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Dell asks for user opinions on cheesy XPS notebook paint jobs

Dell asks for user opinions on cheesy XPS notebook paint jobs

Rich Brown Former Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Expertise Smart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
Rich Brown
At the same meeting that it showed off its new XPS desktop, Dell also put on display four concept paint jobs it's considering for a new XPS notebook. The four designs, True Fire, Acid Green, Blue Skulls, and Alien Invasion, will be on display at Dell's Web site, and interesed buyers will be able to vote on their favorite. Dell presumably will be using this information to help it determine which, if any, of these designs it might put into production.
Our vote: none of the above. We're sorry, but we're tired of seeing alien claws ripping through metal and the general airbrushed aesthetic Dell has going on here. The workmanship looks fine, but the designs on offer feel like a marketing department's vision of what a 13-year-old might find cool, a problem considering that most gamers are adults. Our GameSpot colleague Sarju Shah suggested that Dell refer to the Web site DeviantArt for more original designs, and we think that or something similarly creative is a fine idea. We like that Dell's trying something new, but if it wants any credibility, it needs to strive beyond the typical gamer-graphic cliches.