I'm researching new laptops, and the two laptops that keep bouncing between the #1 and #2 spots on my short list are the XPS15 9560 and the Alienware 13R3. I t

I'm researching new laptops, and the two laptops that keep bouncing between the #1 and #2 spots on my short list are the XPS15 9560 and the Alienware 13R3. I think the Alienware 13 is an ugly, heavy brick (in fairness, you can get uglier), but it basically ticks off everything I need on paper. My max acceptable weight for a laptop - irrespective of size - is around 5.5 lbs, so it barely makes that, but once you get past the esthetics, it's a fantastic machine. It's available with a quad core CPU with multiple options for GPUs (including the 1050Ti which kills the battery less than the 1060), a nice array of current and future ports, user replaceable wifi, RAM and SSD, and the option for an OLED screen. Oh, and it's also got physical touchpad buttons, which are something I've been missing for a long, long time. Because my last two laptops have been quad core, I struggle with the idea of replacing my laptop with an ultrathin laptop that has an ultrabook processor that would be slower than what I currently have. Every time I think the XPS15 is the one for me, I look at the Alienware 13 and change my mind. The one thing I really hate about the Alienware 13R3 is that it's a "gaming" laptop and the matching gaming bling, but that's a rant for another day.