by Dindo Donald
The basic concerns of notebook makers and notebook users are on the necessary role and routine of the laptop. But with Studio XPS 13, performance is joined with a graceful look. At first look, you will notice its classy projection but theres more to it than its covering ” the nVidia Hybrid SLI graphics. Hybrid power enabled switching the graphics card to a low power consuming state and the SLI enables scaling the graphics power to the integrated NVIDIA motherboard GPU. And astonishingly, you can scarcely experience lagging using this business laptop. And it offers up to 8GB of RAM, a very good upgrade if utilized.
This notebook comes in two design options with its 13-inch screen ” the CCFL screen (compatible with 2MP camera) and the WLED screen (compatible with 1.3MP camera) which is a brighter one. Despite its differences, both has a resolution of about 1280×800, good enough to be integrated with facial recognition software which can be configured as a security feature.
You can also enjoy in the Studio XPS 13 is the backlit keyboard, hinge-lights which indicate the battery charge and computer power status, the integrated webcam, and the Vista PCRestore. The keyboard is remodelled to fit the small size and therefore some keys were moved.
Its brilliant genuine leather accents and glossy surface is indeed an attractive combination. The leather part provides the grip while the glossy element provides the elegance. But these stylish cover is negated by the aluminium hinges which looks like a misplaced plastic attachment. It certainly is a distraction.
Also, Studio XPS 13 doesnt have enough ports and connections. It only contains 2 USB ports ” one is a regular USB port while the other is an e-SATA USB port where you can also plug in a regular USB device. These two ports are found on the left side of the notebook alongside the security cable slot, VGA, Ethernet, display-port connector and an HDMI port. On the opposite side, we have the ExpressCard slot, FireWire port, DVD drive, and the power connector port. The back part has no ports and connections showing only a single vent for hot air.
Now this vent has its drawback with respect to its screen. The left side of the display will result to staining since it blocks the vent for hot air. Now, this would further effect to screen deformation, or worse, a wrecked computer screen.
Generally, this portable machine has good performance in terms of its basic functionality. But the cover function design and the connections, are a bit awkward. And with these faults, it made the Studio XPS 13 impractical with the price of $1,524.00.
Technical Specifications:
Processor: Intel Core2 Duo P9500 (2.53GHz, 3MB L2 Cache, 1067MHz FSB) Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Ultimate x64 Edition Memory: Up to 8GB2 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM. Chipset: NVIDIA MCP79MX Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G LCD Display: “Edge-to-edge” Glossy 13.3 inch WXGA CCFL LCD display Audio and Speakers: 4 Watt Integrated Stereo Speakers, 2 watts per channel, 2 channels Hard Drives: Up to 500GB2 configured with a 5400RPM hard drive. Optical Drives: 8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive Power: 6 cell 56 WHr Li-Ion Battery Camera: 2.0MP Integrated Webcam (with CCFL display) Wireless: Wi-Fi Options: Dell 1515 Wireless N Mini-Card Mobile Broadband Options: Dell Wireless 5530 Mini-Card for AT&TTM Bluetooth Options: Bluetooth Internal (2.0) mini-card Ports, Slots, Chassis: Externally Accessible: (1) USB 2.0 compliant ports, USB 2.0 compliant / e-SATA port with Powershare, 15-pin VGA video connector, IEEE compliant 1394a port, Integrated network connector 10/100/1000 LAN (RJ45), 54mm Express Card slot, Display Port, HDMI Port, AC adapter connector, Audio jacks (2 line-out, 1 Mic-in), 8-in-1 Media Card Reader Dimensions & Weight: Width: 12.56″ (319mm), Height: 0.88″ (22.55mm) front / 1.35″ (34.34mm) back, Depth: 9.3″ (236.12mm), Weight: Starting weight of 4.85 lbs. (2.2 kg)6(13.3″ display, 6 cell battery). Weights will vary depending on configurations and manufacturing variability.