If Apple is not going to make a 17-inch MacBook Pro, then another person goes to should. That’s what I at all times suppose after I see one of Dell’s big-screen XPS 17 laptops. The oldest XPS 17 overview of mine I may discover dates again to 2011, though I’ve been masking this explicit product line (or its identically named antecedents) since not less than 2007. Speaking of issues that occurred a very long time in the past, 2012 was when Apple discontinued the 17-inch MacBook Pro, and albeit there’s nonetheless an viewers on the market for a big-screen 17-inch laptop computer with that very same fashion and vibe — a sharp, minimalist design wrapped round {hardware} that is creative-minded, but additionally nice for college students and enterprise sorts.
One of the machines I take advantage of often is the 16-inch MacBook Pro, with the M1 Max CPU. It’s a highly effective (and powerfully costly) laptop computer, however 16 inches nonetheless is not 17 inches, so I used to be excited to spend a while with the most recent XPS 17.
LikeBig, high-res screenEnough graphics energy for inventive and mainstream gamingSlim design for such a massive laptop computer
Don’t LikeLow-res webcamMinimal ports
The least-expensive XPS 17 proper now’s $1,750 and contains a Twelfth-gen Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a normal 1,920×1,080 show. This explicit configuration provides a lot of noteworthy upgrades to the CPU, graphics and different options. For $2,799 (at the moment – costs on Dell’s web site can shift incessantly), you get a Twelfth-gen Intel Core i7, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage and the highest graphics possibility within the line proper now, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. The 16:10 touchscreen show has a 4K 3,840×2,400 decision. The largest lacking piece might be a higher-res webcam, which has turn into ever extra vital in our Zoom assembly work-from-home period. Instead, the 720-resolution digicam has added a discrete IR sensor for higher total digicam efficiency. But notice that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, and even the upcoming new MacBook Air, have all upgraded to 1,080-resolution cameras, so it should not be a huge ask. The XPS 17 subsequent to a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Dan (*17*)/CNET
This hulking silver-gray tank of a laptop computer is constructed across the identical design as the previous few generations of this method. It’s a CNC-machined aluminum chassis with carbon fiber on the within. Despite its heft, I like that the lid may be lifted with one hand, and even by a single finger. The skinny bezel across the massive display screen minimizes any wasted house, even with the webcam tucked into the highest border. Ports are on the skinny aspect for a 17-inch laptop computer, with simply 4 USB-C ports and an SD card reader. For HDMI or USB-A wants, you will want an adapter or dongle. Work and play If you are investing in a huge, costly laptop computer like this, with CPU and GPU chops, it is most likely out of skilled curiosity. This will attraction to the Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere specialists who aren’t already locked into Apple platforms. The 4K show is a huge assist there, as is the taller 16:10 side ratio, which helps you to match extra work into the display screen without delay. I threw some Photoshop initiatives on the system with no drawback and appreciated the additional display screen actual property. Dell’s keyboard and touchpad are thought-about wonderful amongst Windows laptops and I’ve at all times appreciated the XPS variations. That mentioned, the touchpad feels extra floaty than Apple’s best-in-class model.Ports on the MacBook Pro and XPS 17 in contrast.
Dan (*17*)/CNET
But the XPS 17 has one other trick for you — it is also a respectable stealth gaming laptop computer. The GPU choices high out on the current-gen Nvidia 3060, so it isn’t going to match a equally priced gaming laptop computer, however that GPU is ok for any present or upcoming sport, with one vital caveat — you need to dial most video games all the way down to 1,920×1,200 (FHD) decision, or perhaps 2,560×1,600 (QHD). These are a little totally different than the usual resolutions (like 1,920×1,080) you is perhaps used to as a result of that is a 16:10 show, slightly than a 16:9 one.Because my time testing this laptop computer overlapped with Valve’s annual Steam Summer Sale, I had a lot of gaming alternatives with it. Among the current video games I performed on the XPS 17 have been medieval multiplayer sport Chivalry 2, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters and turn-based RPG King Arthur: Knight’s Tale. In basic video games chugged at increased resolutions however ran nice at both FHD or normally QHD. In reality, the XPS 17 grew to become my predominant gaming laptop computer for a whereas, not as a result of it had the best gaming {hardware}, however as a result of it ran video games effectively sufficient whereas providing a nice large-format display screen. True huge display screen laptops are rarer than ever, and 16-inch screens are normally the brand new 17-inch screens for many. If you are decided to seek out a 17-inch system that mixes the creativity of a MacBook Pro with mainstream gaming chops, the XPS 17 stays one of the one options that may fulfill each side of that equation.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Cinebench R23 (multicore)
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
Note:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
System Configurations
Dell XPS 17 9720
Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H; 32GB DDR5 4,800MHz RAM; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics; 1TB SSD
MacBook Pro 16
Apple MacOS Monterey 12.4; Apple M1 Max 10-core chip; 64GB RAM; Apple 32-core GPU; 2TB SSD
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED
Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H; 16GB DDR5 RAM; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics; 1TB SSD
HP Spectre x360 16
Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 3.4GHz Intel Core i7-11390H; 16GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics; 1TB SSD
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus
Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-11800H; 16GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics; 512GB SSD
https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/dell-xps-17-9720-2022-review-creative-with-a-side-of-gaming/
