Observations on the Recent INSPIRON 14z & XPS 14z

In a very realistic sense there are two entirely different approaches to choosing a laptop that will get the job done. One is all about cost efficiency or cost containment, but still with enough power and utility to go beyond the basics. The other method is more about getting a premium product that gives that "above & beyond" buzz of satisfaction even when using the product in a mundane way. Perhaps the experience may be compared to the difference between driving a "family-sedan" to work, or making the same commute in an optioned-up "sports-sedan". Both will get the job done, but you know which one you would rather be driving. You also know, based on your budget, real-life performance needs versus wants, and a myriad of life circumstances which one you will be driving.

More than ever the accelerating trend is definitely toward thinner & lighter, while sacrificing none of the power and battery life of thicker, heavier machines. Both the Dell INSPIRON 14z and the XPS 14z have taken a big step in that direction, and the differences between them are somewhat analogous to that automotive scenario.

Dell XPS 14z			Dell Inspiron 14
CPU Processor	i3 (2.2 GHz) or i5 (2.4 GHz)	i5 (2.4 GHz) or i7 (2.8 GHz)
RAM Memory	4GB or 6GB DDR3	6GB or 8GB DDR3
Battery	4-cell or 6-cell Li-Ion	8-cell Prismatic
LCD Screen	14" HD LED (1366x768) TrueLife	14" Hi-Def (720p) True Life WLED (1366x768)
Hard Drive	Up to 640GB SATA 5400RPM	Up to 256GB SSD (Solid State Hard Drive) or up to 750GB SATA
Audio	SRS Premium Sound HD	+Waves MaxxAudio®

The INSPIRON 14z is offered directly from Dell in configurations ranging in price from $599 to $799. Processors are 2nd generation i3 (2.2 GHz) or i5 (2.4 GHz), and 4GB or 6GB of shared dual channel DDR3 memory. The general consensus seems to be that the integrated Intel HD graphics are much better than you would expect, and certainly not a slouch; but also not best for hard-core gaming. The optical drive is a DVD+/RW tray-load as standard equipment. Battery configurations are either a 4-cell or 6-cell Li-Ion. The display is a 14-inch High Definition LED Display (1366 x 768) with True-Life. The hard-drive is up to 640GB SATA hard drive at 5400RPM. Audio is SRS Premium Sound HD; 2 X 2W (4 Watts Total). The microphone is integrated analog digital.

The XPS 14z when purchased from Dell ranges in price from $1,099 to $1,599. Processors are 2nd generation i5 (2.4 GHz) or i7 (2.8 GHz), both with Turbo Boost to either 3.0 or 3.5 GHz, and 6GB or 8GB of shared dual channel DDR3 memory at 1333MHz. The discrete video card is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M, 1GB graphics with Optimus, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The optical drive is a slot-load 8x DVD+/-RW (both reads and writes to DVD/CD). Battery configuration is an 8-cell Prismatic. The display is a 14-inch Hi-Def (720p) True Life WLED (1366x768), with 1.3MP Hi-Def Webcam. The hard-drive is up to 256GB Solid State hard drive, and up to 750GB SATA at 7200RPM. Audio is High Definition +Waves MaxxAudio®, and 5.1 surround sound can be supported via HDMI. The XPS has a 7-in-1 media-card reader.

Displays on both machines are generally considered more than adequate, but not outstanding. Build quality on the XPS 14z is top-notch. The bezel around the XPS screen screen is very narrow, and Dell's claim of fitting a 14-inch screen into a 13-inch chassis is quite accurate.

Both offer USB 3.0, are packed with useful ports and slots, and weigh in at slightly over 4 pounds. Both have a full-sized HDMI v1.4 Port, and can be connected directly to 3D TVs without adapters.

These units are just a few hundredths of an inch from being as thin as a "comparable" MacBook product.  For many buyers the optical drive and USB 3.0 will make all the difference. It has been noticed that the XPS 14z stays quiet and cool under load, while observers say the MacBook Pro 13 gets rather hot and noisy.

Assessment

The story here is thin-and-light, while maintaining more power, utility and battery-life than you would expect from that size. If you plan on using it for school at any level, with the exception of CAD-CAM or engineering applications, a good option would be to select the base  INSPIRON 14z and add the 3-year hardware and software Total Support package. If you have truly superior skills in both hardware and software yourself, just go ahead and make that judgment call based on whatever promo pricing is in effect at the time. It may still be a good deal.

If you're the sports-sedan type and just have to have more, or in fact can justify it based on actual needs you know what to do; and its name is XPS 14z.