Microsoft boldly claimed that, with the newly released PC Surface Studio and related technologies, it wants to introduce a revolutionary piece of hardware that could rival the Gutenberg Press in terms of its impact to humankind. That is quite a lofty ideal and we do not want to argue with the tech company about the finer points of that ambition.
For now, what we want know is how the PC Surface Studio stacks up against the Dell XPS 27 Touch, which is also an all-in-one desktop currently available in the market.
All-In-One Touch PC Hardware Impression
The most notable aspect to the Surface Pro that will immediately arrest the interest of an onlooker is its hardware. The 28-inch dimension is simply too awesome that will have words like elegant and state-of-the-art alternately tumbling in your mind. Like the Surface tablets, it is incredibly thin and Microsoft is quick to point out that it is currently the world's thinnest LCD monitor.
The Dell XPS 27 Touch, on the other hand, should evoke words such as workhorse and solid with its bulky real estate. It is so thick — at least in comparison to the Surface Studio — and does look more at home beside a 21.5-inch iMac, with its slight bulge at the back.
Display Technology
The Surface Studio will ship with a touch display capable of 4,500 x 3,000-pixel resolution, which can be translated into 192 pixels per inch. The Dell XPS 27, on the other hand, has a 2,550 x 1,440 resolution. It manages 33 percent more pixels per inch than a Full HD screen. However, its IPS LED is still inferior to the Surface Studio's PixelSense technology.
Both screens can be adjusted by way of proprietary hinges. The Studio touts its own as gravity-defying hinge, allowing the screen to be folded down nearly flat or changed to different orientations with a mere push. The XPS' hinge does not offer such expansive range of functions.
"Our new fully flexible stand not only moves the XPS 27 up and down, and it also folds down so you can work naturally," Dell stated.
All-In-One PC Specs And Accessories
Under the hood, the differences are more pronounced. The top-of-the-line Surface Studio is outfitted with a Core i7 quad-core processor and an Nvidia GTX 980M graphics chip. The high-end XPS 27 is also powered by a Core i7 chip but it is fourth-generation. The Surface also trounces the Dell competitor in terms of RAM: 32 GB to 16 GB.
The Surface Studio also comes with cutting-edge accessories such as the ergonomic keyboard, the Surface mouse and the current object of the public's curiosity, the Surface Dial, which is a tool that purportedly reimagines physical tools in the digital world.
Conclusion
It is easy to say that, in a head-to-head matchup to determine which technology is worth price, the XPS 27 has been left eating the dust. However, it is useful to remember that Dell's bet in the all-in-one touch PC category has been around for years. Its internals are, therefore, quite dated. Nonetheless, it is still performing quite admirably in comparison to its newer competitor.
The XPS 27 can still serve as an alternative to the Surface Studio especially when one considers that it is significantly cheaper. The most premium of the range retails for $2,300 whereas, the base model for the Studio is already hitting $3,000. It is also currently available whereas the Surface will only begin shipping Dec. 15.
