High-definition video playback looks good on the 14z, thanks to the discrete graphics card. Audio quality is solid, though the speakers don't get nearly loud enough. Dell includes special MaxxAudio enhancing software, which works well and achieves clear sound, but doesn't solve the volume problem. Audio through the headphone jack sounds very clean--and if you're near anything noisy, you'll definitely want to wear headphones while working on this computer.

The Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook is actually a thin, light, general-purpose laptop with Ultrabook aspirations and an optical drive. Thanks to its Ivy Bridge processor, discrete graphics card, and 8GB of RAM, the Inspiron 14z delivers respectable performance, but Dell surrenders style and hardware integrity in the bargain.