To help you out:

Windows Version (on the consumer site):

www.dell.com/.../pd

£1,079, includes UK VAT (@20%)

Linux Version (on the business site):

www.dell.com/.../pd.aspx

£899, excludes UK VAT (@20%) so adding VAT = £1,078.80

So, in the interests of being fair, it is 20 pence cheaper! (about 30c) :-)

I do have a nice e-value code I want to apply so I would get it cheaper than that but I could do that on the windows one too you know.

The developer edition should be cheaper than the Windows version.  Let me look into this.

thanks for the heads up

Just to rub a little further salt in the wound...

I ordered the Ubuntu version on 13th March and the estimated delivery date is 25th March. However, looking at the website tonight its showing that the Windows version will ship tomorrow (18th March). I'm guessing that the only difference is the HDD image It's disappointing that the Ubuntu version should be subject to an extra delay and it's made worse that the extra delay is so long.

BTW, I wouldn't mind the price parity if there was clear guarantee that the money saved by not having a Windows license was being passed to Canonical.

Barton - any word on whether the price of the Linux model will be adjusted in the UK? I'm planning to order something shortly and as I say, if they're the same price, I'll buy the one with the Windows licence.

Hi Karnka,

I found out the discrepancy,  the offerings in business site come with ProSupport so are priced higher than those in the consumer site.  For example, if Ive done my math correctly, the hi-end XPS 13 Windows config via the business site is 1,222.80 (w/VAT), whereas via the consumer site the same hi-end XPS 13 Windows config is 1,079 (w/VAT).   We have priced the XPS 13 developer edition to be less expensive (1,078.80 w/VAT) than the Windows version which also comes with ProSupport, which as I mentioned is 1,222.80 (w/VAT) .  

We are always looking to refine our offering as we go forward but at this point we dont have an XPS 13 developer edition available via the consumer site (with phone support rather than ProSupport).  

thanks!

Barton  

Barton,

That makes sense now. I do appreciate the investigation.

Cheers,

Jon

The lower-specced XPS 13, with the i5 and 128GB SSD, now has the HD screen, but this version is only available with Windows.  Does anyone know if the hardware is otherwise the same - that is, are all the drivers,  repositories, etc. mentioned here going to work if I buy that and overwrite the Windows system with an Ubuntu install?  If that's confirmed, I'm ready to buy one of these next week.

Hi Danny,

You should be fine loading Ubuntu on the the lower-specced system.

thanks and let us know your thoughts on the system if you end up buying it.