Conclusion
The XPS series from Dell has had a long history of delivering good performance at mass market prices and the 14z continues this tradition. Even though it has been parachuted into a highly competitive market segment at a time when Ultrabooks and Macs tend to grab the headlines, this is one thin and light notebook that can more than hold its own.
Dell hasn’t necessarily been known for their high levels build quality but as an ode to all things Apple, the XPS 14z takes a path less travelled. Everything from the magnesium alloy palm rest to the polished aluminum cover exudes a sense of quality and boasts a level of fit and finish that’s nearly unrivaled among other notebooks. Unfortunately, even though the finishes are nearly impervious to scratches and dirty finger schmear, the one-piece construction means component upgrading isn’t for the faint of heart. The battery is one area that surely doesn’t benefit from a unibody design since larger capacities aren’t available and in its current form the 14z couldn’t attain the four (or more) hours of unplugged life we expect from a thin and light notebook.
In terms of outright performance Dell has introduced an excellent mid-tier contender which features more than enough grunt to please all but the most demanding power user. For those of you who want a bit more flexibility in the graphics department, an NVIDIA GT 520 can be added (along with 8GB of memory and a 750GB hard drive) without breaking the $1100 barrier. We also love the highly responsive backlit keyboard -something of a rarity in the sub-$999 market- which is one of the best currently offered in this price range and the trackpad is as close to perfect as we’ve seen.
With good performance and a drool-worthy design, you’d think that Dell would have this one all wrapped up. Not so fast. From a usability perspective, the 14z falls a bit flat. It features horribly placed I/O connectors that are an absolute frustration to find when on the go or even during desk-centric typing. The edge to edge screen sure looks great when viewed head on but its vertical viewing angles are some of the worst we’ve ever seen and it needs to be constantly shifted if you change your position in the slightest. Add to that a lackluster battery life along with poor wireless performance and it becomes very hard to recommend the 14z as a mobile travelling companion.
Due to the nature of this industry, we’re pre-programmed to overlook many types of manufacturer-installed software but the 14z stood out as having the most annoying and downright intrusive software stack of any notebook Hardware Canucks has tested so far. The Installed Programs list reads like an encyclopedia of items we wouldn’t ever want on our hard drives and several applications did nothing but annoy with constant pop-ups and “reminders”. Dell, if you’re making money by including this junk, for God’s sake charge customers a small premium for the option of a clean, bloatware-free system.
If you can get through the annoying software pop-ups, sub 4 hour battery life and a few other nagging issues, Dell’s 14z is actually a phenomenal value. With an entry level price of just $899, it is just a half step away from near perfection but still far away from being considered a good buy over the competition’s offerings.
Conclusion
The XPS series from Dell has had a long history of delivering good performance at mass market prices and the 14z continues this tradition. Even though it has been parachuted into a highly competitive market segment at a time when Ultrabooks and Macs tend to grab the headlines, this is one thin and light notebook that can more than hold its own.
Dell hasn’t necessarily been known for their high levels build quality but as an ode to all things Apple, the XPS 14z takes a path less travelled. Everything from the magnesium alloy palm rest to the polished aluminum cover exudes a sense of quality and boasts a level of fit and finish that’s nearly unrivaled among other notebooks. Unfortunately, even though the finishes are nearly impervious to scratches and dirty finger schmear, the one-piece construction means component upgrading isn’t for the faint of heart. The battery is one area that surely doesn’t benefit from a unibody design since larger capacities aren’t available and in its current form the 14z couldn’t attain the four (or more) hours of unplugged life we expect from a thin and light notebook.
In terms of outright performance Dell has introduced an excellent mid-tier contender which features more than enough grunt to please all but the most demanding power user. For those of you who want a bit more flexibility in the graphics department, an NVIDIA GT 520 can be added (along with 8GB of memory and a 750GB hard drive) without breaking the $1100 barrier. We also love the highly responsive backlit keyboard -something of a rarity in the sub-$999 market- which is one of the best currently offered in this price range and the trackpad is as close to perfect as we’ve seen.
With good performance and a drool-worthy design, you’d think that Dell would have this one all wrapped up. Not so fast. From a usability perspective, the 14z falls a bit flat. It features horribly placed I/O connectors that are an absolute frustration to find when on the go or even during desk-centric typing. The edge to edge screen sure looks great when viewed head on but its vertical viewing angles are some of the worst we’ve ever seen and it needs to be constantly shifted if you change your position in the slightest. Add to that a lackluster battery life along with poor wireless performance and it becomes very hard to recommend the 14z as a mobile travelling companion.
Due to the nature of this industry, we’re pre-programmed to overlook many types of manufacturer-installed software but the 14z stood out as having the most annoying and downright intrusive software stack of any notebook Hardware Canucks has tested so far. The Installed Programs list reads like an encyclopedia of items we wouldn’t ever want on our hard drives and several applications did nothing but annoy with constant pop-ups and “reminders”. Dell, if you’re making money by including this junk, for God’s sake charge customers a small premium for the option of a clean, bloatware-free system.
If you can get through the annoying software pop-ups, sub 4 hour battery life and a few other nagging issues, Dell’s 14z is actually a phenomenal value. With an entry level price of just $899, it is just a half step away from near perfection but still far away from being considered a good buy over the competition’s offerings.
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