These results are on the same Ultra Performance mode and FHD resolution, but this time with the back of the laptop pushed up by abut two inches. That’s no guarantee everything’s been fixed and you should expect your experience to be flawless, as QC inconsistencies might still affect some units. Compared to laptops with the same CPU but thicker chassis and more robust thermal solutions, the XPS 15 9520 was a step behind. All in a durable, lightweight design where the finest details are considered and the essentials are elevated.

The fans are perceived a little louder on this mode, as the noise easily escapes from underneath the chassis, at up to 45 dBA at head-level, but I’ve also noticed that once the temperatures drop, the fans also end up spinning a little slower and quieter in some titles. Dell paid a lot of attention to thermal design with the XPS 15, using two fans and heat pipes along with hidden exhaust vents and a slight angle to increase airflow. Summary: Little has changed on the Dell XPS 15 series in the last few years, but the 12th-gen Intel Alder Lake hardware implemented in this XPS 15 9520 generation impacts its overall capabilities and efficiency in a significant way. The Dell XPS 15 is the first-ever laptop featuring Waves Nx 3D audio for speakers tuned by multi-Grammy Award winning producer, Jack Joseph Puig. We tested it a few months after this was launched, with the mostly mature software available as of late June 2022 (BIOS 1.My review unit was equipped with the 12th-gen Intel Core i7-12700H, a 45-watt CPU with 14 cores (six Performance and eight Efficiency) and 20 threads. Does an old XPS trick(adding thermopad over heat pipes to make bottom cover to work as passive radiator to reduce noise and improve thermals) work with newer models? Still, it’s a thin laptop that can only move so much air, and I was looking forward to seeing its Intel 12th-gen performance. As for the external temperatures, I have no complaints with daily use, even with the mostly passive cooling. I've already bought an external battery from a 3rd party to use when I'm working in a cafe or on the road.

Despite the much higher PL settings, power and thermal throttling limit this CPU implementation and only allow it to perform at about 65-70% of its potential in an unrestrained full-size design (such as in the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Legion 5i Pro tested here). If in the unfortunate event an issue occurs after 30 days, please reach out to us by message and we can advise next steps on paid repairs or manufacturer warranty claims.I asked if this was acceptable and he said yes, I confirmed this with him and said I wanted to be sure before I start telling people about this laptop.

The power drops much quicker than on Cool, and the overall CPU performance on this profile ends up at about 70% of what’s possible on the Ultra Performance profile. Given that the XPS 15 9520 differs only in its 12th-gen chipset from the previous model, it’s fair to say that Intel’s newest is at least a bit more efficient. At the end of the day, though, you’re not getting an XPS 15 for its sheer performance, but rather for the well-balanced multi-purpose package that it is. Bumping the back of the laptop off the desk is hardly going to impact the performance, as the laptop already runs at its 60W crossload design to begin with, but will lower the internal temperatures to 60-65 degrees. The performance takes a minor hit in this mode, and the internal temperatures are similar to what we mentioned above.

Sure, there’s also a USB-C to HDMI/USB-A adapter included in the box, but I would much preffer having at least a USB-A slot on a laptop of this sort.

The XPS 15 9520 is a little faster than the previous generation, despite running on the exact same GPU. Quiet mode is also an option you could go with at 30 dBA , but this limits the GPU power quite significantly and leads to increased CPU temperatures. Dell implements a light sensor that keeps the lighting off in bright environments, and at the same time, the readability is OK at night or in very-dim rooms. And then, a few other implementations available in various modern portable designs, both Intel and AMD, showing the limitations of the XPS 15 9520 implementation vs. With unique deals and personalized service, Cybist Online is the supplier of choice to meet your tech needs.Repasting might also improve the overall CPU behaviour, but I haven’t tested any of these on my loaner review unit. I didn't say I use it at max brightness, max brightness is too bright for me, where I would like to use it is between 60%-75% range but when I get to 40% the battery drain just goes mental.