I have a Carbon X1 running Windows through work and Latitude running Linux at home. It's not fair to compare the two because they are different weight classes and running different OSes, but the X1 battery life and performance have really put me off the smaller form factor. It's puny and it regularly gets ~2 hours off a charge versus 4-8x that on the Dell, all just to save a kilo.
From what I can tell, they were made to compete directly with the IBM/Lenovo T-series Thinkpads. Similar form factor, ability to use docking stations, good keyboards, even the Trackpoint-like pointing device in addition to a traditional trackpad.
Although I haven't used a recent Lenovo T-series for any length of time, the Dells appear to compare very favorably. More metal construction, so they dent rather than cracking. Docking stations seem to be less expensive. Displays are on par. Similar battery life.
I wouldn't turn down a T-series if somebody handed me one, but many of the points the author makes in TFA about his T-series are true of the E-series Dells also.
Check my previous post https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29762909
The business Dell laptops blow anything lenovo has ever made out of the water in terms of specs, build quality, and serviceability. Also Dell’s bios is way better and easier to do stuff in. I’ve had a t420 and I thought it was crap compared to the Dell business laptops. The cooling, plastic casing material, and serviceability just isn’t there. On the T420 my palm rest cracked and to replace it you pretty much had to fully take apart the laptop to get it off. ifixit rated that particular repair at a pretty high difficulty, so instead I took the reusable components out, binned it, and used a Dell latitude.
Currently I don't own a Dell business laptop however. Right now I'm using an Intel NUC Laptop and it does pretty good.