Dell XPS 17 (9720) Review: Bright Screen Meets Efficiency Cores
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Dell’s well-built premium powerhouse gets 12th Gen performance and efficiency
(Image: © Tom’s Hardware)
Tom’s Hardware Verdict
Dell’s familiar XPS 17 gets outfitted with 12th Gen Intel, which delivers improved CPU performance and battery life. The 3840 x 2400 touch display is also a stunner. But the keyboard, webcam and speakers lean more toward OK than excellent.
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Great screen
- +
Solid build
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Dell’s iconic XPS laptop design, with its solid silver shell and carbon fiber keyboard deck, first set the bar for premium consumer clamshell Windows laptops back in 2015. And the line has been at or near the front of its field ever since, often occupying one or more spots on our Best Ultrabooks list. While I still miss the presence of USB-A ports on this latest iteration of the big-screen XPS 17 (model 9720), it’s still one powerful, generally pleasing machine, which Dell has updated to support the latest components from Intel and Nvidia.
Our review configuration packs an Intel Core i7-12700H (with six performance cores and eight efficiency cores), plus Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, 32GB of RAM and a speedy and roomy 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. With those parts, this is an expensive system at $3,049, although the starting price with a Core i5 and integrated graphics is a more palatable $1,849. The 3840 x 2400 touch screen on the configurations we tested adds $300 to the asking price. But it’s a bright, colorful screen that’s great for doing some graphics work on the go or kicking back to binge your favorite shows on your downtime. And the battery life is long enough that you should be able to do a bit of both before having to reach for your charger.
Dell XPS 17 (9720) Specs
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| CPU | Intel Core i7-12700H |
|---|---|
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6, 1,282 MHz Boost Clock, 60W TGP |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5-4800MHz |
| SSD | 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Display | 17-inch, 3840 x 2400, Touchscreen |
| Networking | 802.11ax Killer Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Ports | 4x Thunderbolt 4, 1x SD Card Reader, 1x 3.5 mm combo headphone/microphone jac |
| Camera | 720p webcam |
| Battery | 97WHr |
| Power Adapter | 130W |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Size | 14. 74 x 9.76 x 0.77 inches |
| Weight | 5.34 pounds |
| Price (as Configured) | $3,049 |
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
On the one hand, the XPS 17 looks and feels like a cross between a classic sports car and a tank with its iconic, rigid silver aluminum shell and carbon fiber interior deck. But the visual design is not only the same as the model we looked at last year, but also quite similar to XPS laptops going all the way back to 2015. So as generally good as it looks and feels, the XPS 17 no longer feels fresh or exciting.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
- Dell XPS 17 (2022) (17-inch) at Dell for $1,299
Also, the port selection feels unnecessarily limited in its lack of USB-A ports. The left edge houses a lock slot and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, while on the right lives a headphone jack, a full-size SD card slot, and two more Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports.
In fact, these are the same ports as the ones on the smaller Dell XPS 15.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
A small dongle is included, which gives you access to a USB-A and HDMI port for the sake of sacrificing one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports. Granted, four speedy and versatile Thunderbolt ports (which also can be used to charge the laptop) is more than you get with most laptops. But with all the unused space on the edges of the laptop, there’s clearly room for a pair of USB-As. At least one would be nice so you don’t have to carry a dongle with you most of the time. I have to think most creatives still have USB-A-based accessories that they’d like to plug directly into their laptop.
At 14.74 x 9.76 x 0.77 inches and 5.34 pounds, the latest XPS 17 is the same size and weight as the 2021 model. That’s still smaller and lighter than the latest Razer Blade 17 (15.55 x 10.24 x 0.78 inches and 6.06 pounds), but that laptop also has a much higher-end RTX 3080 Ti graphics card.
Gigabyte’s Aero 16 manages to be a bit lighter at 5.07 pounds, and narrower at 14.02 inches wide. But it’s slightly thicker at 0.88 inches, though again you get higher-end graphics in the form of the RTX 3070 Ti. But you lose an inch of screen real estate with that laptop. Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro is slightly taller and wider (14.91 x 9.77 inches), but thinner at 0.66 inches, and noticeably lighter at 4.8 pounds. Again, the XPS 17 is still fairly slim and light for a big-screen laptop with dedicated graphics, but this design is no longer the stand-out class leader that it once was.
Productivity and Gaming Performance of the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
We tested Dell’s XPS 17 9720 with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, 32GB DDR5-4800MHz RAM, 1TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage and an RTX 3060. Although not strictly a gaming rig, the RTX 3060 (the top-end graphics option here) certainly gives it enough graphical muscle to play modern games, which we’ll touch on later.
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
During our Geekbench test, the 2022 XPS 17 beat its competition on the mult-core portion, with a score of 13,714, leaving the 2021 model (and its 8,928 multi-core score) in the dust, while delivering a moderate defeat to the 16-inch M1 Max-powered MacBook Pro, which scored 12,683 on the same test.
Apple’s Arm-based laptop, though, held the lead on the Single-core test, with its 1,781 eclipsing the XPS 17 9720’s 1,670 score on the same test.
In our Handbrake test, the XPS 17 9720 was less impressive, taking 6 minutes and 40 seconds to transcode our 4K video to 1080p. That was better than last year’s XPS 17 (7:21), but Gigabyte’s Core i7-12700H-powered Aero 16 did better, taking 5:43 on the same test. And the16-inch MacBook Pro was significantly faster here, taking just 4:48 to transcode our test video.
Things looked better for the 2022 XPS 17 on our file transfer test, delivering our 25GB of files at a speedy average of 1,765.52 MBps, more than doubling the speed of last year’s model and more than 700 MBps faster than the Gigabyte laptop. But the MacBook Pro was once again faster here, completing the same test at an average speed of 1,917.69 MBps. Still, the XPS 17 is quite fast when it comes to storage.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Our stress test consists of running Cinebench R23 for twenty runs back-to-back.
The XPS 17 finished its first run with a score of 15,713, took a fairly steep drop for its second run to 12,492, then stayed very steady for the rest of its runs, not varying much more than 100 points. During the stress test, the CPUs high-performance P cores ran at an average of 2.7 GHz and its efficiency-focused E cores ran at 2.22 GHz. Overall, the CPU ran at an average of 71.14 degrees Celsius (160.05 degrees Fahrenheit).
While it’s not a gaming laptop, our configuration of the XPS 17 (9720) packs gaming-class RTX 3060 graphics. That’s not a high-end RTX 3080 or 3080 Ti, but the 3060 should be plenty of graphics card muscle for playing modern games at around 1080p (although not the system’s native 3840 x 2400 resolution). So I fired up the recently released Evil Dead: The Game and grabbed my boomstick to see what the XPS 17 could do on the gaming front. While that game ran smoothly, it turns out that there’s no easy way to record performance (FRAPS would not run), so I fired up Borderlands 3 and its built-in benchmark.
At 1,900 x1,200 resolution, the XPS 17 and its RTX 3060 ran the game at a buttery smooth 95 frames per second (fps) on medium settings. Stepping up to the highest (Badass) preset, performance was still at a playable level, averaging 55.6 fps. Neither of these games are super demanding at this point, but it’s clear that if you opt for an XPS 17 with an RTX 3060, playing modern AAA games is an option, so long as you drop the resolution down to something close to 1080p.
Display on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
The display on the Dell XPS 17 doesn’t sport any fancy tech like OLED or quantum dots, but it still looks quite good. Dell rates it for 500 nits of brightness and 100% of Adobe’s RGB color gamut, and as we’ll soon see in testing, it either gets close to or bests those claims.
When I used the laptop to catch up on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the yellow, blue and red of the characters’ uniforms looked bold, and the void of space was satisfyingly black while still delivering detail in the dark away mission scenes.
I also used the screen to sort through thousands of photos from a recent trip to Scotland, and while I prefer a larger screen for long-term photo editing, most content creators should feel satisfied with this display, especially when you see the results of our display testing below.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The XPS 17’s screen can’t quite outshine the MacBook Pro in terms of brightness. Our lightmeter pegged the Dell display at 466 nits, which is on par with the 464 nits of last year’s model and well ahead of the 366 of the Gigabyte Aero 16. But Apple’s competing 16-incher with a mini LED display was a bit brighter at 501 nits.
Still, when it comes to color, the Dell lands on top, delivering 85.1% of the DCI-P3 color space, enough to best both the previous XPS 17 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro, both of which edged a bit above 77% of the same color space. The Gigabyte Aero 16 got a bit closer, delivering 79% of DCI-P3 with its Samsung AMOLED display. But the XPS 17 is the best option we’ve tested in this class and screen size when it comes to color.
Its 120% of the smaller sRGB space also comes out easily on top in this test.
Battery Life on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
You should be able to get through a work day with the XPS 17, provided you aren’t hammering the CPU with tasks like video editing, and you keep the screen brightness well below its max setting. On our battery test, which constantly streams video, browses the web and runs graphics tests while connected to Wi-Fi and with the display set to 150 nits of brightness, Dell’s big-screen XPS lasted 8 hours and 29 minutes
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
That’s 89 minutes better than the previous model (7 hours even), and well more than three hours longer than Gigabyte’s Aero 16. But Apple’s Arm-based Macs continue to be in a class of their own when it comes to productivity machines. The 16-inch MacBook Pro lasted 15 hours and 31 minutes on the same battery test.
Keyboard and Touchpad on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
I have no complaints whatsoever about the XPS 17’s precision touchpad.
At 5.9 x 3.5 inches, it feels almost comically roomy, with a good amount of smoothness and friction for accurate input. And there is more than enough room here for Windows 11’s multitouch gestures. While I still prefer a dedicated mouse, I could see myself getting by without major complaints if I had to use the touchpad here as my primary cursor control for basic tasks.
The keyboard, on the other hand, leans more toward the OK end of the spectrum. As you might imagine on a laptop this size, the key arrangement mostly feels spacious, although the half-size up-down arrow keys and squished top function row seems unnecessary given the space available on the deck. The bigger issue is travel and feel, which again aren’t particularly bad, but don’t stand out in any way as satisfying or otherwise great. The switches feel soft and indistinct and the travel and bottoming out feels sub-par, particularly compared to some similarly configured gaming laptops. Including Dell’s own Alienwares.
The power button, which lives in the upper-right corner next to the Delete key also has a fingerprint reader built in.
It worked pretty well in my testing, though my preferred Windows Hello choice for easy OS login is the webcam, which also supports Windows Hello and well for me.
I really wish Dell would bring the keyboard over from its Alienware x17 R2 gaming laptop, which has both a better layout (including media and full-size arrow keys) and a mechanical switch option that’s more than worth the $50 upgrade in terms of key feel alone. With so much room here, there’s little reason the keyboard on the XPS 17 shouldn’t feel better, especially given the price of the laptop in its higher-end configurations.
Audio on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
The pair of top-firing speakers that sit at either side of the XPS 17’s keyboard produce clear, clean sound, even at 100% volume. I enjoyed the intricacies of the programing in Rys Fulber’s latest solo album Collapsing Empires, as well as the pulsing bassline and dramatic build and crescendo of Buck-Tick’s Muma – The Nightmare. But for a 17-inch laptop, there just wasn’t as much volume as I would expect.
It’s fine for listening or watching video when you’re sitting right in front of the laptop. But even with the XPS 17 on the coffee table just a foot to the left and behind me, I found the maximum volume just enough to be generally enjoyable. If you like your media even moderately loud, I’d suggest opting for one of the best gaming headsets .
Webcam on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
Dell says the webcam on the XPS 17 has been improved this year, with separate sensors for IR (for Windows Hello login) and RGB (for standard imaging). That sounds promising, and I did find the image generally bright, with pretty good color accuracy in the slightly overcast light of my home office. But the camera still has a 720p sensor, which looks about as blocky and low-res as you’d think it would on the system’s 3840 x 2400 display. And the side of my face closest to the window was a blown-out field of white during testing.
In short, the camera will get you through work meetings without major issues, and we’re glad to see that Dell is still working to improve things a few generations after moving the camera back up above the display where it belongs.
But its placement in the slim strip above the screen still means the camera isn’t great. If you want to look your best during office meetings or chats with friends, you should consider plugging in one of the best webcams. Just remember that the lack of USB-A ports means you’ll have to break out the included dongle to do so, unless you have fairly recent webcam with a replaceable cable or a USB-C port.
Heat on the XPS Dell 17 (9720)
During our Cinebench R23 stress testing, we also checked surface temperatures at various points on the laptop. On the XPS 17’s keyboard, between the G and H keys, temperatures hit 37.1 degrees Celsius (98.8 degrees Fahrenheit), while the touchpad remained cooler at 31.9 degrees Celsius (89.4 Fahrenheit). The bottom of the laptop, near the rear center, topped out at a warmer 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.9 degrees Fahrenheit). But none of these temperatures are hot (or even particularly warm) by performance laptop standards
Upgradability on the Dell XPS 17 (9720)
While the company’s newly redesigned XPS 13 points to a dim future of laptop upgradability, the current design of the XPS 17 still offers up a fair amount of standard, swappable parts.
Getting into the laptop involves removing eight tiny Torx screws and then using some sort of sturdy spudger or plastic card to run around the edges, disengaging the clips. Then the bottom lifts right off.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Inside you’ll find two SODIMM slots and two M.2 storage slots, handily labeled 2280 SSD L (PCIe) and 2280 SSD R (PCIe). Both the RAM slots and the left SSD slot were occupied in our review unit. It should be fairly simple to replace any of these components, although you need to partially remove the battery to get the heat shields off the SSDs, which is a slight added complication.
Dell XPS 17 (9720) Configurations
The starting price of the current-gen Dell XPS 17 is $1,849 with a Core i5-12500H, integrated Intel UHD graphics, 8GB of DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD with a 1920 x 1200 non-touch display. Our review model steps up to a Core i7-12700H, RTX 3060 graphics (the highest available option), a 3840 x 2400 touchscreen, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of PCIe 4.
0 solid-state storage for $3,049.
If your wallet can handle it, the top-end model with a Core i9-12900HK, the same RTX 3060 and UHD+ display, plus 64GB of RAM, 2TB of storage and Windows 11 Pro costs $3,794 as of this writing. Taking one step back to 32GB of RAM will save you $300, putting the price at $3,494. There’s also the choice of an RTX 3050 that knocks $200 off the 3060 option, but that also includes a step back down to the Core i7 CPU.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
As premium powerful Windows laptops go, the XPS 17 is still one of the best big-screen options available, and with 12th Gen Intel processors, it’s more powerful and longer-lasting than ever, while still being far more upgradable than most ultrabooks. That said, the 720p webcam and so-so keyboard sure could use an upgrade. And while battery life is good for a Windows laptop, it can’t match the MacBook Pro on that front.
Part of me hopes the XPS 17 gets a serious redesign soon to address some of the areas where it’s starting to feel stale or outmatched.
But if the new XPS 13 is indicative of Dell’s design direction, I’m in less of a hurry for a refresh. There’s definitely room for improvement with the XPS 17 9720, but I’ll take repairability and ports over a slightly slimmer shell and soldered-down storage and RAM like Dell’s latest 13-incher.
Dell XPS 17 (2022): Price Comparison
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After a rough start with the Mattel Aquarius as a child, Matt built his first PC in the late 1990s and ventured into mild PC modding in the early 2000s. He’s spent the last 15 years covering emerging technology for Smithsonian, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports, while testing components and PCs for Computer Shopper, PCMag and Digital Trends.
Dell XPS 17 9720 (2022) Review: Creative, With a Side of Gaming
$2,799 at Dell
Don’t like
- Low-res webcam
- Minimal ports
If Apple isn’t going to make a 17-inch MacBook Pro, then someone else is going to have to.
That’s what I always think when I see one of Dell’s big-screen XPS 17 laptops.
The oldest XPS 17 review of mine I could find dates back to 2011, although I’ve been covering this particular product line (or its identically named antecedents) since at least 2007.
Speaking of things that happened a long time ago, 2012 was when Apple discontinued the 17-inch MacBook Pro, and frankly there’s still an audience out there for a big-screen 17-inch laptop with that same style and vibe — a sharp, minimalist design wrapped around hardware that’s creative-minded, but also great for students and business types.
One of the machines I use regularly is the 16-inch MacBook Pro, with the M1 Max CPU. It’s a powerful (and powerfully expensive) laptop, but 16 inches still isn’t 17 inches, so I was excited to spend some time with the latest XPS 17.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The least-expensive XPS 17 right now is $1,750 and includes a 12th-gen Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a standard 1,920×1,080 display.
This particular configuration adds a lot of noteworthy upgrades to the CPU, graphics and other features. For $2,799 (currently – prices on Dell’s website can shift frequently), you get a 12th-gen Intel Core i7, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage and the top graphics option in the line right now, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. The 16:10 touchscreen display has a 4K 3,840×2,400 resolution.
The biggest missing piece is probably a higher-res webcam, which has become ever more important in our Zoom meeting work-from-home era. Instead, the 720-resolution camera has added a discrete IR sensor for better overall camera performance. But note that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, and even the upcoming new MacBook Air, have all upgraded to 1,080-resolution cameras, so it shouldn’t be a big ask.
The XPS 17 next to a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
This hulking silver-gray tank of a laptop is built around the same design as the last few generations of this system.
It’s a CNC-machined aluminum chassis with carbon fiber on the inside. Despite its heft, I like that the lid can be lifted with one hand, or even by a single finger.
The thin bezel around the large screen minimizes any wasted space, even with the webcam tucked into the top border. Ports are on the thin side for a 17-inch laptop, with just 4 USB-C ports and an SD card reader. For HDMI or USB-A needs, you’ll need an adapter or dongle.
Work and play
If you’re investing in a big, expensive laptop like this, with CPU and GPU chops, it’s probably out of professional interest. This will appeal to the Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere experts who are not already locked into Apple platforms.
The 4K display is a big help there, as is the taller 16:10 aspect ratio, which lets you fit more work into the screen at once. I threw some Photoshop projects at the system with no problem and appreciated the extra screen real estate.
Dell’s keyboard and touchpad are considered excellent among Windows laptops and I’ve always liked the XPS versions.
That said, the touchpad feels more floaty than Apple’s best-in-class version.
Ports on the MacBook Pro and XPS 17 compared.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
But the XPS 17 has another trick for you — it’s also a decent stealth gaming laptop. The GPU options top out at the current-gen Nvidia 3060, so it’s not going to match a similarly priced gaming laptop, but that GPU is fine for any current or upcoming game, with one important caveat — you should dial most games down to 1,920×1,200 (FHD) resolution, or maybe 2,560×1,600 (QHD). These are a little different than the standard resolutions (like 1,920×1,080) you might be used to because this is a 16:10 display, rather than a 16:9 one.
Because my time testing this laptop overlapped with Valve’s annual Steam Summer Sale, I had plenty of gaming opportunities with it. Among the recent games I played on the XPS 17 were medieval multiplayer game Chivalry 2, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters and turn-based RPG King Arthur: Knight’s Tale.
In general games chugged at higher resolutions but ran great at either FHD or usually QHD.
In fact, the XPS 17 became my main gaming laptop for a while, not because it had the greatest gaming hardware, but because it ran games well enough while offering a great large-format screen.
True big screen laptops are rarer than ever, and 16-inch screens are usually the new 17-inch screens for most. If you’re determined to find a 17-inch system that mixes the creativity of a MacBook Pro with mainstream gaming chops, the XPS 17 remains one of the only solutions that will satisfy both sides of that equation.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Dell XPS 17 9720 13241MacBook Pro 16 12627Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED 12476Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7601HP Spectre x360 16 5447
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench R23 (multicore)
Dell XPS 17 9720 16152Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED 14958MacBook Pro 16 12365Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 10412HP Spectre x360 16 6498
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED 12892Dell XPS 17 9720 12615Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 9380HP Spectre x360 16 7508
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
System Configurations
| Dell XPS 17 9720 | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2. 3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H; 32GB DDR5 4,800MHz RAM; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics; 1TB SSD |
|
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 16 | Apple MacOS Monterey 12.4; Apple M1 Max 10-core chip; 64GB RAM; Apple 32-core GPU; 2TB SSD | |
| Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H; 16GB DDR5 RAM; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics; 1TB SSD | |
| HP Spectre x360 16 | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 3.4GHz Intel Core i7-11390H; 16GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics; 1TB SSD | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 Plus | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-11800H; 16GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics; 512GB SSD |
Dell XPS 17 9720 REVIEW ★ July 2023
by Denis
Dell XPS 17 9720 buy
Specifications Dell XPS 17 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 is based on the 14-core Intel Core i7-12700H processor.
The TDP of the Dell XPS 17 9720 is 45W, which is average. On the one hand, the processor cannot boast of exceptional performance, on the other hand, it can still be considered a portable device that can be used away from a power outlet. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU is responsible for the graphics. Add a 65W graphics adapter to the processor power, and at maximum performance you will be able to fully work only from the power supply.
The Dell XPS 17 9720 has 32 GB of DDR5 RAM. This is enough not only for the most modern games, but also for video editing and other resource-intensive activities.
Our storage configuration is a fast Micron 3400 MTFDKBA512TFH 512GB 512GB SSD. The SSD capacity is enough for most tasks, however, if you are into video production or modern games, 512 GB may not be enough.
Dell XPS 17 Display 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 has a 17.0-inch 16:10 display with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 pixels and HDR support, made with IPS technology.
This resolution, in my opinion, is redundant for a 17.0-inch screen. Of course, you will be pleased with the highest clarity of the screen, and, of course, it is a pleasure to use such a device. However, there is a downside to the coin – increased power consumption, which negatively affects autonomy. If device mobility is more important to you, I recommend looking at configurations with a lower display resolution.
60 Hz display frequency is not something outstanding, but it is more than enough for everyday tasks. In addition, the lower the frequency of the display, the better its energy efficiency parameters. If autonomy is important to you, then 60 Hz from this point of view would be the best option.
Dell XPS 17 9720 display brightness averaged 400 nits. This is a good indicator for comfortable work indoors and possibly outdoors on a cloudy day. In bright sunshine, I wouldn’t expect you to be able to see anything on the screen if I were you.
The Dell XPS 17 9720 display contrast ratio is 1600:1, which is excellent.
The picture looks juicy and natural. It is especially pleasant to watch movies on such a screen. The screen surface is glossy. Like if you like glossy erans! Subscribe to our channel if you prefer matte.
IPS displays have proven themselves very well in mobile devices due to their excellent viewing angles and good color reproduction at a low production cost. Dell XPS 179720 inherited the advantages of IPS panels, however, it was not without its drawbacks.
Our colorimeter measurements show 100% coverage of the sRGB color space. This is a very good indicator, especially for games and films where richness of colors is important. The Dell XPS 17 9720 display is well calibrated by default, the gamma curve is up to standard, deviating only slightly from the standard, but you are unlikely to notice this with the naked eye.
The white point is noticeably shifted to the cold area. For professional use, I would recommend calibrating the display. In general, out of the box color reproduction is good.
Performance Dell XPS 17 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 can hardly be called a performance leader, but the Intel Core i7-12700H performs its best and fully meets expectations. You will notice episodic system slowdowns only if you are used to powerful multi-core desktop computers. For a portable computer, this performance is more than sufficient. In terms of numbers, the Dell XPS 17 9720 scored around 6800 in PCMark 10.
The graphics subsystem provided by the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU occupies a strong mid-range position and perfectly complements the Intel Core i7-12700H. In the 3DMark 11 graphics test, the Dell XPS 17 9 laptop720 scores around 18200 points.
Dell XPS 17 Cooling System 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 makes noticeable noise when under light load. It is audible even in office conditions. But if you load the Dell XPS 17 9720 to the fullest, the operation of the fans will frankly interfere. Working for a long time with such a background is uncomfortable.
Under maximum load, the Dell XPS 17 9720 body heats up to an uncomfortable temperature. Dimensions allow you to place a normal cooling system and not bring the device to critical temperatures. It is strange that this was not done.
Battery life Dell XPS 17 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 has average battery life. On a single charge, it will last no more than 7 hours with not very intensive use and an average brightness level. If you need more, then to the 2.5 kg weight of the device itself, add 396 g of the power supply, which you have to carry with you.
Dell XPS 17 interfaces 9720
- Dell XPS 17 9720 backlit keyboard
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Fingerprint sensor
- Light sensor
- Charging via USB-C (Power Delivery)
- 4x USB 4.0
- 4x Thunderbolt
- 4x DisplayPort
- Memory card slot: SDXC
- Headphone mini jack
Should you buy the Dell XPS 17 9720
The Dell XPS 17 9720 is a good choice, although it has some drawbacks.
If your opinion does not coincide with ours on these points, then feel free to take it and do not think about anything.
Alternatively, consider Dell XPS 15 9520 RTX 3050 Ti and HP Pavilion Plus 14 eh0097nr or even LG Gram 17 (2022).
See also
- Lenovo Legion Pro 5 OVERVIEW
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga G8 REVIEW
- Huawei MateBook 16s i9 REVIEW
- Asus ZenBook 14 UM3402Y REVIEW
- Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED UX6404VI REVIEW
- Huawei MateBook X Pro 2023 REVIEW
- Acer Swift Go SFG16-71 OVERVIEW
- Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED H7604 REVIEW
- Razer Blade 14 RTX 4070 REVIEW
- Lenovo Legion Pro 7 RTX4090 REVIEW
Dell XPS 17 9720 video review
2023-03-17 04:45
Dell XPS 17 9720 (2022) vs XPS 17 9710 (2021):
63 laptop comparison
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out of 100
Dell XPS 17 9720 (2022)
Dell XPS 17 9710 (2021)
Select the laptop configurations you are interested in for the most accurate comparison
| Screen |
-1920 x 12003840 x 2400 |
-1920 x 12003840 x 2400 |
| Battery | 97 Wh |
-56 Wh97 Wh |
| Processor |
-Intel Core i5 12500HIntel Core i7 12700HIntel Core i9 12900HK |
-Intel Core i5 11400HIntel Core i7 11800HIntel Core i9 11900HIntel Core i9 11980HK |
| Graphics |
-GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GBGeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB |
-GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GBGeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB |
| Memory (RAM) |
-8GB16GB32GB64GB |
-8GB16GB32GB64GB |
Overview
Dell XPS 17 9720 (2022) and XPS 17 9710 (2021) Core Feature Score 0 to 100
System performance
System and application speed
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
72
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
60 900 05
Gaming performance
Graphic features in popular 3D games
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
61
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
57
Screen
Sharpness, color reproduction, sensor type
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
37
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
37
Endurance
Potential Battery Life
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
9 0002 67
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
54
Communications
Ports, webcam and other interfaces
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
98
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
96
Chassis and design
Looks, materials, strength and comfort
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
70
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
70
NanoReview score
XPS 17 9720 (2022) 9000 5
63
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
57
Key differences
What are the main advantages of each of the laptops
reasons to choose the Dell XPS 17 9720 (2022)
- are equipped with 41 W*h larger battery (97 and 56 W*h)
- Best performance in the Cinebench R23 test: 13885 vs 9683 points
Tests and characteristics
Comparison table of test results and specifications
Notebook:
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
vs
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
Body
| Weight | 2. 21 kg |
2.21 kg |
| Dimensions | 374.4 x 248 x 19.5 mm | 374.4 x 248 x 19.5 mm |
| Area | 929 cm 2 | 929 cm 2 |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~90.3% | ~90.3% |
| Side frames | 4.1 mm | 4.1 mm |
| Colors | Black, Silver | Black, Silver |
| Material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Transformer | No | No |
| Screen opening angle | 140° | – |
Size comparison
| Cooling type | Active | Active |
| Evaporation chamber | Yes | Yes |
| Liquid metal | No | – |
| Number of coolers | 2 | 2 |
| Noise level | 47. 9 dB |
49 dB |
Display
1920×1200
3840×2400
1920×1200
3840×2400
| Diagonal | 17″ | 17″ |
| Matrix type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 133 dpi | 133 dpi |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 |
| Approval | 1920 x 1200 pixels | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| HDR support | – | Yes, Dolby Vision |
| Synchronization technology | No. | No. |
| Touch input | No | No |
| Coating | Matt | Matt |
| Light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Contrast | 1750:1 | 1650:1 |
| sRGB | 100% | – |
| Adobe RGB coverage | 100% | – |
| DCI-P3 coverage | 98% | – |
| Response time | 35 ms | 35 ms |
Max brightness
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
500 nits
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
500 nits 900 05
Battery
Capacity
97 Wh
56 Wh
97 Wh
| Voltage | 11. 4V |
11.4V |
| Full charge time | 2:00 am | – |
| Battery type | Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) | Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Removable | No | No |
| Quick Charge | Yes | Yes |
| USB Power Delivery | Yes | Yes |
| Charging connector location | Left, Right | Left, Right |
| Charging power | 130W | 90 / 130 W |
| Charger weight | 508 grams | 508 grams |
Processor
CPU Model
Intel Core i5 12500H
Intel Core i7 12700H
Intel Core i9 12900HK
Intel Core i5 11400H
Intel Core i7 11800H
Intel Core i9 11900H
Intel Core i9 11980HK
| Base frequency | 2.5 GHz | 2. 2-2.7 GHz |
| Boost frequency | 4.5 GHz | 4.5 GHz |
| Cores | 12 (4P + 8E) | 6 |
| threads | 16 | 12 |
| L3 cache | 18 MB | 12 MB |
| Integrated graphics | Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU) | Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (16 EU) |
| Process | 10 nm | 10 nm |
Benchmarks
Geekbench 5 (single core)
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
+8%
1705
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
1572
Geekbench 5 (multi-core)
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
+63%
10766
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
6599
Cinebench R23 (Single Core)
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
+14%
1757
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
1540
Cinebench R23 (multi-core)
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
+43%
13885
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
9683
Add your Cinebench R23 results
Video card
GPU model
GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GB
GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GB
GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
| TGP | 60 W | 60 W |
| Nvidia Optimus | Yes | Yes |
| Graphic type | Discrete | Discrete |
| Process | 8 nm | 8 nm |
| GPU frequency | 1237 MHz | 1237 MHz |
| Boost GPU frequency | 1500 MHz | 1500 MHz |
| FLOPS | 6. 14 teraflops |
6.14 teraflops |
| Video memory size | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Tire width | 128 bit | 128 bit |
| Memory speed | 12 Gbps | 12 Gbps |
| Shader blocks | 2048 | 2048 |
| TMUs | 64 | 64 |
| ROPs | 40 | 40 |
GPU performance
XPS 17 9720 (2022)
6.14 teraflops
XPS 17 9710 (2021)
6.14 teraflops
RAM
Memory capacity
8GB
16GB
32GB
64GB
8GB
16GB
32GB
64GB
| Planks | 1×8 GB | 2×4 GB |
| Frequency | 4800 MHz | 3200 MHz |
| Type | DDR5 | DDR4 |
| Replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Total slots | 2 | 2 |
Max. amount of memory |
64 GB | 64 GB |
Accumulator
Accumulator capacity
256GB
512GB
1024GB
2048GB
4096GB
256GB
512GB
1024GB
2048GB
4096GB
8192GB
| Tire | PCI-E Gen4.0 (4x) | PCI-E Gen4.0 (4x) |
| Type | SSD (M2) | SSD (M2) |
| Channels | 1×256 GB | 1×256 GB |
| Replaceable | Yes | Yes |
| Total slots | 2 | 2 |
| NVMe | Yes | Yes |
| Audio chip | Realtek ALC711-CG | Realtek ALC711-CG |
| Sound format | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| Speaker power | 2×2.5W, 2×1.5W | 2x2W, 2×1./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20081886/mchin_181005_4093_0001.0.jpg) 5W |
| Dolby Atmos | No | No |
| Max. volume | 79.8 dB | 78.3 dB |
| Microphones | 2 | 2 |
Communications
| Wi-Fi version | v6E | v6 |
| Bluetooth | v5.2 | v5.1 |
| Fingerprint reader | Yes | Yes |
| Infrared sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Drive | No | No |
| Webcam | Top of screen | Top of screen |
| Webcam resolution | 1280 x 720 | 1280 x 720 |
| USB-A | No | No |
| USB Type-C | 4x USB 4.0 | 4x USB 3.2 |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 4 | Thunderbolt 4 |
| HDMI | No | No |
| DisplayPort | No | No |
| VGA | No | No |
Audio port (3. 5 mm) |
Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet (RJ45) | No | No |
| Card Reader | Yes | Yes |
| Separate charging port | No | No |
Keyboard and touchpad
| Key type | Island | Island |
| Digital block | No | No |
| Light | Yes | Yes |
| Key travel | 1.3 mm | – |
| Size | 14.9 x 8.9 cm | 15.0 x 8.9 cm |
| Surface | Glass | Glass |
| Windows Precision | Yes | Yes |
*Please note! Ports, display matrix, speakers, and other options may vary by laptop configuration or country.