Dell XPS 15: the champion of its class

Construction

The Dell XPS 15 is an elongated XPS 13: this would describe this laptop as simply as possible. We could perfectly stop there as the two models are similar. Dell has indeed exported the "new" design of the XPS 13 in a 15 inch format, no more no less, which is excellent news.

And as on the 13-inch version, we are immediately struck by the finesse of the screen frame (5 mm on the sides and above), now the trademark of the XPS range. This feat of design allows the screen to be widely highlighted and to attract the eye.

But it's not just that: the aluminum and carbon fiber chassis is proudly displayed and reinforces the classy side of the product. The construction is very solid, the finish excellent and the tilt angle of the generous hinge (140 degrees).

All around the keyboard, a rubber coating very pleasant to the touch allows the wrists to rest comfortably during typing. We regret, however, the messy side of this material, fingerprints tending to appear very quickly. The keys are well spaced and bounce well, but they could have benefited from a slightly more present return. The backlight, on two levels, is welcome. The touchpad is no frills, but benefits from a good size and a precise glide.

Connection side, the essentials are there: two USB 3 ports, a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 1.4 output, and an SD card reader. Connectivity is provided by Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi ac. Note also the presence of a button displaying the battery level.

The Dell XPS 15 is a machine that heats little, especially when you take into account the onboard CPU and GPU. There is thus a hot spot of 46.4 ° C at the front and 42.9 ° C under the chassis. Temperatures measured in the context of extensive use of the graphics card. Fan noise is also contained, since we did not exceed 40 dB by running the Unigine Heaven benchmark for 1 hour. We therefore hear a slight breath, but which remains quite bearable.

---

---

Screen

The Dell XPS 15 received in test offers a 15.6-inch IPS screen displaying a Full HD definition (1920 x 1080 px). We appreciate the absence of reflections due to the use of a matt slab, which greatly contributes to readability. Readability which is also excellent thanks to a very good maximum brightness (390 cd / m²) and a high contrast ratio (1160: 1).

The color balance is also very good and almost borders on excellence. Delta E stands at 2.6 and the gamma curve is very stable. We thus benefit from very faithful colors, deep blacks and well-defined whites. Only the temperature is a little less convincing, and still rises to 7,450 K. The result is a rendering that tends to slightly turn blue.

Anyway, if we also add the ultra-discrete margins all around this panel, we easily get one of the most impressive screens we have seen in the category of 15 laptops inches.

The configuration tested The configuration received in test includes an Intel Core i5-6300HQ processor, an Nvidia GTX 960M graphics card, 8 GB of RAM, a 32 GB SSD and a 1 TB hard drive. As usual at Dell, this configuration can be modified: it is thus possible to opt for 100% SSD storage, for an Intel Core i7 processor, or for a UHD touch screen (3840 x 2160 px).

---

---

Performances

It is an Intel Core i5 processor of Skylake generation which runs this model of XPS 15. More precisely an i5-6300HQ, quad-core CPU displaying frequencies between 2.3 and 3.2 GHz. In addition, there is 8 GB of RAM, a 1 TB hard drive (5400 rpm) and a 32 GB SSD for the operating system. The choice to offer a hybrid storage solution avoids slow use, and we take advantage of a swift Windows 10. The PC boot is however quite long (33 seconds), while a complete shutdown takes 26 seconds.

In any case, the XPS 15 is powerful enough to suit almost all types of tasks. Photo editing, video editing, advanced office automation, multimedia content playback ... It's hard to catch the machine at fault.

---

---

Games

The Dell XPS 15 comes with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M graphics card. It is based on a first generation Maxwell architecture (GM107) and offers 2 GB of memory in GDDR5. It offers honest performance in games, but far from that of a GTX 970M.

In practice, we noted the following results (Full HD definition): 53 frames per second on Tomb Raider maximum details, TressFX deactivated, 40 fps on Battlefield 4 (maximum details), 45 fps on Hitman Absolution (maximum details), 18 fps on Metro Last at maximum detail level and 32 fps in "normal", 15 fps on Crysis 3 (maximum details).

It is therefore possible to run any type of game correctly on this XPS 15, provided you seriously cut back on the graphic details, which should not exceed the "normal" setting level here.

---

Mobility / Autonomy

Thanks to its very reduced screen margins, the Dell XPS 15 is certainly one of the least bulky 15 inch laptops on the market. Its weight is 1.9 kg, its thickness of 17 mm when closed. It is therefore an easily transportable machine, but of course far from reaching the mobility of a 13 inch format model, like the Dell XPS 13. So plan a fairly large bag, especially since its charger is relatively bulky (435 g, 14.5 x 7 x 2.5 cm).

On the autonomy side, the results are quite good for a machine of this size. Our reading test under Netflix (Chrome, headphones plugged in, brightness at 200 cd / m²) ran for 3h40. A more versatile use, with office and web, can be considered for a little more than 6 hours, playing with the brightness of the screen and energy saving.

---

Audio

The audio portion of the Dell XPS 15 is average for this type of product. The headphone output produces quality sound, with a low distortion rate (0.01%), good output power (112 mVrms) and a well reproduced sound spectrum.

The speakers (graphics above) deliver a fairly powerful sound, but one that is sorely lacking in bass. The midrange and treble are however quite present.

---

Conclusion

This new version of the Dell XPS 15 is a real success, and it is undoubtedly one of the best 15-inch laptops that you can find on the market. Its design is very worked, its (almost) borderless screen is impressive in readability, and its configuration remains sufficient for the vast majority of uses. A high-end, versatile and attractive laptop.

---