Dell XPS M1730 best OS for gaming ONLY? 2013

Hi Guys..

I recently just got my M1730 repaired... (video memory fault, expensive fix) after been stuck in a closet for about a year and a half. I am currently using Vista 32 bit, (which for some reason wont currently let me log in as administrator, SP pack out of date??) and i was wondering if it is worth upgrading to windows 7 32 or 64 bit? I know vista has always taken a bashing as an OS but i know very little about it as regarding gaming in general. I only intend to use this machine solely for 2 things only, gaming, and internet for OS updates, DLC and patches etc.

I want to do a complete fresh install, minus all the normal bloated garbage of an OS, and get rid of all the other software and files i have on there. I understand very little of drivers or indeed messing around under the hood... I am under the impression that if i did a complete fresh install of another operating system i would still have to find new BIOS, sound, graphics, chipset drivers etc etc? I do not have the original driver CD that came with machine. Im assuming if upgrading to windows 7 32, this wouldnt be necessary?

I only have 4 gig RAM, and im assuming that if thats all i intend to use then there isnt much point upgrading to 64 bit as 32 bit only uses up to 4 gig RAM? (I will not be upgrading RAM to 8 gig) And as i dont intend to use for any other software or applications aside from games is there any point?

Would it even be worth reverting to XP, even though i could not take advantage of DX10?

It currently has..

OS.. Vista 32 Home premium Edition
Processor.. Intel Core Xtreme 9000 (clockable)
Graphics: 2 X Nvidea Geforce 8800GTX SLI + Aegia Physx Card
RAM.. 4 GIG

If anyone could give me advice on how to turn this machine into nothing more than a beast stock games machine with a fresh install it would be most appreciated.

Many thanks...

 

I would install win 7, it will meet all of your needs and is better than xp. Although i use win 8 over 7 but thats just me.

 

Windows 7 64 bit works fine. For most drivers use the Vista 64 bit ones with a few noteable exceptions. Use the latest Nvida drivers from the Nvida web site. For the lcd module use the 64 bit logitec G15 keyboard drivers and software.

 

Get Windows 8. It's on a special offer from microsoft until 31st of Jan. Gaming performance is virtually identical as on Windows 7.

 

I say stay away from it like a plague unless you want to use touchscreen of which I doubt the XPS isn't a touch screen. Windows 7 will more then suffice your computing needs for years to come...all those tweaks you do with windows8 will be wiped out when M$ does their own update to kill those customization. So don't think for a moment M$ will kill those customization.

 

There are no drivers for windows8 sorry to say I have a XPS M1710 and they only have drivers for x64 in vista not windows8 when I looked for my M1710. And in Windows7x64Ult Sp1 with the x64 drivers works great. That laptop was from a early days before and I doubt they have drivers for windows8 for such a old laptop from Dell.

 

I got Windows7x64 Ult Sp1 on my XPS M1710 and so far it running very good I haven't finished installing but the resolution is great. Going Windows7x64 and seeing if you can put 8gigs and upgrade your CPU would do your rig a boost but definitely a CPU upgrade would be a good option if that doesn't break the bank. My M1710 is 4gig and will upgrade the HDD but will put a T9300 into the CPU to boost the performance from the original T7600 that it has currently. Not sure what CPU your system is limited to but CPU upgrade is worth while option to go to if you can. I wouldn't go Windows8 since your XPS isn't a touchscreen or tablet and all those customization you have to do will defeat the purpose of computing and your gaming rigs as it doesn't use windows8 or have drivers for it from Dell to run on windows8. But you can double check by using your service tag on dell site and they will tell you what drivers they have for it or not but if it's anything like my system they only have to vista64 drivers....