After the release of the first Dell XPS M1730, priced at $2,999, other configurations of the PC maker’s new 17-inch gaming notebook are available for purchase.
The long awaited XPS M1730 is based on the Intel PM965 chipset supporting Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors. All of the currently available configurations feature dual NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT video cards operating in SLI mode, the AGEIA PhysX 100M physics processing unit, delivering “realistic movement and environmental interaction at incredible speeds without degrading overall performance”, and 2GB of DDR2 system memory, expandable to 4GB. The two 8700M GT GPUS provide a total of 512MB (2x256MB) video memory, while the notebook’s 17″ widescreen glossy display has a resolution of 1920-by-1200 pixels.
Currently, there are three Dell XPS M1730 configurations. The basic $2,999 configuration comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor at 2.4GHz, a 200GB SATA hard drive at 7200rpm rotational speed, a DVD burner, the Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g module, and Windows Vista Premium Edition operating system. For $3,599, Dell adds a Blu-Ray optical drive and the PRO/Wireless 4965 802.11a/g/draft-n to the basic M1730. The higher-end $4,506 model features the Intel Core 2 Extreme X7900 CPU at 2.8GHz, with support for overclocking to 3.2GHz, two hard drives providing 400GB of storage capacity, a DVD burner, the 4965 802.11a/g/draft-n wireless module, a built-in Bluetooth, an additional battery, and Windows Vista Ultimate.
In general, the Dell XPS M1730 provides dual-link DVI-I video output with support for 30-inch displays, a HDMI and VGA outputs via DVI adapters, and a S-Video TV out, as well as a Gigabit Ethernet port, a Bluetooth option, an ExpressCard slot, a 8-in-1 media card reader, four USB ports, a Firewire port, and a Infra-Red receiver. There are also built in 2-megapixel web camera and the Logitech’s GamePanel LCD, which allows gamers to view game stats, create new macros and track important system information without leaving the game.
Dell also offers optional built-in mobile broadband connectivity with a choice of carriers, including AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
The $2,999 XPS M1730 comes with Sapphire Blue lid color, while the $3,599 and $4,506 units additionally provide the Smoke Grey, Crimson Red, a Bone White options.
This gaming laptop, advertised as “The Beast†weighs 10.6 pound with a standard 9-cell battery and has a 2-inch thick chassis.
According to some rumors, Dell is expected to offer the M1730 with the NVIDIA GeForce 8800M graphics card, which has not been announced yet.
Note: This article was published on 08/06/2007 and updated with new information on 09/01/2007 and 09/30/2007. It was reported previously the XPS M1730 will feature the NVIDIA GeForce Go 8600M GS 256MB video card.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxYGkNjozOQ
Here we are three years later. My m1730 has just outgrown it’s warranty and I”ve had one repair job on it – replacing DVD-RW that stopped reading. I’ve also upgraded WinXP to Win7, changed 2Gb to 4Gb RAM and replaced the two 160Gb drives with 320Gb hybrid Seagates. I found an Intel turbocache module on eBay for $20 and with all the upgrades it’s now as good as it can get without springing for the 8800’s and full SSD. It’s three years old and still keeping up with the latest games, though it is showing it’s age by not being able to run AvP at native resolution. I can’t really fault it for that though.
The worst machine I’ve ever had the misfortune to own. In the past two years, I’ve had to replace the graphics card no less than 3 times (once by Dell under warranty….although that card went tits up within hours of me receiving back from them & twice by me). Now the lastest one has failed & at over a ton a pop (if you can find a replacement, that is)…it’s a lot of dosh to be wasting on something that, even when it’s working, overheats like Hell on a hot day. So…all in all, I’m now fielding a brick that, including repairs, has cost me over £2500.
“A shocking piece of kit that should have been recalled in 2008 & the last thing I will ever buy from Dell”
……& that’s what I tell all my clients nowadays. As for Dell’s Tech Support….sack the lot of them.
I am a software developer and had five laptops from dell UNTIL now. I followed the inspiron line, starting with an 8000 15” ending with my last one, the 9300 inspiron, always with the most high-res variant which dell provided very well in contrast to other companies.
I waited for the 1720 to come, the logical successor for my working appliance, just to get shocked that this laptop would not have a dvi port. I need a digital video output for my 24” flat screen!!! And i ALWAYS had one in my 3 previous models from dell.
Then i started looking at the xps systems. After the (ugly) preview of the xps 1730 i chose to go for the 1710, which would satisfy my 4 gigs of memory recommendation (the memory limit was most often the reason to upgrade for me).
Well after ordering and a THIRD delay of delivery after 3 weeks i really got upset! I cancelled the order.
I switched to a macbook pro 17″ with the high-res display, upgraded to 4 gigs ram and i can not tell you how glad i am with my descision having a superb laptop, ultra flat, very fast, happy with the osx (easier to switch than maybe to vista, at least for me) and with bootcamp i can enjoy “some” games too… (not too bad with the 8600GT)…
They’re dissing it because it’s ugly. Plain and simple. As far as it’s specs go, it’s just about what I want, so the looks don’t enter too much into it for me. For what I want, I expect to have a heavy, and somewhat bulky DTR. More aesthetic value would be nice considering it’s price range, but ultimately, if you want power and performance, looks mean nothing. I have a Vaio thats about 2 years old now, it’s compact, and looks fairly nice. Got it on ebay for a pretty good deal, and it does what I need it to do as far as general use goes. My PC handles all the gaming though. The Vaio looks good, but just can’t game. Not saying I’m springing for the 1730.. it’s not out of the question, but if a company comes out with something comparable, Sager for example, with a next gen graphics card, and all the superflous addons I want just for the heck of it, like the physX card, etc. then I’ll go that route. Either way, I’m waiting for the m8800 cards.
Why are you guys dissin it? I bet you dont even own a freakin laptop… Dont you get the idea of moving forward in design? jeez
Actually the 8600 is the low-end option they also give you the choice of the 8700 gt 512mb card for more $$ and I doubt the laptop will look this bad in the end I mean who would buy it?
OMG only a geforce 8600 256 mb graphics card in a GAMING laptop??? this is even weaker than their previous offering, the m1710 with geforce 7950 (which is much faster…) No wonder dell is going downhill… they should have waited for the geforece m8800 cards to arrive, as well as kicking the designer-team of the m1730. its too ugly as… the 1710 looked way better.