The XPS 15 has been a star performer in Dell’s lineup. Past iterations of the laptop have consistently delivered on the promise of a powerful 15-inch device in a user-friendly body. The latest refresh of the model had some rather big shoes to fill.
Does it live up to its predecessors? We used the Dell XPS 15 2023, with an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU for a fortnight, and here is what we found.
In the box
The Dell XPS 15 comes packed in an aesthetically-pleasing box in line with the device’s premium credentials. Within the box, users will find the device itself, a 130-watt USB-C charging cable, and an adapter with USB-C to USB-A and HDMI 2.0 connectivity ports.
Design
The XPS 15 2023 retains the design of older iterations, following the mantra “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The device retains clean aesthetics, with a premium look and feel, starting with the smooth outer aluminium shell. Within the shell, the OLED screen stretches all the way to the edges, surrounded by narrow bezels; these are almost non-existent, making the top half feel like it is all display. The HD 720p camera is housed in the top bezel, with digital array microphones on either side; we suspect the narrow bezels were the main reason for not upgrading the camera to 1080p.
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The XPS 15 2023 retains the design of older iterations, following the mantra “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
The similar feel of a thoughtful design continues in the bottom half, with the massive touchpad, placed between the carbon-composite palm rest. The full-size, backlit keyboard is placed between a quad speaker setup. The power button also doubles as the fingerprint sensor, which is both quick to respond and accurate.
Overall, the design of the XPS 15 remains easy to live with. The device, despite its size and 1.92kg weight, is good for on-the-move users. The device has a height of 0.71 inches, with a width of 13.57 inches, making it easy to handle and carry. The sturdy build quality also inspires confidence, whether placing the laptop in a backpack or a side bag.
Technical specifications
- Dimensions: Height:0.71” x Width: 13.57” x Depth:9.06”
- Weight: Starting weight: 1.86kg for FHD+; 1.92kg for OLED
- Processor: 13th Ge Intel Core i7-13700H (24MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 14 cores)
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6 (40W)
- Display: 15.6-inch 3.5K (3456 x 2160) OLED touch display
- Storage: 1TB PCIe 4 x4 SSD,supports up to 8TB total storage (2x 4TB)
- RAM: Windows 11 Home 64 -bit 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 Dual Channel at 4800MHz
- Inputs: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 SD card reader, 1 3.5mm combo jack.
- Battery: 86Whr battery (built-in)
- Sound: Quad-speaker design with 2.5W x2 woofers and 1.5W x2 tweeters = 8W total peak output
- Camera: HD (720p) Windows Hello camera in upper bezel
The device also gets a wedge-shaped lock slot, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) with display ports and power delivery on the right side, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C slot, and a full-size SD card reader.
Display and speakers
The XPS 15 comes with a 15.6-inch 3.5K (3456X2160) OLED display. The display has a peak brightness of 400 nits, a 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut, and a 1000,000:1 contrast ratio. These big numbers translate to an impressive viewing experience-- the colours are accurate, and the image and video quality are sharp with good viewing angles.
The touch-sensitive display also gets anti-reflective coating, which we found useful in brightly lit environments. The display is quick to respond to touch inputs, and coupled with the quad speaker setup with two 2.5W woofers and two 1.5W tweeters, it delivers an immersive experience.
The loudness does not translate to shrillness; there is a good balance of bass and treble in the sepakers of the Dell XPS 15. | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
The speakers are loud and capable of handling high volumes without distorting the audio output. The loudness does not translate to shrillness; there is a good balance of bass and treble. The device handled streaming of online content and listening to music or podcasts with ease.
Overall, Dell does a fine job of ensuring that the XPS 15 delivers an immersive viewing experience, while adding in touch sensitivity to the display.
Performance
The XPS 15 is powered by Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7 processor, supported by Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 33 GB DDR5 RAM, and 1 TB PCle SSD. The device is capable of supporting 8TB storage in case users need it.
The configuration of the laptop enables it to handle almost every task without breaking a sweat. The device was able to easily handle our day-to-day workflow, which involved multiple windows with multiple tabs in different browsers. We also used the device for light photo editing ,and it handled it without a problem. In our regular daily usage, the device did engage its fans after extended use to keep the internal temperature in check. However, the fans were unobtrusive and we did not notice any drop in performance despite sustained use. While the XPS is not a gaming laptop, we tried out some casual gaming and the device was able to handle it with ease.
The keyboard on the device is also easy to get used to. The keys, with 1.3mm travel, are good for long typing sessions. Their placement is also good, with ample spacing to avoid accidental clicks. A special mention must be made of the massive glass touchpad. It is well positioned to avoid accidental touches when resting your palm on the body and comes with good touch sensitivity, eliminating the need for a mouse.
The 720p camera with two digital array microphones provides a good video calling experience, and we did not face any problems when using it for long video calls.
Battery
The XPS 15 2023 comes backed by an 86Whr battery capable of sustained use for long periods of time. We used the device at peak brightness with maximum volume for streaming, and it managed to last between 5-6 hours.
The device gets a wedge-shaped lock slot, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) on the right side, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C slot, and a full-size SD card reader on the left. | Photo Credit: Nabeel Ahmed
Performance goes up considerably when the device is used for regular day-to-day work, which involves browsing, editing documents, downloading files, and editing images. Here the device lasted between 7-8 hours. The laptop easily managed to make it through a full day of work with some charge remaining. The standby battery is also good, managing to last well between 2-3 days in case you do not want to shut down the device while traveling.
Our only qualm is the disparity in the positioning of the ports, which puts a dent in charging speeds. When the charging cable is attached to the USB 3.2 Gen 2 port on the right side of the device, it can take well over 2 hours to bring the battery life to 50%.
Verdict
The Dell XPS 15 2023 definitely reaches the bar set by its predecessors. The device is powerful enough to handle any tasks thrown at it-- it is well built and designed, and manages to enthral with its immersive viewing experience. While not meant for gaming, the device is capable of providing a good experience to casual gamers, providing a wholesome user experience overall. We think it’s worth a shot.
The Dell XPS 15 2023 is priced at ₹2,86,989.
Published - September 07, 2023 02:15 pm IST
