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Pros

  • Stereoscopic 3D capability works well
  • Audio quality is transparent and pleasing

Cons

  • GPU a little limited for stereoscopic 3D gaming
  • Bulky and heavy

At A Glance

Dell updates the XPS 17 with Intel's spiffy new Sandy Bridge CPU and stereoscopic 3D capability, but the latter is better for 3D Blu-ray than for gaming.

The Specs

Processor
Processor type Intel Core i7
Processor speed 2300.0 MHz
Cache size 8192.0 KB
Processor count 4
Memory
Memory size 16000.0 MB
Memory type DDR3
Memory speed 1333.0 MHz
Display
Display size 17.3 inches
Display type Glossy LCD with LED Backlight
Resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels
Storage
Drives included 2.0
Drive size 1000.0 GB
Hard Drive Speed 7200 RPM
Other storage
  • Memory Stick
  • SD/MMC Card
  • SDHC Card
  • xD-Picture Card
Drive type Hard Disk Drive
Ports and Connections
SD/MMC Card 1
Ethernet Type 10/100/1000 Mbps
Firewire 0
MultiMedia Card (MMC) or MultiMediaCard (MMC) Yes
Available Interfaces
  • Bluetooth
  • eSATA
SDHC Card or Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) 1
Wireless connection 802.11 n
Video Interfaces
  • HDMI
  • Mini DisplayPort
Audio Interfaces RCA Digital Coax (S/PDIF)
Slots
  • Memory Stick
  • SD/MMC Card
  • SDHC Card
  • xD-Picture Card
Dimensions
Width 17.3 inches
Depth 11.3 inches
Height 2.3 inches
Weight with Accessories 9.7 pounds
Weight 8.3 pounds
Sound
Speakers Stereo
Storage Media
Memory stick Memory Stick
XD picture card 1
Included Software
Included Software CyberLink PowerDVD 9.6; Roxio Creator Starter;
Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Other Features
Docking Station Port No
Devices
  • Backlit Keyboard
  • Built-In Microphone
  • Built-In Subwoofer
  • Built-In Webcam
Input devices
  • Keyboard (backlit)
  • Touchpad

Performance

Overall Performance
WorldBench 6 Score 151
Battery
Battery Life 3:30  (hh:mm)
Office Productivity
Web Browsing 211  seconds (lower is better)
Office Suite Use 332  seconds (lower is better)
File Compression 162  seconds (lower is better)
Power Usage
Idle power usage 30  Watts
Sleep power usage 2.2  Watt hours
Off power usage 0.7  Watt hours
Content Creation
Image Editing 307  seconds (lower is better)
GPU Graphics Rendering 295  seconds (lower is better)
CPU Graphics Rendering 223  seconds (lower is better)
Video Encoding 157  seconds (lower is better)
DVD Burning 126  seconds (lower is better)
Video Editing 168  seconds (lower is better)
Multitasking
World Bench 6 Multitasking 239
Gaming
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 800 by 600 193.91  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 1024 by 768 160.28  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Medium, 1680 by 1050 88.97  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 800 by 600 136.58  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 1024 by 768 119.65  Frames per second (higher is better)
Unreal Tournament 3, Highest, 1680 by 1050 74.69  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, High Quality, 800x600 63.8  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, High Quality, 1024x768 53.3  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, High Quality, 1920x1080 30.8  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, Low Quality, 800x600 95.7  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, Low Quality, 1024x768 83  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, Low Quality, 1920x1080 53.2  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, High Quality, 800x600 75.9  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, High Quality, 1024x768 60.1  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, High Quality, 1920x1080 32.5  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, Low Quality, 800x600 149.2  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, Low Quality, 1024x768 130.9  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, Low Quality, 1920x1080 65  Frames per second (higher is better)
Dirt 2, Ultra Quality, 1920x1080 32  Frames per second (higher is better)
Far Cry 2, Ultra Quality, 1920x1080 27.7  Frames per second (higher is better)