DELL XPS M1730 (PENRYN)

Mobile Gaming Beast



The newest Dell XPS M1730 (Penryn) is an awe-inspiring piece of technological splendor. A bold statement, yes, but one that's easily warranted by this masterfully designed gaming laptop, despite its size and heft.

Weight is, in fact, this rig's only limitation. With its gigantic AC adapter, the weight of the 17-inch, widescreen M1730 jumps to almost 14 pounds. Nonetheless, the M1730 is a terrifict example of where technology is heading. LED lights shine out through the grilles of the front speakers and from underneath the keyboard, the numeric keypad, and the center of the lid. You can also customize the lights with Dell's quickset software. If you're more interested in conserving power or battery life, the intensity of these lights can be lowered or turned off.

The feature set is solid, for the most part, except for the aging DVI-out connector. The 2.8-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X9000 represents the M1830's move to "Penryn" core. The M1730 also includes a built-in PhysX card from Ageia-a first for a laptop, as well as dual nVidia GeForce 8800M GTX graphics cards.

The M1730's SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score was slightly behind our comparison system, the Alienware Area-51 m15x (by 6 percent). The system's video-encoding score also came up short. Scores on CineBench R10 and Photoshop tests, on the other hand, were as impressive as those of the Alienware laptop. Result on the World in Conflict and Crysis gaming tests were 1.7 times and 7.2 times as high, resprectively, as those of the Alienware. As for battery life, the Dell laptop's score of 1 hour 30 minutes on MobileMark 2007 sentences it to a life near a power outlet. But for serious gamers, the game experience is what counts th emost. Here the M1730 easily takes first prize. If you're looking for an all-around laptop that's still strong on gaming, however, I'd recommend going for the Alienware system. -Cisco Cheng


Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme X9000 (2.8 GHz); 4GB DDR2 SDRAM; 250GB,7,200-rpm hard drive; SLi nVidia GeForce 8800M GTX, 512MB; 17-inch, 1,920-by-1,200 display; Intel Wireless Wi-FI Link 4965AGN: 10.7 pounds (13.7 pounds travel); dual-layer DVD+-R; four USB ports; one FireWire port, 85-Wh, zz-Ah, lithium ion battery; Windows XP Prx`ofessional.

PC Magazine November 2008
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Dell Studio 15

Midrange notebook offers better brain than looks




OFFERING MORE-FLEXIBLE OPTIONS than Dell's budget-minded Inspirons-but still priced well south of th emore upscale CPS line- the company's new Studio line (starting at $749 and available in 15- and 17-inch varieties) hits a midrange sweet spot, delivering everything the mainstream consumer could ask for.
Dell offers the Studio in a wide assortment of colors (our Studio 15 test system came in midnight blue), though the Dell designers got too artsy with the drip-like imprint design on the glossy wrist rest. A recessed lid hinge and clean lines rescue the Studio line from aesthetics hell, howevew.
The Studio 15 delivered solid marks on our PCMark05 test suite, but it did even better on Our Windows Media Encoder and iTunes-encoding tests. Our unit came with a 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3450 discrete graphcis card, which wasn't as strong a performer-if you want to play the latest games, look elsewhere. The included six-cell battery lasted a respectable 2 hours and 6 minutes on our DVD drain test.
At our test unit's $1,999 price, you get 2GB of RAM to go with a top-shelf 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo T9300 processor; in its current configuration, unfortunately, the Studio misses out on Intel's recently launched Centrino 2 technology.

The ample connection options include an HDMI port, five USB ports, FireWire, a multiformat memory-card reader, and a PC Card slot. Wireless connectivity comes courtesy of built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. You also get a built-in 2-megapixel Webcam residing above the screen.-Asa Somers.
source: Computer Shopper October 2008.
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XPS Studio

XPS Studio
Studio system
With the desigh flourishes of the XPS an dthe customizability of the Inspiron, Dell's new Studio series of notebooks fits snugly between those lines. The 15.4-inch Studio 15 starts at $7900, while the 17-inch Studio 17 starts at $999. Both offer plenty of hardware options, with a selection of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, hard drives, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics, and high-resolution displays available. You can also chose from a wide range of colors-blue,green,orange,pink,purple, or red, or even graphite with your choise of color trim-so that your machine matches your personality as much as its performance does your needs. Dell, www.dell.com
source: Computer Shopper September 2008.

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Dell Vostro 1310

Dell Vostro 1310
A solid business laptop for frequent travelers


DELL'S $1,416 VOSTRO 1310 offers a business-friendly mix of features, dedicated tech support, and handy utilities-with no preloaded trialware. We just wishit were a touch more portable.
Built around a 13.3-inch screen, the 4.8-pound Vostro 1310 is smaller than Dell's 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch Vostro models, but it's bulkier than other 13.3-inch models we've seen. We do like, however, the look of the notebook's subdued, black metallic chassis.
The Vostro 1310 has touch-sensitive multimedia control and volume buttons-rare on a business notebook. Oddly, however, there's no mute button. Not that it matters much, since the monaural speaker is tinny and muffled. The screen, on the other hand is a winner:bright and crisp.
Dell has included the ports you would expext in a business notebook, save for one you might need on the road: a modern jack.
Beyond the hardware, the Vostro line is just as much about the software. We like the inclusion of 10GB of online storage via Dell's DataSafe Online backup-and-recovery service, as well as a one-year subscription to Dell Automated PC TuneUp. Refreshingly absent is all the 30-day trial software many PCS are laded with.
Performance is solidly above average for a mid-price business notebook, though as we excepted, the Vostro 1310's 3D capabilities won't thrill games. The system lasted on a decent 2 hours and 15 minutes on our DVD-rundown test.
source: Computer Shopper August 2008.
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Dell E Series

Just a glimpse of the lipstick red competitor for the wildly successful Asus Eee PC sent us all into a tizzy. After all, we keep telling manufacturers over and over again we want a smaller, cheaper, sturdier unit to lug around with us that can perform the few functions we need on the go, but handier than your average smartphone. The more details that leak out about the Dell E series of minis, the more it looks like something the average person might buy and use.

The 8.9-inch E line, divided into three configs, is designed for what Dell says is "emerging markets" and children as well as "youth social networking/entertainment;" it features a 1024x600 WSVGA screen, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom "Diamondville" processor, and 3-5 color options. The MID will offer three USB ports, mic/headphone IO, VGA output and SD card input. It is only 2.2lbs, 0.82-inches thick, and includes a four-cell 35WHr battery for about five hours of battery life. Dell says the E classic, first expected to ship in August, will have both Linux and WinXP options, starting at $299. The "Classic" will offer 512MB RAM and 4GB flash HDD, while the Dell E Video-branded MID, for education, will include either 1GB RAM/8GB flash HDD or 1GB RAM/12GB HDD/Bluetooth on the E Video+.



You can knock the things around because they have a solid state flash drives, some instant on functions and WiFi access to get you out and about and browsing in a jiffy. Dell has a sort of MacBook Air 12.1" unit based on the Intel Silverthorne processor that has a SSD drive as well. But we can talk about that later. I want my Dell E Etch-A Sketch first!
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