Finding the best possible laptop to fit all your needs can be a bit of a daunting task. Everyday we seem to ask more and more of our laptops and some machines simply aren't built for the task. It's with that in mind that Dell set out to create it's now infamous XPS lineup. These are some of the best windows laptops available and if budget isn't an issue you can get a pretty awesome laptop that's up and ready to meet all your needs.
Today we take a look at one of the most attractive models launched to date, the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV. This particular ultrabook is pretty much as good as it gets. A quick overview will show you it's got a killer display, high end internals and a massive battery life. Today we set out to do more than a shallow overview as we propose an in depth review of the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV. Are you ready to come along for the ride?
High definition is old school, this laptop brings a QHD display
If you thought a Full HD display was good you're in for a surprise. See, the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV doesn't just pack a "standard Full HD display" but goes ahead and brings about a QHD display, that means you get a massive bump in resolution that goes all the way towards 3200 by 1800 pixels, that's even more pixels than Apple's MacBook Pro or Macbook.
But it's not just about the pixels. No, you've also got a 13.3 inch IGZO 2 IPS panel which provides a 170ยบ wide viewing angle. Whats more? For photographers and video editors this is an excellent laptop as it features a 72% color gamut and a 1000:1 contrast ratio, that means that your pictures and videos come with even more colors and darker blacks than ever before.
Finally, as if all this wasn't enough, this particular model offers 400 nits of brightness, which is just about double the standard 200 nits that most laptops offer these days.
All of this on a practically "bezeless" display that has 0.2 inches worth of bezel on both the top and the sides.
A quality build that's very lightweight
Dell's XPS lineup isn't just known because of its magnificent displays it also wins several points thanks to its quality build. This is managed due to the fact that the laptop's body is crafted out of a single piece of aluminium which makes for a more premium feel.
It's also pretty light to carry around as it weighs just 2.7 pounds, making it extremely portable.
Optimal performance thanks to its top notch internals
Though the screen is by all accounts pretty amazing, it's pretty important to have more than a pretty display. In that regard Dell chose to go all out on this model and has endowed it with the best of the best.
To start things off we've got a 7th generation Intel Core i7 dual core processor. This is the latest i7 launched by Intel and as such delivers the best performance on a dual core laptop CPU. It's base speed operates at 2.7GHz while its turboboost numbers rank as high as 3.5GHz when pressed for more demanding tasks, all this while packing 4MB of Intel's smart cache.
Overall, there's pretty much nothing this processor can't handle. From running resource hungry programs like virtual machines to editing RAW pictures on Photoshop, this laptop's got you covered on every front you can think off.
RAM is a tad lower than expected. Specifically, we've got 8GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM working at a 1833 MHz. It should be noted that most laptops have a DDR3 RAM that works on 1600MHz and while the difference isn't all that big on everyday tasks it's still appreciated. Better to have and not need then to need and not have, am I right?
Aside from RAM and it's seventh generation i7 processor, the other element that really makes performance pop on this model is the fact that it features a 256GB SSD drive. That means that both booting up and booting down will take mere seconds and when opening heavy apps it will take you longer to find them then it will take the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV to open them.
We're pretty happy about this hard drive as many laptops that do the transition to the SSD drives tend to come with a more limited 128GB unit. However, we believe that 256GB offers the best balance in terms of storage speed and storage capacity.
Hardcore gaming is a non starter but battery life is pretty great
Sorry to disappoint the hardcore gamers reading this but as a laptop that lacks a dedicated graphics chip, the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV is not fit for hardcore gaming. All in all you've got an Intel HD 620 Graphics chip which delivers a pretty good performance on low settings with games such as TitanFall 2 and Overwatch, but gaming should be limited to a casual activity since you won't be able to take full advantage of the incredible screen resolution when playing your favorite games.
However, what we loose in gaming we gain in battery life. Specifically, we've got a 4 cell battery that according to numerous reviews should last well above 12 hours. That's pretty impressive considering the mega display at hand and high end components on this particular ultrabook.
What are my connectivity options?
When it comes down to connectivity you should know that being an ultrabook means there are some limitations to consider. For one thing there's no DVD reader, also there's no ethernet port and surprisingly enough there's actually no HDMI port.
That said, you do have a couple of USB 3.0 ports, a single USB type C port, an SD card reader as well as your standard audio jack. Obviously you've got the latest generation WiFi ac connectivity which delivers mean download speeds that can triple the standard bgn connectivity and there's also support of the latest Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.
What's the conclusion? Is this laptop worth buying?
So, after doing our full review of the Dell XPS9360-4841SLV we're well aware that this laptop isn't particularly cheap but then again it's also worth every penny. For a lump sum you get one of the best Windows laptops on the market if not the best ultrabook.
It's marked off every box, from having a killer and we do mean killer display to packing a seventh generation Kaby Lake i7 processor to delivering more than enough SSD storage so that you don't have to compromise. All in all, unless you're a hardcore gamer we honestly can't think of anyone who could possibly be disappointed by the performance on this machine.