Time to replace my 4-5 year old Dell XPS. Figure I may as well put in one >£2k order so I can claim back the VAT (just about to register for flat rate as it makes more sense)
Currently looking at the following:
XPS 15 with 4k touch screen and i7 processor.
2x 24" UHD monitors + docking port.
All in one laser/copier.
First question is are the Dell printer/copiers any good or should I look elsewhere?
2nd: Anyone found it better using one larger screen (eg 27" or bigger) or two 24"? My main client office set up is a Dell 13" and 2x 24" HD screens which is what I want to mimic at home and with my own laptop as the 13" is supplied by my client as it needs their security stuff. My own laptop is for my other customer and R&D work (CAD, FEA, image processing, massive reports and databases etc)
3rd is I can't spot the difference, other than £150 between the XPS 15 cnx95604 (£1499) and the bnx95604 (£1649). The compare function wont work on IE or chrome (good old dell).
took another look, £150 is difference between windows 10 home and pro.
Instant questions are, do you need a laptop, and do you need an i7.
You can save a lot of money if you're not doing highly intensive cpu stuff by going with a top spec i5. As in pro editing and running virtual machines etc.
I would guess that Dell don't make the laser/copier. So find out who does and if they're any good.
What sort of cad software and image processing? Have you considered a dell precision laptop?
My work set up is 27" 2560x1440 monitor for solidworks, 17" full HD laptop screen (email and tech docs) and 19" wide-screen (Windows explorer etc..).
Spec will be either i5 or i7. My XPS is i5 and struggles, work latitude is i7 and is horrendous and struggles with just the amount of multitasking I do. Software will be stuff like inventor, ansys etc. Can't afford my own catia.
Another route I am tempted by is a Microsoft surface book or Dell XPS 13 2 in 1 as I fancy a decent tablet. The XPS 15 is touch screen but doesnt fold flat to use as a proper tablet.
Trying to find out of the Dell wireless displays are any good as they could be an option.
Not bothered about sticking to dell if a reseller has better options.
I have a number of dell laptops/pcs.
In addition I bought the T1320c laser a number of years ago. Was, from memory, less than £150. Has been very good for the limited amount of printing I do. It is not a copier tho
Recently had to replace toner. Official toner is c£80. Got some compatible toner from Amazon for less than £8. So far my printer has neither moaned (the software with the printer nags often via pop ups) nor blown itself up.
Not sure if dell still sell printers? Maybe available on ebay? Appreciate you wanted all-in-one, but the laser printer had has been good for over 9years of light use.
hmm, am thinking a single big screen might be better and more cost effective
they do a 32but this 43" monster is cheaper at the moment: http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/dell-p4317q-monitor?c=uk&cs=ukbsdt1&l=en&s=bsd
Just had to force shut down and restart half way though writing that post as the current one froze again. Really is goosed. It would benefit from a re-instal of windows but the DVD drive is dead, the keyboard is getting worn out and it has something rattling around inside. Has been well used.
Turns out the XPS doesnt have the docking port and where as this one has a HDMI and display port (which was annoying back in 2011 when people still had VGA only screens and no one had WiDi displays) and to get HDMI you need a dongle (£70!) or a £350 thnderbolt hub. hmm. Why no HDMI port on a laptop? What is the point in having a nice slip laptop that needs you to carry around loads of adapters?
edit: does have HDMI. This dell site is rubbish to look around!
You realise that a laptop I7 has the same performance as a desktop I3? And that's just the CPU.
Get decent desktop and a USB stick?
For my job multiple 24's are better as I temd to run one programme full screen on each. If ot's CAD you are doing and really only one task younare focusing on then single screen.
As @tinribz says do you really need the portability of a laptop ?
Printer just buy a major brand Canon or HP ... assume you don't need fancy printing
If ot's CAD you are doing and really only one task younare focusing on then single screen.
Not always true in my experience. You often have CAD full screen on one monitor, and maybe a spec sheet, or spreadsheet on another.
I'd always go for a desktop over a laptop for CAD, you just have more options, and easier upgrade for the graphics card. Bu it is nice to be able to take CAD on site or to meetings to show what you're doing or for reviews.
^^ OP there is your answer about number of screens
needs to be portable. Not interested in a desktop unless it is cheaper to go for a new cheap laptop/2 in 1 and a dedicated desktop. I already have a HP server for storage so I could configure all the machines to access the same data. This laptop is definitely on the way out so needs to be replaced ASAP, I do fancy a proper tablet that I can write on. My Hudl2 was okay for emails and web browsing at conferences but I can't do anything serious on it.
Options so far are twin 24" screens or a single 43" which can be used as 4x 21". I think it will suit what I want to do with it better. Been using 3x screens since 2001 when all I had was CRTs and I am looking forward to trying one large UHD one and being able to configure my desktop freely. I do a lot of feasibility studies which might need web browsers, spreadsheets, databases, word documents open as well as running lab software and image processing, CAD, FEA etc so flexibility is key.
My current work laptop struggles when running 2x 24" and the onboard 13". Have a friend running extra displays via a USB3 hub but it's not ideal for video.
Andy do you need ISV certified graphics an the ECC ram you can get, I don't do any FEA on a laptop any more and send the lot back to the mothership where a dual processor workstation does the job in what is often far less time.....I switched to. Surface pro from a zbook and apart from the shiny shiny graphics , which can be rendered again remotely I haven't noticed a difference they even just certified the thing at siemens
No I use 2 screens still that 4k HD stuff is great but at 100 percent scaling you need a magnifying glass
I use 2x24" screens but given the choice again, I'd go for a single larger display, but 43" just sounds ridiculous.
And regarding performance, my i7 Precision is no slower than the similar spec desktop workstations.
The latest Precision is a really nicely finished machine. I've not seen a new XPS in the flesh but the last time I did look at one I thought the Precision looked a more sturdier chassis. The 17" weighs a tonne though.
43 is going to be much more expensive than 2x 24 (I think). I can imagine a laptop is going to struggle with 3 screens. A bit like bikes OP this does sound like it's going to be a compromise.
43" UHD is looking cheaper than 2x 24" UHD. Philips have one for £599 and Dell is currently £799. 24" UHD are £450ish. 24" HD are £250ish.
I currently use 2x 24" HD at work which are amazing compared to my old 19" LCDs I have at home at the moment but as my 15" laptop is HD I find the 24" screens to be a bit wasted. I find my full HD 15" screen lacking enough.
My CAD and FEA demands will be very low so not overly concerned in that respect.
A surface book/pro or Dell XSP13 2 in 1 might be an option though.
43" is bonkers but it's not much more than a 32" and I wouldnt go any lower than 32" on a single screen solution.
Need to find some reviews of the Philips and see how it compares.
5ms response compared to 8ms of the Dell. No idea if that makes any real world difference though and I know the Dell has good colour characteristics, not that I am doing proper photo editing, just engineeringy type photo stuff so things like messing around with image J and thermal camera data.
Having stood in front of TV's in John Lewis and the like, I would find sitting in front of a 32", never mind a 43" all day quite nauseating I think. At least with multiple displays they are 'spread out'.
My 4 year old Precision M6700 drives 2 external displays mentioned above and the laptop's display all fine and dandy. It does have an Nvidia K4000M graphics card in it. The original AMD M6000 card struggled a bit though and was a bit crashy - the display driver would regularly crash, though that could have been a SolidWorks-AMD thing as much as anything.