First Impression of my XPS m1530

Hi everyone, I ordered my XPS m1530 on 12/21/07 and it arrived today on 12/28/07. I also got some additional software and accessories I ordered which came in separate boxes but all at the same time. Within the unit box, I got all my instalation CD's, a leather cd holder with my manual and a cleaning cloth, and 2 express remotes. Also, the standard magnetic case Dell sends for the unit.

Here is a quick run down on my set-up:
Crimson red
2.4ghz core 2 duo
3 gig ram
160gig 7200 RPM HD
256 mb Nvidia 6800 GT
Bluetooth
Windows Vista Premium
1440x900 lcd display

Out of the box this thing looks amazing. It is put together well and feels very solid. The first thing I did was put it on a flat surface to check for an uneven base. The front left foot was a millimeter or two from the surface but it was not so bad as to make the notebook rock around. Aside from that, I saw no other major flaws.

Now to the LCD, the screen is bright and crisp. It does have a little light leakage towards the bottom but it's not any more than my previous laptops, in fact, it's a little better. The fonts while viewing web pages are pretty small. I am happy that I did not go with the higher resolution as the 1440x900 looks great and I wouldn't want things any smaller. Although, with the higher res, you could probably scale the DPI up on the fonts but I like to leave things as is.



The figerprint reader is a little tricky at first. They run you through this little tutorial which is pretty helpful. After several tries I got it down and I can say that it's a handy little bugger to have. Slow and steady is the way to go.

I opted for both the 6 and 9 cell batteries. Some people had questions about how it looked so I have pics of my unit with both of the batteries.




I've been downloading my games most of the day since I can't seem to find a lot of my installation CD's so I haven't gotten to really see what the video card can do.

The system is relatively quiet with the fan going under standard system load. I can hear the HD clicking away but it's not bad. I also had a chance to use the DVD drive to install some software and it was no louder than expected.

I've got a little house cleaning to do as far as software but honestly, this thing doesn't come with as much crap as I thought it would. The software installed is pretty useful to me anyway. The recovery partition though is a waste.

I've got a lot more playing to do but overall, this thing is freakin' awesome. I just hope it holds up and doesn't start crapping out on me. I plan to work the hell out of it these first few weeks.

oh BTW, the crimson red shows greasy fingerprints although not as noticeable as on the black. They are easily cleanable though.

Here is one more photo of my XPS desktop next to the new mini addition.




Cheers!!

 

That is one sexy lappy. Even the 9 cell helps it look better. I'm guessing it improves air flow as well?

 

lucky you , I ordered mine the same day((21st)) and it's still in boxing stage...
I got the higher resolution though ..
did you have next business day shipping??

 

Looks like a great laptop, absolutely love the red.

 

For some reason before I got the unit I was under the impression that the battery stuck out of the back but it doesn't at all. It just lifts it to an angle which actually makes it more comfortable to type. There is a fan vent in the rear and one on the bottom. The 9 cell certainly lifts it enough to provide more flow on that bottom one.

 

Yes, I had the next business day. DHL was on the ball and didn't screw up like they often do. The driver even called me to make sure I was home.

 

Congratulations on your new Laptop.
Yes,the M1530's are one of the coolest designs in existence at the moment.

 

Congrats, my friend.

I hope to join the m1330 crowd in the coming months.

 

so is the 1440x900 resolution worth the hype in your opinion? because I am really thinking about sending mine back for that resolution if I can

 

Based on what I'll be using my laptop for, I'm going to say yes the 1440x900 was worth it. It's a nice compromise between the other two available resolutions. I will be doing a lot of work with graphics which is why I didn't opt for the 1280x800. I didn't go higher because I also write and do a lot of work with spreadsheets so I didn't want to go too small because I look at lots of text for several hours a day. I looked around at other laptops of the same size with similar resolutions before I went with this one and felt this was best for me.

 

I really wish I could have gotten the hi-res screen, but I'm more than happy with the laptop for the price (about $1300 after tax, tags, freight, and upgrades). I could still get the same laptop, but it will be about $100 or so more.

 

Very sweet! This is what I am looking at ordering ~ same color also! I am glad you showed the photo's of the 9cell battery, and the hi-res screen (this greatly helps me out w/my choice). Congrat's!!!

 

Nice review. Thanks for that. I'd be interested in your impressions as you use it more: how the keyboard feels, the trackpad, performance in your graphics apps, etc. Sounds like we'll use it for many of the same purposes, so hope you update this thread later on.

 

Thanks for the picture IO. Looking at that picture, why do I second guessing myself about the extra battery? Maybe I should've ordered mine with 6 and 9 cell just like you did. Maybe it's just me, but 9 cell look some what uncomfortable and strange.

 

Is your camera or your screen looks much brighter than mine? because sometimes it feels like its not bright enough. i also have the 1440x900 screen as you.

 

r they doin that now? what state r u in ... driver never call me when they realized that the address has changed.


Congrats on the new machine, 8600gt won't blow u away much but it's decent for a small laptop. If u already have a desktop vid card like 7900series and up , it won't make much difference when using the 8600gt

 

I'm in TX. I've had DHL deliver before and they weren't so courteous. I think I just got the luck of the draw with a decen driver.

I've only tested a couple of games on the unit this far. One was city of heroes which got decent FPS with maxed settings. I think I dipped down into the high teens a few times but this was only while soloing, no team play which usually has more effects from players. Now as for city of villains, which is a little more intense, I had moments in certain zones where I saw as low as 6 FPS. It was choppy as hell and unacceptable. On medium settings, both play pretty smooth all around. I haven't had time to install crysis or other games that are more taxing. It'll probably choke a bit I'm sure but with lowered settings it should be ok. I do with I could have waited on the new 15" alienware though.

I'm really liking the keyboard on this system. It feels good and is easy to type on. The system stays remarkably cool under load. On my e1705, you can roast marshmallows on the palmrest usually. Also, the fans are much quieter than on my 1705. I do miss the 17" display though but it's a sacrafice I had to make for a lighter school/light gaming unit. I also miss the additional USB ports but a hub will solve any issues with that.

Overall, I've experienced no problems so far but then again I haven't had the unit for a long period. Out of the box though, it's been solid and I look forward to using it for the next few years.

 

Congrats on your laptop. Very happy for you! Pls keep us posted on how well u like your system as u get to know it better.

i'm about to order the same 1530 w/same resolution. same reason we (my spouse) do a lot of reading for long periods during the day.

I do want to get a little experience w/gaming too and think this resolution will address both needs.

congrats again! Happy New Year! mt9