Desired Notebook

The latest Dell Studio XPS 16 is an awesome notebook due to the combination of its natural design with a  nice display and powerful components. But is the Studio XPS 16 compelling enough to make shoppers spend some extra cash during tough economic times? Let's check it out.

The review unit of the Dell Studio XPS16:

·            Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz)

·            Memory: 4GB - 2DIMM DDR3

·            HDD: 320GB 7200rpm

·            Graphics: ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670 (512MB)

·            Display: 16.0" 1080p Full HD RGBLED LCD with 2.0 MP Webcam

·            Optical Drive: 4X Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive (DVD/CD +/- RW +BD Read)

·            OS: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)

·            Software: 15-month Trend Micro security subscription, Microsoft Works 9

·            Wireless: Intel Wireless 5100

·            Mediabay: 8-in-1 Media Card Reader

·            Battery: 6-cell and 9-cell batteries

·            Other: Facial Recognition Security; Dell Dock; Dell Video Chat; 2GB Data Safe Online

·            Dimensions: 0.95"-1.34" x 15.15" x 10.02" with 6-cell battery (H x W x D)

·           Weight: 6.53 lbs with 6-cell battery

     

     In other words, Studio XPS 16 is the modify of Studio 15 notebooks which are available in the market now but for a better performance, superior build quality and more style  try it with Studio XPS 16.

Dells' taken the sleek lines and brushed aluminium accents from the XPS line and combined it with the multimedia features and a few chassis design elements from the Studio line to create a solid desktop replacement.

The Studio XPS 16 makes up for in solid design and construction. As mentioned above, the Studio XPS 16 takes several design elements from the latest XPS notebooks from the wedge-shaped profile, drop hinge, slot-loading optical drive, and touch-sensitive media buttons are all from the XPS M1330 and M1530. Another nice touch is the use of leather on the lid over the hinge area. This subtle use of leather looks a little more appealing and might even be practical. Since many people carry their laptops in their hand with the hinges pointed down this leather area provides a soft, textured surface for you to hold and keep a tight grip on your notebook.

In terms of overall chassis construction the Studio XPS 16 is quite solid and suffers from virtually no flex or creaks when squeezed and twisted between your hands. Construction is mostly magnesium alloy and some plastic with brushed aluminium accents around the hinges and the outer edge of the notebook. The Studio XPS 16 isn't quite as rugged as the Dell Latitude or Precision business notebooks but it should survive a drop from your desk without significant damage.

The 16.0" 1080p Full HD RGBLED display is absolutely GORGEOUS. Unlike standard LCD technology used in most notebooks, the RGBLED LCD offers richer, deeper colours and excellent contrast that make it ideal for watching HD movies from the built-in Blu-ray player or for editing high-resolution photos from the digital camera.

The 1920 x 1080 screen looks beautiful from straight on and has fantastic horizontal viewing angles so there will be no more problem watching a Blu-ray movie with three or more people around. Backlighting was mostly even across the surface of the screen. Upper vertical viewing angles are good, but colours did begin to invert at lower viewing angles when the screen is tilted back.

Studio XPS 16 with a "frameless" glossy display gives the screen a very modern look, but the trade-off is a significant amount of reflections on the surface of the screen under strong indoor lights. Outdoors under direct sunlight the screen reflections are so strong it can be extremely difficult to see anything on the screen. If you keep your office lights dim this won't be a problem.

The keyboard also features a nice white LED backlight function when typing in the dark.

A series of touch-sensitive media buttons with white LED backlights are located above the keyboard similar to the buttons on the Dell Studio 17. The media button LEDs stay lit constantly rather than turning off after a fraction of a second, so they might be a distraction and reduce battery life by staying lit all the time.

The two large stereo speakers and built-in subwoofer give a perfect speaker. They provide a fantastic range of highs, midtones, deep bass and able to enjoy a feature film or share the audio from a webcast in a large office.

The speakers for the Studio XPS 16 are located on either side of the keyboard next to the top two rows of keys which cover the entire height of the keyboard.