Dell Studio XPS 16 Review

Dell has recently come up with the new Dell Studio XPS 13 and 16. While the Studio XPS 13 is a great notebook, the real thing to watch out for is the Dell Studio XPS 16. It is the first 16 inch notebook by Dell in recent times. By launching the Dell Studio XPS 16, Dell tries to compete with the Acer Aspire 6930 and the HP Pavilion HDX 16 in a niche category which combines portability with true media center capabilities and of course, a huge HD display. It has a superb design which combines both the Studio and the XPS series’ design elements, superb hardware specs and offers good value for money starting at just $1000 for the base config. In this review, we check out the Dell Studio XPS 16 and see if it has it in itself to compete with the HP Pavilion HDX 16.

Dell Studio XPS 16 Specs

• Dimensions: 1.4 inches x 15.2 inches x 10.1 inches
• Weight: 6.7 lbs
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (3 MB cache / 2.4 GHz / 1066 Mhz FSB)
• Memory: 4 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz
• HDD: 320 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Chipset: Intel PM45 with Centrino 2
• Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670 (M86 XT) – 512 MB VRAM
• Display: HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD (1366 x 768 pixels)
• Sound: High Definition Audio 2.0
• Webcam: 2.0 MP Webcam
• Optical Drive: BluRay Disc Combo Drive (DVD/CD +/- RW with BD Read)
• OS: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
• Battery: 6 cell Battery
• Other Features: Facial Recognition Security, Dell Dock, Dell Video Chat
• Ports: VGA out, Display Port, HDMI, 2 USB ports, 1 USB / eSATA Combo port, Firewire, Optical Drive, Mic, Headphone Jacks, Express Card slot, Card Reader, Power Jack
• Approx Price: $1400

Design and Build Quality:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 sports a superb, radically new design which combines the better aspects of both the Dell Studio and Dell XPS design elements. The fresh new looks are mind blowing, Dell is getting better at design year by year. It is no longer the maker of only boring, boxy business notebooks but is also a lifestyle notebook manufacturer. As strange as it might sound, on first look, it looks like the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 from the insides – the slimness, the stylish black design etc, just a bigger version. The body is composed mainly of an magnesium alloy chassis with some plastic coupled with brushed aluminium. It has a nice glossy look and comes only in one color scheme – Obsidian Black. It has spectacular build quality, among the best Dell ever made, and maybe the best you could get in this range. It is very sturdy and durable. It has the best of both worlds – XPS and Studio.

Display and Speakers:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 sports a brilliant HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD Display with a max resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The display quality is totally amazing and the display has nice brightness and contrast levels. The viewing angles are very wide, both horizontal and vertical which is a must in a multimedia centric notebook especially if more than one person is watching the screen simultaneously. As it is a glossy display, the visibility under direct light is a bit low. The display looks beautiful as it is a frameless one. It is an LED backlit display, hence more power efficient than regular LCD ones. If you are willing to spend more dough, you can opt for the high end Full HD capable Widescreen 16.0 inch RGBLED LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The optional RGBLED display is one of the most stunning displays ever seen in any notebook in this range, it is also full HD (1080P) capable. It also comes with a 2.0 MP webcam with nice video capture quality.

The Dell Studio XPS 16 comes loaded with dual stereo speakers and a built in subwoofer. This setup is common in multimedia notebooks, and the Dell Studio XPS 16 is no exception. The sound quality is superb and the speakers also offer good volume. The speakers are more than enough when it comes to watching a movie or listening to some music occasionally. You can also attach your audiophile earphones to the two headphone jacks if you have an serious ear for music.

Keyboard and Touchpad:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 sports a standard full sized keyboard with nice spacing and the standard key layout. The keys have good travel and offer good feedback. There is zero flex in the keyboard area which is living proof of the superb build quality and sturdy chassis. It is a touch typist’s dream. The keys have a nice feel and are also backlit for typing in the dark. It doesn’t include a dedicated numberpad but that shouldn’t be much of an issue for most users. Just above the keyboard, you will find a series of touch sensitive media controls.

Just below the keyboard, you find the touchpad located slightly towards the left. It is a Synaptics touchpad – the best in the business. It is nicely responsive and offers good sensitivity levels. It has a nice textured feel which aids in navigation. It also has vertical and horizontal scroll areas. The two touchpad buttons have a nice feel and offer good feedback. As the touchpad is a Synaptics one, expect some basic multitouch support with a driver update.

Performance:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 sports superb hardware specs: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (3 MB cache / 2.4 GHz / 1066 Mhz FSB), 4 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1066MHz, 320 GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive, Intel PM45 chipset with Centrino 2 etc. The graphics department is handled by the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670 (M86 XT) – 512 MB VRAM which is very capable. It performs just as well as a Nvidia 9600M. The Intel C2D P8600 is the standard processor in this range and is very powerful. Coupled with 4 GB DDR3 RAM and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670, it forms a powerful mix. It is more than capable of running Windows Vista alongwith loads of applications. It can also play the latest games, atleast at mid-low settings. The 320 GB 7200 RPM SATA drive also offers nice speeds with minimum delay.

Battery and Other Features:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 comes with a 6 cell Lithium Ion battery which can power the notebook for about 2 hrs 20 mins with moderate usage and some power saving tips implemented. If you need some more juice, you can opt for the 9 cell battery which runs for more than 3 hrs 20 mins. The battery life is in line with the other 16 inchers, but still a bit low. The Studio XPS 16 also has a wide range of ports, it comes with a VGA out, Display Port, HDMI, 2 USB ports, 1 USB / eSATA Combo port, Firewire, Optical Drive, Mic, Headphone Jacks, Express Card slot, Card Reader and a Power Jack.

Pros:

• Excellent Design and Build Quality
• Superb Specs
• Nice Display and Speakers

Cons:

• Low Battery Life

Final Words:

The Dell Studio XPS 16 is a superb notebook with everything going for it – its design, hardware specs, superb display etc. It is priced reasonably at $1400 for the above specs. It is definitely recommended by me.

Our Rating: 4.25 / 5.