Dell teases XPS 15Z with heavy MacBook Pro cues
updated 06:55 pm EDT, Fri May 13, 2011
Dell hints at XPS 15Z with cues from MacBook Pro
Dell in a new Facebook teaser on Friday gave clues to its new ultrathin notebook and raised serious concerns about its originality. Without giving clues as to features, it showed the XPS 15Z, a 'thin, powerful, intuitive' shape which borrowed very heavily from Apple's unibody MacBook Pro. The design shares the same all-silver frame and black bezel, patterned speaker grills on either side of a chiclet keyboard, and even a five-dot, button-activated battery indicator.
None of the features were directly detailed, although it has a slot-load optical drive on the right-hand side, again like its Apple inspiration, and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. The system is believed to be roughly in the MacBook Pro's class with a 15.6-inch display and Core i5 and i7 processors. It was due to show "style and beauty" as well as "special materials" in its design.
As with many more recent Dell teases, no release details were given out. Its prices may start below $1,000.
Dell has periodically used Apple systems as launching points for systems, most notably targeting the Adamo and Adamo XPS as Windows alternatives to the MacBook Air. Until now, however, most of these have usually been more distinctive designs targeted more at the category a given Mac. The new unnamed system may be a gamble for Dell as it appears to be a much more direct imitation of the MacBook Pro with only minor differences.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
I wouldn't want a Dell
that was not ugly.
The look has always been part of the appeal.