I'm no Apple fanboy, but this "comparison" was a completely biased joke.
My first criticism...why are we comparing the 15" XPS 15z to the higher end, more expensive 17" MBP? Let’s compare the $1499 Dell to the $1799 15” MBP. The MBP is still $300 more, but it's nowhere near the insane $1000+ chasm the author intended to create. Here are my thoughts, point by point.
1. "Specs" - Dell wins the RAM config (8GB vs 4GB), HDD speed (7200rpm vs 5400rpm), and screen resolution (1920x1080 vs 1440x900), though some users might prefer the 16x10 aspect ratio of the MBP, despite the lower resolution.
Apple has a significantly better CPU (2.0Ghz QUAD core vs 2.7Ghz DUAL core), though the author played it off as though the MBP had an inferior processor (lightly threaded apps might favor the Dell, but multitasking and/or multithreaded tasks will be much snappier on the MBP). A bit odd and misleading, since ALL 15” and 17” MBPs have quad core processors. The Dell can’t even be configured with a quad core.
Both have weak GPU’s, (Apple uses the weak 256MB AMD 6490M, and Dell uses a low-end and overly-RAM-endowed 2GB Nvidia GT525M).
2. "It's as beautiful as any Macbook" - Aesthetics are subjective. I personally find the MBP better looking, though the Dell is nice as well. No “objective” winner or loser here.
3. “Adamo done right” in no way makes the XPS superior to the MBP. It only establishes that Dell was finally able to attain a result it should have achieved much sooner – it created a notebook with comparable hardware to the MBP in a similar form factor. It is not a "reason the Dell XPS 15z trumps the MBP."
4. "Thinner, Lighter, Faster" - Compared to the (somewhat comparably priced) 15" MBP, the XPS 15z is NOT thinner, is within 0.1 pounds in weight, and is NOT faster (except in scenarios heavily reliant upon disk transfer speeds or in poorly threaded apps).
5. "Better Battery Performance" - Battery life was never tested. The reviewer noted the XPS 15z had excellent battery life, then proceeded to ASSUME the MBP could at best meet its performance, and would likely fall short. No testing was done on MBP battery life. I’m not saying he’s wrong – but he is just GUESSING. Apple doesn't tend to inflate its battery performance numbers nearly as much as many other manufacturers, so it's quite possible they're comparable. Certainly not a sure "win" for the XPS 15z like the author claims.
6. "Excellent LED Screen" - Screen comparisons were not done either. The author simply liked the Dell screen and automatically listed it as one of “9 Reasons the XPS 15z Trumps the MacBook Pro” without any formal comparison. I'm sure both machines have excellent displays. The Dell may very well be better, but you can't just make assumptions in a comparison article like this and act as though they're facts.
7. “More out of the box” - You have to be kidding. More bloatware, perhaps. I guess now a few software trials and a bunch of crapware is considered a great “software bundle.” I’m not a big iLife fan, but I can see more people using Apple’s bundled software than what Dell packs in.
8. USB 3.0 is a good plus for the Dell, and something Apple should have. Thunderbolt has potential, but it’s pretty much useless at the moment. We’ll have to see if it comes into its own or dies a quiet death. USB 3.0 is undoubtedly useful at present.
9. Optimus vs Apple’s CPU/GPU switching is difficult to compare, as not much is known about Apple’s solution. At least the author didn’t go off the deep end in this comparison…
Overall, both the XPS 15z and the 15” MBP are excellent machines. They’re stylish and fast, and I would be tempted by both if I were in the market for a high performance laptop. The comparison made simply made no sense. 15" Dell vs 17" MBP. Incorrectly labeling the MBP's processor. It would be nice to read a comparison that at the very least got the facts straight and labeled conjecture as such. I personally hope both Apple and Dell have success selling these sexy-yet-powerful laptops. Competition is a good thing for us customers!