Just ordered a Studio XPS 16

So i just ordered a new Sudio XPS 16 the specs are:
-Intel CoreTM i5 520M processor (2C/4T, 2.4-2.93 GHz, 3M L3)
-4GB, DDR3, 1333MHz 2 Dimm
-15.6 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p Full HD WLED LCD, W/2.0 MP, XPS 1645
-ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 - 1GB
-500GB 7200 RPM

Just wondering how well this machine will play games, nothing too strenuous just WOW and Starcraft 2

Thanks!

 

I can speak for the following 2 games:
- World of Warcraft
- Star Trek Online

World of Warcraft is probably the least intense of the two. I run at Ultra quality settings with shadows turned down to "fair"
Running with stock GPU clocks, I'm in the high 20s - 26-30fps. I ran my first extended session this past Thursday and it was very playable for me with few noticeable hiccups, the most notable of which being the sun's reflection in the water, which sunk my frame rate down to the low 20s.

Star Trek Online has always been a hog for me, even on the desktop. I run it with everything turned to max EXCEPT No Anti-Aliasing, Shadows turned to Low and Dynamic Lighting turned off (due to a bug w/ the game and ATI cards). Again, I'm in the high 20s, usually around 30. I have not yet had an extended session, though. My numbers come from walking around a major player hub (Earthdock) and spinning the camera this way and that.

Last night I discovered AMD's GPU Clock Tool. Look around the forums and you'll see references to it. I OC'd to 800/1000 and got an instant 20-25% performance boost. WoW is now consistently above 30fps with very occasional dips into the high 20s. I ran FurMark for about a half hour with no heat issues, either. I have NOT tried any kind of extended gaming, though, so time will tell whether this is a viable optimization.

Overall, the laptop does exactly what I need it to do -- to serve as a standby gaming system for when I travel or don't otherwise have access to my desktop. It's not going to win any benchmark competitions, but it gets the job done.

 

Awesome, thanks a bunch

 

Also when I ordered the computer they didn't offer the back-lit keyboard which was a huge bummer for me, just wondering if that is something I can buy off of eBay and install myself

 

A back-lit keyboard is standard on all SXPS 16s.

 

Hmm I hope so because when I was looking at the sxps a week ago or so before I ordered it and there was an option for like 20 dollars but when I went to actually buy it the option was gone. I called dell and they said it was no longer offered, I hope the person on the phone just didn't know what they were talking about!

 

It was an option on the first gen but on the latest gen, it's standard.

Congrats on your buy! Be sure to read up on the "adding a 2nd hard drive" thread on here. I'm sure you're gonna love it! It's gorgeous compared to the new XPS line.

 

Thanks for the info guys I can wait to get my hands on this thing

 

On the new 'XPS' it is an additional option, on the old 'SXPS' it is standard. You were probably thinking of one of the new regular XPS systems that you looked at.

 

steve.. i ordered the day before you! ... whats your edd?

 

My Edd is 11-9-10, I hope it gets here before that though

 

There's a good chance that it will. I ordered mine on Oct 5th with an EDD of Oct 20th, but it arrived at my door on the 13th, a week earlier.

 

That would be fantastic because I am going out of town for work the day it is supposed to arrive