Anyone regretted getting m1530 with 1680x1050 res?

I'm only talking about the pure res, rather than grainy issue etc.

I'm still oscillating between getting 1440x900 or 1680x1050.

My concern about the higher res is that web browsing and general doc reading is going to be a bit hard on the eyes...and might require me to be closer to the screen for reading, and m,ore difficult to have two people viewing the screen at the same time (without bumping heads, lol).

Obviously, the lower res will mean I have a bit less real estate.

If I could only decide I'd order right now!!!! So frustrating!

 

Go to control panel > display > settings > advanced > change dpi to 120.

or

It is possible to change the font size for the individual elements within Windows such as menu’s, title bars etc.

• Open the Start menu by clicking on the Start button or by pressing the Windows logo key (located between the Ctrl and Alt keys) - or Ctrl + Esc
• Click on Control Panel or press the letter C on the keyboard.
• Double click on Display or press the D key repeatedly until Display is highlighted and then press Enter.
• Click on the Appearance tab or press Control + Tab until the Appearance tab is at the front. (see fig. 2)
• In order to change the font for individual items, you need to make sure that the Windows and buttons setting is set to Windows Classic Style.
  
• Click in the Windows and buttons drop down box and choose Windows Classic Style. Alternatively, press Alt + W, press the down arrow until Windows Classic Style is selected and press Enter.
• Click on the advanced button or press Alt + A to display the Advanced appearance page.

 

I got the 1400X900 and there's PLENTY of real estate on the screen. I honestly can't imagine why anyone would go higher. I was a bit worried about my decision before my computer came in...but once it got here, I was happy. I'd never use the 1680X1050 option.

 

Thanks for your advice FusionZ06. Pretty thorough (+rep )

By my calculations, at 1680x1050 changing the dpi to 120 would mean I had the same real estate as 1260x788. So I don't think it would be an option for me. Also I've noticed that some apps don't look too good at 120dpi...their icons become aliased.

It's not the windows UI that bothers me. It's the body text of web pages, etc. Unfortunately, most web pages don't scale with changes in dpi, nor are they affected by windows appearance settings.

So I think these options aren't for me, but they might help someone else.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'd probably be happy with 1440x900 too.

 

I got the 1680x1050 while it was on the "best" discount package last month and suspected I'd prefer the 1440x900. I did increase the dpi for Windoes interface as described above and found that it did enough, and that most apps I was running in Vista actually turned out looking pretty good. (It didn't hurt that I lucked into an LG screen at that res, I suppose). The only problem is that the rig can't really push games at that resolution, either because the games don't support that format or because the graphics cards can't push enough data.

I suspect, if you're wondering whether to pay for the upgrade, you probably won't miss it if you don't get it.

 

If you have a 15.4" screen available to you, then go download images of 1440x900 desktops and 1680x1050 desktops, and view them full-screen. You do do this by opening it in the windows photo and fax viewer, then pressing F11 and clicking pause in the top-right.

These, obviously will be very fuzzy, but at least you get a sense of size. I chose 1440x900 and love it. I can lean back away from the computer and still read, and I love that I have more real estate than I did at 1280x800.

 

have 1680x1050 and like it more than my previous 1400x1050 screen

 

Thanks all. I have just ordered the m1530 with 1440x900 res.

• XPS M1530 CORE 2 DUO T9300 2.50GHz,800,6M
• Display 15.4" WXGA+ Widescreen (1440x900) TFT with Truelife
• Fingerprint Reader Biometric with BLACK accent
• Save £40 (ex VAT)
• CCFL backcover black & 2.0mp camera
• Documentation English XPS M1530
• Ship Accessories UK XPS M1530 - Power Cord 3 PIN
• Resource DVD XPS M1530 - (Diagnostics & Drivers)
• Memory Dual Channel 4.0GB (2x2048) 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Drive 320GB SATA (5400rpm)
• 8xDVD+/-RW Slim Slot-Load Drive, including SW
• AC Adapter 90W - 3 Pin
• Battery XPS Primary 9-cell 85WHr Li-Ion
• Targus Campus Notebook Backpack XL - Compatible with up to 17" screen
• Laptops
• Graphics Card 256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GT
• Dell Travel Remote control
• Modem Not Included
• European - Dell TrueMobile 355 internal Bluetooth Module
• Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-PCI Card, EUR
• Internal Keyboard Uk/Irish (QWERTY)
• English - Vista Ultimate (32Bit OS)
• English Microsoft Works 9.0 (Word Processor, Database) with Recovery CD
• Dell Support Center 2.0
• English - Adobe Reader 8.1
• UK Internet Service Provider - Tiscali
• English McAfee Security Centre 9.0 - 30 Day Trial Version
• 3 Year Consumer XPS Premium Hardware Support (incl. Gaming and On-site
• support)
• Base Warranty - 1 Year XPS Premium Hardware Support (incl. Gaming and
• On-Site Support)
• No Accidental Damage Support

Subtotal GBP 1,101.55
Shipping Free
VAT GBP 192.77
Total GPB 1,294.32

So excited. Only prob is 10 - 12 WORKING days before I can get my hands on it!

 

Because games look great in native res and computer graphics applications require a lot of screen real estate for view windows and tool bars. Going the higher res is a trade off for not choosing a larger & heavier 17" laptop.

 

Quickly go and cancel that order then redo it via the home and home office option. You'll save about £300.

You might have to ring to get the 1440 screen.

 

I don't know how you get that price. Did you see that I included 3 years suport and a backpack?

I've just configured the exact same spec (except fot 1440x900 upgrade) on the home option.

And I get
Sub-total £1,409.01
Total Delivery Charge £60.00
Total Price £1,469.01

And the screen upgrade would cost more still.

 

Yeah was about to say, I just ordered one this morning for £658 including vat n shipping from the home section, it has nearly identical specs to that, same T9300 processor etc, cept I got 2GB RAM and am gonna upgrade myself - can save you about £50 and just kept with 1 year hardware support.

 

Unless the 2 years more support, the usually £15 screen upgrade and the backpack and 2GB more RAM costs around £800 extra, I think you can get a better deal.

 

And btw, did you use an XPS 10% off voucher? Here's one that's new today: 70VH9$5F87NP17

 

Wow
I got my dell end of January for 768 quid
But I suppose they were gettig rid of the santa rosa platform
The 1440 by 900 is great , I am playing quake 4 on it at the moment and it looks good (I know old game but I didnt have a PC from May 2005 till now so catching up)
Try and choose the cheapist base notebook in home section and config from there , thats how I got mine alot cheaper

 

Hey uk posters

Im thinking of buying m1530 but I really want the 1680x1050 and red chassis... Is it possible to get the red colour over the phone without choosing the (RED) edition? I do not really need vista ultimate...

And also, what about resolution? Even in the small business section 1680 is not avilable (only 1920, 1440 and 1280) Can I get it over the phone?


Thanks for help!

 

My bad didn't see the 3 year warranty.

 

Moa, definitely phone them. They will allow you to upgrade to 1680x1050.

 

Ok MidnightSoul...you are THE MAN!

Thanks also to the_forge.nz. I configured it from the cheapest option.

And also thanks to Sledge for making me worry that I had paid too much in the first place! LOL.

I just phoned the rep and reduced the cost down to £1143!
A £150 saving!!!

+ rep to all three of you

I think that's a good price considering the upgrades from the base option:
T9300, 4GB RAM, Vista Ultimate, 3 year support, 1440x900, 320GB upgrade, the 9 cell battery, Intel Nextgen wireless card, the 8600m, the backpack, and factoring in that I don't have to waste my time ordering memory and hard drive and then installing them myself.

I'm happy as Larry. Thanks again all!

 

Thanks for answer stucampbell

Will they allow me to get red colour on normal, non-productRED notebook?

Cheers

 

I would just ask for it. Call 0844 444 4699*. They are desperate to sell to you. Ask and ye shall receive.

But don't believe anything they say about technology! LOL. They will say anything if it means a sale.



* if you're in the UK that is.

 

lol ok

Last question: can i use discount codes over the phone? ^^

 

Yes you can.

I just cancelled my order that has been in pre-production and used the voucher myself. Saved £109. Yay for vouchers. +rep

 

I want the same. I am in the UK and struggle with the abrupt, rude hard selling agents from India who claim there is a no discount policy.

Who did u speak to?

BTW - I am of Indian origin!!!

 

They just talk bollocks, just be persistent.

I had various upgrades to the base package online and the rep tried to apply the discount against the base package instead of to everything. Just argued that the 10% discount didn't say '10% online' it just said 10% off. The little weasel agreed in the end.

 

Well, I regret getting an XPS M1330 with 1280 x 800 screen. That resolution was just too low for working with Eclipse (a programming tool) comfortably. I found especially the vertical resolution of 800 pixels too limiting.

So I sold my M1330 and ordered an M1530 with 1680 x 1050 screen. I don't have it yet - it's coming next Monday.

I do also have a Lenovo T61 from work with a 15.4-inch 1680 x 1050 screen, and for me that resolution is just perfect. I think I will be happy with that resolution on my M1530.

I'm mostly running Ubuntu on my computers. I think Ubuntu handles high screen resolutions better than Windows.

 

Arg! Don't make me regret the order already!

I agree that more pixels is always better in an IDE like Eclipse or Visual Studio. I just ended up settling on 1440x900 as a compromise between programming real estate and readability of text when browsing, etc.

Jesper, do me a favour. When you get your 1530 please post some screenshots showing some code in Eclipse and also some web pages with lots of body text, e.g. this site lol. It would be quite helpful. I saw some other shots but they were just photographs of the screen.

 

I have a 1680 samsung, its decent, and I have good vision so reading is fine, though I still have yet to see an LG screen (verrry common on 1440 screens) and i think its likely worth it to go with a 1440 screen to almost ensure an LG.

The viewing angles on my samsung are terrible, wrong way around, so vertically I loose the optimum very quickly, but people sat next to me can see my screen fine, i dont want them to be able to!

Very nice spec though, be glad, wish I'd have maybe waited a little when penryn cores came about

 

Thanks TheCleanerLeon. I know people are always going on about Samsung vs LG but didn't realise that viewing angles were that poor on the Samsung screens!

*Crosses fingers*

You still got the problem with the bezel (mentioned in your sig)? Won't they fix that for you?

 

i love the resolution. typically i prefer the high resolution. when i first got my m1530 i was a little worried but i got use to it and im glad i got it.