Deciding between a Yoga 730 and an XPS 15

[Lokio27]

I've got a bit of a dilemma when it comes to picking what laptop I'm picking up. I'm buying these second hand and I know I can realistically afford either if I decide on one.

 

On one hand I'm looking at the Yoga 730 15", which I'd want to have the i7-8550U and the GTX 1050 mobile GPU in terms of specs. The issue is this laptop has a smaller battery than the XPS by about 40%, and the display is generally dimmer. What's nice is that it's a 2-in-1, so I get the conveniences of that, including stylus support for drawing and an edge in terms of portability and tight quarters usage. I've checked reviews and generally this thing doesn't thermal throttle too hard either, so I'm not concerned about that, especially since I plan on repasting. Also, there aren't a lot of peculiar issues reported for this laptop but it may be just because it's less popular.

Edit: also, I plan on getting an external battery bank for some extended use times if it becomes an issue anyway, so battery isn't my utmost concern

 

On the other hand I have the XPS 15, specifically the 9560. It's older but has similar specs. I'd want one with an i7-7700HQ, and as usual with this generation of XPS 15, the GTX 1050 Max-Q. This laptop has superior battery life but the form factor is strictly traditional. I also know that there are a lot of known issues with the XPS lineup from Dell, especially with thermals and VRMs and just weird driver issues. I'm not sure if it's nearly as bad as I've been lead to believe, but repasting isn't out of the question. The plus side is that it's a Dell product, specifically an XPS 15 so it has the nice finish that comes with that. Plus, dbrand skins.

 

If anyone has any wisdom to bestow upon me, please do so. I need some extra eyes and brains to help me unstuck myself.

[Lokio27]

53 minutes ago, ActuallyMediocreOC said:

My vote is Yoga, you can always change power settings to make it last longer

Forgot to mention this in the OP but I was planning on just buying an external battery bank for the Yoga if I did end up getting it.

[genexis_x]

5 hours ago, Lokio27 said:

I'm buying these second hand

What's your budget? Where are you from?

 

Usage? Must it be 2 in 1? Any preference on weight and battery life?

[Lokio27]

6 hours ago, GeneXiS_X said:

What's your budget? Where are you from?

 

Usage? Must it be 2 in 1? Any preference on weight and battery life?

Budget is under $900. I'm from the USA. 

 

I want something 15" and near the weight of an XPS 15. I don't care if it's a 2-in-1 but it would be nice if it was. Battery life I'd prefer a lot but it's not the end of the world if it's a little short.

 

I want something smaller than the average 15" laptop (e.g xps 15) for portability but I also want dedicated graphics so I can play games on occasion

 

I also don't want anything gamer-y. No loud colorful accents.or anything.

[genexis_x]

10 hours ago, Lokio27 said:

Battery life I'd prefer a lot but it's not the end of the world if it's a little short

Min how many hours?

 

Also, usage?

[Lokio27]

17 minutes ago, GeneXiS_X said:

Min how many hours?

 

Also, usage?

I don't really have a strict min since I don't really spend that many hours away from a wall outlet.

 

Usage is for occasional games, programming, sometimes video editing. Sometimes drawing.

[genexis_x]

On 3/18/2019 at 2:06 AM, Lokio27 said:

I don't care if it's a 2-in-1 but it would be nice if it was

I also want dedicated graphics so I can play games on occasion

Yoga 730 15 81CU000UUS should be good. If you can find a Yoga 720 15 then it's also considerable

 

XPS 15 9575 and Spectre x360 15 are decent models too but out of your budget