So has Dell just abandonded the mid/high end?

No problem. I'd assume it's really noticeable as there's a huge difference with games at different resolutions, and of course even web video at different resolutions.

Probably not as big of a difference as on a TV, but still, it'll look a lot nicer, and I don't want to have to rent/buy separate discs just for my laptop!

 

I can see wanting the blue-ray ROM - but I think the +up $400 for the Rom+Writer is a bit high.... even though I ended up with rom+writer on my 1730's I bet I'll never BURN a BLUERAY- unless the consumables come down a bunch. Heck I don't even like burning dual layer due to the cost and they are a fraction of blue-ray.

On Sony Warranty - I think you want to buy the warranty regardless... but I know that techsupport etc.. on the XPS is a whole lot better than the Sony Experience that I have had... In general the XPS support that I have received has been very responsive.

 

Okay, it's a new week...WHERE ARE THE NEW SYSTEMS!?!?!

Seriously, this is absurd!

I just got an XPS thing thing in mail from Dell showing...a bunch of old systems. Plus the new "Studio XPS", which is apparently the replacement for their mid and high end systems. It's hardware doesn't look terrible (maybe) but it'ws smaller, and really looks like the successor to the Inspiron/Dimension 530, not the XPS 420.

And of course not a new notebook in site.

I really, REALLY don't understand what's going on.

I don't care about burning Blu Ray-at least not for a while (and I could always add an external drive for that). The drives generally add around $150 to a system's cost (if there's even an option to not have one).

Good to know about the warranty.

 

Dell had something up its sleeve..

Than the credit crisis awoken the beast.

Dell is selling old technology and people are still buying - so why change that?

 

Well *I'm* not buying old technology. Come on, a Radeon 3650 on a notebook that pricey? No updated specs on the 1730 (or LED backlight)?

What the HEY is going on!?!? I really, really want to just have this wait over, and I'm really tempted by that Sony AW notebook :-/
(Though $500 for a 4 year warranty?)

 

Dell serves it's purpose but it still astonishes me how ugly their laptops are to this day.

I mean they should take a look at HP. Despite all HP's issues they still manage at the very least to deliver nice looking and great performance laptops. They've found the perfect combination to please both the cost minded individuals and those who care more about style and power.

If Dell did that they could reach HP and even sony's level in the industry.

Don't get me wrong I'd buy a Dell before I bought anything from sony but right now sony has better name recognition and probably a bigger fanbase when it comes to their overpriced laptop line.

And at the very least no matter what you want to say about sony and it's prices their laptops look **** good!

So yeah Dell has abandoned mid/high end consumers. It's their loss.

 

Dell's bigger than Sony in the computer world. And HP's not exactly a great company for power users. Some of their stuff's okay, but traditionally Dell has destroyed them on price and performance. This year is the very first time that's ever maybe not been the case (and only because Dell seems to have gone to sleep or something here).

And I've always thought Dell's stuff looks fine, and I really don't care much...

But...they've just abandoned us, apparently. No new laptops for power users. And they've destroyed their forums, which to me were always a big selling point. I am SO disappointed I've been a huge Dell fan for at least 12 years...and now it's like they're just disappearing

 

Dell dropping the XPS for alienware has me looking at sagers. Personally I love the feel of my dell (its the spartan chasis version of a XPS1730), between the keyboard and overall look and feel Im in love. But there is only so long it will last, and I have been saving for a top model 17in for my next purchase and dell doesnt look to be delivering that. I 100% agree with terrain in that dell should fold AW and make the XPS thier top model line. Having both AW and XPS lines means they not only compete with them selves, but also lack progression.

 

Yeah, I want them to just ditch Alienware, not themselves.

Voodoo is gone I guess, basically, yet Dell is destroying themselves for Alienware.

(On Voodoo's site, they seem to only have two systems now-and one is that joke $2000+ low end laptop. I have no idea who the market for that is-it's this $400 laptop components being sold for a gazillion times more. Geez, the Macbook is $1000 cheaper and is higher end, and looks nicer too IMO, and every other company has a 13" notebook that seems better to me for far less too).

 

If the xps line was selling more units than Alienware, do you not think they would have already done that?

Result is: end of the line for dell and any sort of decent laptop.

 

I just kind of have a hard time believing Alienware could be selling more than Dell. I figured they sold more even when Alienware was a seperate entity. I don't know why at any point you would have choosen an Alienware over a Dell

 

Technically Dell only has one laptop that is in the same league as the Alienware laptops, the xps 1730. So I'd find it quite hard to believe that Dell's single (old technology) laptop could be selling the same amount as all of Alienware's put together.

Though, granted I too cannot understand why anybody would buy an Alienware over all the other high end laptops available.

 

branding... when done right... it's like crack...

 

I just...who likes the Alienware branding? I thought they were nifty 10 years ago, but geez, back then I didn't know any better, and even then I had the sense not to use them.

I remember actually seeing one of their systems in a store, and it was CRAZY loud, even in the store...in addition to the price and everything else...

I just don't know what the hey Dell is doing.

 

Branding makes sense (well no it doesn't, but if somebody's into that I suppose it does) if it is actually an exclusive laptop, but its not, or it certainly isn't any more.

They've started selling them in warehouse supermarkets. Oh yeah, real exclusive. All they've got now is overexpensive, poorly designed crap, and when coupled with their world renowned customer service, you really would have to be mad to buy one.

 

I thought originally it was supposed to be a 'kill the opposition' move, yet funnily enough look who's killing off dell's gaming line!

 

Yeah, exactly! Had they just folded them in to Dell or something, that would be okay. Though the far more understated "XPS" was far cooler than giant alien heads, but whatever.

Geez, sorry I just keep griping on here, but this is driving me nuts. I want to buy a new system NOW, and no one really has one that fits my needs! (Except MAYBE the Precision M6400, but it lacks Blu Ray, has a Quardo that might not work with Geforce drivers, and costs over $5600 for the config I'd get).

 

Branding is why companies like apple and AW can sell hardware that is sold elsewhere for alot cheaper for so much. As for AW selling more then dell, I doubt that. Maybe AW sells more then the XPS1730, but rolling the two companies into one and making one high end line rather then dell and alienware. Having the XPS line with an alienware chassis option for the kids, and a less LED clad toy looking chassis for people like me who want a pwerhouse but without the funky graphics and crazy LEDs.

 

What size are you looking for? Personally I love the sager 9262, 1333Mhz FSB quad core + 9800mGT graphis all for under $3k. But then again thats the 17in model.

 

I think the best is the qx1730,
Desktop QX9650 + Sli 9800GTX's = MADNESS,

 

AW, and other boutiques shoot for those who say... "I WANT that laptop..."

whereas other product purchase is a matter of "I Need" or "Do I Need?"

hence there is no rational explanation into buying an boutique or a hype... only passion and desire... so despite how hard folks try, you really can't knock rational thinking into someone who's made up his/her mind on it...

Crack i tell ya... Crack...

 

I meant GTX. The sager I mentioned has a desktop CPU and can have a quadro, 9800mGTX or 9800mGTX SLi. If I were in the market at this moment it would be the laptop of choice for me. The only let down it has is the keyboard, the numpad is squished and yes I use the internal keyboard on my 17in all the time.

 

What is the Spartan chasis?

 

I really don't care about size one way or the other. I'm sort of half considering everything from a 14" Asus to an 18.4" Sony. I don't think any Sagers have LED backlit screens though. I have a semi-weird collection of things I want/need:

-LED backlight
-decent CPU
-Decent GPU (preferably 8800 class, but I'm resigned to going as low as 8600GT class)
-Blu Ray (which I may be stuck adding on through USB...which will hopefully always work for movie playback)
-32-bit Vista (for Gametap mostly, and general compatibility)...resigned to possibly adding this on after the purchase too
-probably other stuff I've forgotten.

 

You can order the silver Precision M6400 with an RGB LED screen, add 4gb memory, quad core proc and 1gb 3700m video card and it will set you back about 4k. Add this drive and you have blu-ray for ~ $300 dollars:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827118009

 

Whoa, when I configured the Covet (including 4 year warranty) it came to ver $5600. $4000ish is a lot more realistic...but I can't add the LED backlit screen to the regular model, as far as I'm aware (I've tried but it's not an option).

And thanks for that Blu Ray link! Could be handy for something or other...
(Wish it was available through the education section too!)

 

The 3700M Quadro is even better than 9800M GTX. Start a thread in the Gaming subforum, theyll tell you how to get the right drivers.

@wolfpup

 

I just added the RGB LED screen to the silver M6400 here on the US site. I am close to pulling the trigger now that I can get a RGB LED on the silver version.

 

I think he meant how it looks in comparison to the XPS. Vostro's are all black with chrome accents, while the XPS is a lot more flashy looking with bright colors, glossy plastics, colored LED's and whatnot.

 

I like the wow 1730 due to the flat black inside shell vs the 1730 plasty-carbon - too bad Dell does not offer that as an option on regular 1730's.

 

Whoa...I SWEAR I just configured that system this week...I think earlier today, and that option wasn't there! That decreases the price around $800 with no difference that I can see.

MUCH more realistic, although still $1000 more than what I think is remotely decent Hmm though...

I guess I'll have to ask again on the Gaming thing about force installing regular Geforce drivers on that Quadro.

 

I have a WoW 1730 and I completely agree. However I much prefer the the M6300 chassis, its a bit thinner, lighter and I like the keyboard a little better. I think an M6400 with a Quadro 3700M may be just what I need to replace these systems.

 

Ummm there is no documentation on this drive on either newegg or even the manufacturer's page
How do you know it fits, let alone works, in a M6400?

 

That is a standard optical drive for notebooks, it will fit.

 

So is Dell actually releasing something or not? Here we are, middle of November. People kept saying we'd get new systems now...like today, and nothing.

Do I just give up? Their forums are gone, apparently their high and mid range hardware (except for the Precisions) is gone, etc.

Okay, this is just ridiculous. I found my old Premier login, which is apparently different from my normal account which qualifies for educational pricing (?)

My login doesn't work, so I go to reset my password. Go through that dance three times, and each time it claims it's accepting my new password, and then that doesn't work when I try to log in (with different error messages...). Ugh, I'm just giving up.

(Sorry, this is ranty, but come on! What the heck are they doing?)

 

My vostro 1700 uses the same chassis as a dell XPS 1730. What I meant by spartan is that it lacks all the "cool" designs and flashy LEDs. Basically a sturdy awesome chassis without all the flash found on high end notebooks.

 

"spartan" =/= alienware
"spartan" =/= gateway glossy orange, red, chrome...

 

Hence why I bought a business dell when I wanted/needed a higher end notebook. The only powerhouse that doesnt look like it was designed for a teenager is the sager 9262. Sad but true.

 

Are you sure about that? I thought that Vostro 1700 was an Inspiron 1720? Seems like the same specs, and the chassis looks more rounded than the 1730.

I don't know, the 1730 and Gateway's FX models seem positively restrained if you put them up against a Toshiba x305 or an Alienware

I mean...I don't know, just not crazy enough to worry me I guess

 

hey, due to so many folks talking about the gateway, i checked out their laptops...
/shudder...

so giving them another chance, i walked ALL the way over to Best Buy to give another first hand look...

/shudder...

i guess personal thing...

look at all the folks screaming "Skullcap" over at Toy's R Us... er... i mean AW...

 

I thought I had possibly missed a Michigan State 1730

 

I have a M1710, my brother has a M1730. I am buying a AW m17.

I see many fanboys here hate AW and love Dell. Maybe it's time to wake up. the M17 is not the usual $5000 AW that you only know about. The M17 i am getting only cost me less than $2k CAD.

Someone mention AW only care about those flashy lights instead of build quality. But I can tell you I HATE M1730's lights and cheap looking flaps at the back of the LCD. I am not saying it because I see that from the pictures, I play with the M1730 everyday, those flaps look cheap compare to M1710.
After all, the price of M1730 is not cheap, and is not without problems.

I just have to tell you guys this. Don't stuck at a corner, look out for every brand out there, give them a chance. As you can see, I have quite a few experience with many brands. Dell XPS has the strongest build chassis so far. I will tell you how AW compare to that.

 

No more XPS notebooks? Still waiting for them to update...

 

Nothing new on the high end yet....

 

I guess I'm just giving up. Everyone said mid-November, but nothing. Their forums are gone, which were always a huge selling point for me (I've got over 20,000 posts on there over the last decade...or did until they effectively went away).

Guess I'm looking at that Sony AW or a Macbook Pro, or maybe that 14" Asus :-/ Darn it Dell, I was always a huge fan

 

I never used their forums.... were they any good? I did not realize they got rid of 'em.

 

I loved them. They were my favorite online community, and a big selling point for me. They TECHNICALLY "upgraded" them a week or two ago, but I can't post there anymore. I've seen a few posts from new people, but nothing from the regulars.

Even if it didn't spit up error messages when I try to post, the interface now is atrocious. Just as an example, on a thread, it only displays THREE posts at a time, then you have to click "next" and wait for 40 seconds for it to take you to the next three posts. (And the screen layout is near unusable, etc.) Totally wrecked

 

Gotcha so they "enhanced it to death" -- will go and take a look.

 

They should just give up on the whole "forum built/designed like a webpage" thing and just go straight to using forum software like NBR. Even before, viewing threads there was a pain just because it didn't seem like the site was designed for a forum, at least in the sense that I see it.

EDIT: Looks like they are still having teething issues with the new design, all of the "community" sites (direct2dell, YourBlog, the forums) are completely down. Only IdeaStorm is up.

 

Still not working for me, and even if it were, the interface is the second worst forum software I can ever recall seeing. Geez...you'd think they'd see the massive drop off in traffic and go "uh oh, we have a problem".

I ALWAYS thought I could get help there from the Dell people I know if I really needed it

Sorry, I'm probably repeating myself again, but this is so frustrating. I've been buying Dells since '97, and now it's sort of like they're just gone to me.