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Dell XPS 15 Dell XPS 15(0)

Dell today introduced the all new XPS 15z laptop, a thin 15-inch multimedia notebook wrapped in a strong aluminum shell. The Dell XPS 15z offers 2nd-generation “Sandy Bridge” Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, optional 15.6-inch Full HD (1080p) WLED display, a backlit keyboard and up to eight hours of battery life (according to Dell).

The new XPS 15z is the first in a series of upcoming thin “z” laptops under the Inspiron and XPS brands. Dell believes the XPS 15z fills a gap between business-rugged laptops designed for road warriors and stylish multimedia notebooks with powerful processors and graphics. The NVIDIA graphics inside the XPS 15z will not only handle HD video playback but also provide 3DTV play capabilities when connected to a 3D HDTV or 3D Monitor.

 

In addition to the powerful graphics, the thin XPS 15z is loaded with built-in Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity as well as optional Intel Wireless Display which lets you wirelessly stream videos and phots from the XPS 15z to an HDMI-equipped TV. That, and the exclusive “Dell Stage” user interface is designed to make it easier than ever to share your music, photos and videos.

The XPS 15z is currently available for order on the Dell website and has a starting price of $999.99. Dell expects retail availability to follow shortly.

Dell XPS 15z Technical Specifications:

  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz or Intel Core i7-2620M processor 2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz
  • Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
  • Memory: 6GB DDR3 1333MHz or 8GB DDR3 1333MHz
  • Chipset: Intel HM67
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB graphics with Optimus or NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 2GB graphics with Optimus
  • Display: 15.6-inch display (1920×1080 or 1366×768 resolution options)
  • Hard Drive: Up to 750GB SATA hard drive (7200RPM)
  • Optical Drive: Slot load 8x DVD+/-RW (reads & writes to CD/DVD)
  • Power: 90 Watt AC Adapter
  • Battery: 8-Cell Lithium Polymer (64WHr, 2.2AHr, up to 8 hours, 22 minutes of battery life)
  • Webcam: 1.3MP HD with dual array digital microphones
  • 10/100/1000 Ethernet network standard, opt external USB Modem
  • Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6230 802.11 agn wireless
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • Intel Wireless Display ready
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 0.97 x 15.15 x 10.25 inches
  • Starting weight: 5.54 lbs
  • Color: Anodized aluminum in “Elemental Silver”; Formed aluminum base, Magnesium alloy palmrest
  • Starting price: $999.99

Ports and Connectors:

  • HDMI 1.4 (1), Mini DisplayPort (1), RJ-45 (1), headphone (1), microphone (1)
  • 3 total USB ports; USB 3.0 (2); USB 2.0/eSATA combo with PowerShare (1)
  • 9-in-1 media card reader supporting SD, SDIO, SDXC, SDHC, MS, MS Pro, MMC, MSXC, xD
  • Standard full size, backlit chiclet keyboard; spill-resistant
ASUS Eee PC 1215N ASUS Eee PC 1215N(0)

The ASUS Eee 1215N is currently being sold on Amazon for $463. It is equipped with an Intel D525 Atom at 1.8GHz, a dual-core CPU with NVIDIA ION 2 graphics (512MB dedicated video memory). The model has a 12.1-inch WXGA, LED display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2GB of DDR3 RAM upgradeable to 4GB, operates on Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), and has a 250GB SATA Hard Drive at 5400rpm. These are very decent specifications for a netbook; not to mention it will be easy to carry around while traveling since it weighs in at only 3.21 pounds.

 

In our review of the Eee 1215N, we said the build quality was very good thanks to the strong hinges, display cover, and chassis. We also liked the attractiveness of the design; it feels and looks nice both while in your hands and while sitting on a desk. The netbook also features a webcam privacy cover which you can conveniently slide over the lens of the built-in webcam when you’re not using it.

System performance with the dual-core Atom processor for the netbook was better than most netbooks, but (of course), not as saavy as the Alienware m11x or CULV notebook as far as gaming goes. However, users will still be able to use the netbook to multi-task fully, and similarly play games such as World of Warcraft and Left 4 Dead on lower settings.

The screen display will be great for doing practically anything: browsing the Web, watching HD movies, using applications or doing work, etc. The color and contrast on the 1215N are good for viewing due to the glossy LED screen and color saturation.

Although the near-full sized Chiclet-style keyboard will innately take some getting used to if you’ve never used a netbook regularly before, we still said that it’s comfortable to type on and features an attractive design. And, we tested the default battery in the 1215N and found that it delivered 5 hours and 34 minutes while the netbook was unplugged from the outlet.

More specs and features include:

  • 4-in-1 media card slot
  • 500GB of Online Storage
  • 6-cell Lithium-Ion battery (5200mAh, 56Wh)
  • Dimensions: 11.65 x 7.99 x 1.46 inches

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