Anyone using XPS 1530 for software development?

I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on an XPS 1530 with a 1680x1050 LCD but after taking a look at a basic model at Best Buy, I'm concerned about the glossy screen quality and glare.

This machine will be primarily used for web-related development, so a lot of time spent in Eclipse, Visual Studio, multiple browsers, Photoshop etc. I currently use a matte wsxga+ laptop.

Is anyone happy with long hours of coding and looking at text with either a 1680x1050 or 1440x900?

My other option is one of the new Macbook Pros. However, that has it's own issues as well such as the awful font rendering on OSX.

Thanks.

 

Glossy screen is really down to user preference. Either you like it, deal with it or hate it. If you like working in the park on a sunny day, glossy might not be your best bet. In my environment I can look at it all day without any problems and like it just fine.

Edit: If yuo are doing any serious Photoshop work.. you might want to go with a different notebook or be prepared to fight for a better screen or just buy one yourself. The WSXGA+ on the 1530 is most likely going to be the grainy Samsung. I am currently in the ring with Dell about mine

 

look at dell percision or latitude series, better fit to your type.

 

I'm willing to go for a glossy screen but there's a lot of variation in quality out there. Many are very 'glassy' and washed out. My favorite so far is the Macbook Pro screen which is a nice compromise between overly reflective and matte. The XPS in the store looked better than many others but it was the stock screen.

I'm curious is if the 1440x900 is significantly clearer. The Samsung vs LG issue seems to be a headache.

As far as a Lattitude or Precision models go, they are too thick and heavy for me. It's 2008 and they look like the Dells I owned five years ago. Of course this problem of design is not unique to Dell. Most models in the US market seem to be stuck in an industrial design time-warp.

 

The LG is definitely clearer and brighter than the Samsung from what everyone is saying, and there are pics floating around the net showing the difference. I can honestly say if you are picky about your screen the Samsung will not please you. I go to BB and every bloody cheap-ass notebook in there is clearer and brighter than my 1530 Even my 7 year old HP is clearer and brighter. I have not put my 1530 right next to anything at BB to compare but I can just tell when looking at them... they are way brighter and clearer. No grainy whites etc...

 

Semi off topic..But i photoediting is awesome one my M1330...1280x800..

 

I have just got a 1530, and I will be using it for some heavy web development work .. Only just started using it, but the screen is very easy to look at.

If you are doing development work, the first thing you should do is delete vista and install xp pro ..

JK

 

Or get Vista x64.. I'm running that with 4GB ram on my 1330 and it's fantastic.. I was all set on installing XP but this feels like XP used to.. Slick, smooth and responsive.

I'm setting mine up to be an emergency development platform and something to preview sites to clients. I have installed Virtual PC 2007 and got Server 2003 running on it.. So damn cool.. I can now move my sites from my local 2003 dev server to the 1330 virtual 2003 server with ease. Makes development really complete and I can easily turn it off when I don't want to lose 1gig of ram or any performance (though you can't tell when it's running).

Massive recommendation for x64.. It feels alot better than XP, and I never expected to be saying that...

 

Yeah, I've been debating what to do about the whole Vista thing. The only appeal of Vista to me, besides being new and shiny, is that ClearType is improved. Not a huge difference but I can tell that characters look sharper.

Does vista suck even with 3gb ram? I'll check out 64.

 

No with a little tweaking Vista on 3GB is just as snappy as XP for me on 2GB. I don't do any software development on it so I can't speak for that. But general use it's fine. Networking is a bit buggered IMO.

And why are people comparing the 1330 screen to the 1530 screen? Last time I checked they are different parts. Especially if you get the LED screen.