Dell XPS M1730

Years ago, Dell hit the scene with budget PCs that had integrated video cards and largely eliminated the possibility of annual upgrades. That was then, this is now. Dell now offers a wide range of powerful machines that are customizable for your needs and budget. The XPS series of performance laptops are geared toward gamers and media enthusiasts of every stripe.
The Dell XPS M1730 is the alpha gaming machine of the current XPS lineup. A huge display, cutting edge components and all the extras make the Dell XPS M1730 a great option for gamers and demanding users alike. Large and heavy, but packed with power, the Dell XPS M1730 is clearly a desktop replacement notebook. You won’t want to try and squeeze the Dell XPS M1730 onto the seatback tray of a coach class seat on a business trip, but you can comfortably transport it between home, office and school if you need mobile computing power. Customizable components, the latest in mobile video cards and great processing power make the Dell XPS M1730 an all-around crowd pleaser.

Standout Features

• 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X9000 Processor
• 1GB SLI Dual GeForce 8800M GTX Video Cards
• 17-inch Widescreen HD LCD Display

Features

The Dell XPS M1730 is configured to double as a desktop replacement and a serious gaming rig. Unlike the Alienware Area-51 m17x, the Dell XPS M1730 settles for a more subdued look that doesn’t scream “I’m a gamer!” Rather, it coolly declares, “yeah, I play games and I bet I’m better than you are.” You won’t find an alien head or dragon maw on the lid of Dell’s powered up laptop, but it still sports a light-up logo and has 16 color options for the glowing touchpad and speaker borders. Not enough bling for you? The Dell XPS M1730 is available in a special World of Warcraft edition that makes it clear where you stand in the ongoing battle between the Horde and the Alliance.

Okay. So it looks good. What’s under the hood? The Dell XPS M1730 is available with the absolute latest in mobile technology. Dell constantly updates the hardware options available to ensure you have the option of the latest and greatest components. Very similarly configured to the Alienware Area-51 m17x, the Dell XPS M1730 offers an A-list of overpowered hardware. Most impressive on the list are the dual GeForce 8800M GTX video cards that rock a 512MB of memory each. SLI technology ensures that you won’t experience hiccups in the most graphically intense action sequences of next season’s games. The Dell XPS M1730’s Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X9000 processor effectively reinforces the video cards’ performance. The all star video card-processor combination means that you’ll have a hard time redlining the Dell XPS M1730 on Crysis’ CryEngine 2. Go ahead and turn up all the graphics sliders and enjoy your games as they were meant to be played.

Older games aren’t going to take advantage of SLI, as the technology is still quite new. Crysis, Company of Heroes and World in Conflict, however, make full use of both GeForce 8800M GTX video cards. The Dell XPS M1730 gives you a performance boost on new and upcoming games that can’t be obtained through a single video card. Crysis runs smoothly and looks good on high settings, running at native 1920 x 1200 resolution. Your frame rates will hover in the high 30’s and occasionally pop up into the 41-42 range. Turn down some of the graphics settings and you’ll never see Crysis chop, glitch, or hesitate at all. Company of Heroes and World in Conflict will yield similarly playable frame rates with settings on high. Gaming on a fully equipped Dell XPS M1730 is pleasant enough to allow you to forget all about frame rates—games look good, run smoothly and aren’t interrupted by the sputtering, stop-motion effect that results when inadequate hardware struggles to keep up with your game.

The 17-inch display ensures that your high resolution gaming and media will look as good on the Dell XPS M1730 as on your panel at home. 4GB of RAM is more than enough to make multitasking a breeze. Simultaneously editing your photos, running a deep scan with your virus software, and watching a movie in a minimized pane won’t even register on the Dell XPS M1730. Add nearly infinite hard drive space and you’ve got an all-around gaming and media powerhouse with plenty of room to stockpile photos, music and video. The Dell XPS M1730 ships with a 640 GB, RAID-optimized, hard drive configuration. If the old-fashioned, spinning hard drive doesn’t satisfy your need for speedy storage, the Dell XPS M1730 is available with solid state drives. A solid state drive doesn’t require the cumbersome manual data-writing of a traditional hard drive and is less vulnerable to physical damage. If you are curious to try a next generation hard drive and transfer large quantities of data regularly, a solid state drive is a good option.

Like most gaming laptops, the Dell XPS M1730 is a bit unwieldy for users who have high demand for portability. It’s big and heavy. 10.5 pounds isn’t unreasonable when you stop to consider that the Dell XPS M1730 can outperform 90% of desktop computers out there, but realistically, you’re not going to want to cart it around 24 hours a day. And that shouldn’t be a problem because you’ll probably throw out your old desktop. The Dell XPS M1730 is standard with all the extras you’d expect from a high-end, brand new desktop: Blu-ray disc drive/DVD burner, solid audio system (for a laptop), and a one year warranty.

Value

The Dell XPS M1730 features some blindingly fast hardware. The SLI, dual GeForce 8800M GTX video cards are particularly astounding. As you can imagine, the Dell XPS M1730 isn’t the ideal option for a general user on a budget. The price tag of the fully-loaded Dell XPS M1730 rivals that of Alienware’s Area-51 m17x. A quick visit to Dell’s website and $4700 will get you a tricked-out Dell XPS M1730 with dual video cards and a high-end processor. Gamers on a budget might consider downgrading on the processor, speakers, and video card options to save a thousand dollars. Alternatively, Gateway’s P-9811 FX is a strong performer available for a third of the price of the Dell XPS M1730.

Summary of Reviews from Across the Internet

The Dell XPS M1730 doesn’t fail to impress. The price is off-putting, but gamers who made the plunge are satisfied. Reviewers like the Dell XPS M1730’s onboard wi-fi detector that doesn’t require you to turn on the system.

Gamers, who don’t spend their hours in dimly lit surroundings, complain about excessive glare on the Dell XPS M1730’s display. The Dell XPS M1730 gets stunning benchmark scores, but Area-51 m17x owners have bragging rights for best gaming performance.

Summary

The Dell XPS M1730 is a gaming monster with adult sensibilities. Flashy, yet not too sexy for a work environment (provided you don’t get the World of Warcraft edition), the Dell XPS M1730 provides the latest in gaming hardware in a popular 17-inch display, desktop replacement format. The 1GB SLI GeForce 8800M GTX setup and the dizzying speed of the X9000 Extreme processor make an ideal team when it comes to taking full advantage of DirectX 10 games. With an aggressive aesthetic, superior hardware set, and top-notch performance, the Dell XPS M1730 is a strong contender for best gaming-oriented desktop replacement laptop on the market.
 

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