Conclusion

Conclusion

Our Dell XPS 15z review unit offers excellent processor performance, and while the GT 525M GPU is not up to powering the 1080p display in today’s latest games, it does offer adequate performance at lower resolutions. These traits are enhanced by gobs of RAM and a large hard drive. On paper, it looks ahead of the pack.

Getting some on-hands time with the XPS 15z reels the laptop back in. This is not a poorly constructed laptop, but it’s not a beautiful one, either – and the competition in the $1000+ bracket is tough. The MacBook Pro isn’t all Dell has to worry about. The new HP Envy 15 is exquisitely constructed, the Sony Vaio S 15.5” is a pound lighter and the Lenovo offers attractive IdeaPads and sturdy ThinkPads in this price range. 

The XPS 15z can’t hang with the design of such stiff competition, though that doesn’t mean it should be written off. There are always some buyers who will value hardware bang-for-the-buck above all else, and people with this mindset will want to give the XPS 15z a serious look. As mentioned earlier, an Envy 15 with similar equipment is several hundred more – and a base MacBook Pro 15" goes for $500 more than this Dell. Some consumers will find it difficulty to justify paying more for similar hardware.

« PreviousNext »