Is anyone else disappointed in the XPS M1530 ?

All I have to say about the "New" XPS M1530 is that it is severely disappointing. It is basically a 1520 in a supersized 1330 chassis.

With the launch of the 8800M and several companies announcing 15" laptops based around the 8800M GTX I expected a strong showing from Dell.

I want a 15" laptop with some teeth to replace my aged Inpiron 9300.

The XPS M1530's teeth are as sharp as my grandma's when she takes her dentures out.

I don't want a Integrated webcam.
I don't want a Biometric scanner.
I'll NEVER use either of them.
I understand some people might, hence the reason for options.

I thought XPS meant power, and gaming, not a 6 month late release.
The reason I say 6 month late is because it is so simlilar to the 1520.

The 1520 has a higher resolution screen.
The SAME video card, memory option, and comparable Processors.
None of the "extras" I don't want.
Looks are subjective, I like them both.

If the M1530 can bearly compete with it's "Little Brother" How do they expect it to compete with the REAL gaming 15" laptops coming.

I hope Dell updates the M1530 with even the lower end 8800M as an option.

 

You are mistaking it for a gaming laptop, so your thinking is flawed.....

 

XPS is their gaming brand

Dell says : "Performance as stunning as it looks"

I don't expect it to be amazing, but at least comparable to ther 15" gaming notebooks coming out.

I just don't think it should be an XPS if it doesn't fit what XPS means.

 

Name another 15.4" laptop in which you can get an 8600GT GDDR3 for $1100 and I will begin to start debating this topic with you.

 

**** The XPS 1530 is not listed as a Dell Gaming Notebook.


Try the 1730 or their Alienware line of notebooks.

 

I don't want an 8600GT, and you're right w/o discounts on other laptops it is a great deal. But even with dell discount codes you can get the 1520 w/ an 8600GT for a little less. The code that expired last week, or maybe it was a couple weeks ago was for $425 off $1,399 I think it was. Making a $1400 1520 with the 8600GT a hair under $1000.

Again, I don't hate the laptop, I'm just dissapointed it's the 15" XPS. It's on par with or slightly better than the 1520, and it should be several steps up.

 

XPS is their gaming brand, other than the low end every marketing thing I have ever seen for xps is about gaming or high performance for it's size.

I don't want a 17" laptop I have one & I hate taking it anywhere.

Besides the 1520 is listed for "Hi Def Gaming"

 

I said an 8600GT GDDR3 not 8600GT GDDR2, read carefully.

edit: Anything under 17" in the XPS lineup is not marketed for solely gaming purposes. This laptop has style, comes in at a lighter weight, has better build quality (assuming same as 1330), and has a better price point than any other 15.4" laptop in this class. Your also paying for a name and a unique laptop not many others will have.

 

It's a lot lighter and thiner than the 1520 isn't it? And XPSs really aren't hard core gaming laptops anymore.

 

Sorry I missed that. It may be the cheapest to get that card, but it still doesn't compare to the 8800M.

I just expect more from an XPS, though when I got my 9300 the only difference was 6800 vs 6800 ultra & was going to cost $300 more for the XPS.

 

Yes it is about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thinner and half a pound lighter.

 

No problem, I just figure that there is no way they could pack an 8800M GTX into that laptop especially one as thin as 1". It would be cool if they had it but the laptop would end up being way more expensive, bulky, and produce a lot more heat then its current cooling system would handle =/ . Also it would be in direct competition to alienwares M15x which is being released with the 8800M GTX (although it looks so bulky/ugly imho)

 

Honestly I would rather it be half an inch thicker and have an 8800M GTS, even if it was a $400 option.

I'm not a big fan of all the shiny on the m15x. But since I want a15" to replace mine & be a decent gamer for a couple years I may be stuck.

 

I doubt 8800 video card could fit any slim design due to its thermal nature.

 

Yeah I felt that way to at 1st.

If I had the xpsm1530 vs 1520 as an option when I config'd my system I would have choose the 1530 because it offers the the T7500, bio reader, hdmi, webcam all for the same original price I paid at time of my order.
Killer Deal

And I do consider the 1520 and the xpsm1530 a gaming machines because the only thing they can't do at 30fps is Crysis, everything else getting settings on medium or max. And thats just me using Vista 64 tests.

$1369 CND gets you a killer game machine now with a T7500, HDMI(use it if you got it) and a couple of frillz being the BioReader and PronCam, hehe.

Mixing Bioreaders and Proncams never seem to me like a good investment though, Jk.

 

i would be disappointed if i waited for this. i cant get it either way since i alrdy got my vostro. it actually makes me happy b/c i got the laptop sooner and now am not kicking myself for not waiting a bit for the xps.

But ur right.. i thought they would come up with something better. weak video cards in laptops are getting annoying. Im going to stay with this laptop for 2-3 years and then get one for 1500-2000 with a good vid card.

 

I do too

 

WRONG

XPS is their higher end line.......not specifically a "Gaming" Brand.

 

You can get the T7500 in the 1520.

The 8600M GT can't do a lot of newer games at 30fps on high. I'm sure the switch to GDDR3 helps, but I don't see it making an earth shattering difference. I buy things to last a couple years & I don't think the 8600M GT has that kind of staying power.

HDMI is a nice addition, but I would want to take off the Webcam and Biometric Scanner since I'd never use it. Why pay even the same price for something I'm never going to use and not want to look at ?

 

Why the issue here?

Dell doesn't make a notebook that you want at a price you want. I'm sure you can look up other manufacturers/brand for the looks/weight/performance/price that you are looking for. Now failing that, maybe there is a good reason why such a notebook doesn't exist, and why Dell isn't making one.

I want Dell to make me a M1330 with 8800GTX graphics, have 10hours battery life, and weigh in at 4lbs. Guess what? It aint happening.

Maybe being a little realistic here might help..... If you have seen the size of the cooling solutions for the 8700 in the M1730, I'm sure you can understand why it wont make it into the thin M1530.

A notebook is full of compromises.

 

XPS is Dell's: "Brand Of High-Performance Computers"

You are right "High-Performance" does not always equal gaming.

But it should be a good step up from their basic model. And while it has been pointed out the price vs performance is decent, it is not "High-Performance"

 

The issue is just that I'm dissapointed in the XPS M1530. and wanted to know if anyone else felt the same way. There will be notebooks with the performance and from what I've heard that price I want.

I'm not asking for a super thin, ultra powerful notebook with amazing battery life. I'm just dissapointed that the 15" XPS doesn't match their competition for what they say the XPS brand is.

And an 8800M GTS is Realistic for several companies, I was just hoping dell, with all the money they have to back the XPS line would follow suit.

This laptop just seems like the next version of the 1520, Not a high performance 15" XPS machine.

 

According to Dell, XPS stands for eXtremely Profitable Systems.

 

LOL Maybe I'll get lucky & someone will offer an 8800M in a 15" without it blinding me from all the glare...

 

Looks are indeed subjective but only to a certain extent.. Is the M1530 better looking than the 1520.. I'm guessing 99% of computer buyers will think so.

 

I wouldn't put it that high, but still fairly high.
But how many people would think it looks ugly if it were 1/4 to 1/2 in thicker ?
It's all about balance. and I just don't agree with the direction dell took.
I don't think they would have lost sales by making it slightly thicker.
I think they would have gained just as many if not more from having it be able to compete with other High end 15" notebooks. As I said having it as a $400 option could have kept the low entry cost, but made it very competative.

 

Wait, when did they announce the 8600GT was DDR3? I remember one of the admins saying they themselves wouldnt list it that way(even if dell officially claimed it had DDR3 because of the BS they pulled with the 1520/1720) until they had it in their hands and benchmarked it.

I have a hard time believing they would stock 2 different 256meg 8600GT cards... Esp. when the avg. consumer wouldnt care until they actually tried using the thing for gaming... not to mention the fact, that as most people say, this is not a gaming laptop.

Me personally, i'm waiting out on the 1525... If its cheaper(even by $50) i'll prob. go with it. I doubt it though, cause as it is i can get a similarly speced out 1530 for less, then the same 1520.(on dell.ca... which as we all know royally rips off canucks.)

 

That's what you whip out the discounts for ... The codes online tend to be better than the percentage off for school or work.

 

Actually I worked it out, we now get around %10 less rip-offage on the XPS1530.

 

10% off what? With the M2300 we are paying 25% more off the stock config... That was introduced a few weeks ago, when the dollar was hovering at 1.05us..

I have said it before plenty of times, but i really expected dell to lead the price drop's... They seem to build themselves around being the most cut-throat on pricing in america. Not really the case in canada though.

 

Hey, you're finally catching on: it's not a gaming machine. Buy something else, m'kay?

 

The competition? The new Alienware 15" has a 8800M, doesn't it? And Dell owns Alienware, so Alienware is their gaming line.

Get that.

 

The only thing I do not like about the XPS 1530 is the screen resolution. I really expected much better from Dell. Even with 14" Inspirons I always get 1440x900.

Although the 1530 looks very nice in terms of weight, power and price; the low resolution is really putting me off. I am debating between the 1330 and 1530 at the moment. Still haven't decided yet.

 

I Want A Xps Coupon Goddammit!!

 

Correct, oh your a sharp one, that now means we only have 90% rip-offage now. get it?

 

The crappy screen resolution is the real dealbreaker.

I'm sure they'll offer other screens eventually, but... wow, I can get poo-poo screen res like that at Best Buy.

 

Hey, it's not high performance either compared to any decent new 15" laptop. Hence my dissapointment in Dell, it's not about buying something else, it's about voicing my opinion, m'kay?

Yes it does, and I don't like how they look, I don't want the sun to catch it and blind me from the glare. I was hoping that the 15" XPS would be a toned down version with roughly the same top options. According to Dell Alienware is for "Extreme Gaming".

 

They need coupons!!!

 

XPS is no longer either gaming or high performance. It's just premium. Like, nicer than your typical budget laptop. Sure, they still have a few gaming models, but the majority of XPS machines are no longer aimed at gamers. It's more of a line to compete with Sony and Apple. You know, people who want something a little thinner, lighter, more stylish, and with high-end features like Blu-Ray option, HDMI, SSD option, higher-end processor options, LED-backlighting (although it's not on the 1530 yet, unfortunately), GDDR3 video RAM, fingerprint reader, and supposedly better service and support.

If you look at it that way, I think this isn't bad at all... except for the lack of screen options, and they say that that situation will improve next year. I think the M1530 should make a pretty nice competitor to the Sony FZ series, for example, and when they add some better display options, maybe the Macbook Pro as well.

 

**** RIGHT THEY DO

 

I just don't like the direction they've gone with the newer XPS's. I just don't want bells & whistles I'll never use. I've been waiting on a 15" XPS with some power so I could upgrade w/o getting another 17".

The M1530 will make good competition for those laptops, I've just been hoping for a little more power than what is out now. I geuss I am the only one who is disappointed to see the XPS line drifting further from it's performance roots.

 

Things I'd want to see in the XPS line:

1. better construction, somewhat lighter weight
2. edge features standard (DVI, HDMI, draft n wireless, bluetooth, gigE)
3. hi-res screen options, 7200rpm hard drive options
4. solid video card offering (ie 8600M GT)

XPS is only so-so on these fronts...

Basically, a Macbook Pro with better screen res options...

 

Does the MBP have HDMI?

 

No.

But I expect the same things from Apple, esp since they charge even more than Dell or Dell XPS. Apple has a bad habit of letting their designs get a little long in the tooth, although, to their credit, the MacBook Pro has had gigE, DVI, bluetooth, draft n wireless, a webcam and a backlit keyboard standard for a long time now and the Macbook Pro case still sets a good standard for thin and light in the 15.4" arena.

I'm not hating, I've owned a lot of Dells over the years.

These are posts with "ideas" in them, not some tight legal contract designed to ensnare, so don't go tripping over yourself just because you found a minor loophole or technicality. I've long since griped in the Apple section that the Macbook Pro does not offer higher screen res than 1440x900. I'd love to see a 1680x1050 like the Inspirons.

 

I basically agree with schemula's last two posts.

Apple's use of DVI is fine until they offer Blu-Ray or HD-DVD... then they'll have to switch to something with HDCP such as HDMI or maybe by then DisplayPort. However, Apple will need to offer some sort of hi-def drive sometime pretty soon IMO.

I do think it's lame that the M1330 and M1530 don't have gigabit ethernet. And yeah, at least Bluetooth should be standard.

As far as the XPS identity crisis... yeah they have sort of a split personality right now. Even Dell is splitting it out on their site by having separate things to click on for "XPS Notebooks" and "XPS Gaming Notebooks". Who knows... maybe at some point they'll either rename one of the lines, or move all the real gaming stuff to Alienware.

 

Alienware is their gaming brand now. XPS used to compete with that and now it doesn't have to since Dell took ownership. The XPS line appears to be going through a period of transition into a pro-sumer multimedia notebook. Both the M15 & 1330's are currently being advertised as such. Capable through sheer connectivity and chewing at the heels of the Vaio's and the Macbooks of this world. Only the M1730 follows the old mantra.

I didn't read all of the posts in this thread but it would appear through a bit of scanning the pages that the general concensus here is akin to my own.

To answer the original question though, yes, I for one am disappointed with the M1530. But not for obvious reasons already put forward in this thread. The 'low ceiling' on the M1530's specification does not give the M1330 much room to grow short of competing with it's bigger brother. I fear that the M1530's lacklustre component offerings have neutered what little development we were to see for the smaller notebook in the near future.

 

I was bit disappointed - the price point is acceptable, very similar to the M1330 pricing here in the UK, however the extra weight and thickness and lack of an LED option (at the moment) convinced me that the M1330 would be the better option for me, I'm not really a gamer so the graphics card issues don't bother me, i just wanted a sleek 13.3"-15.4" pro-sumer notebook. I don't really want a fingerprint scanner (guranteed to break once my kids poke and prod it) but that seems a default part on the M1530. In a way I'm glad because it made my decision making easier so I've gone ahead and ordered an M1330 at what I think is a good price, maybe in a month or 2 it won't seem like such a good deal but you can wait forever and ever in this game for new specs (eg Penryn) to arrive and price drops!!

 

All you're doing is complaining and moaning, which isn't going to change anything. Dell didn't design the XPS line for you, they're filling a market niche that they believe will be profitable. How is the m1530 not a "high performance" laptop? It can be spec'd out very nicely, comparable to the other best 15" laptops out there. It does not have to be "the best" (whatever that is) to be high performance. It is more stylish than the 1520 type alternatives, and at least a sligthly higher build and material.

Once the higher resolution screens come out this will be a great combination, and at a reasonable price. I'd say they succeeded.

 

The main selling point to the XPS line seems to be style as the specs are near to Dells Inspiron line and almost exactly the same as the HP DV6500t. What you get for the extra cash is a very stylish, slim(ish) case. Right now you can have the DV6500t with almost exactly the same specs for $950 with the 30% coupon..compared to around $1400 for the Dell (no coupon). Which would I choose as I am in the market? Its not clear to me as I really like the looks of the XPS line..seems rather silly to spend $450 more doesnt it for the look? and does Dell ever have coupons for their XPS line? Thanks

 

Well the pictures of the 1530's design were leaked long ago, assuming everyone has seen them - I'd imagine that people would be able to compare them with Alienwares m15x and notice the what 1" difference in size?

With that taken into account; what in hell would make people expect 8800m graphics in that thing, or even 8700m graphics. Look at the 1330, it only has a 8400, what would cause people to draw to the conclusion that 'oh it's a 15" screen but the same thickness, it can get way better GPU's now!". You deserve to be disappointed for drawing such unrealistic conclusions.

As far as the XPS tittle confusion, go on the Dell web site. Go to the Dell Notebook XPS page. What do you see? Three notebooks under 'XPS', now scroll down, what do you see? Two notebooks under 'XPS Gaming'. I'll leave the slow people to figure it out.

Also, this is from the m1530's page

Wheres are people getting "NEXT GEN GAMING GRAPHICS"?

Dell target the masses - great looks, good prices, mediocre/great quality. They have no intentions of creating an entire notebook lineup Just for gaming. That would be stupid, especially when you have the Alienware division at their finger tips.


But don't give up hope.. IF you want next gen graphics look at the 1730, It's expected to get 8800m GPU upgrade options in the next few weeks to months. As soon as nVidia is done creating the boards.