discussion Dell XPS M1530 or something else?

[Thund3rball]

So the wife and I have been thinking about a new notebook to replace our HP n5400 (800Mhz PIII w/128MB Ram) for much too long. She wants something that does not need replacing for at least 5 years for general internet, email, photo browsing and office apps. I want something that will run games at a decent frame rate with some eye candy and can double as a production machine (Adobe CS3) if I need to take it on the road.

We do not plan on hauling this notebook around much, we just want it for the downstairs living room/kitchen/dining room area. A desktop just doesn't make sense here unless it was an HTPC but that means taking up the TV with a computer. We don't want a 17" monster notebook and a 13" is too small.

So we seem to have gravitated towards the Dell XPS m1530. Any thoughts on this notebook? I have read reviews and they seem pretty positive. Anyone know of anything else that may fit our needs for a better price or have experience with this notebook? Here's what we have picked out for $1648 +tax.

• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB)
• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED™
• High Resolution glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LCD(1680x1050) & 2MP Camera
• 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)
• 160GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
• 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
• Slot Load DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write)
• 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• High Definition Audio 2.0
• 3 year warranty

 

[Cheator]

Honestly, look at the Inspiron 1520. ITs the same unit, has the same video card, and you get the identical support (XPS staff get more training, but you shouldn't need them since you're a computer geek). Saves you a few bucks and you get the same unit.

 

[Thund3rball]

Thanks Cheator. We've looked at the 1520 before. I have nothing against it, nice machine with same specs as you say, except currently the same configuration as the M1530 above costs ~$165 more at $1813 +tax.

• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB), English
• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Edition, English
• High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1680 x 1050)
• Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
• 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
• 160G 7200RPM SATA HDD
• 256MB NVIDIA ®GeForce™8600M GT
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini Card
• 3 Year Warranty
• 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• High Definition Audio 2.0
• Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

 

[Cheator]

Thanks Cheator. We've looked at the 1520 before. I have nothing against it, nice machine with same specs as you say, except currently the same configuration as the M1530 above costs ~$165 more at $1813 +tax.

• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB), English
• Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Edition, English
• High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1680 x 1050)
• Integrated 2.0M Pixel Webcam
• 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz, 2 Dimm
• 160G 7200RPM SATA HDD
• 256MB NVIDIA ®GeForce™8600M GT
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Mini Card
• 3 Year Warranty
• 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• High Definition Audio 2.0
• Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Now thats odd... all my 1520 configs cost me less, not sure why that is.. anyway, if thats the case, go with the xps. There isn't much of a benefit from XPS as they might try to tell you, but at least you're saving money. Btw..get me one too while you're at it

 

[Thund3rball]

Ok this Asus G1S has my attention at $1670 +tax

http://www.ncix.com/products/index....A613215JCQL450T&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1088

The low-down:
* 15.4" widescreen display with a 1680x1050 resolution
* Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.4GHz (models G1S-B1 & B2)
* GeForce 8600M GT video card with 256MB of RAM
* 3GB DDR2 RAM
* 200GB, 7200RPM SATA hard drive
* DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray
* 4 x USB 2.0 ports
* 1 x 4 in 1 Card Reader
* 802.11a/g/n Wireless
* Bluetooth
* 1.3M Pixels video camera
* Windows Vista Home Premium
* 2 year warranty (1 year on battery)

Bang for buck it kills the M1530 (IMHO). It also comes with a re-branded Logitech MX518 mouse (from what I can see in the pic) and a back pack. What do you guys think? Asus laptop's any good? Very little as far as reviews on the net go.

 

[Thund3rball]

I did it!! Dell's deal was changing every few hours it seems so I struck while the iron was hot. I did a config online that included 2GB Ram and was $1599, but I only wanted 1GB since I have 3GB here to put in it. So I called Dell and the CSR let me downgrade my config to 1GB and knocked $70 off the price. WOOT!

$1529 +tax unk:

XPS M1530 (RED)
T7500 2.2GHz 4MB L2
1GB 667 (3GB already bought)
200GB 7200rpm
8600M GT
1680x1050
8x Slot DVD+/-RW
Bluetooth/Wireless
3yr RTD
Vista Ult. (RED)

9-11 days for delivery

 

[ebdoradz]

what about an Acer Aspire

Acer Aspire 7520-5168
- Turion 64 X2 TL-60 / 2 GHz
- RAM 2 GB
- HDD 250 GB (2 slot for HDD 1 used 1 free)
- DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
- GF 8400M G
- Gigabit Ethernet
- WLAN : 802.11b/g,
- Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
- Vista Home Premium
- 17" Widescreen TFT 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ ) CrystalBrite (LX.AN30X.088), webcam built-in screen

929.00$ euh???

 

[sswilson]

I'm curious about all of these laptops being advertised with 3G memory.... does that mean that they are using 1X2G + 1X1G?

What does that do to running dual channel (I know there was a stink last year over some models which had dual channel disabled on them)?

Or..... are they loaded up with 4G, and the 3G advertised spec is because they are running a 32 bit OS?

Anybody have insight on this?

 

[Thund3rball]

what about an Acer Aspire

Acer Aspire 7520-5168
- Turion 64 X2 TL-60 / 2 GHz
- RAM 2 GB
- HDD 250 GB (2 slot for HDD 1 used 1 free)
- DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
- GF 8400M G
- Gigabit Ethernet
- WLAN : 802.11b/g,
- Bluetooth 2.0 EDR
- Vista Home Premium
- 17" Widescreen TFT 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ ) CrystalBrite (LX.AN30X.088), webcam built-in screen

929.00$ euh???

No that's pretty much everything I wasn't looking for in a laptop.

17"
AMD
8400M
1440x900
Vista Home Prem. (although I could have handled this I suppose)

You know for a less than a couple hundred more you can get an Aspire that will WAY out perform that one. NCIX had the 5920 on for $1100 with a T8300 and 8600GT.

I'm curious about all of these laptops being advertised with 3G memory.... does that mean that they are using 1X2G + 1X1G?

What does that do to running dual channel (I know there was a stink last year over some models which had dual channel disabled on them)?

Or..... are they loaded up with 4G, and the 3G advertised spec is because they are running a 32 bit OS?

Anybody have insight on this?

My 3GB config will be 1x1GB and 1x2GB. I bought the ram from NCIX for ~$50. Dell wanted $170 on top of the base price for 3GB ram - LOL. Exact same Corsair Value Select 667 as Dell and Apple uses. Dell also gives you 3GB in 2 Dimms so it's a 1x1 and 1x2 GB config.

My buddy's got a Mac Book with 1x3GB stick. Maybe we can play around with all the Ram and see what the differences really are?

Yes you lose dual channel of a matched pair with 3GB. But I think the benefit of Vista having more Ram at it's disposal out weighs the consequences of losing dual channel timings. I could put 4GB in (2x2GB) but with 32bit Vista it won't get all used.

BTW anyone want to buy 2x512MB Corsair Value Select 667 200 Pin SODIMM? Never will be used.

 

[ebdoradz]

you have to set in bios the "amount" of share memory you want you r video card to have