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Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

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Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#131

Post by tluyben2 »

micampe wrote: post #126
robertfw wrote: post #104

I've been using one of these with the HD screen since the spring, here are some thoughts: Nice: - Good battery life. With screen on full, wifi on I can get between 3-5 hours depending on CPU utilization. With screen brightness turned down, wifi off, low utilization, ~6 hours - Keyboard and mouse pad are great - No issues with unsupported bits and pieces from ubuntu, with exception of video output via usb - the batter…

3-5 hours is good battery life in 2014?

I go crazy under 6 ... That's why i'm spending more and more time behind my chromebook; it has all day battery life. My laptops hardly make 3 hours and it makes me not want to use them for much of anything anymore.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#132

Post by codeape »

How is the multi-monitor support on the XPS 13 running Ubuntu? I googled, but could not find much useful information.

How many external monitors can be connected?

I found some information here: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-031040.htm , but it looks as if most of the info applies to Windows.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#133

Post by dkuntz2 »

photex wrote: post #67
adrusi wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with numpads on laptops is that it shifts the keyboard to the left, resulting in a non-ergonomic typing position. That's much worse than not being able to type in numbers marginally faster. Also using numpads takes your fingers far from the home row, which is in contrast to your trackpoint argument.

This is precisely why I haven't purchased several otherwise very nice looking Linux laptops.

Which Laptops? I always like seeing who's making Linux laptops.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#134

Post by micampe »

alexchamberlain wrote: post #130
micampe wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3-5 hours is good battery life in 2014?

It's the one thing that hasn't improved over the years.

My laptop goes easily to 7-8 without changing my usage significantly, 9 if I'm only doing email. I hardly carry the power brick outside the house anymore.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#135

Post by dkuntz2 »

macco wrote: post #69
Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #36

A laptop targeted to developers should have a TrackPoint to move the cursor without taking the hands off the keyboard, a non-shortscreen monitor to see more lines of code, a matte screen to read the code better, and a numpad to, well, type numbers. OK, I guess I'm asking too much for today's standards, even if all these things were common ten years ago (sigh...), but when I saw "developer edition" I thought I would s…

This is totally shitty naming by Dell. Name it Dell Sputnik and you are fine.

But the XPS 13 is a standard Dell laptop. Sputnik is just the project to get Ubuntu running excellently on them, coupled with some developer tools.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#136

Post by jamesbritt »

geminitojanus wrote: post #105
rsync wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"This is just a standard high-end laptop. Disappointing." Well, a high end laptop with a low resolution screen...

It's a strange world where we're saying 1080p is "low res".

For people used to WUXGA it's (somewhat) low res.

I thought the newer W-series Thinkpads would have better res then "HD" (AKA "short screen") but last I checked they're still stuck selling "business" machines with entertainment-consumption screens. Plus a numpad that shifts the main keyboard over.

On the bright side they still have dedicated trackpoint buttons instead of the clacky thing built in to the trackpad that some of the other other recent models have.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#137

Post by reirob »

news_to_me wrote: post #79

I was debating getting this laptop or a Thinkpad T440s and a Chromebook Pixel. For me the Pixel just doesn't have the storage capacity I want, and the T440s isn't quite as portable. I've made a deal with myself to get this once I've paid my loans off. C'mon, baby, just two months..

Then maybe the new Thinkpad X1 Carbon is for you: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x1-ca...

I would seriously love to buy it but the new keyboard changes put me off (see comment on https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7016535). It's a shame, because otherwise it is really a nice machine - will as well go with T440s.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#138

Post by jamesbritt »

yapcguy wrote: post #97
thirdsight wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone who gets it! I'm doomed to stay with a 2010 vintage Lenovo T-series by the looks.

The problem with the new T440p, and the entire Lenovo line in general, is the awful keyboard and trackpad. They moved to a chiclet style keyboard in the previous generation, removed the top row of keys, and have now inverted the function keys so they perform media functions first. In order to get an F4 you have to press Fn+F4. Ridiculous! Also they have removed the physical buttons surrounding the trackpad. Previousl…

Also they have removed the physical buttons surrounding the trackpad.

The W530 still has the proper trackpoint buttons. But it's a 1080p screen with a numpad that displaces the main keyboard.

Lenovo sells USB trackpoint keboards (with and without a trackpad). I already had one for my HP desktop box and ordered another on the assumption that sooner or later Lenovo will turn to the Thinkpad line to shit and I'll want that keyboard for whatever laptop I get next.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#139

Post by lvillani »

codeape wrote: post #132

How is the multi-monitor support on the XPS 13 running Ubuntu? I googled, but could not find much useful information. How many external monitors can be connected? I found some information here: http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-031040.htm , but it looks as if most of the info applies to Windows.

I have the first-gen XPS 13 with 1366x768 internal display. No problems at all in a multi monitor setup. I have a Dell S2409W, 1920x1080 at home and a NEC 1920x1200 at work.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition review

#140

Post by davidw »

jamesbritt wrote: post #136
geminitojanus wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a strange world where we're saying 1080p is "low res".

For people used to WUXGA it's (somewhat) low res. I thought the newer W-series Thinkpads would have better res then "HD" (AKA "short screen") but last I checked they're still stuck selling "business" machines with entertainment-consumption screens. Plus a numpad that shifts the main keyboard over. On the bright side they still have dedicated trackpoint buttons instead of the clacky thing built in to the trackpad that…

The Dell that I got several years (3-4) ago that this one replaced was WUXGA. This one (an XPS13) is light and has more battery life, and is faster and all, but I do miss that screen a lot. More pixels == better, with a bias for vertical pixels.
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