I used to reload windows when I purchased new PC's, however now I just download and run CCleaner and remove it all.
The Dell warranty is nice though and next day on site repair is awesome. Another nice thing with the XPS line is you get XPS support which is US and Canada based.
I am with you on the Toshibas. They seem nice but have cheap outer components and buttons always seem to come off much like the Sony Vaio's.
Another one to check out is Prostar. They have a great reputations for high end customizable laptops. I have one client that has had one for 4 years with literally zero issues.
http://www.pro-star.com/