Product Alert: Dell Laptop XPS 13 [Developer’s Edition]

Don Slesnick III
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dellxps13There are many ways I would have liked to have writen this particular post; I’ve deleted and restarted more than a few times.  My intentions were to write a wonderful review about the Dell XPS 13 Developer’s Edition, how it was was going to be the perfect laptop. Based on the technical specifications and feature-sets, it certainly looked great on paper. Good reviews in the mainstream media helped solidify its merits.  Sadly, my experience with the laptop proved to be anything but enjoyable; it was more akin to a prolonged nightmare.

At this point, I could easily embark on a 45-minute detailed account of my two-month long ordeal with Dell and the laptop but, to do so, would be just as wasteful of your time as well. To keep the story on point, I share the abbreviated version as follows:

  • Ordered the Dell XPS 13 Developer’s Edition in Late January – it arrived February 2nd.
  • In the process of un-boxing the laptop, I was impressed with the look and feel; a build that embodies the quality of a high-end computer. Unfortunately, one of the very first things I noticed when turning on the laptop was a high-pitched noise emanating from beneath the keyboard. I wishfully hoped that the sound might go away once the computer warmed up; this was not the case. The first use of my new laptop was to Google Search the noise which began my journey down the dark rabbit hole.

[Editor’s Note: As for this noise, it has been referred to as ‘Coil Whine’. The laptop emits a high-pitched frequency from just underneath the keyboard. As one adjusts the intensity of the back-lit keyboard, the noise changes frequency and strength. With any sort of background noise, it is hard to isolate. In silence however, the noise is very audible. Due to the limited times when the noise is not present, it becomes that much more discernible to the user when the noise quickly returns. There is a discussion on Dell’s forums where I and others have posted audio recordings. The thread is now twenty-plus pages in length with users from all around the globe reporting the very same issue. Here is a link:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19538215.aspx?pi239031352=22#20569705]

  • The very next day I was on the phone with Dell Tech Support where it was arranged to send out a replacement laptop.
  • Over the course of the next three weeks Dell …
    • sent a technician to my office to replace the motherboard and processor in the replacement (second) laptop. The replacement parts had the same issue
    • sent out a third computer that suffered from the same noise and while also introducing some serious light-bleeding issues on the LCD.
  • During these same three weeks, I …
    • spent four to five hours on the phone waiting in queues just to speak to Dell Technical Support and/or Customer service — in some part to make sure I retained the option to return the laptop for refund.
    • sent countless e-mails to three different tech support reps. — each time, having to re-explain the issue and catch them up on case history. While all three were very professional in nature, the delay in response time between communications was unacceptable (twenty-four hours or more between e-mails).
  • Counting the original laptop as Dell’s first attempt to deliver a great laptop, by the 4th try I had given up on this process and demanded a full refund. It then took Dell another 2 weeks before returning my money (around Mid-March.)

To say confidence was lost in Dell serving as that “go-to” company for computing products would be an understatement – It was a painful lesson to witness first-hand. Dell used to be one of respected leaders in the industry.  To err or have issues with any particular product is understandable, especially considering the quick advancement of technology. Dell’s response, or lack thereof, is what’s most concerning. It is almost as if they are in denial – hoping that if they pretend that all is OK, the problem will just go away. What baffles me the most is that this laptop is part of their high-end line of computers and, this model in particular is marketed towards IT professionals/enthusiast; individuals with a great understanding and high expectations of how this stuff is suppose to work.

In looking back, it is truly a shame. Dell had made the right choice on so many of the design elements and included hardware specs.  Had there been no ‘Coil Whine’, it would have been one of the best laptops I have ever owned. As it stands now, this experience has had quite the opposite effect. in serving as as an IT Consultant over the last fourteen years, I would find it very hard to recommend purchasing a Dell.