URGENT: I must answer to Escalation. XPS or Precision?

Dear friends, I thought that choosing the notebook once was enough, but as i had problems with the WSXGA+ (SEC3350) on my new D830, I finally got the Escalation (a kind guy) to give me the choice of a different model.
Precision M4300 or XPS 1530.
So, I spent hours in the web to get informations of Precision and Latitude, but I know NOTHING about XPS.
And I must get informed quickly, as he will call me tomorrow morning (here is 21:30).
I do not use CAD or 3D, and I do not play videogames.
I mainly need a very good display and a fast responsive notebook (I hate to wait). I also prefer Xp to Vista, and XPS do not come with XP here, so, by choosing XPS I would have a not original XP...
No LED LCD available in Italy.
a CCFL WXGA+ is the best available on XPS here.
Any feedback?
What about the rest? All what you can tell me about advantages and disadvantages of the two models for someone like me.
I like XPS design, but I do not know if it is resistent as Precision.
I like very much Precision keyboard, solid and comfortable.
What about XPS one?
9 Cell battery goes out or not in XPS?
FX360M uses 17W, and 8600M GT?
Other differences?
Till now, it seems to me that for a not gamer the XPS has got no advantages on the Precision if not the design. And I like the Precision too, in some way.
Please, I do need to choose well this time, I guess is my last chance, and I will live with it 4 years.

 

Ah, I read that XPS display is 800 columns, against normal 720 ones??? I have no idea what are they talking about...
So a wxga+ in xps is better than wsxga+ on precision?

 

the xps is more of a gaming laptop than an everyday rocksolid working machine. Whereas the precision is more of a workstation model. Usually these are the better builds and should last longer.

i´d go for the precision.

as for the screen size , i guess you can choose. can you?

 

I have an XPS, but if I had a choice, I'd take a Precision as they're the best that Dell makes.

The XPS only makes sense if you want a lighter machine and one more oriented toward gaming.

 

Thanks to both!
Well, XPS is also more beautifull, but I never prefer this to the rest, so, if XPS is not suggested over Precision, Precision has got my choice.
But I have time till tomorrow, so other feedbacks are welcome.
About Screen, well, no, I can choose resolution, not screen. I mean, good point, if the very only way to have a good display is going on a 17" or 14", I could try to ask, even if 15.4" is the best size for me, I would prefer to be able to find a good display at that size. Damn, should not be so difficult to get good displays from Dell.
Samuel, do you like XPS keyboard? Does it feel solid, good feedback, comfortable?
The machine is normal plastic? It seems alloy by pictures, seems quite solid.
Could you define what by your infos makes a Precision to be better than a XPS?
Anyway, I am attracted by XPS design, but something tells me to choose the Precision with WSXGA+ glossy Lg... If it could be matte would be perfect, but it seems not possible.
Even if I must tell that these new half-matte, satinated displays, are worse than a glossy. I prefer glossy 1000 times if I must repeat a grainy sandy dirty satinated coating...

 

The Precisions are made top of the line laptops geared towards companies that want a laptop to work for a long time without any problems. They are made to withstand heavy travel usage. The XPS is simply geared towards gamers and meant as a desktop gaming replacement. The components they use to build the precisions with are top notch compared to any other notebook dell makes. This allows them the greatest chance to last the longest without having problems.

If i were in your shoes, it would be a no brainier to pick the precision.

 

One thing is the 4300 has the FX360 which I think is a 8400 variant core and the 1530 has the 8600GT Core. If gaming is not a concern, get the 4300, a much better built machine over the 1530.

 

Ok guys, I think that it will be a Precision. I just have to hope now that the wait will not be longer than one month. Yes, today the Escalation told me that there is "too long" time to wait for the glossy WSXGA+ by LG, and honestly, even if the precision itself is a step forward over the Latitude, all this starts from the need to get a display which can be surely good. I will know tomorrow which displays are available on the Precision, but till now, the only one good for sure is this LG one.
I am not in a hurry, but I would get the change before leaving for South America.
Thanks for your suggestions!

 

Wait the 4300 should not be available with a glossy screen, only matted wxga,wxga+, and WSXGA+ as its a 15.4inch based notebook.

 

I have an XPS 1530 with a WXGA+ and it looks amazing, very clear and crisp picture. The keyboard also feels great, very solid and keys bounce right back up. The design in general is also very solid, I am sure this will last me a while.

 

Well, I am not sure to understand what you are saying. I know that M4300 comes with WXGA+ matte, with WSXGA+ glossy, and WUXGA matte.
Last two are also Ultrasharp.
This at least in Italy.
The WSXGA+ is LG and is a good screen even if not wonderfull.
The WUXGA seems to be good too, but I do not know if it is better than the WSXGA+, and I do not wish to go on WUXGA.
The fact is the this WSXGA+ is not available in this moment, I could wait a month to get it...

 

Ops, I was answering to Vengance, you must have posted your reply in the while...
Well, good, i feel that I have a chance more...
Is a normal LCD or a LED one?
What about viewing angles? Looking at its center the borders are darker?
There is something you don't like?

 

If you are eligible to get a full refund from Dell (there is a certain number of days during which you are entitled to return even a non-defective Dell business laptop for a full refund), you might consider getting a Sony instead, considering that screen quality is one of your most important needs.

Sony screens are considered to be the best, on perhaps just behind Apple screens. They are better than Dell screens, even in the Precision line. The Sony laptops are very beautiful, perhaps nicer than XPS, but are not as durable as the Precisions. They can perform well if you get a medium to fast processor, lots of RAM and a 7200 rpm drive. However, few are available with XP, and probably all the screens are glossy (with a special non-glare coating). I am not sure about the keyboards either.

If Sony is out of the question, and durability and reliability are important, but 3D gaming and CAD are not, get a Precision or Latitude. The 1530 is stylish and light and can have a more powerful GPU, but it seems to be trouble-prone, especially in relation to the graininess of the screens, and opening and closing the lid while the laptop is on.

 

Honestly, I guess this is not possible for me.
And also, I do not wish to loose other time searching again.
No, I stay with Dell.
About the grainy display, I guess that if he offer me a XPS with a LG display, I should be safe, isn't it?
And what is this of the lid???
Durability and reliability is important, even if I guess that if I have a 3 year warranty, I am covered for 3 years for any problem also with the XPS, or not?
Latitude is giving me problems. Audio is not good, machine is slow even with no programs installed. I do not know...
I would really to understand better why exatly the XPS is inferior to the Precision, and why the Precision is said to be the best of all, if it is just a Latitude with a FX video card...

 

Many people have been promised LG's, but did not get them. The CSR often do not know how to order it. You need to know the correct LG part number and make sure they order it

Some people have had problems to the effect that the laptop would not awake from sleep when the lid is re-opened. I suspect that it is a software or driver issue. The other problem is that for some people the cursor becomes erratic for 20 to 60 seconds when the lid is opened and closed while the machine is on. I don't know if the cause is understood, I suspect that this may be due to the lid putting pressure on the touchpad or palmrest when it is closed. I think that there is a possibility that the palmrest, which is metal and conductive, may be shorting the touchpad. There is one thread about how a magnet in the lid and palmrest (that turns the LCD off when the lid is closed) may be involved. There are some reports of electricity or static in the palmrest that apparently is related to the AC adapter. I suspect that the palmrest is not properly insulated.

I am not sure, but I suspect that the Precision is not better quality than the Latitude. It is just more powerful. (EDIT: I may be wrong here. See:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2878659#post2878659)

Also, I should point out that I think that the screens of the XPS, Latitude and Precision are all the same if they have the same specs, e.g 1280x800 CCFL glossy. Dell does not reserve the best screens for the Precision. The diffferences are not correlated to the Dell series, but rather to the LCD manufacturer, and all the series use the same few manufacturers. My understanding is that the LG screens are the best and can be found in any Dell series, and the Samsung are the worst and again can be found in every Dell series.

Overall, people have more confidence in the Precision and Latitude because the machines are more reliable and the tech support is much better than for the Inspirons and Vostros (EDIT but the XPS support is reportedly better than for the Inspirons and Vostros). Big businesses that buy thousands of identical machines can tell if they got a lemon. They will also not tolerate substandard tech support. Dell knows it cannot survive if it loses big businesses. So, it has to maintain quality. However, it may be that this does not apply to screen quality, possibly because businesses don't usually care about that.

 

Well stated. But as far as I know the SEC3350 is not mounted on XPS. Or it is?
If it is I must reconsider my theory that Dell is mounting bad screens on business notebook because in many parts of the world business have not return policy... I bought as business, no return policy, and the only WSXGA+ available in D830 is the SEC3350, so I could have not changed for another model of screen.
What you say about the XPS seems to be serious. Do you think it could then be really better to take a Precision than a XPS?

 

I think that the Precision is better quality than the XPS 1530, except possibly the screens, which are probably the same. However, the XPS 1530 is more stylish.

Frankly, I think your heart is set on the XPS 1530. If that is true, you should get it. If the screen or something else is bad, get it fixed. It may be a lot of trouble, but that's the price you pay for falling in love.