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All items from April 2017
15 Apr 2017 : Terrible computing choices #
I've just done a terrible thing. For literally months I've been planning my next laptop upgrade, weighing the alternatives and comparing specs. This wil end up being my daily workhorse, and these aren't cheap machines so it's worth getting it right. I narrowed it down to two different devices: the Dell XPS 13 and the Razer Blade Stealth.
Physically the RBS is a beautifully crafted device, small and light but with a solidity and finish that left me drooling when I handled it in the Razer store in San Franciso. In comparison the XPS is dull and uninspiring. It's competently made for sure, but suffers from the sort of classic PC over-design that makes the Apple-crowd smug. For the record if I owned an RBS I'd find it hard to hide my smugness.
The XPS is indisputably the better machine. It has a larger screen in a smaller chassis and a much better battery life all for a slightly lower price. In spite of this, the excitement of the RBS won out over the cold hard specs of the XPS. The Dell is simply not an exciting machine in the same way as the RBS with its magically colourful keyboard.
Why then, after all this, have I just gone and ordered the Dell? After making my decision to buy the RBS I dug deeper into how to run Linux on it. The Web reports glitches with a flickering screen, dubious Wi-fi drivers, crashing caps-lock keys and broken HDMI output. On the other hand, Dell supports Ubuntu as a first-class OS, which reassures me that the experience will be glitch-free.
After months of deliberation I chose specs over beauty, which I fear may mean I've finally strayed into adulthood. It feels like a terrible decision, while at the same time almost certainly being the right decision. Clearly I'm still not convinced I made the right choice, but at least I finally did.
Comment
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| Razer Blade Stealth | Dell XPS 13 |
Physically the RBS is a beautifully crafted device, small and light but with a solidity and finish that left me drooling when I handled it in the Razer store in San Franciso. In comparison the XPS is dull and uninspiring. It's competently made for sure, but suffers from the sort of classic PC over-design that makes the Apple-crowd smug. For the record if I owned an RBS I'd find it hard to hide my smugness.
The XPS is indisputably the better machine. It has a larger screen in a smaller chassis and a much better battery life all for a slightly lower price. In spite of this, the excitement of the RBS won out over the cold hard specs of the XPS. The Dell is simply not an exciting machine in the same way as the RBS with its magically colourful keyboard.
Why then, after all this, have I just gone and ordered the Dell? After making my decision to buy the RBS I dug deeper into how to run Linux on it. The Web reports glitches with a flickering screen, dubious Wi-fi drivers, crashing caps-lock keys and broken HDMI output. On the other hand, Dell supports Ubuntu as a first-class OS, which reassures me that the experience will be glitch-free.
After months of deliberation I chose specs over beauty, which I fear may mean I've finally strayed into adulthood. It feels like a terrible decision, while at the same time almost certainly being the right decision. Clearly I'm still not convinced I made the right choice, but at least I finally did.
|
Razer Blade Stealth |
Dell XPS 13 |
|
|
CPU |
3.5GHz Intel Core i7-7500U |
3.5GHz Intel Core i7-7500U |
|
RAM |
16GB, 1866MHz LPDDR3 |
16GB, 1866MHz LPDDR3 |
|
NVM |
512GB SSD |
512GB SSD |
|
GPU |
Intel HD620 |
Intel HD620 |
|
Resolution |
3840 x 2160 |
3200 x 1800 |
|
Screen size (in) |
12.5 |
13.3 |
|
Battery (WHr) |
53.6 |
60 |
|
Height (mm) |
13.1 |
15 |
|
Width (mm) |
321 |
296 |
|
Depth (mm) |
206 |
200 |
|
Weight (kg) |
1.29 |
1.29 |
|
Touchscreen |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Fan |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Backlit keyboard |
Whoa yes |
Yes |
|
Ports |
USB-C, 2 x USB-3, HDMI, 3.5mm |
USB-C, 2 x USB-3, SD card, 3.5mm, AC |
|
Aesthetics |
Real nice | Dull :( |
|
Linux compat |
Unsupported, glitches |
Officially supported |
|
Price (£) |
1400 |
1333 |