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Aquí hay 5 maneras súper sencillas de mejorar el Dell XPS 17

Aquí hay 5 maneras súper sencillas de mejorar el Dell XPS 17
Aquí hay 5 maneras súper sencillas de mejorar el Dell XPS 17
Por muy bonito que parezca, al XPS 17 le faltan algunas características de calidad de vida que muchos portátiles más baratos ya integran. Nos encantaría verlas dirigidas al inevitable sucesor.

El XPS 17 es una máquina especial con características únicas que no se encuentran en otros portátiles de su categoría. Su relación de aspecto 16:10, los gráficos GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q, el enorme panel de control y el refrigerador de la cámara de vapor son características poco comunes.

Aunque ciertamente se ve bien en el papel y en las fotos, creemos que Dell puede haber pasado por alto algunas características de calidad de vida que podrían haber mejorado la experiencia del usuario. No hablamos del extraño comportamiento de carga, las altas temperaturas de la CPU o la falta de opciones Ryzen, ya que estos "problemas" son mucho más complicados de abordar. En su lugar, estamos hablando de características simples que otros portátiles menos costosos ya tienen y que extrañamente faltan en el XPS 17 de gama alta.

Estos son los cinco simples cambios de calidad de vida que haríamos al XPS 17 para una mejor experiencia del usuario final. Si hay otros cambios que le gustaría ver, háganoslo saber en los comentarios de abajo.

Make the Lid Easier to Grip and Open

The Dell Latitude 7310 has a handy indentation along the front edge of the laptop for users to grip their thumbs and open up the display. The XPS 17, however, is completely smooth here which makes gripping the lid more difficult than it needs to be.

Latitude 7310 has a grip along the front edge to make it easier to open up the lid
Latitude 7310 has a grip along the front edge to make it easier to open up the lid
Front edge of the XPS 17 is completely smooth for that sleek minimalist look, but gripping is annoyingly difficult as a result
Front edge of the XPS 17 is completely smooth for that sleek minimalist look, but gripping is annoyingly difficult as a result

Include a Webcam Shutter

The XPS 17 is one of the sleekest and best-looking 17-inch laptops out there; it would be a shame to blemish it with a piece of Scotch tape. A physical or electronic webcam shutter would help owners feel a lot more secure when using the system.

It's good to see the webcam along the top of the screen instead of the bottom. Now it's time for Dell to take the next step by adding a shutter
It's good to see the webcam along the top of the screen instead of the bottom. Now it's time for Dell to take the next step by adding a shutter

Make the Dell Power Profiles Faster to Launch or Toggle

The Dell Power Manager application is perhaps the most important pre-installed software on the laptop as it directly controls charging behavior and system performance. The different power profiles are located here including Optimized, Cool, Quiet, and Ultra Performance.

Accessing said power profiles can be irritating because Power Manager takes 17 whole seconds to launch (we counted). Users will then have to click on Thermal Management before finally seeing the power profiles available. This aggravatingly long wait time is simply dreadful when all you want to do is set the system to Quiet mode or Ultra Performance mode.

Chrome launches in less than a second, but Dell Power Manager takes over 17 times longer
Chrome launches in less than a second, but Dell Power Manager takes over 17 times longer

Give the F9 Key a Secondary Function

Every key on the first row of the keyboard has a secondary function except for the F9 key. This is a missed opportunity to make the key a bit more useful such as for toggling different power profiles, toggling the webcam, or launching the Dell Power Manager. The HP Envy x360 13, for example, has a camera key that turns the lens opaque.

The F9 key is the only key along the top row with no Fn feature. The fingerprint-loving palm rests and clickpad will leave their mark over time as well
The F9 key is the only key along the top row with no Fn feature. The fingerprint-loving palm rests and clickpad will leave their mark over time as well

Allow the SSDs to be Removed Without Needing to First Remove the Battery

On the XPS 13 and XPS 15, users can upgrade their SSDs after removing the bottom panel. On the XPS 17, however, the battery must be removed prior to the SSDs. Although it's never a bad idea to simply disconnect the battery ribbon first before tinkering with any components, forcing users to remove the entire battery is an extra step that we don't see on many other laptops.

The screws that secure the battery also secure the copper heat spreaders atop the M.2 SSDs
The screws that secure the battery also secure the copper heat spreaders atop the M.2 SSDs

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Allen Ngo, 2020-07-18 (Update: 2020-07-18)