confidence in them.
will give it another week to decide.

 

[michael9891]

Probably should have taken your own advice.