- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How it compares
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Dell XPS 14z
- 14"
- Core i7 2.8 GHz Dual core
- 8 GB DDR3-1333
- 750 GB HDD
First seen on December, 2011
by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)Considering how poorly most webcams work in these environments, the Inspiron 14z's output is impressive.
Features Key features of the Dell XPS 14z
2.8 GHz
Intel Core i7 2640M
Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)As with every laptop worth its salt these days, the Dell Inspiron 14z sports a HD 720p webcam for video chatting, and it works as well as most.
screen size
14"
15.6"
13.3"
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)Clicking on a tile opens a small shelf that displays all your content for the category.
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)One of its standout features is that it manages to fit a 14in screen into the equivalent of a 13in chassis, but unfortunately the screen itself is distinctly average.
screen resolution
XPS 14z by c|net (Jun, 2012)It ran our Street Fighter IV test at native 1,366x768-pixel resolution at 44.7 frames per second, which is decent.
XPS 14z by c|net (Jun, 2012)It has a native resolution of 1,366x768 pixels, which is common, and works well on 13-inch laptops, but starts to look a little toylike on 14- and 15-inch screens.
cpu speed
| 0 GHz | 1.66 GHz   | 3 GHz |
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)The $1,599 model features a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7 2640M CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD with Nvidia switchable graphics.
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)The $999 base model features a 2.4-GHz Intel Core i5-2430M processor, 6GB of RAM, a 500GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive, and Intel HD 3000 GPU.
processor
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)One of the things we love most about Dell is its flexible configurations, and though this is more limited on the Z range, you should still see a processor choice of dual-core Intel ‘Sandy Bridge’ Core i5 to i7, 6 - 8GB of RAM, a 500 – 750GB hard drive running at a speedy 7,200rpm and, on the more expensive models at least, a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GT 520M graphics card.
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)We also tested the $799 version of the Inspiron 14z, which comes witha 1.7-GHz Core i5-3317U CPU, 6GB of RAM, a 500GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive, and an integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU.
memory
| 0 GB | 4 GB  | 8 GB |
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)6GB of RAM is pretty generous compared to the 4GB you usually get on budget systems, and should be enough for pretty much anything you’d care to throw at it.
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)The processor is backed by 4GB of RAM and a 500GB drive, which is adequate on both counts.
Performance Real world tests of Dell XPS 14z
3DMark06 CPU
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)On PCMark07, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall performance, the Inspiron 14z scored a solid 2,984, better than the 2,242 thin-and-light notebook category average, but less than the Sony VAIO T13 (3,334), which has the same CPU, and the HP Envy 14 Spectre (3,217) with its 1.6-GHz Intel Core i5-2467M CPU.
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)With discrete graphics enabled, the Inspiron 14z scored a strong 6,032 on 3DMark06, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics prowess.
battery life
5.23 hour
8 hour
8 hour
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Mar, 2012)Its partially metal finish is a cut above, its keyboard and touchpad are nice, and it offers reasonable battery life and value.
XPS 14z by TrustedReviews (Mar, 2012)While it’s no match for the desktop-like quality of Lenovo’s ThinkPad range, we’d happily use it for hours of word-processing.
cinebench r10 32Bit
XPS 14z by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)The $1,299 Dell XPS 14z offers fast Core i7 performance in an elegant and portable package.
Our analysis How does it stack up against its top 10 competitors
pros
-
7,200 RPM -
Unknown -
3.5 GHz (Intel Core i7 2640M) -
8 GB -
2.8 GHz (Intel Core i7 2640M) -
750 GB -
MMC, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory stick, SD, XD -
23 mm -
1,977 g -
DDR3-1333 -
38.22 -
-
burn music and share files on CDs -
burn movies and share large files on DVDs -
3,948 (Intel Core i7 2640M) -
9,772.5 (Intel Core i7 2640M)
cons
-
1366 x 768 -
0.5 MB (Intel Core i7 2640M) -
14" -
1080p video will need to be scaled down to fit on the screen
Reviews Word on the street
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 | Rated by 22 users at amazon.com |
Screen
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)The 200-nit panel was dimmer than the display on the HP Envy 14, but the picture was crisp and colorful when we watched an HD trailer of The Avengers on YouTube.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)The Dell offers a larger screen, but that of the MacBook is better quality.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)As the Dell Inspiron 14z is not a convertible tablet, it’s no surprise to see that we’re back to our good old frenemy the TN panel (rather than a lovely IPS panel) for its 14-inch display - with all the former’s viewing angle limitations.
Body
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)These factors combine to make this an aesthetically superior XPS z. The only divisive elements remain the ever-so-slightly protruding rear and the hinge which looks too much like a metal shower hose.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)Considering the size of its chassis, the 14z’s audio is a far better proposition.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | by LaptopMag (Oct, 2011)While the design isn't as bold as the Dell, that 13-incher offers better graphics than the XPS 14z and an optional 1600 x 900 display for around the same price.
Gpu
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)Visually it makes the laptop far more attractive with the subtly integrated HD webcam the only blemish, and the bezel’s outer edge that’s not covered by glass features a soft-touch rubberized finish.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)Unfortunately, our model didn’t come with the dedicated AMD Radeon HD7570M graphics which are an option on most.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)Unfortunately, enabling discrete mode is a chore with the bundled Catalyst Control software, because you must designate each application you want to run with discrete graphics before you open it.
Storage
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)You can go all the way from the base config of a Core i3 with 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hybrid hard drive, to a Core i7 with 8GB of memory and a nice 256GB SSD, along with dedicated AMD Radeon HD7570M graphics.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 70% by by TrustedReviews (Jan, 2013)The 500GB hard drive combines a mechanical 5400rpm spinner with 32GB of speedier solid state storage, which isn’t exactly cutting edge but you can upgrade to an SSD of up to 256GB.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 80% by by c|net (Jun, 2012)While it could be a little more ultrabooklike (perhaps by ditching the optical drive), for $899 this is a great example of a flexible, portable, mainstream laptop.
Size
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | by LaptopMag (Jun, 2012)When we tried streaming bass-heavy tunes like Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots" and Kool and the Gang's "Summer Madness," sound was accurate and pleasant, though not overly rich.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 80% by by c|net (Jun, 2012)But this is still a fairly slim, very attractive midsize laptop that could even be a cost-conscious alternative to the 15-inch MacBook Pro if your budget is tight.
Dell XPS 14z 14", 2.8 GHz, 8 GB, 750 GB HDD | Rated 80% by by c|net (Jun, 2012)They get reasonably loud, but sound very thin, despite the inclusion of MaxxAudio software from Waves, a well-known maker of audio applications.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Has a touch screen Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 2 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Newest on the market Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 3 | ASUS Zenbook UX31E 2-way tie: Sharpest screen ASUS Zenbook UX31E vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 5 | Acer Aspire S S3 3-way tie: Has a CD reader Acer Aspire S S3 vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 6 | Samsung Series 5 Ultrabooks 3-way tie: Longest battery life Samsung Series 5 Ultrabooks vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 7 | HP ENVY 14 6-way tie: Faster maximum data rate HP ENVY 14 vs Dell XPS 14z |
 | 8 | Dell Inspiron I15R-2217MRB Biggest screen Inspiron I15R-2217MRB vs XPS 14z |
New duel?
Let the battle continue or dare to compare.
Editions Editions of the Dell XPS 14z
| Price | Edition | Internal storage | Clock speed | L3 cache | Manufacturer code | Compare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | | 500 GB | 2.4 GHz | 3 MB | None | | ||||
 | | 750 GB | 2.5 GHz | 3 MB | X14z-3846SLV | | ||||
 | | 750 GB | 2.8 GHz | 4 MB | None | | ||||
 | | 750 GB | 3.5 GHz | 4 MB | x14z-6923SLV | | ||||
