Dell XPS M1730 Video Guides.....

Hi all

I've just received my XPS M1730 and will be making a few videos for all who are interested in purchasing it, or need guides on working with it.

I will be updating this post as I go along with further videos, including how to add dual HDDs and set up RAID, how to upgrade the RAM, and so on........


Video 1 - Unboxing. Including overview of accessories in retail box, and a hardware review of the XPS M1730 itself (the ports, initial switch on, etc)

Video 2 - A closer look at the underside of the M1730, including RAM and HDD locations (with panels removed)

Video 3 - Unreal Tournament 3 running at 1920x1200, with max texture and world detail - Using 8700mGT and Dell performance drivers 167.45

Video 4 - Hard Disk Drive upgrade to 2x200GB 7200rpm, including RAID 0 setup.

Video 5 - Dell XPS M1730 BackPack Carry Case Review/Overview

Video 6 - Graphics card (GPU) upgrade, from dual 8700mGT to dual 8800mGTX - PART 1.

Video 7 - Graphics card (GPU) upgrade, from dual 8700mGT to dual 8800mGTX - PART 2

Video 8 - Overview of the Zalman ZM-NC2000 cooler, and how to get the best cooling position for your M1730.

Video 9 - Upgrading the Optical Drive


Please remember to rate my videos in YouTube !!

 

Great video!! Now I know what's gonna be my next laptop
Hope that next video come soon.

 

I have some HDDs on order, so the next video will come along towards the end of the week

 

I love notebook unpacking videos and photos .

 

Hey ifti please run Gears of War and see if it can be run in native res 1920x1200, also I would like to see how Crysis and Oblivion runs in videos. My XPS M1730 is phase 2 so it will be a while before I get it.

Especially if you have Oblivion if that could be run in 1920x1200 would be awesome

Will check that video when I get home from work

 

Once I've upgraded the HDD's to RAID 0, and reinstalled my system, upgraded drivers etc, I'll create some videos of gameplay etc, the settings Im using, and so on

Check back in this thread soon - hopefully I'll have everything set up over the weekend, and I'll try some games out early next week

 

Nice video, to bad that things is the ugliest laptop of mankind haha

But no really, nice work!

 

I have no idea why people say its ugly. I think its very pretty myself :/

 

It's ok, even Ogre's don't believe they are not pretty

 

I think it looks awesome
Seeing it in pics is one thing, but seeing it for real is another!

 

Yeah I also thinks it looks awesome, hmm later on when I get my XPS M1730 we could maybe start a thread ifti with gameplay videos along with what fps and what settings we use for each game, this will be fun.

 

^^^^
Good idea, a reference place to see whether a game can run smoothly and at which settings etc!

 

Ditto.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyrlnIoEq4A

 

^^^
cool, I remember watching that before I got mine! Nice video - better then mine anyways!

Didnt you get the remote control with yours??

I never got no game!!!

 

First post updated with new video

 

Updated again with Unreal Tournament 3 gameplay video

 

Initial post updated with new video showing HDD upgrade and RAID configuration.

 

Watching a 30fps Youtube to evaluate the smoothness of games is perhaps not ideal. However, it was interesting to watch Crysis struggling at 2560x1600 on SLI 8800GTX Ultras

Excellent video's there though, Ifti. Good 'before you buy' fodder.

 

New video added to first post - Video 5.

Im hoping the next video will be of the graphics card upgrade!

 

hi ifti, does the backpack come standard in the XPS m1730 order? i got one of these last week from my work but no backpack do u still want to sell yours? PM me if you do cheers ...

im planning on doing the 8800GTX sli upgrade soon as its an option... are you doing it manually? or getting dell to do it?

 

Hi
No the backpack is an addtional option, it doesnt come as standard.
I have another carry case on order for someone at work, just a standard one where ou can pull a handle out to pull the case along on rear wheels. Im hoping the M1730 fits into that, if it does I'll be sellin gmy backpack (brand new never been used, still has tags on it). If so I'll get in touch

In regards to the 8800, Im ordering a basic spec M1730 for someone at work, and have stuck the 8800 in it. When it arrives I'll swap the graphics card over with my 8700, since the person who this second system is ordered for wont be gaming etc.

 

thanks for the post, wow thats great great plan... i'll have to wait tho until dell pull their fingers out ;s why dont they just sell these cards seperate damnit...

ok great thank you please PM email me, when you know more about that case, that would be amazing, thanks.

 

great videos. How long do they take to ship usually? (without 8800 GTX)

 

Pre-production takes the longest.
Production stage is usually around 2-3 days. But this depends on whether all tests are succesgul. If not it could go back to pre-production if they need to change any parts etc.
Then delivery is usually around 2-3 days also.

 

New video uploaded - Graphics card upgrade!!!

Link is in first post - Video 6

Part 1 is live - part 2 is being uploaded as i write this, so should be available within the next 30 mins or so.

Enjoy.

 

OK, both parts of GPU upgrade video now live.

 

Nice work ifti, 8800M card really makes a difference in this laptop

 

Nice work ifti, well done!

 

Cheers, havent had a chance to run 3DMark or install any games yet!!! Will do that today!

 

Will be interesting to see your scores Ifti!

Nice work on the video's btw.

 

Just run 3DMark06 - Ive put the score in the Official M1730 Owners thread, but here it is again anyways - remember just basic tweaks like disabling UAC, no overclocking etc at all, and using stock Dell 167.55 drivers.....

 

Nice

My desktop is a Q6600 @ 3.6Ghz and a 8800GTX @ 670/1000 which scores 14500ish in 3Dmark 06.

Looks like the m1730 will get very close to that with some tweaks and overclocking

Finally a laptop worthy to be called a "Gaming" laptop

 

It should be able to get much more with some better drivers - not the stock dell ones!
Im waiting for the Nvidia Beta drivers to be released....

 

Can you comfirm both cards are running at x16 PCI-E?Got a feeling dell might be using x8 bandwidth for SLI.

 

Not sure, how can I check?

 

Start>Control panel>display>Settings>Advance>Click 8800mGTX tab

It should have a bit of info on the card, Stuff like size of memory and PCI-E bus (x16 hopefully!)ect

 

It has all the memory size etc, but nothing on the PCI-E bus??!!

 

Thats what mine looks like but thats in XP.

 

This is what I have in Vista.....

 

Meh...w/e lol

I'll find out when mine arrives
Then my XPS M170 can retire

 

lol I was looking in the wrong place. I needed to go through the Nvidia control panel etc.....

Anyways its PCI-E x16 - here ya go.....

 

Thats great news!
Nvidia cards tend to suffer a bit of performance loss on a x8 lane.
Thanks for looking into it for me!

 

No probs

 

Thread updated with new Video - Zalman NC2000 overview and M1730 positioning.

Link in first post.

Enjoy

 

Very nice videos, would give +rep if this forum had that.
Btw, where did you get that screwdriver?

 

You can leave rep my clicking the scales ion under the avatar section

I got the laptop screwdriver set from a small store close to my workplace. Its quite a nice little set with 6 screwdrivers - 3 crosshead, and 3 flat. All are nice and small for working on laptops.

To get to one of the screws under the XPS, I did have to cut a little plastic away from one of the screwdrivers though, since it wouldnt get into the deep hole far enough!

 

Ah, there you go, and one more thing, since it seems like you bought it with dual 8700M GT and you upgraded to dual 8800GTX. Where did you buy 8800M GTX?
The ones for laptops. I'm not so into laptop graphic cards so I don't really know.
Checked Dell and they don't seem to sell it.

 

Dell will be started an upgrade program for current XPS owners very soon - so you can purchase the card alone through them, and have a technician fit it for you.

I purchased a second XPS for someone at work, and swapped the cards

 

Hey ifti, great collection of videos, and for people like me an excellent way to learn how to do things. With computers I'm not afraid to try anything as long as I am told what to do...your videos fill this gap perfectly, well done and keep up the good work, I will certainly be checking back here frequently to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve.

Tell me will you also be doing similar explainations for certain types of upgrades, tweaks etc for the M1730. I might be the only one on the forums that has no IT training at all, and I would love to get the best out of my comp, but due to lack of knowledge am loathe to try in case I screw the thing up. The things I am talking about are updating BIOS, reinstalling the OS, that sort of thing that you technically capable folks can do in your sleep, but us technically challenged lot are too scared to try in case something happens that shouldn't.

Whatever you decide I wish you all the success and you have my support.

And to outkastland, do I sense a touch of jealousy in your comments about probably the best laptop on the market. I think mine looks just wonderful

 

Any more video ideas??

Ive done a guide on installing the PPU - here.

Should have done a video really, but most people have the PPU as standard anway...