Your comments on my XPS 1530 configuration

I’m about ready to buy my XPS 1530, but wanted to check with the forum to see if I’m making any big mistakes. I came up with the configuration because I always have tons of documents open at the same time & also have a lot of programs open at the same time. This includes more than one photo editing program & a video editing program. My hard disk is always going, swapping things out. So I wanted something that will really speed things up.

I also don’t have a TV so use my computer to watch DVD’s. Later on I plan to get a larger external monitor to make use of the Blu-ray drive. My configuration follows. Let me know if I’m missing anything.

Also, I had a few minor questions.

I’m going to bite the bullet & get the 64 bit version of Vista. Do I also get the 32 bit DVD so I can use that if 64 doesn’t work for me?

I’m thinking of getting the LED screen. Is it worth the extra cost? Any downside?

I’m getting Dell wireless N. Is that the best?

I’m getting Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate) since it’s not that much more, but I don’t know what it is.

That’s it. Let me know what you think. Thanks a lot everyone.

 

You have not mentioned the most important specs : CPU, Memory, GPU, HDD nor the price, therefore we can't tell you whether you are missing anything or making a mistake..

You may already know this but I thought I’d mention it anyway. M1530 came out a while back, has somewhat older components, and on its way out. There are newer notebooks out there with better, more power efficient and faster CPUs, RAM and Graphics adapters. I wouldn’t recommend a M1530 right now unless you are getting a very good deal for it.

As for your other questions, I’m not sure about how _DELL _Vista 64bit disks work; most likely you won’t be able to use the same disk to install 32bit.

LED screen is better because of the higher brightness, uniform brightness distribution and power consumption. How much are you paying for it ?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology used to connect various accessories to your notebook i.e : Mouse, keyboard, headset and data communication devices like mobile phones and PDAs.

 

I don't know that you'll get a 32 bit disc, but I don't know that 64 bit is worth it either.

LEDs are brighter with better battery life, but do not enhance image quality. If you'd like a better better battery life or a brighter screen, then perhaps it's worth it.

Bluetooth is like short-range wireless USB. It's probably only worth it if you have some bluetooth devices you'd like to hook up to it.

 

You should put together some config's of what your looking for on the 1530 at Dell's site, and let us all take a look at it. I have the 1530 it's great

You can get some nice deals on it right now.

Mine has BT, and I take full advantage of it! The LED is a very nice screen..I like the 1440x900 resolution


Cin

 

vpelton - my 1530 is running VHP 32-bit - but my recently acquired Toshiba U405 (need to update my signature) is running both VHP 64 and 32-bit. Using restore DVD's, I installed VHP64 on a replacement HDD, then removed all of the bloatware. I had a (NewEgg - $89 when I got it) VHP32 DVD so I decided to dual-boot it. OK - to the point - VHP32 boots faster and is "snappier" than VHP64. Sure, 32-bit does not see all 4-gigs of RAM, but the U405 runs noticeably faster/better with 32-bit Vista. As far as LCD's, I have the LED on my 1530 and I am very happy with it - I highly recommend it. I tend to buy a couple of laptops per year, and usuallly don't keep any one system very long. But, the 1530 is such a nice and capable system, I have decided to make it a keeper. Last thing - I have not encountered any issues with common apps (Office, Adobe, etc) and older games on the 64-bit build on my Toshiba.

 

Woke up this morning & realized I had forgotten to add the specs. They follow. Thanks for the comments so far.

I decided to go with Dell since I already have one & they give free lifetime telephone support. But just found out now you have to buy the phone support, so that doesn't help. I also like to "build your own." Also, I keep computers "forever", the current one is 7 years old, so want to get pretty much top of the line so it won't age too quickly. But someone said the 1530 is on its way out & there are much better choices. I'd love to hear your specifics (Dell or other?). See specs below to see what I had in mind.

I actually know what Bluetooth is. My question was how was Dell's "Enhanced Data Rate" Bluetooth different from normal (if it comes with normal, don't know).

color = black
processor = T 8300, 2.4GHz/800Mhz FSB, 3MB Cache
Op Sys = Vista, 64 bit (get disk for 32 bit?)
Home Premium
Also: Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 - Word, Excel + PowerPoint
LCD = High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LED LCD (1440x900) ($25 more than the non-LED version)
memory = 4 GB
hard drive = 320 GB, 7200 rpm
optical drive = Blu-ray read/write
video card = 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
wireless = Dell Wireless 1505 Wireless-N Mini-card
bluetooth = Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate) ($20 extra)
battery = 6 cell

$1843 (from Dell site)

 

vpelton - I disagree with whomever told you that there are much better choices. The XPS 1640 is too new to be a much better choice - I would think it would need to be out for at least six months before it is "safe" to buy. Only one other manufacturer, as far as I am aware, offers such a capable slim-line 15" system with LED LCD and DDR3 graphics and in the XPS 1530's price range. The only system which comes close is the 15" MacBook Pro - with probably better build quality and possibly faster DDR3 graphics. But, speaking of price, my 1530 with a T5800 processor, 3-GB RAM, Nvidia 8600, Intel Wi-Fi and 9-cell battery was $1170 shipped. So, IMHO, if you are going to pay $1800 or more for a slimline 15" system, then you may want to seriously consider the MB Pro. I am thrilled with my 1530 with the slower T5800 processor. I had no problems with XP Pro in Bootcamp on my daughters MacBook aluminum, so I would hope and assume the MBP's will run fine with Vista in Bootcamp - giving you what should be a pretty capable dual-booting DX10 system.

 

I got the exact same spec'd computer (mine slighter better in some aspects) for $1300 shipped last month. Check the dell coupons area on this website and other shopping/deal sites to see if you can't bring that price down.

 

I got a refurb with the same CPU, Ram and LED in October 08 & I've been extremely happy with it. I ended up getting another one for my wife too
The LED screen is a must as i initally got a used 1530 from Craigs for my wife that came with a samsung screen (WXGA+) which was horrible so sold it & got her one from the outlet with the LED. I only wish there was an in between brightness setting. The highest setting is too bright and one down seems a little dark, other than that i love it. I would suggest the intel WiFi card unless you plan on installing hackintosh on it. You may get better range and battery life because of the centrino chipset (although that may be open to discussion
You may be able to snag a better deal from the outlet with the current crop of coupons though. Might take some patience to find one with an LED screen thugh.

 

Get the Intel Wireless-N adaptor it its available, also whats the miminum amount of RAM you can buy? i find dell charge a fortune for RAM, see if you can get 2Gb, and upgrade to 4Gb or 8Gb yourself

 

You should try finding a very similar config at Dell's outlet and see the price differential I think you will find it cheaper!

Are you using any coupons?
Here are a few:
25% off a 1530 System priced at $1699 + 0419MFN8D09P45
20% off a 1530 System priced at $1299 + 5VHCG2KCC1DFTM

They expire 2/5/09


Cin

 

i got this setup 13 days ago from the outlet and im very happy so far

XPS M1530 Laptop: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.5GHz/800Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache)
Integrated 2.0 Mega Pixel Web Camera
Sound Blaster Audigy ADVANCED HD Audio Software Edition
8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability
4 GB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz (2 DIMMs)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
Dell Travel Remote Control
Midnight Blue
6 Cell Primary Battery
15.4 inch WXGA+ LED Laptop Screen
320 GB Free Fall Sensor Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Intel 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini Card

$1019.00 before tax,shipping and complete care warranty upgrade($1200 final price)

last week i even got my 64bit disk by using the dell forums

 

I would avoid the Dell wireless. DPC latency issues are likely with the Broadcom wireless. Do as fordtech6 and I myself did and go with the 4965 Intel wireless. DPC latency really doesn't get any better than with the Intel adapters with my experience.

 

I didn’t know about Dell Outlet. I found www.dell.com/outlet. Is that the place? Are they all used/refurbished computers? Couldn’t that be a problem? The reason I’m replacing my current dell is that the graphics board is extremely flaky & it was diagnosed as a hardware problem. Don’t want to replace one problem with another.

On Dell Outlet, they listed the processor as “Intel Core 2 Duo - 2100”. How does that relate to what I want, the T8300?

Thanks for the info on the MacBook Pro. I need to run program from work that only run on a PC so I had not considered Apple, plus I was told them are always more expensive. I can run Vista on MBP? Are there any compatibility issues? Does it have Blu-ray writeable?

Thanks for the coupon info, Hayapples. I’ll check out the coupons on this site. Are there other sites? I’ve looked at others before but they never matched what I wanted. Sure would be nice to bring the price down.

I wanted to get the Intel Next-Gen wireless card, but it was not on the list to choose. I was told if I wanted Vista 64, to choose the “build with 8 GB” option. You don’t have to get 8 GB, you just start there. With that option, Intel wireless was not there. Guess Dell doesn’t have it set up to use with Vista 64. Any comments?

The min is 3 GB RAM, 2 dimms. Does that mean it takes 2 slots? I don’t know how many slots are available. If there are only 2, then I’d have to toss some memory to upgrade. Is that right? Going from 3 to 4 GB adds $50. Is that expensive for memory?

Cin, you listed some coupons. Thanks, but I don’t know how to use them. They are not links.

Fordtech6, I see you got the Intel wireless & I assume will use Vista 64. Since Dell does not offer Intel wireless with a system that originates with Vista 64, how do you know it will work? If I go with Vista 32, I can get the Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card. Is that the same as your Intel 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini Card?

 

So long as you avoid "scratch and dent" listings, the machine that you recieve from Dell outlet should be essentially flawless, save for a refurbished sticker on the bottom. Most were not machines with problems, but were simply returned for some reason. Once a customer powers on a machine, it must be listed as refurbished regardless of if there was anything wrong with it. The designation "Customer Ordered New" means that it was never powered on by a customer, either returned without being opened, or cancelled before being shipped. Scratch and Dent is self explanatory. It will have cosmetic flaws. They all come with standard Dell warranties.

I certainly couldn't say with any authority about every configuration, but you should assume that whatever memory config you order will have chips occupying both spots. Especially for something like 3 GB, since there isn't any such thing as a 3 GB chip. It'll come 2+1.

I have the Intel4965 and it works perfectly with Vista x86, Vista x64, Windows 7 x86, and Windows 7 x64. No sweat.

 

I see that you r reaching almost $1800 price tag. Why dont u consider getting XPS Studio 16 which basically provide you with ur exact current config with some better upgradation (like screen and RAM i.e 1067MHZ DDR3 comapred to DDR2 in XPS 1530)
I was also in the same dilemma but in the end i opted for XPS Studio 16.
As far as the OS is conserned, you will get a 32 bit by default however u can opt for 64 bit while configuring the system.

EDIT : Sorry i didnt saw tht u alos opted for blueray.. Well adding blue-ray in XPS Studio 16 will make that system a bit more thn ur current price.. but still have a look once.. Accordign to me the whole config is way better than XPS 1530

 

They are coupon codes you enter at your *Cart Summary* page before checkout. It says: Coupon Entry - Enter Coupon Number

No links needed..you simply configure your build.
Fairly simple - System priced at $1699 = 25%, system priced at $1299 = 20%.

25% off a 1530 System priced at $1699 + 0419MFN8D09P45
20% off a 1530 System priced at $1299 + 5VHCG2KCC1DFTM

www.dell.com ~

Cin

 

For what's it's worth-- the M1530 is a quality laptop and I still use one quite a bit while working on my PHd in comp science. I have a macbook pro also, but prefer the Dell.

Vista x64. I wouldn't hesitate a second to go with it. It's now the default OS shipped on the majority of new pc's. It can utilize more memory, processors, etc. I got mine over a year ago and requested Vista x64. Well, when it arrived, Vista x86 was installed on it and that's what the recovery disk was also. I called support and they told me I would have to send back my laptop to get x64 installed on it- BS!!!
Well, I got upset and decided to call XPS support, as I had opted for the 3 year warranty. Talk about a home run!! The XPS support will bend over backwards to help you. Just tell them what you want. So what I did, is they sent me the x64 vista disk, on 1 condition. I had to return the x86 disk, or they would charge me ~$15.00 So I gladly sent the x86 disk back, AFTER making a "perfect copy". Since that time, I also called them after my x64 disk was accidentally scratched and requested a new one, to include SP1. XPS support again said "no problem", I just had to give the the part number I wanted that's on the sp1 disk- hell if I knew. So I contacted a friend here and he gave me the part number. XPS support is Great and by far the best I have ever used.



as mentioned, if the 4gb memory runs much over $40 vs the 3gb, get the 3gb and buy an extra 2gb module online and install yourself. Easy to do and internet guides, including Utube available.

LED screen

Intel 4695 wifi

9 cell battery- raises the back of the laptop allowing better cooling, airflow, etc.

Enjoy your sweet machine and don't look back!!!!

 

Fountainhead, thanks for the info on Dell Outlet. So I should avoid Scratch & Dent. When the processor is listed as “Intel Core 2 Duo - 2100”, how does that relate to what I want, the T8300? It’s interesting your Intel wireless works with Vista 64. Wonder why they don’t sell Intel wireless with Vista 64. I assume Vista x86 is Vista 32-bit, is that right?

Cin, those coupons look very good, but I might not be ready to buy before they expire. Where do I get others with later expiration dates? It would be wonderful to have.

Nobscot6, thanks for your comments about Vista x64. I’d like to get it, but they won’t sell the Intel wireless with it. I’ll call them & see what’s up. I also have some old specialized S/W that might not run on x64. Does it have a 32 bit option for S/W like that? I’d also like the 9 cell battery, but with the back tilted up, it hurts my wrists so I won’t be able to get that battery.

Getbiks, I looked at Studio XPS 16, but it only had a Blu-ray readable drive & I want writeable, so that’s not going to work for me.

 

Hello! There are several places to get coupons:
Here on the forum on the *Coupon* heading at the Top:
http://www.notebookreview.com/dellCoupon.asp

at dell.com, you can sign up for info'
http://app.subscription.dell.com/prefcenter/signup.cfm?t=Laptop

at xpbargains.com:
http://www.xpbargains.com/st_deals.php/Dell_coupons.htm

at cheapstingybargains.com:
http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/

at techbargains.com:
http://www.techbargains.com/dellcoupons.cfm

At several of these sites, you can also sign up for e-mail notification...and the NBR Coupon section of the forum also! A cool option.

Also, I have both the 6cell and 9cell batt, they both work well.
The Dell Outlet....The good choices are *Previously Ordered New* and *Certified Refurbished*

Hope that helps you some more!

Cin

 

Thanks so much for all the coupon info. I’ll check them all out before I buy.

 

Great! And, good luck to you! Keep us posted as to what you ordered, etc


Cin

 

Turns out I can’t get everything I want! Why is life like that? I wanted to get Vista 64 bit, but then Dell won’t let me get: Vista Ultimate nor Intel 4965 wireless. These 2 items DO come with Vista 32 bit. Here’s my plan. I’ll order Vista 32 bit from Dell with these 2 items, then get my free 64 bit Vista Ultimate disk & intall it myself. If Vista 64 bit doesn’t work out, I can still go back to 32 bit. Is this a good plan or a bad plan?

P.S., note I’m getting Blu-ray read/write drive. Will that work fine with Vista 32 bit (if I need to go that route)?