Dell XPS 15 (L501X): Intel Core i7 840QM/2GB nVidia GT435m Review

The Dell XPS 15 (L501X) is a hell of a machine and while we know that many people immediately dislike the name ‘Dell' even before judging a system on its merits, we can easily say that this is one of the fastest mobile machines we have used to date. I am also finally able to state that a laptop is capable of being used as a rendering machine in a work environment. Sure it isn't going to be as fast as a well equipped desktop machine, but the Intel Core i7 840QM is a mobile powerhouse.

While we could pick holes in the default software installation, there is very little to fault on a hardware level. The machine is very quiet and it doesn't generate a lot of heat on your legs as the airflow is forced from the top left of the chassis, out the side. This singular position is the only warm area on the chassis and is a very clever design so people can be productive with the machine on their lap.

The keyboard, quality of the screen and overall design is absolutely brilliant and will certainly help Dell win over the minds of the high performance enthusiast audience. Those who are willing to give the company a chance anyway.

The inclusion of several USB 3.0 ports with a dual eSATA/USB port is very forward thinking from Dell and we have seen just much potential this technology has, as more people release USB 3.0 storage devices in 2011. It is certainly a small market right now, but with the Dell XPS 15 you have futureproofing and peace of mind.

The machine isn't perfect – we are slightly bewildered at Dells positioning of the activity lights …. behind the screen, meaning that people sitting opposite you on a bus or in an airport can see that your machine is writing data to the hard drive, but you can't. Well, unless you continually twist your head around the side of the screen. Its not a major issue by any stretch of the imagination, but I just don't understand who thought that position was a good idea. We would also have liked to see another USB 2.0 port included somewhere on the chassis, as a total of three ports is the bare minimum for a performance machine.

Pricing of this specific machine is £1,319 including VAT, although if you don't need the BluRay drive and are willing to downgrade to the 740QM, you could reduce the cost by £370. Dell also offer a 9 cell 90Whr battery for £50 more, if you need to work or play for longer periods of time before a recharge. If you want to upgrade to an SSD you will have to do this yourself later as there are no SSD options offered for this unit in the Dell store.

You can build your own over here.

KitGuru says: An excellent machine, with very few weaknesses in any key areas. A very powerful mobile system equally suited to both gamers and professional level designers and modelling artists.

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