[erebrus]

1. I believe you got the first point wrong. The claim is that they needed more than 100W to go to 32GB, and not going for 16GB, they didn't need the extra 26W. 2. You are partially right. Yes, 4.5 pounds is very different from 18kg, but if you care about portability, it is still a big different from 3 pounds. 3. The argument he presents is that you need dongles for now, but in the long term, you will need less dongles. So a bit different from what you are arguing.

[kbutler]

4.4 _pounds_ for xps 15 vs the macbook's 4.02 pounds (15" version). (and if you want a smaller battery for portability on the xps 15, you can get one at 3.9 pounds)

Looks like the article author was either blinded by fandom or intentionally misleading.

https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/ (choose 15") http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-15-9550-la...

[erebrus]

I will be suspicious of any opinion in a website with the word mac or apple in it's url. First, the mbp is 3 pounds (from your own link). Second, I looked up the xps 15 also. Not only it is 50% heavier, but it is also much thicker and in bigger in general. Finally, battery life seems to be 5h vs 10h of the mbp. These are different compromises that will please different people and not be acceptable for others.

[boundlessdreamz]

Check the link. The MBP 15" is 4.02 pounds. 13" is 3.02 pounds. Also the dimensions are roughly the same

  +-----------+------------------+--------------------+
  | Dimension |     MBP 15"      |      XPS 15"       |
  +-----------+------------------+--------------------+
  | Height    | 0.61"            | 0.45-0.66"         |
  | Width     | 13.75"           | 14.06"             |
  | Depth     | 9.48"            | 9.27"              |
  | Weight    | 4.02 lbs/1.83 kg | 4.50 lbs (2.04 kg) |
  +-----------+------------------+--------------------+

And the battery life is 7 hours for the 84Whr model. http://www.anandtech.com/show/10116/the-dell-xps-15-9550-rev...

In another review it was 8 hours for playing video. Less than MBP at 10 hrs.

[kbutler]

You forgot the "choose 15 inch" on the apple site:

MBP13: 3.02 pounds (1.37 kg) MBP15: 4.02 pounds (1.83 kg) XPS15: 4.4 pounds (or 3.9 pounds with smaller battery)

MBP15: 15.5mm 349.3mm 240.7mm XPS15: 17mm 357mm 235mm

But I agree - if you're wanting maximum portability, go with the smaller 13" device, which is 33% lighter.

But then you may want to compare the XPS13, which is smaller, lighter, newer CPU, has a larger battery (dell mentions 18h, reviewers tested 10h+, but actual battery life comparisons TBD), and is also limited to 16gb.

Yes, different compromises.

[erebrus]

My bad. I got mixed up with kilos and pounds. Thought 3 pounds was 1.8kg. 4 pounds. I stand corrected.

The thing is. I'm really not an apple fan boy. I've only had one mac. I've had one iphone and moved back to android. I would never have a desktop mac. However, the usability, portability and reliability of the mac laptop has made a huge difference for me. All the little details from the os to the hardware make it the only laptop that I've had that has been great from my productivity, even when I was doing physiotherapy twice a day for 6 months and carrying my laptop between hospital beds.

The Dell XPS13 does have numbers that are interesting, however, if I've learned something from my experience with a mac laptop is that numbers are only part of the story. I wouldn't want a windows os and despite still enjoying linux I really enjoy that I don't need to worry about anything working properly on the mac, it just does, and I can focus on my work. Then it's the trackpad (in conjunction with the os)... Minor things, that make a world of difference.

So...I really really would like to buy something other than a mac, but I just can't see it.

[boundlessdreamz]

Same here. I don't like windows at all though to be fair I haven't used Windows 10 at all.

But the new MBP is not for me. I really need the USB port and SD card reader. I'm using a 2010 MBP and I think I will buy the 2015 MBP. It's cheaper, has all the ports I need and I like the older keyboard. So I will be happier with it than the latest MBP

[detaro]

The 13" is 3 pounds. The 15" is 4, kbutler even reminded you to look at the right one.

[jbmorgado]

Doubling the RAM, increases the energy consumption of the equipment, but it obviously doesn't double the energy consumption of the equipment.

[erebrus]

Sure. I'm not in position to say whether the claim that the RAM increase would require more than 26W. I'm just arguing that the previous comment was missing the point of what the article was claiming.

[boundlessdreamz]

I'm not missing the point. The author is purely speculating and has no data to backup his claims.

Also RAM does not use much power. See here - http://www.buildcomputers.net/power-consumption-of-pc-compon... This is very old data. Newer RAM will use even less