this post was submitted on 06 Jan 2025
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The latest XPS laptops really seem like they wanted to copy MacBook Pros from a few years ago with the touch function keys and the barren I/O.
I never really understood the purpose of the XPS line anyway. If you want performance, buy a Precision; if you want a light robust laptop with decent I/O, get a Latitude; if you want a MacBook, get a MacBook.
With that being said the new naming scheme feels like a joke. What's wrong with recognisable model names?
IMHO
Software development and Media work that can benefit from normal consumer video acceleration. They are a lot cheaper than the Precision line and for non-cad/AI tasks and generally outpreform them. The XPS cases are more durable than the latitude and they come with better options for processors and video cards.
From a business standpoint, they were the best option if you needed a normal video accelerator.
Eh... Maybe? I worked plenty with Latitudes but never even used a XPS, but Latitudes aren't bad build-wise. There are entry-level Precisions without dedicated graphics, and at least here in Germany they seem to be cheaper than comparable XPS-Laptops.
I've issued about 300 XPS, 50-60 macbooks, ~12 latitudes, and 10 lenovo t-series over the past decade. We've now deployed a handful of Legions, but they've only been out several months. I had a fan failure, but it had a 10" hair wrapped around the stator.
In all that time, no XPS/Mac hinge wear failures. Not even a little wiggle. You literally have to mechanically crush them before the hinges show any sign of failure. (a few of them did get crushed)
3 latitude screens cracked. Most started to have hinge play after a couple of years. They're not bad laptops, but the all-metal chassis of the XPS/Macs hold up a lot better from normal every day carry mispaps.
If you don't need dedicated graphics cards or metal chassis, you can get away with a lot of brands. Precision has never really impressed me.
The issue here is that you are comparing it to their business lineup, while it was a consumer product.
My understanding is that it was their premium consumer line sitting above the more entry level Inspiron line.
I know that the XPS is meant to be a prosumer product but I think the comparison is fair either way, mostly because you can actually buy both as a consumer. Dell doesn't lock you out from buying a Latitude if you're not an enterprise customer.
Latitudes aren't sold at big box stores, that's about the only difference the target audience makes to the general consumer.