XPS 1730 review

Hi everyone,

A german website posted a review of a XPS 1730:
http://www.notebookjournal.de/tests/327/1


Spec sheet:
http://www.notebookjournal.de/tests/datasheet/327

Apparently, the notebook came with 2 NVIDIA 8700 GT with a total
of 1024 MB.

3DMark06: 8019

Check it out

 

Nice review... 'cept that it's in German -_-

Hard to make out any of the info save for benchmarks... though it doesn't look as ugly as I've previously thought. It's not pretty, but I don't think it's terrible looking...

 

ohh really cool i love those reflections

 

http://www.notebookjournal.de/storage/show/image/image46fa192608237

It actually looks rather cool on that picture.

 

Frekn back off on the camera views, its impossible to see what the damn thing looks like when he has the damn camera up the computers a&&.People these days have no clue how to use a camera.

 

3DMark06: 8019


For a beast, this one's quite tame, and fugly to boot. I still can't believe that they went with that gray keyboard, back lit or not. What a disappointment!

Guess I'll join the Sager NP9261 Quad Core crowd.

 

I know one thing from that review. If I had a portable desktop that expensive, I wouldn't set it out on the cobblestone driveway, or lawn, whatever that is with lots of rocks.

 

Here's the Google translation of a portion of the review:

Bestie under the Gamer Notebooks
Expectations to a new Dell XPS MM1730 are very high. No miracle, was nevertheless the predecessor XPS M1710 already in the past one of the highest measuring poles for mobiles Gaming.

Discussed also in the forum over Dell the XPS MM1730.

Also this time Michael Dell does not disappoint the Gamer. The Konfig reads itself like the Who is Who of the most potent Gaming hardware.

- Intel Core-2-Duo T7500 with 2.2 GHz
- two Nvidia Geforce 8700M-GT in the SLI group
- AGEIA PhysX physics accelerator map
- two 160 GByte HDD in the Raid 0 group (7200 RPM)
- two GByte main memories
- 17 " WUXGA display with 1920 x of 1200 pixels

Which it for playing brings shows we on the following pages two and three. Notebookjournal tests a pilot lot model of the XPS M1730. The standard model can deviate optically and technically slightly. Particularly with gap dimensions and processing. Price of the test configuration: 3100 euro net.

The PhysX map of AGEIA computes play physics. Trees fall correctly, explosions are more highly detailed (more articles fly for example by air) and animations work more realistically.

In the following video the PhysX effects are in the first section on normal and in the second section on extreme (it fly substantially more parts by air).

Strong appearance
In the salient shaping Dell remained faithful for the old XPS Design. Details and colors were however completely revised.

Dell XPS M1730 can be ordered in the colors white, grey, blue or red. With another color choice than that of the test laptop, would be also shining of the loudspeakers white, grey or red (in the Bios adjustable).

In the test with Aquamark03 DELL XPS M1730 created very good 111,992 points. An advance in performance is however not to be seen.

Aquamark 03 Points 111992
Futuremark 3DMark 2006 v1.0.2 Points 8019
Fear (minimum/minimum) AVERAGE FPS 101
Fear (Low/Low) AVERAGE FPS 105
Fear (medium/medium) AVERAGE FPS 84
Fear (High/High) AVERAGE FPS 76

In the DirectX10 bench mark call OF Juarez reached DELL XPS M1730 an average Framerate of 28,2. A very good value.

Performance test (passport Mark of Rating) Points 749.3
Cinebench R9.5 (multiple CCU Render test) Seconds 30
Cinebench R9.5 (single CCU Render test) Seconds 55
Geekbench Points 290.3
Povray 3,6 (CCU) Second 914.23

To use the Google translator, search for "notebookjournal.de" and press translate.

Does anyone know why it does not have Intel Turbo Cache? And which one's better? 8700 SLI or 7950 GTX SLI?

 

Are u fujin kiddin me??!?!?!?!?!?!?! 8700 SLI, all the way, and btw Dell puts in like crappy memory and hard drive (but it might be different for this laptop) and I bet money that if some good drivers come out for it + u do overclocking on that thing, then I think were lookin at 9,500+ (repectiveily) on 3dmark06, also I really cant be sure with out any true game play on the thing....Btw thnx for website translation...P.S. I mean I would also upgrade the processor on that thing

 

LOL the 8700 SLI isn't nearly as fast as the 7950GTX SLI....

 

Please show some links?

I only come across this common reference site that seems to suggest that otherwise on average the SLI 7950 scores just under 7000 for 3dmarks06:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

Seems to suggest most cards on SLI are only scaling on average 30% more??

 

I think the 7950 SLI on the sager does about 9000 3dmarks06 out of the box. According to this article the Dell does about 8000. It's not quite as fast...but it's still very good for a lap top and DX10.

 

10181 http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=2525570

 

enough with the 3dmark nonesense. two 7950gtx's will always be better than two 8700gt's.

 

Forget about 3dmark nonsense,
we have NOT seen any real world performance to suggest two 7950gtx's will "always" be better than two 8700gt's....
so your blanket overriding statement will mislead someone researching for his notebook buys...

 

This laptop is sort of a disappointment. I mean if it would have come out about 6-8 months back when the price of ddr2 was high and before the 2 major price drops in the C2D line, it would have been pretty good.

However, right now I can build a desktop for $800 bucks that would destroy this thing. That would still leave me enough cash on hand to pick up a pretty sweet, mobile gamer as well. Something w/ 7900 gs like a dell 9400/1705.

 

Please don't compare it with desktop...
Even so, I am scratching my head how you can destroy this thing with just $800 bucks?

Did you cost in even these bare essentials??
- the 1920 x 1200 LCD screen
- 2 x 200 7200rpm RAID SATA hdd.
- 2 x 8700m GT 512MB GDDR3
- 2GB DDR2 memory
- Core2D Extreme processor
- Dual-Link DVI-I
- OS software
....
That's over $2,000 already just to buy the components...

 

To be honest, 3dmark means nothing to me.. Could care less, all that matters is if it can run the damn games YOU wanna play.

And as far as this 7 series being faster then 8 series, ditch that crap..

Last time I checked and read a detailed explanation of DX10, it was highly programmable and optimized, and if true, it shouldn't need such huge horse power.

This topic reminds me of the GHZ battle processors were going through.. They stopped at 3ghz for a good reason and that's why every new processor you see released now doesn't push the 3ghz boarder line. Heat...that and apparently the benefits were pretty much nothing compared to the hassles that came along with it. Only time until it applies to video cards.. Already everything is starting to follow the new CPU trend.. Stick in more Cores..

Franky in my honest experience, the 8600m GT in my inspiron destroys the performance of my alien ware and it's 7950GTX. I say that because all my games actually RUN at higher frame rates on maxed out settings. So anyone that wants to argue with me about my experience can stick it, cuz I'd rather believe the facts and real world results over a stupid spec sheet and 3d mark result.

7950GTX suck ballz in my experience - heats up like mad..no joke like mad, I got the scars on my legs to prove it and discoloration and deformed laptop to prove it..lol.. all that and still can't compete with a light weight 8600m gt. Possible it's just my environment but I ain't gonna change my opinion when I can see the result as plain as black and white right in front of me.

---

This new XPS laptop is disappointing kinda.. I love it and hate it. The port layout is terrible, and the base is way thicker then my 1520 with the lid closed. The sides, with all the ports every where honestly reminds me of a home modding project not thought out at all. Dell should slap the company they got to design and build the laptop.

 

Finally someone who have actual first-hand experience with both 8600m GT and Go 7950GTX....
8600m GT rulez...

B2TheEYo,

Looks like you are not the only one with overheating problems of 7950GTX:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=162317&highlight=7950

 

So, is it really 1024MB of video memory? On the Dell site, it appears to be 512 MB total.

 

The Alienware m9750 will cost ya 3k with SLi, the Clevo the same. The Dell? 4k.
If you want to argue about 7950GTX vs. 8700M GT PLEASE refer to the stickeyed thread in the GPU forum, 7950GTX is still king.

Clevo D900C: 9300 3D06marks stock. 2.5" and 12lbs.
Alienware m9750: 8500 stock. 1.5" and 8.5lbs.

 

ya dell site states maybe wrongly as 2 x geforce go 8700s 256mb.

 

Dual cards in SLi DOES NOT mean you have twice the memory, SLi cards dont work together, they take turns.

 

English version!

http://www.notebookjournal.de/tests/328

 

can you elaborate what do you mean not separate memory for each gpu?, and turning turns?

 

Yeah, but effectively you do have twice the memory. Think about what you wrote for a second....

 

No, each GPU must have the identical data in the RAM because they are mirrored. They work off their own RAM, find out how SLi works before you post a (albeit common, like the guy who says a 512mb card is always better than a 256mb) misconception about GPU's.

 

SLI - basically from my understanding on how nvidia marketed this, one card takes, one half of the screen, the other card take the remaining half. So both cards share the work load evenly. My understanding is they're are option to how the SLI handles things, this I am unsure of 100% - but everything else I'm 100% sure.

Well that dell has a few advantages over the other brands.

- Great Customer Service (for the most part) and if this new XPS team has been trained to an extreme just for this laptop alone so be it if it's true, that's worth a lot of money to me.

- If it sucks or has troubles Dell won't hesitate to replace/repair it for you.. Ever played this game with Alienware? It's terrible, they wouldn't do f-all when my 7950gtx piratically melted through my laptop. You don't even wanna know what they had to say when I told them I had burns on my legs from the damn thing.. lol bastards..

- If the promise is held up; a free upgrade to next gen graphics.. Tell me how many laptops.. or even computer companies in general do that? They always want you to buy a NEW system, not give you free upgrades. lol

Those are just a few things I can name off the top of my head.. To me it seems like a pretty good bargin but damn that port layout and thickness is just down right wrong. They must have had a head ups by nvidia that the new next gen cards will be big :S

All in all.. get w.e system fits you're needs best and you feel is the right choice.

 

Normally I don't compare notebooks to desktops but in the case of a large 17" or even 19" notebook they are more of a desktop replacement. They have short battery life (when gaming) and are not that much more portable than a small shuttle setup.

I did not include a monitor when I was thinking of the price, but a good 17" monitor would not cost you that much more.

Fan = AC freezer pro 7 = $20
CPU = e6400 or even a e2160 can smoke the best of laptop cpu's when O/Ced = $100
Mobo = Any P965/p35 board = $100
Ram = ddr2 800 2x1gb = $60
GFX = 8800 gts 320mb = $250
CDR/DVD = $40
HD = 400gb hard drive = $80
Case/PSU = $100
Total = $750

A setup like this can make over 10k in 3dmark easy.

 

I don't think Dell promised any free upgrades...

They mention the possibility of upgrading in the future but I never saw the word "free" involved

And common marketing sense dictates that if it was going to be free, they would have put it in huge bold letters and plastered it all over the net

If it happens at all, I'm pretty sure that any future graphics upgrades will need to be paid for by the customer.

 

lol Good point man, I'm assuming it's free due to the fact I seen the XPS desktop series on the Dell blog, with free MOBO upgrade kits free to XPS desktop owners, or get the mobo and a huge disscount on some top of the line CPU.

Who knows..lol.. I skipped threw it all.. Still, a very open concept in my books, not many or none at all at the top of my mind that offer this. lol

 

-Great costumer service how?
-Did you OC your Alienware?
-So you're saying... that if I buy this laptop I'll never have to pay a single penny for video cards in the future? WOW

My reasons for not liking the Dell XPS M1730 (Canadian):

It's very pricey. A similar Sager N9261 is around $500 cheaper. Yet, the Sager has a faster processor (ntel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor E6750 vs.Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500 2MB Cache/2.20GHz/800MHz FSB), a faster RAM. Also, wireless N is not an option on the M1730, which is bad for gamers since they won't be able to take advantage of the faster network.

The AEGIA, the main selling point of the XPS1730, is mostly useless. It's only supporting a few games right now (all FPS), it requires everyone in a multiplayer game to have the AEGIA for it to function, it uses the old PCI, and it'll be quickly replaced by cores in a multi-core processor.

It doesn't look very good, Lionel from Direct2Dell says that it's a compromise since the notebook has to be big to hold the performance stuff. Yet, they could at least change the painting.

Though, I would buy it if it's the same price as the XPS M1710.

 

SLi at the old price of the XPS 1710?

The Alienware m9750 starts at US$1799 with a 7950GTX... The Clevo D900 starts at $2000 with a 7950GTX, the XPS starts at $2500 (with 8600GS or 8700GT?), please tell me now that the XPS is a bargain...

@B2theEYo - What AW laptop did you have with a 7950GTX? The 7950GTX downclocks itself automatically when it hits 105ºC. Both my cards have hit 90ºC+ while playing Bioshock and the bottom is just hot, not searing but Sauna hot.

 

No Offence, but I don't think you're comparring the specs properly.

The BASE Dell XPS 1730 is $2999
Core Duo @ 2.4gHz
Dual 8700GT vid cards
1900x1200 screen
2 GB ram
200GB 7200 Single hard drive
8x DVD Burner
Ageia PhysX card


A similarly geared Alienware m9750
Core Duo @ 2.33
Dual 7950 GTX vid Cards
1900x1200 Screen
2GB RAM
200GB 7200 Single Hard Drive
8x DVD burner
Price: $3749.00

Prices are from today (10/2/2007)

Now just so you know where I come from, I have been leaning toward buying an AW m9750 but the price is just killing me. This Dell laptop, however ugly and heavy it is, does seem like a reasonable deal to me.

 

The 256mb 8700M-GT's can't even keep up with a single 7950GTX in Oblivion at high resolution according to ShinAkuma135 who played Oblivion on an XPS 1710 and the 256mb 8700M-GT SLi on the 1730 (The 1730 does better at lower resolutions though). Which means that a $2200 AW or Sager outperforms the 1730.
You also don't need the 2.33GHz on the Alienware, my setup with its measly 2GHz already outperforms the $4999 setup with a 2.8GHz and 512mb 8700M-GT's.

 

Apparently, Dell just got pwned by this Sager.

Display: 17" Wide Viewing Angles WUXGA LCD with Super Glossy Surface (1920 x 1200)[+$195.00]
- Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor E6750 / 4MB L2 Cache, 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB
- Video & Graphics Card: Dual Nvidia GeForce 8700M GT MXM IV Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Video Memory in SLI mode[+$395.00]
- Operating System: Genuine MS Windows® VISTA Home Premium 32/64-Bit Edition
- Memory: 2GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 800MHz - 2 X 1024MB
- RAID Storage Options: Non-RAID Storage
- Primary Hard Disk Drive: 160GB 7200rpm SATA 300 Hard Drive[+$130.00]
- Optical Drive: 8X DVD±R/RW/4X +DL Super-Multi Drive & Software
- Wireless Network Card: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module[+$10.00]
- Bluetooth: Internal Bluetooth Module
- Primary Battery: Smart Li-ION Battery Pack
- Warranty: Sager One Year Standard Warranty
- Carrying Bag: Standard Carrying Bag

1) Dell has no Wireless N.
2) Dell has a slower processor.
3) Dell has a slower RAM.

 

How can people make definitve statements on a sysytem that no one has.I would assume we should wait for some benchmarks before we make definative statements on speed .Has anyone even tried an 8700 sli system

 

ShinAkumi135 has if you read my post - the 256mb version.

 

hi Folks,

notebookjournal.de translated the XPS 1730 review into Plain ENGLISH - Git it a try.

Full Review / Test of the Dell XPS 1730 ENGLISH VERSION:
http://www.notebookjournal.de/tests/328

 

Waiting for Xps or Alienware to have the 8800 cards & then will get my Laptop
wonder how long that will take lol

 

I just wanted to say that i have just taken delivery of one of these machines.

2.4ghz cpu 2 gb ram duel vidcards duel hard drives etc etc

i like it very much and i have yet to run any benchmarks on it. i will run a couple at stock and then with updated drivers and post them here.

i have to laugh though at all of the comments. suprisingly from ppl that seem to know everything about the machine but dont actually own it.

some of you might be interested to know that the agea pysics card is actually pci-express not pci.

i shall post back later today or tomorrow. busy installing stuff and wanting to play. watch this space.

p.s there was no mention of a free video card upgrade fyi.

 

aaah and so i read that nvidia has now released the 8800m gpufor notebooks.

and so as this is day 4 of having the machine and i have 7 days to return it for a refund i have just asked dell to accept the machine back and asked for a refund.

i will wait till after xmas and get a better machine LOOL

 

If you buy one of these laptops get the 8800's great gpu solution

 

are you aware you just brought back a thread that had been dead for a year?