Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user • Hacker News Board

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#171

Post by fleebjuice » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:51 PM UTC

cannam wrote: post #162

fleebjuice wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the US keyboard, the enter key is only one key height and longer, and the left shift key is longer. This moves a couple of keys around (`\). The most notable (especially from a programming point of view) is that the " and @ keys are switched. I use strings way more than I do anything else, so the US way is preferable here as its on the home row. The pound sign disappears, but I don't think I've ever actually neede…

> the " and @ keys are switched. I use strings way more than I do anything else, so the US way is preferable here Eh? They're both shifted, so why does it matter which one is on which key?

I edited too late. See updated post:

> the " and @ keys are switched. I use strings way more than I do anything else, so the US way is preferable here as its on the home row

Less travel required.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#172

Post by bitL » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:52 PM UTC

TACIXAT wrote: post #90

bitL wrote: post #68

If you are looking for a Linux laptop, get one with a HiDPI display. Linux finally looks great and if you ever use it on HiDPI, you wouldn't want to go back to FHD. I went from 13" FHD to 13" 3200x1800 and the quality improvement on Linux Mint/Cinnamon was striking. Hackintosh also (subjectively) looks better than on original retina MacBook. Touchpad however is massively better on MacBook.

The only bummer for me with HiDPI are the Linux apps that don't support it yet. If I launch Aseprite or Processing3D the windows are comically zoomed out. Small price to pay for using the (IMO) best OS for developers.

Yeah that still happens :( Some (Blender, Wine) however allow adjusting DPI, so all you need it is to set it to 2x value.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#173

Post by zdragnar » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:53 PM UTC

7ewis wrote: post #98

Also a lifelong Mac user, was given an XPS 13 when I started at my company a few years ago. My thoughts were exactly the same as Jeff's. I thought it would be a good device, it looks good, has a nice form factor, screen etc. but just doesn't work as well as macOS and a MacBook. I soon after changed to a MacBook and now have the touchbar Mac, which I love!

Honest question: what do you love about the touch bar?

I tried used one for almost a year, and never used the touch bar once. I was forced to use an external keyboard because I needed a tactile physical escape key (caps was already taken by Ctrl or cmd, I forget which).

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#174

Post by dest » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:53 PM UTC

HugoDaniel wrote: post #34

- Can you reduce the monitor brightness to 0 ? (full black, off) - Can you reduce the keyboard light to 0 ?

XPS 13 9343 owner here. Yes and yes

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#175

Post by dawnerd » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:53 PM UTC

cannam wrote: post #137

I recently sold an XPS 13, an i7 9543 model from 2015, which was the first laptop in a long time that I regretted buying. I got it as a Windows machine and never ran anything else on it. Technically it was broadly fine. The specs were OK, it was reasonably repairable, I had a hi-dpi screen, the case was solid. But the keyboard felt really dead, the wrist rest was smeary, the screen had a grainy impression, the machin…

Tried a 2016 model too and the cpu was thermal throttling like crazy. Managed to get Ubuntu installed but there were tons of issues so I ended up returning it. I’d love to get a surface but they’re a bit spendy and if I’m spending that much I’d rather go MacBook Pro. But damn they do look good

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#176

Post by fermienrico » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:56 PM UTC

zdragnar wrote: post #173

7ewis wrote: post #98

Also a lifelong Mac user, was given an XPS 13 when I started at my company a few years ago. My thoughts were exactly the same as Jeff's. I thought it would be a good device, it looks good, has a nice form factor, screen etc. but just doesn't work as well as macOS and a MacBook. I soon after changed to a MacBook and now have the touchbar Mac, which I love!

Honest question: what do you love about the touch bar? I tried used one for almost a year, and never used the touch bar once. I was forced to use an external keyboard because I needed a tactile physical escape key (caps was already taken by Ctrl or cmd, I forget which).

I don't think the GP said he/she loves the touchbar. They said, they love the touchbar Mac.

I agree with you though, I have a touchbar Mac and I would be more happy with out the touchbar part.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#177

Post by bhauer » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 7:58 PM UTC

sbr464 wrote: post #122

geerlingguy wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm amazed nobody else has matched Apple's glass touch input devices. Luckily the external Magic Trackpad works pretty well with the XPS 13.

I think it’s because Apple has the patent on glass on metal trackpads https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cultofmac.com/210380/apple-...

Interesting. The Surface products (e.g., the Surface Book) use glass on metal.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#178

Post by vvanders » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 8:02 PM UTC

cannam wrote: post #137

I recently sold an XPS 13, an i7 9543 model from 2015, which was the first laptop in a long time that I regretted buying. I got it as a Windows machine and never ran anything else on it. Technically it was broadly fine. The specs were OK, it was reasonably repairable, I had a hi-dpi screen, the case was solid. But the keyboard felt really dead, the wrist rest was smeary, the screen had a grainy impression, the machin…

+1 on Surface. Have a Surface Book with discrete GPU and been really happy with it overall. Really a fan of the 3:2 aspect ratio.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#179

Post by lallysingh » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 8:05 PM UTC

cannam wrote: post #137

I recently sold an XPS 13, an i7 9543 model from 2015, which was the first laptop in a long time that I regretted buying. I got it as a Windows machine and never ran anything else on it. Technically it was broadly fine. The specs were OK, it was reasonably repairable, I had a hi-dpi screen, the case was solid. But the keyboard felt really dead, the wrist rest was smeary, the screen had a grainy impression, the machin…

I got a surface for my wife, and it works well for her. Excellent screen. But the keyboard is too small, my giant meat sticks can't squeeze onto it.

Re: Dell XPS 13 Review from a lifelong Mac user

#180

Post by usaphp » Thu, Jun 14, 2018, 8:06 PM UTC

tamatsyk wrote: post #55

Good summary, I share most of the points provided in the post. Also, I think a few more things worth to mention. Pros: - XPS has a decent hardware (I got 16GB, i8Gen, 500GB SSD and forgot about having a few docker containers running on the background which was an issue with my MacBook Pro 15 (8GB, 2.5Gh) - It is really 1k$ cheaper than the same config MacBook model. Apple's Retina and Touchbar are really cool, howeve…

> Take your touch bar and put it into your missing 3.5 jack plug

Are you sure you are talking about MacBooks? They all have a 3.5 jack