Dell ships Sandy Bridge based XPS 15 and XPS 17 notebooks

Dell is now offering new XPS 15 and XPS 17 series laptops with Intel's Sandy Bridge processors. These systems offer a chiclet keyboard design, discrete graphics from NVIDIA with Optimus support, Full HD screen options, optional 3D support (only for the XPS 17) and several other novelties.

The XPS 15 starts at $1,049.99 for a system with the Intel Core i7-2620M (2.7GHz), NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M graphics, 4GB DDR3, a 500GB HDD, and a 720p WLED-backlit screen, while the XPS 17 starts at $899.99 with the Intel Core i5-2410M (2.3GHz), NVIDIA GeForce GT 550M, 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, and a 900p LED-backlit screen.

Here are some specs both XPS 15 and XPS 17 customers can look forward to:

* Support for a range of Sandy Bridge or Huron River CPU options: i3/i5/i7 Dual core and Quad core
* The i7 version now supports Optimus, unless configured with the optional 3D FHD panel on the XPS 17– this uses the discrete GPU full time
* Both support the full Stage experience on all panels
* Both offer a wide WLED display (1920 x 1080 resolution) option
* The i7 Quad core supports WiDi and can stream up to 1080p on both systems
* Both feature the chiclet keyboard design
* XPS 15: Starting weight with 6-cell battery = 5.96 pounds
* XPS 17: Starting weight with 6-cell battery = 7.41 pounds
* XPS 15: available with up to the NVIDIA GT 540M mobile graphics with 2GB RAM
* XPS 17: available with up to the NVIDIA 555M mobile graphics with 3GB RAM
* Both laptops offer all the other great enhancements the XPS line offers, like a Skype HD certified webcam, JBL speakers and Waves Maxx audio and USB 3.0

Source: Dell