Product Listing

Dell XPS 15z - Putting The “P” In Premium

By Leo Boon Yeow - 29 Jul 2011
Launch SRP: S$1799

Performance Benchmarking

Performance Benchmarking

But what we really want to know is, how attractive is its performance. To illustrate the 15z’s performance improvement over the previous model, the XPS 15 (with a last generation Core i5 processor), we decided to compare them side-by-side. We’ve also chosen to compare performance figures from the HP Pavillion dv6 (discrete-only results) to be part of the performance analysis as it more or less competes in the same mainstream multimedia performance class, price and with similar form factors too. There are however differences in specs such as the dual-core processor and entry-level discrete graphics con the XPS 15z versus the HP's 'slower' quad-core processor with mid-range graphics. Nevertheless, let the comparison begin and we'll see how each notebook fares.

Specifications/Notebook Dell XPS 15z HP Pavilion dv6 Dell XPS 15
Processor Intel Core i5-2410M
(2.30 GHz)
Intel Core i7-2630QM
(2.0GHz)
Intel Core i5-460M
(2.33GHz)
Chipset Intel HM67 Intel HM65 Intel HM57
Memory 4GB DDR3 4GB DDR3 6GB DDR3
HDD 750GB - 7200RPM 750 GB - 5400RPM 640GB - 5400 RPM
Video NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M ATI Radeon HD 6770M NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M

 

PCMark Vantage

In our PC Mark Vantage benchmark test, the Core i5 of the XPS 15z didn’t fare too badly, even though it is pitted against the Core i7 HP Pavilion dv6. This is also helped by its faster hard drive, which you can see in the individual test suite. Overall scores were very similar, so consumers don’t need to be very concerned with the type of processor when mulling over which variation of the XPS 15z they want. In terms of gaming however, it still falls behind the very capable HP Pavilion dv6 and its much better graphics engine.
 

 

3DMark 06

In our 3DMark 06 benchmarking tests, you can see that the better graphics engine in the HP Pavilion dv6 gives it a very clear advantage over the two Dell machines. But we’d like to assure you that the XPS 15z is more than capable of handling (very) casual gaming with its NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M discrete graphics card, as you can see from its Far Cry performance in the next section.

 

Far Cry 2

When it comes to actual gaming performance, the XPS 15z didn’t fare too badly. In our Far Cry 2 benchmarking test, the Dell XPS 15z did lag disappointingly behind the HP dv6, but this is to be expected with the difference in specifications. At least you can see that it has progressed over the earlier generation. Take note that at a more tamer "Medium" graphics quality settings, the Dell XPS 15z's higher speed dual-core processor manages to come close in sealing the performance gap with the HP dv6. However, its average frame-rate at “very high” settings was just a modest 39 FPS and was trailing much more behind the HP dv6 machine with its better discrete graphics flexing its muscle. That means if you’d like to engage in more intense games at higher resolutions, we suggest toning the visual effects quality down a couple of notches. This helps to ensure the machine keep its head above water, which is generally agreed upon to be the 30 FPS mark.

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8.5
  • Design 9
  • Features 8
  • Performance 8
  • Value 8.5
  • Mobility 8.5
The Good
Good design
Use of premium materials
Back-lit keyboard
The Bad
Cramped keyboard
Small trackpad
Shallow keys
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