XPS M1530 - is waiting a losing prop?

I posted in the "which laptop should I get" thread, but briefly I'm looking for a laptop for both gaming and work. I'm torn between the M1530 and the M1730. Besides price differential, the M1730 features a SLI Dual 8700 MGT graphics card and the M1530 does not. Also, the M1530 has way lower screen res.

Now, I know that a few people have said that Dell plans to up the screen res on the M1530 in Q1 2008, but is it worth it to wait? I mean, then I'll still be missing out on the dual graphics card. I really like the M1530 chassis, which sounds like a really retarded reason to favor one over the other, but if everything was equal I'd be happier with it. Is waiting a losing proposition?

P.S. I realize that if I wait, Dell will come out with an 8800 graphics card, but I'm not going to wait for that. I'm already busting the bank as it is.

 

if anything, WXGA is better for gaming since it will allow you to play new games at native resolution. try playing Crysis at WSXGA+ with a 8600GT......

 

Ultimately, I think your decision is going to be based on what you really want to do most with the laptop. I don't know what type of games you play but the m1530 will probably never be an extreme gaming machine and I don't really see Dell adding anything in the near future to make it such. That slim form factor will have a hard time with heat dissipation if they add much more power to it. If you play seriously graphic intense games then the 1730 may be better. Also, for major video editing if that's your thing, the 1730 will be better.

I don't think liking the chasis is a retarded reason for wanting the 1530. The chasis is what sold me as If I were just concerned about the inner hardware I would have gone with the inspiron/vostro and saved some cash. As for the display res, I know I can live with it. In a few months down the road if Dell releases a new one, I can just purchase a new LCD and stick in it since the video card supports higher res...although, that would be a while off for me. If I wait long enough, wholesellers will more than likely have the screens in stock and they'll be cheaper.

I ordred the 1530 for school and for occasional gaming. I needed a laptop pretty quickly and can't wait for what may or may not be. I wanted a unit that would give me both power and portability. I have a inspiron e1705 which would be relatively close to the 1730 in weight and it's just too much to lug around for extended periods.

At any rate, I know how hard it is to make decisions on these things and I wish you luck.

 

In all likelyhood by the time the higher resolution screens are introduced Dell will have supply figured out and will not be facing holiday rush. Therefore the turnaround for a new order will only be a couple of days.. The difference between delivery from ordering now and delivery from ordering in 3 weeks or so may only be a couple of days... I think a better screen in worth the wait... 8800 card is a different story which I don't know much about... not sure if that will ever make it into the M1530

 

Keep in mind that the price on the 1530 is only going to go up. I doubt it stays at $999 for too much longer (past January)....

 

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Here are my thoughts. First of all, on the pricing, I agree. Dell does a lot of price flucuation in order to attract people during slow times or whatever. I started out a few months ago looking at the XPS M1710. Then I heard about the XPS M1730. Then I heard about the XPS M1530. Clearly, you can see that I've been sitting around waiting for "the next best thing" for a while, which is why I'm getting antsy enough to just pull the trigger. But in that time, I've seen that Dell will at times give "money off" discounts or their "Dell Care" discount (between 3-10% off) or just remove all discounts altogether. (P.S., it blows my mind that the M1710 configured to LOWER specs than the M1730 costs more. Are they deliberately trying to not sell it?)

Second of all, on what I intend to use it for, I'm not an FPS person. So you can definitely argue that I'm not going to be pushing my rig to the limits with frame-speed, etc. To that extent, I realize I don't "need" an SLI card. However, my beef is this: I've gone through all my life with that thinking and it gets me killed. Because I'll buy what I "need" and find it obsolete in about 1-2 years. That's fine in a way these days with cheaper computers, but a laptop that is $3000+? Believe me, I'm not rich. I don't mind shelling it out ONCE, but I'm not going to be buying another one for a loooooong time so I don't want new-gen games coming out in 2009 that I can't handle if I want. I hope that's clearer.

Finally, I'm still torn between the M1730 and the M1530. Screen size is not a huge deal to me, I can go with either. So assuming the M1530 gets better screen res in Q1 2008, I can see myself going with the M1530 (that's as long as I'll wait, however). Question: with the above in mind, though, is it a waste of my time to NOT get a rig with an SLI card? Will I be kicking myself in a year or so? Thoughts?

 

P.S. Right now, Dell is offering a $200 gift card with a purchase of a $1500+ system, so I obviously qualify. But I anticipate that if I wait for the better monitor, by that time they'll have removed that offer. And on top of that, the monitor option for higher res or LED will cost more. So is that worth it, too, you think? I mean, I've never seen the LED option. Let's assume that adding it (or the higher res) will cost $200, then I'm essentially "losing" $400. Not worth it, right?

 

It is very possible that you may be kicking yourself in a year or two. With the way technology and software is advancing, most of this hardware will be outdated pretty soon. More and more software will start to take advantage of the AGEIA PhysX offered. IMO, if weight is not an issue for you, go with the 1730. Overall, you will get better mileage out of your hardware when it comes to technology, especially since it sounds like you'll be hanging on to the laptop a while. If you have the funds, get the best that you can afford.

Meanwhile if the screen resolution is the only thing holding you back on the m1530, see what comes of it in Q1 and then weigh your options. In the end, it's going to come down to which one you feel better walking away with. Regret on expensive stuff like this is a killer. Also remember, if you get the m1530 now, an uprade on the lcd a few months after purchase is not out of the question if you need to purchase sooner.

 

I'm just speaking blindly here, but without having experienced it I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I don't think that I care much about the PhysX accelerator. More realistic explosions, etc? OK, but not a top priority right now.

That's the thing, I'm having a hard time comparing because there's no "in between." I like the M1730's specs, but I (1) don't need 17", (2) don't care about LED lights, (3) don't care about PhysX. I like the M1530's specs and size, but I (1) hate the screen res and (2) would prefer an SLI card. I'm leaning towards the M1530 in Q1 if what zadillo says is true (1680x1050 coming out). But waiting is KILLING me!!

 

LOL, I feel your pain. I had been waiting and waiting for the m1530 and almost dropped my cash on the m1330. Yes, I had other options from other manufacturers but I was really sold on dell's design. I'm glad I didn't as I would have regretted the loss in screen real estate and the lack of the GT video card. Literally I was about to purchase the 1330 1 day before the release of the m1530. It was in my cart and ready to go.

 

This is going to sound lame, but I was actually torn between the M1730 and the M1330, lol. (Of course, if I got the M1330 it would be strictly for work and I'd drop any aspirations of a gaming rig. I'm not crazy.) I saw it on cnet and the design, coming from Dell, blew me away. The M1530 is, I think, a perfect balance between the two. I mean, sure, bigger screen size is nicer, but I'd like a little mobility. I also really like the numeric pad, which the M1530 can't handle, but that's a very minor issue compared to the other stuff I talked about. So I was ready to buy the M1530 as soon as it came out, but then I saw the screen res and was stopped dead in my tracks.

 

You are kinda screwed because anything you buy now will feel outdated in 12 months. Sorry, just the way it is with laptops.

It was different with the 79xx series cards because the 7900GS offered excellent gaming performance for cheap. Unfortunately, nvidia dropped the ball with the 8xxx series (IMO) and there is a huge performance difference between 86/8700 and top-end 8800 parts.

In all honesty, there is never a great time to buy a laptop (especially a gaming laptop) because there will always be something better around the corner. In fact, digitimes is reporting that nvidia is almost ready to release 9xxx parts very soon. That means laptops are soon to follow as well

 

Woah, hang on. Certainly technology is advancing way more rapidly than, say, in the 1980s. But if it's "never" a good time to buy a laptop because it's always going obsolete in one year, then are you really saying that nobody should be buying a gaming laptop? It's one thing to say your laptop won't be cutting edge, but I don't think it's going to be obsolete. Like, if I don't have the PhysX accelerator, then I can't take advantage of that feature with games. But I can still play the games (and also there aren't even that many games that take advantage of the accelerator right now). So you can definitely say that I'm not cutting edge, but obsolete?

I guess here's the thing. I see a bunch of threads about people looking for good gaming laptops and their budget is "$1000." I'm wondering what they mean? $1000 is enough for a basic laptop with like 2 Gb RAM and a decent (but not great) video card and a screen that's average res only. Again, enough to play games, but "good"? How can you get a "good" rig for less than $2500?

I realize I'm being a glutton by saying I want 4 Gb RAM, an SLI card, and high screen res. I realize that's going to run me over $3000. I'm not complaining about that. But do you mean you guys are basically getting average laptops and just updating them every year? Or what?

 

I wish I could afford to upgrade my laptop every year but that's just not possible. When I do buy a laptop, I get the best I can afford because I know I'll have it for a while. So, I have been known to buy what some people would consider an "overkill" However, after a year or two, it's down to a basic laptop since technology has surpassed what I have.

 

I'm going to hit a Dell kiosk today to check out the laptops in person. I guess if the M1730 isn't as ugly as it looks online, I'll get it. But if the M1530 (hope they have one to demo) is sweet enough, who knows. AAAAARRRRGH!!!!

 

Attention: for those people who are being swayed by the $200 promotional Dell gift card with new laptop purchases, it is fake. Dell just jacked up their prices $200. In other words, you're basically just paying for the gift card. I configured an M1730 at the end of November and the cost came out to $3918. I had not purchased it yet, but I just checked out the price again (because of the gift card promo) and it came out to ...(drum roll, please) ...$4119. Screw Dell.

 

1730 has a better resolution and dual 8700.... if you can afford it; go for it.

 

Seems like a hard decesion. Dell aparently are going to release an 8800SLI option, and aparently an upgrade is possible. So, buy now, upgrade later?
XD

 

If you are thinking of M1730 then I strongly suggest you to wait for 8800M. Because even a single 8800M GT can beat dual 8700M GTs in SLi mode!



Source : AnandTech

Even though 3D mark scores don't always represent true gaming performance, it certainly shows the raw performance of the card.

 

What I am saying is purchasing a high-end (gaming) laptop is a big investment that is usually not worth the cost (unless you are wealthy and have nothing better to spend your money on).

Let's see..... I got a XPS Gen2 with 6800 Ultra and I was flipping out how fast it was! I loved everything about that computer. BUT, ~14 months later they came out with the M170. Same chassis but with a newer graphics card that literally smoked the Gen2. I felt kinda gipped, really. I was able to keep my system up to snuff by upgrading the graphics card since it used the same mobo, chassis, and BIOS. That doesn't last too long because Dell almost always changes something (design or chassis layout) every new generation of laptop so that you cannot upgrade. It is smart on Dell's part because they want you to buy a new system.

Same thing happened with my M170 when the M1710 came out, and M1710 to M1730, etc, etc..... Get my point?

 

I totally understand you; like I said, I was going to get the M1710, then I heard the M1730 was "just around the corner." Then I heard that the M1530 was "about to be released." Now I'm being told to wait until the M1530 gets better resolutions.

All I'm saying is that the fact that the M1530 comes out doesn't make the M1730 obsolete by any stretch of the imagination. It just means there's something out there which is better in some respects (size, 'looks') and worse in others (screen res, graphics card). But it's not like all of a sudden everyone's M1730 can't play games or whatever. You don't really even need the latest graphics card, for those who are waiting for the 8800.

Also, like I said, everyone please notice that the $200 promo card by Dell is accompanied by a $200 price increase in their laptops!!

 

I wouldn't say that about the $200 price increase. Take a look at the Dell Coupons. You can save $200.