Dell XPS M1330 First Look Review (Video)

I ordered over the phone. You definitely should. I find that when talking to people and hearing their reactions and stuff, it is easier to get good deals, because you can tell if they are going to deal with you or not.

 

Yeah maybe I would have heard them snicker when I said I wanted the 1.5Ghz processor. Then they might say "Hey, Bob this dingus is getting the 1.5Ghz Chip!"

That's the only thing I still think about now with my config, I would have liked a faster chip. But with the work I will doing on it I just could not justify another $175. The M1330 is already $800 more than I was planning on spending before I saw it.

 

But it will be so worth it

 

Let's not get into that again. I am happy, that's all you can ask for.

 

Did you guys see what the DDR3 of the 8400M was clocked at?

 

I have used a C2D 1.6GHz processor and it was pretty fast for general usage, so it should not be a big problem. And by the time your warranty is almost over, the prices of the socket CPUs will be extremely cheap for an upgrade.

 

CodeMonkey which version of ubuntu will you install x86 or x86_64? I'm not sure which one I should install, last time I installed 64 bit linux it was really a pain in the a** because you need sometimes the 32 bit libraries or sometimes the 64 bit. What do you think?

 

It still is. If you go with 64bit you might have to compile your own apps from time to time, and you might have other problems with the kernel etc.

Personally, with a new laptop I am assuming I will have problems already figuring out how to get all the things working. So 32bit for me.

Also, just like Windows there is not a big performance boost by jumping to 64bit unless you have huge amounts of memory.

 

That makes me feel better. Deep down though my small sensible voice knows it's fine for what I want to do with the system, it's just my loud crazy voice shouting "GET THE FASTEST" that keeps bugging me about it.

Note: for the record I do not really hear 2 voices in my head, it's just a metaphor.

 

thanks I was thinking the same. So lets go for 32bit. I guess the fancy things such as the remote control or finger print reader won't work before a couple of years ...

 

Yay! The review is up!

 

I head some people got the lenovo fingerprint reader to work. So you never know. Do you think the LCD camera just plugs into internal USB or through a special dell connection?

 

Indeed I saw it also here http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_enable_the_fingerprint_reader, it seems its quite a challenge! The webcam should be directly recognized on the USB bus normally, it was like that for the M1210.

 

What a great thread, thanks everyone for your contribution!
Here is mine:

This looks like the best docking option for the M1330. With this, you get digital audio / Video (plus the usual USB etc) AND gigabit ethernet from the expresscard, which means you only have to plug the AC on top when you dock. They have released Vista drivers as well (downloadable). It's universal (so you can use it with any laptop with an expresscard slot), and it seems light/small enough to carry with you if needed...
I haven't tried it personally so any first-hand feedback welcome.

http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=ACP60US

 

sweet -- mine has been delivered! now if I can only get off work early....

 

http://www.jrin.net/reviews/dell-xps-m1330/

a review by me

 

wow you sold it!!! the day after u got it

 

Some reallife pictures of (the first Dutch) XPS 1330
from a Dutch user from my topic on the Gathering of Tweakers:

​

 

Those are the best photo's of I've seen of it.

 

I don't have a lot of confidence in this unit or DELL. I got mine after a month of waiting. I figured it was normal for a high quality unit with high demand. Yeah, right!

It developed multi-colored lines going vertically covering a quarter of the screen just left of the center. It made the unit totally unusable. I had to wait two weeks for a replacement unit.

The replacement had the access screw, on the WWAN card compartment, totally stripped. I couldn't transfer my card to the new unit.

At this rate, I will have a usable unit in about a year. I will probably give it back.

 

which colour is better black or rd..i actualy oerdered black..but now i feel i should have taken red...i hope black looks good too..any suggestions..and how long will 6 cell last...

 

They are both nice. Red is to be flashy. I have red and love it as it gains a ton of attention everywhere.

 

I have the white and i really like it. The white is glossy and does not really show finger print marks. The black and the red are both matt. I have seen a black one i was not so keen but then that is just probably my preference.

The battery life though will depend on how you run your computer. If you put it in power saving mode with wifi and you disable bluetooth with brightness lowered to at least 70% you should get quite decent battery life. I can get around 3 hours 30 minutes in this manner with the brightness set a bit lower more or less set at half brightness.
Maybe also have a look at these threads here for more info and owners experiences.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=171064

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=156600
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=171197
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=180209

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If anybody is still undecided about what colour XPS to choose.
Here are some pictures to help you to decide.

Forum members Kbc pictures of their Red XPS M1330.
All these pictures are meant to be pretty close to how it looks in real life.

http://kb.microze.net/gallery/

Forum member Traveller’s pictures of their black XPS M1330.

http://www.flickr.com/gp/99994435@N00/2n5WUB

The colour of the white XPS has changed from Pearl white to Alpine-White but pretty much they are the same thing. The Alpine white is not available everywhere it just depends on where you live.

Here are livincali high res shots of the white XPS.
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t252/livincali/

 

Btw, how scratch-resistent is this "glossy" white finish? I'm referring to hairline scratches that are sometimes the result of abrasive sleeves (or dirt in between sleeve & Notebook).

My "ceramic" Sony PSP has a few, unfortunately...

P.S. Anyone know why Dell renamed the white, if it hasn't changed...?

 

My laptop lid had two tiny scracth marks when it shipped out of the factory. Mabybe they touched it before the paint dried properly or something.
It depends how abrasive the sleeve maybe i guess if it would do harm to the lid. A standard normal sleeve should do no damage and neither should any dirt.

Dell posted this when the P/W was discontinued.

The Pearl white was meant to be more a shimmery white under light that showed different colours as a pearl would do but its basic colour was still glossy white.
The Alpine white is not meant to have the same effects that the P/W does but it is still meant to be a glossy white as seen here as listed in this Ebay auction.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-DELL-ALPINE...yZ140080QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I have a M1330 and ordered it without the Fingerprint Reader. Does anyone have the part number for it and can one order it after the fact?

Thanks
Danny

 

NO, not unles you can find a way to buy a whole new palmrest and whatnnot.

 

Did you see this Dell Wallpaper yet? It's more of a cream color...

 

I supposedly own a Pearl White one but that desktop background is not the colour. I haven't seen that colour on it. I don't think i have noticed it shimmering yet either lol but that is the word on it and that is what people are saying what makes the two white lid colours different.

 

so slim,,how is the heating

 

I was like that I had a Acer that was not glossy and I saw the m1330 and was put off by the glossy screen then I saw ma friends laptop with a glossy screen and the colors were fantastic