<p>Hi, so I'm an incoming college freshman and I'm trying to pick out a laptop for school. My school (UMD) suggests and offers discounts on 2 types of dell laptops (not interested in apple because of their human rights record): the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook and the Dell Latitude E6530. The main difference is the size (13 vs 15 inch) but there are other factors to consider:</p>
<p>Dell XPS:
-13 inch = lighter at 2.99 lbs (but could be flimsy?)
-better looking than the Latitude
-but it doesn't come with a disc drive, so I'd have to use an external one
-hard drive only 128GB</p>
<p>Dell Latitude:
-15 inch = heavier at 5.52 lbs, but might be more sturdy
-kinda ugly...(though I know this shouldn't be a huge factor)
-comes with a disc drive so things would be easier
-it also comes with more options for upgrades which we might take advantage of, like better batteries or larger hard drives
-comes with a 320GB hard drive (though I don't actually know how much I'll need...)</p>
<p>So the main things I'm asking about are the size and the disc drive. I'm a Government major so I'm guessing I don't need the larger size, but does anyone think it would make sense to go bigger? I'm also hesitant about the XPS because of the disc drive; I won't be using discs that often, like every day, so it's not a huge deal, but I'm just wondering if that would be a huge hassle. Has anyone had to use an external disc drive? Is it super annoying or not a big deal?</p>
<p>Also, if you know these computers, is there anything else I should be thinking of?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for any advice you have! :)</p>
<p>I’d be more inclined to get the smaller and lighter laptop myself, lecture hall desks are tiny and backpacks get heavy.</p>
<p>The “low” amount of storage space and the “ultrabook” designation (ultrabooks are usually ~13-14" laptops with SSDs and thin profiles) lead me to believe the smaller laptop comes with a solid state drive (SSD). SSDs are basically hard disk drives that store data on flash memory (akin to USB flash drives). SSDs are much, much, much faster than any traditional magnetic hard drive will ever be and I find that that is a fair trade for the smaller amount of space, not to mention that SSDs save a bit on weight and heat and there are no moving parts. 128GB will never, ever be filled up by just school work, I guarantee it.</p>
<p>Are you sure you really need an optical drive? I’ve gone several years without one on my self built desktop, and have never missed it. Even Windows and other operating systems can be installed via USB, and most other software is available for online download. (Legally, too!)</p>
<p>Also, to be honest, to boycott Apple’s products on account of their manufacturer’s (Foxconn) working conditions, is a bit silly when almost all consumer electronics companies sell products that are manufactured by them, including Dell. I agree that the conditions at Foxconn are deplorable, but it’s hard to find electronics NOT built by them. [Foxconn</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“Foxconn - Wikipedia”>Foxconn - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>If you’re open to other suggestions, see if Lenovo’s student website works with UMD, but even if it doesn’t I think it can still give a generous student discount. Lenovo’s Thinkpad line (specifically the T (for example the T430) and X (like the X230t which actually converts into a tablet PC) models) is renowned for its quality and durability.
[Students</a> | Lenovo | (US)](<a href=“http://shop.lenovo.com/us/portals/students]Students”>http://shop.lenovo.com/us/portals/students)</p>
<p>Thanks, that’s really helpful! I am leaning towards XPS right now because of the portability, but I’m just not sure I want to sacrifice the screen size…though I’m pretty sure it’ll be worth it. And you’re right about the SSD so that’ll be nice on the smaller one. The main reason that I’m concerned about memory is for music storage, although I’m sure I can figure out ways to get around that.</p>
<p>Thanks for the other suggestion too, but UMD only sponsors those two computers and they’re easiest to deal with because you can get free service for them on campus and stuff like that, so I think I’m going to stick with those two options.</p>
<p>And I do realize that other companies have horrible conditions but Dell is better than Apple in many regards, like in their stance on conflict minerals: [Conflict</a> Minerals Company Rankings | RAISE Hope for Congo](<a href=“http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings?tier=0#list]Conflict”>http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/content/conflict-minerals-company-rankings?tier=0#list)
No company is perfect but I feel more comfortable going with Dell because Apple doesn’t seem to even be trying.</p>
<p>I have a Dell XPS 14z and my boyfriend has the 15z. I was afraid the screen size would make me hate my computer but its perfect! I love the portability and I feel like mine is even better than his, although it was cheaper!</p>