If you like the concept of the MacBook Pro but don’t particularly want to be inside Apple’s ecosystem, the Dell XPS lineup is Dell’s response to thin and powerful laptop, and with this 17-inch version, a massive amount of screen real estate. Even better, this version of the Dell XPS 17 is built towards being more budget-friendly. While it won’t compete with the MacBook Pro in pure performance, it certainly does in size and cost, especially with Dell’s discount bringing it down to $1,299 rather than the usual $1,949.
Why you should buy the Dell XPS 17
What we love the most about the Dell XPS 17, besides the 17-inch screen, is how absolutely thing and lightweight this is for a 17-inch laptop made to be carried around. Being just 0.77 inches thick and weighing 4.87 pounds, the Dell XPS is relatively lightweight for such large laptop, so you can easily throw it in a bag and carry it around without worrying about the weight or size as much as comparable laptops. Pair that with the 500nits of peak brightness that the screen can output, and you can use the XPS 17 almost anywhere that doesn’t have direct sunlight, which is great.
Under the hood, you get a 12th Gen Intel i5-12500H, a mid-range CPU that will easily handle most productivity tasks, and the included 720p 30 fps camera means you’ll have no issues with online meetings. Unfortunately, this version of the XPS 17 doesn’t come with a discrete GPU, only the Integrated Xe Iris from Intel, and while that won’t let you play most games, you can get away with some casual and light gaming. In terms of RAM, you get 16 GB of the blistering fast DDR5 and, for storage, a 512GB SSD, which should be more than enough for most folks. Dell has even future-proofed the XPS 17 with Wi-Fi 6, which we certainly appreciate.
Overall, this version of Dell XPS 17 is a good contender for a MacBook regarding size and weight, and for the $1,299 price tag from Dell, it easily competes with Apple’s pricing. That said, it’s always worth checking out some other laptop deals for alternatives, and if you want something bit more gaming-friendly, it might be worth looking at our breakdown between the Dell XPS 17 vs. Razer Blade 17.
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