The Dell XPS M1530 is the latest update to the company's line of high-performance notebooks. The XPS M1530 is constructed from magnesium alloy and aluminum, giving it a premium look at a reasonable starting price of $999. Available in black, red and white, can the XPSM1530 can be loaded with a Blu-Ray burner and a Solid State Drive.
The Dell XPS M1530 with a 15.4-inch widescreen display is a larger version of the compact XPS M1330, which features a 13.3-inch display. The M1530 is slim, measuring just 1-inch when closed, and feels looks a lot "premium" compared to Dell's Inspiron series.
For current pricing, click here to visit the XPS product page.
XPS M1530 Deal for June 2008:
XPS Summer Savings Event: Mobile Entertainment Powerhouse XPS™ M1530 Laptop $1199 after $599 off (valid through June 19)
It's available in three preconfigured packages, but Dell customers can customize their M1530s to their liking. All XPS M1530 models feature Intel Core 2 Duo processors, NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, and an integrated 2.0 MP camera.
The base XPS M1530 (Good) costs $999 and comes with 1GB RAM, a 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (T5250 2MB L2 cache), 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics and High -Definition audio included. It comes with Windows Vista Home Premium. It comes with a DVD/CD burner and 802.11g wireless. This is a respectable configuration, but users should definitely upgrade to 2GB of RAM for $125 or order a 2GB upgrade kit from a reseller for about $55 and install it yourself.
Dell's "better" XPS M1530 configuration costs $1,099 and is similar to the base model, but has a 160GB hard drive instead of the 120GB hard drive. It also has 802.11n wireless, which is much faster than 802.11 g Wireless if you have the right router. It comes with Trend Micro PC-cillan, an antivirus and security suite, and Microsoft Works 8, a productivity suite for home users. The hard drive and wireless upgrade are $50 each à la carte, so the software is essentially free if you use this package. This configuration isn't as highly customizable at launch as the 'good' or 'best' versions and is only available in black.
The "best" XPS M1530 configuration costs $1,499 and features the much more powerful NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT GPU with 256MB of memory. If you're into gaming or other powerful multimedia apps, this configuration is for you It includes 2 GB of RAM, a 250 GB hard drive and the 1.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (T5450).
XPS M1530 DVD or optional Blu-ray Disc burner
This is an option that you should only order if you're absolutely sure you're going to put it to good use. With the HD format wars still raging, it's too early to tell if both HD DVD and Blu will -ray will survive or one will triumph over the other. You can play Blu-ray discs and connect to your HDTV via the M1530's HDMI port.
The Blu-ray drive can burn up to 50GB of data per disc, which is pretty incredible. This is useful if you have a lot of movies and music to back up and take with you. If you don't need to lug around all that extra data, buy higher capacity external hard drives are better. If you have friends and co-workers who also have Blu-ray drives, this feature is especially useful.
However, $500 is a steep price for a laptop upgrade. Part of the premium price is the early adopter tax. Blu-ray and HD-DVD burner prices should drop significantly in the coming months as they be offered on more notebooks.
Most users will find the standard DVD/CD burner sufficient to burn home movies and share music. Five hundred dollars can buy many other upgrades that are more useful in everyday life.
XPS M1530 hard drive
The Dell XPS M1530 is available with a range of hard drives or a 64GB solid state drive. The 64GB solid state drive offers the best performance in terms of reliability, durability and battery consumption, but few users will pay the $1,000 premium for it. XPS 1530 users who have a respectable amount of multimedia will find the 64GB solid state drive extremely cramped. But if durability is your primary concern and you have deep pockets have, the Solid State Drive is the right choice.
The cheapest hard drive available with the XPS M1530 is 120GB and spins at 5400 RPM. For an extra $50 you can upgrade to a 160GB drive and a 250GB drive is an add- On for $150. A 320GB drive is also available but is not currently listed on the M1530 configuration page.
If you're looking for performance, you should upgrade to a 7200 RPM drive. These hard drives are significantly faster, but each gig of capacity costs a lot more. The smallest 7200 RPM drive for the XPS 1530 has a capacity of 120 GB and is a $100 option. The 160GB (7200 RPM) drive is an additional $150 and the 200GB (7200 RPM) drive is an additional $250.
The best option in my opinion is the 200GB (7200RPM) drive. It has 50GB less capacity than the largest 5400RPM drive, but the sacrifice is worth the increase in read/write speeds.
XPS M1530 processor options
All of the Intel Core 2 Duo processors that Dell offers with the XPS M1530 are adequate for day-to-day tasks and most users will find them quickly. However, XPS customers are usually looking for more than just adequate. That's why Dell offers a range of processors, including the 2.6 GHz T7800.
As of the XPS M1530 launch date, the following processors will be offered:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7800 (2.60 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
$575 extra
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7700 (2.40 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
$300 extra
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7500 (2.20 GHz, 4 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
$175 extra
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7250 (2.00 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
$100 extra
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5450 (1.66 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 677 MHz FSB)
$50 extra
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5250 (1.50 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 677 MHz FSB)
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Most users are fine with the stock XPS M1530 processor. Taking the next step, the T5450 has a clock speed that's only 10.7% faster than stock and doesn't make the computer feel significantly faster. If you're looking to upgrade from the base processor, consider buying the T7250 for an extra $100. Upgrading to the T7500 or any of the other processors with 4MB L2 cache is the way to go if you can afford it. The T7800 is the top performer, but you pay the highest price when you brag about having the fastest processor. The best value for money is the T7500 at $175.
XPS M1530 memory
The XPS M1530 uses DDR2 SDRAM and can hold up to two memory modules. If you're on a budget, order 1GB of RAM and upgrade to 2GB or 4GB yourself. If you have money to burn, you can upgrade to 3GB for $125 or 4GB for $375 which I think is a complete rip off. I recently bought 4GB of RAM for my notebook for $220. Upgrading the memory of the XPS M1530 just takes time minutes and can be done by anyone.
XPS M1530 display
The XPS M1530 has a 15.4-inch display with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels. It's glossy, which many people prefer, since glossy screens generally have deeper color saturation and look good in the right lighting conditions. Others (me included) despise glare screens, especially when used in bright rooms or outdoors. They are highly reflective and any amount of direct sunlight renders them unusable.
XPS M1530 dimensions
This notebook is significantly thinner than most 15.4-inch notebooks, including the Dell Inspiron series. However, the much-touted "less than an inch thick" measurement is only half true. The M1530 is shaped like a wedge, therefore, its front edge is significantly slimmer than the back edge. It's still slim, but don't expect a uniformly thin laptop like the MacBook Pro or ThinkPad T-series.
It weighs 5.78 pounds with a standard battery. It measures 14.06 inches wide and 10.34 inches deep. The thinnest part of the computer is 0.93 inches deep and the thickest is 1.38 inches deep.
These dimensions mean that for most users the XPS M1530 is slim enough to lug around all day. But if you're looking for something really light, you should look into a 13.3-inch notebook like the XPS M1330, the Sony SZ series or look at Apple's MacBook.
XPS M1530 Wireless Options
The XPS M1530 can be configured with up to three antennas to meet your wireless needs. Everyone should upgrade to an 802.11n wireless card. The cost is minimal and you'll benefit from faster transfers and better connections from greater distances.
Bluetooth is optional and affordable at just $20. I recommend getting this since you probably already have at least one Bluetooth-compatible device. I also despise USB dongles for external mice and keyboards.
The XPS M1530 can be loaded with the Dell Wireless 5520 HSDPA modem to connect to the Verizon wireless network or with the Dell Wireless 5720 EVDO wireless modem to connect to the Sprint service. Both are Rev. A, the fastest protocol available. Each is only $150, but keep in mind that they come with expensive one- or two-year contracts. My data plan with Sprint is about $65 a month. It's nice to be online anywhere to be able to walk, but it's not a necessity if you're usually within range of a reliable WiFi network.
XPS M1530 ports
The XPS M1530 features three USB 2.0 ports for connecting iPod, Zune, printer, camera and other accessories. Both an HDMI and VGA port are included to connect monitors, TVs and projectors. A standard Ethernet Port (10/100) can be used to connect to your home or business network when wireless is not an option.
All XPS M1530 notebooks come equipped with an 8-in-1 memory card reader, so you can easily transfer your digital photos and videos or use a card as an emergency backup. There is a 54mm ExpressCard slot for expansion and external accessories.
There are two headphone/speaker jacks.
XPS M1530 power supply and battery
The standard battery is a 6-cell (56Wh) Li-Ion battery. An optional 9-cell (85Wh) battery adds weight and contrasts with the XPS M1530's sleek silhouette, but lasts 31% longer recommend getting at least one extra battery if you're very mobile. A good option is to order a 6-cell and a 9-cell battery. Dell charges an extra $90 for this combination.
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