Dell XPS 15 review (3rd gen Intel Core i7-3612QM)

Anecdotally, I ran Modern Warfare 3 at 1080p resolution with nearly all the graphics settings on high, and got a very smooth, playable experience. This isn't a specialized gamer machine like you'd get from Origin, Maingear, or even Dell's Alienware brand, but it's great for mid-to-high-end gaming.

Juice box
Dell XPS 15	Avg watts/hour
Off (60%)	0.33
Sleep (10%)	0.73
Idle (25%)	7.77
Load (05%)	43.38
Raw kWh number	38.39
Annual power consumption cost	$4.36

Among high-end laptops with quad-core Core i7 CPUs and discrete graphics, the Dell XPS 15 cleans up in battery life, running for 4 hours and 41 minutes in our video playback battery drain test. That previously mentioned high-powered Maingear 15-inch ran for 2 hours less. Of course, you have to exclude the Retina MacBook Pro for this comparison to work -- Apple's quad-core Core i7 15-inch laptop ran for more than 6 hours.

Dell offers a different level of warranty support with its XPS laptops than you'll find in less expensive Inspiron models. This Premium Protection Package, as Dell calls it, includes in-home service, accidental damage protection, and LoJack service, all for one year. A separate phone support line is set aside for XPS systems. Upgrading this package to three years of coverage costs $299.

Dell's high-end XPS line has gone through many different designs over the years, but the current look is the best to date, and fits well with the overall theme of a high-end laptop that mixes productivity with premium materials and construction. Still, this Core i7 configuration is very expensive at $1,699, and if you're more interested in the internals than the chassis, there are less expensive ways to get similar performance.

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System configurations:

Dell XPS 15
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Toshiba 5,400rpm

Acer Aspire V3-571G-9435
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM; 6GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M / 128MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 500GB Toshiba 5,400rpm

Maingear EX-L 15
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-3820QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M + 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Seagate 7,200rpm

Lenovo IdeaPad Y480
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M LE / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Toshiba 5,400rpm

Sony Vaio S1511AGXB
Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) w/ SP1; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-3612QM; 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,333MHz; 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 640M / 64MB (Dedicated) Intel HD 4000; 750GB Seagate 7,200rpm