Should I get a 1530?

I was about to order a 1530, but then I read about Dell's faulty GPU problem.... should I order it? or should I look elsewhere? and If so, any recommendations that compare to the 1530?

here was the spec I was looking at:

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.5GHz/800Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache)
Genuine Windows® Vista Home Premium Edition SP1
Tuxedo Black
High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LED LCD (1440x900) & 2.0 M
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)
120GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ 8600M GT
8X CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate), for XPSM1530
6 Cell Battery
Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy HD Software Edition

 

NO!!! the xps is an old laptop with phased out tech

 

are you serious? but the centrino 2 isnt that much better isnt it? btw is there a big difference between 3MB cache and 6MB cache?

 

i agree theirs not that much wrong with it i got one a month ago and i find nothing wrong with it even with nvidia 9500 laptops its not that much better unless they could fit something like a 9600+ in the same 15" size and take account of the weight Alienwear ext. do but look how heavy and expensive their nothing wrong with the m1530 at the current time.

as long as you take account of weight and size

 

montevina.... sigh

the dell xps available loaded for under $1100 (well, for Dell EPP)... its the cheapest i've seen so far since april.... of course u could comment that technology changes and old stuff = cheaper, but if u aren't that worry about the GPU(not many reports of GPU failing in m1530 in thisf orum) and use that 4 yr warrantty, i'd say buy now

 

Read my review:
http://corvettec3.com/dellXPSm1530review.htm

I've had mine for 7 months now and I'm extremely happy with it.
No glitches whatsoever and I use it at least 6-8 hours 6 days a week under heavy loads.

As for the faulty GPU, those are rare. You see them here, but for every faulty part or complaint you see here, there are thousands that don't have problems and they don't post here.

 

I'd ignore those GPU problems, since they've been adequately adressed with the BIOS updates Dell recently released.

I'd be more concerned about an upcoming Centrino 2 update. Maybe/hopefully the dedicated graphics card will be replaced by a newer generation, too. And you don't want to get angry with yourself, only because you couldn't wait another couple of weeks, do you?

 

Unless you are an avid gamer- buy now. There WILL be a price jump and realistically the performance upgrade of the new technology (outside of the dedicated graphics card, is 1-2%.... haha
if you are happy with what it looks like and the deal is good.. id say go for it

 

I agree..I have had my 1530 since January, and everything has gone smoothly except for a battery charge problem, but that has been fixed and all is working and running smoothly

So why not get it now....if that is what you want to do??

Cin

 

Right, waiting just because of the supposedly microscopic performance boost won't make much sense. I don't really know about the improvements made for newer generations of nVidias mobile graphic chipsets, though.

But the Centrino 2 upgrade has never been about performance in the first place. It's about various minor improvements leading to energy efficiency benefits, the new graphics adapter (which won't be an issue for XPS series notebooks anyway), the new wireless module, etc.

Second that.

 

Just make sure you take the 3 or 4 year warranty.

http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2008/07/25/nvidia-gpu-update-for-dell-laptop-owners.aspx

Of course for some peace of mind, you may want to wait for the 9 series video cards. It's up to you.

 

Yes, go for it. Also make sure that you get it from the weekend savings event, it's much cheaper than when you configure it from base. Or maybe you already used the weekend savings event ... but I'm just making sure. The offer ends 7/28.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/sale_laptops?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

 

is that promo only available in USA? i'm in Canada, and I can't find any link to that promo at dell.ca