The Dell XPS 17 (2023) is the latest iteration of Dell’s flagship 17-inch laptop, and it comes with some impressive upgrades under the hood. The new model features the 13th Gen Intel Core processors and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 series graphics cards, making it a powerful machine for creative work, gaming, and multitasking. But is it worth the hefty price tag and the bulky design? Let’s find out in this Dell XPS 17 (2023) review.
Design and display
The Dell XPS 17 (2023) looks almost identical to its predecessor, which is not a bad thing. The laptop has a sleek and elegant design, with a silver aluminum chassis and a black carbon fiber palm rest. The laptop is relatively thin for its size, measuring 0.77 inches thick, but it is also quite heavy, weighing 5.4 pounds. This is not a laptop you would want to carry around all day, but it is still manageable for occasional travel.
The laptop has a stunning 17-inch display that takes up almost the entire lid, thanks to the narrow bezels on all four sides. The display comes in two options: a WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) IPS panel or a UHD+ (3840 x 2400 pixels) touchscreen panel. Both panels support Dolby Vision and have excellent brightness, contrast, color accuracy, and viewing angles. The UHD+ panel is especially impressive, with a pixel density of 260 ppi and an OLED technology that delivers deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, the UHD+ panel also consumes more battery life and costs an extra $300.
Performance and battery life
The Dell XPS 17 (2023) is a beast when it comes to performance, thanks to the new Intel Raptor Lake CPUs and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 GPUs. The laptop can handle any task you throw at it, whether it is video editing, photo editing, 3D rendering, or gaming. The laptop also stays relatively cool and quiet under load, thanks to the dual fans and heat pipes that dissipate the heat.
The laptop can be configured with various CPU and GPU options, ranging from an Intel Core i5-13500H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 up to an Intel Core i9-13900H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080. The laptop also supports up to 64GB of DDR5-4800 RAM and up to 8TB of PCIe 4 SSD storage. However, some of these options are not available at launch and will be coming later.
The battery life of the Dell XPS 17 (2023) depends largely on the display option you choose. The WUXGA panel can last for about 11 hours of web browsing or video streaming on a single charge, while the UHD+ panel can only last for about 9 hours. These are decent numbers for a laptop of this size and power, but they are not exceptional. If you plan to use the laptop for intensive tasks or gaming, you will need to plug it in frequently.
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Ports and features
The Dell XPS 17 (2023) has a decent selection of ports for connectivity, but it lacks some legacy ports that some users might miss. The laptop has four Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports that support charging, data transfer, and display output. It also has a full-sized SD card reader and a 3.5mm audio jack. However, it does not have an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, or a USB-A port. You will need to use adapters or dongles if you want to connect external devices that use these ports.
The laptop also has some other features that enhance its usability and functionality. It has a backlit keyboard that is comfortable and responsive to type on, with large keys and good key travel. It has a glass touchpad that is smooth and accurate to use, with integrated buttons and support for multi-touch gestures. It has a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button that allows you to log in quickly and securely. It has a webcam that is located above the display that captures decent images and videos in good lighting conditions, but it is only 720p resolution and does not support Windows Hello facial recognition.
The laptop also has a quad-speaker system that delivers loud and clear sound quality, with good bass and treble balance. The speakers are tuned by Waves MaxxAudio Pro software that allows you to customize the sound settings according to your preferences. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.
Verdict
The Dell XPS 17 (2023) is a great laptop for anyone who needs a big-screen powerhouse for creative work, gaming, or multitasking. It has a beautiful display, a powerful performance, a sleek design, and a decent battery life. However, it also has some drawbacks that might deter some users from buying it. It is expensive, heavy, lacks some ports, and has an outdated webcam.
If you are looking for a more portable alternative with similar performance and features, you might want to consider the Dell XPS 15 (2023), which has a smaller 15-inch display but also supports OLED technology and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 GPUs. If you are looking for a more affordable alternative with similar performance but less features, you might want to consider the Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 (2021), which has a similar CPU and GPU configuration but also has an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, and a USB-A port.
Overall, the Dell XPS 17 (2023) is one of the best laptops in its category right now, but it is not perfect. You will need to weigh its pros and cons carefully before deciding if it is worth your money.
