m1530, Need that extra "push" to press the Proceed to checkout button? Ask away!

Still not convinced enough?

Just ask any questions regarding the m1530.
I,in my, or Our (feel free to contribute, people), limited knowledge, will attempt to dissipate any doubts or anything regarding this fine piece of art by Dell...

 

Seems too big to carry around to classes. Discuss.

 

I carry mine to class daily. It is a great size for the space I have to use in the classrooms.

 

Same here, its perfect for classes...
All you need is the lappy on teh table or w/e and winkey+r "notepad" enter.

n_n

 

You take notes in notepad? ugh....

You should try OneNote. I've been using it now into my 5th year of university...amazing....I don't use a single other program for taking notes or organizing research for papers. I suggest you try it out.

Back on topic...the 1530 also seems to large to lug to class everyday. I have a 4.5 year old Dell 600m which is a 14.1" and actually smaller than the 1530, and I would never buy anything any larger. In fact, I have a 1330 coming on monday :-D

 

I have onenote, and I played around with it but I don't really like it. What's the difference between that and Word besides being able to type anywhere on the page?

 

I like notepad, besides im on my last 6 months of IT Engineering Master's (I think thats how its translated in english, spanish its Ingenieria en Informática (Tecnologias de informacion))


n_n <3 notepad.

 

You don't need to save anything...every keystroke is saved immediately.

Also, i have it synced with my desktop, so every time my laptop is connected to my network either wirelessly or RJ-45, it merges the two without me knowing so i always have a backup.

Not only that, there are no files to worry about, just one organized workbook, with a different tab for each class/project.

Furthermore, many classes have PDFs (scientific papers) or PPT's of their lecture presentations...and onenote allows you to inserts any type of file into your notes, then I just type or even draw, annotating the notes with my own. It's very handy IMO.

 

OneNote rocks, I agree. Great way to capture notes and records for classes, work, home, everything. Intuitive interface. Allows amazing levels of organization.

As for the 1530 discussion, my last two laptops were a ThinkPad T43 and an ultraportable Dell D410. My 1530 will be here next week. Personally I'm happy to tote around 2 more pounds in exchange for the extra performance and display area.

 

Alright, tell me why someone should still by one when the screens are reportedly low quality, the headphone jacks commonly come with static sound, people get shocked by them, the touchpad malfunctions after the top has been closed and reopened, the speakers are horrible, a whining noise comes from the cpu and clicking noise comes from the hdd.

 

1. Because these problems are the exception and not the rule
2. Because Dell has a 30-day return policy
3. Because Dell has a great warranty and excellent on-site service
4. Because the reviews place this machine squarely on top of the heap for this category of machine.
5. Because you can't touch another comparably equipped machine for this price.

 

There are being shipped +- 150K notebooks each week from Ireland. Mostly the people that dont have any trouble with a machine dont post on forums.

If 1 % of the people that buy a notebook that week have problem it's 1500 and they go post the problem on a forum, there are like 1500 posts on a forum about an issue and u go like wow that's bad but 99% or 148.5K other people might not have any problem.

With every product u buy u have a chance u buy one that's not good. U probably have more chance on getting a m1530 wich is perfect then one that has problems.

ATM there is only really one thing of the m1530 that is an issue and being confirmed by Dell and that's the "tingling sensation" of the palmrest. This due to the metal housing the powersupply used with 2 connectionspoints. In some cases Dell ships a new powersupply with 3 connectionpoints to people who make an issue about it.

 

You guys are happy with your screen qualities? That 'grainy screen' thread is scaring me a bit heh, seems most people are getting a samsung screen and apparently it's horrible...but then again I guess most people who don't have complaints wouldn't post here. I've ordered the m1530, I just want a screen that's clear and bright, easy on the eyes.

 

How are the speakers in real life, ive got an hp pavilion and the sperkers on this thing are amazing! but the ones on the 1530 get reli destorted at higher volumes!

Here is a the best full review of the notebook, for all you pessimists! http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-XPS-M1530-Notebook.7295.0.html

 

I would like to know how the screen quality is for the WXGA resolution as I already own a M1330, and that's over 2 inches smaller.
And are any of the WXGA screens grainy?

 

the speakers sound like a tin can at the end of a string.

About the screen, though. I've got a grainy Samsung screen. It's really not that bad, I mean, it's usuable. I could be better, should be better. People have been complaining about TrueLife screen grain since it first came out 3 years ago. It IS a Dell acknowledge problem, too. The have even started developing a proprietary "screen grain sensor" in order to attempt to filter out bad screens. A dell rep reported on this in the Dell forum. And just because Dell does or doesn't ackowledge a problem doesn't mean there isn't a valid problem.

 

I have the Samsung 1680 by 1050 screen. It looks fine. I am trying to get a LG replacement just cause. Most LCD's have some sparkly-ness / grainy-ness / whatevery-ness when displaying whites. Some appear better than others, but they all look fine.

It weird, I get the tingling sensation in the metal, but only when I slide my finger or palm around it. I thought it was just the texture of the metal. I guess not. I will call and Dell will send me a three prong power supply.

There is a little wavy-ness in the height of the f-keys. Big woop. They are fine.

The finish on mine is perfect. A velvety blue. It looks and feels great. No fingerprints unless your finger is covered in grease.

One of the covers on the bottom wasn't installed properly, I took a screw driver and fixed it.

The speaker sound fine to me. Come on, its a 15" laptop. Its not a giant 17" that never leaves your desk. My headphone jack has no issues. That was a 1520 issue mostly.

I run WOW maxed at 1680 by 1050 and it runs at 60 FPS. It looks awesome. I run COD 4 at 1680 by 1050 with low to mid settings. Haven't loaded up FRAPS, but looks good to me. I would rather have resolution than effects. I can probably push it, but need FRAPS to really do it right.

This machine rocks. Hands down. Get one. If it has some problems, Dell will fix them.

 

Thanks to the issues brought to light by this thread, I have changed my mind, and most definitely will not be purchasing a Dell XPS 1530.

I want to give a big thanks to all who have contributed here, and especially to sonicwind.

Thanks!

 

What will you be purchasing instead? Whatever it is, I'm certain there are forums with a minority group of angry owners too. Do tell!

 

Someone once stated that this is the minority of users that come and argue about, well, not argue.. to "comment" and/or state their points of view of the already obvious.

The best thing I can tell you, is to buy it, and test it for yourself.
If you don't like it, well, just return it and get a refund. <-- yes sir, thats a period. Oh! my me! another period!

 

No need to roll eyes at me and be a smart ass. It's not just Dell that has problems, but Dell clearly has the most in general, and per system.

 

I'm glad to be of help. To be fair, I'm a big Dell fan. Not that I think Dell's perfect, obviously not, but I always check Dell's offerings first when I want a new notebook. I was buying 1 notebook per year for a while, but the last few years it's been 2. About 1/2 the time I choose a Dell, because in general I feel the performance vs price is very good and I feel like I can count on the support. Dell usually has the best variety of drivers (multiple operating systems supported.) And Dell has the best variety of screen resolutions. I require a high resolution. I still haven't decided on whether I'm keeping my XPS. I am going to shop around now. Dell really let me down with my screen replacement issue. I didn't have all the issues mentioned. So far only the screen and the touchpad, and the R key mysteriously has broken off. It just popped off while I was typing, no accident was involved. The metal hook on the keyboard snapped off, so the key is not re-attachable. Really odd.

 

No one is being a smart ass. Go to any product-related forum -- cars, laptops, motorcycles, you name it -- and you will find a minority group that is there to complain. Thus, the rolling eyes. A fraction of owners complain and the red flags go up, despite the fact that we'll never hear from the thousands that are satisfied with their purchase. The vocal minority sometime try to cause undue panic.

The overwhelming majority of people on this forum are fond of their Dell products and that's great. And there are some that aren't pleased and that's OK too. But for a few vocal people to tout problems as if they are present on all units is absurd. I'd be surprised if Dell has the most problems as you suggest. Clearly JD Power disagrees since Dell consistently ranks at or near the top. But the perception of "has the most in general" may be there simply because they sell in such incredible volume.

Are there recalls on the M1530? No.
Do you have 30 days to scrutinize the machine? Yes.
Is there a solid warranty if something goes wrong after the 30 days? Yes.
What is there to lose? Maybe some time and that's about it.

So, what are you planning to buy?

 

I'm sure these questions have been answered before, but I figured this was as good a thread as any to get some specifics out of the way -- since you offered! Specs first, questions second.

Here is my proposed M1530 build:
COLOR: Undecided.
CPU: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB, 4MB Cache)
OS: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition
LCD: High Resolution glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LCD(1680x1050) & 2MP Camera
RAM: 3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)
HDD: Size: 250GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
OPTICAL: Slot Load DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write)
GPU: 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
WIFI: Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
BT: Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate)
BATTERY: 6-cell Primary Battery and 9 -cell additional Lithium Ion Battery
AUDIO: Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy HD Software Edition
WARRANTY: 3 Years.

I'm looking at making this a serious desktop replacement for professional media applications and some medium gaming. I realize this will not be a gaming rig, but will be able to play most games just fine, with new games at lower settings. As a desktop replacement, I still want to be able to sit down at my desk with this thing when I'm at home, and use it just as I would a regular desktop. What I'm most concerned about are:

1.) Will I be able to hook this up to my current 27" Westinghouse HDTV LCD when I'm at home? It has a max resolution of 1360x768. It "claims" to have 720i/1080p. It has both HDMI and VGA inputs. I'm aware that the XPS has HDMI-out, and I was hoping I could set up a home dock with my existing monitor.

2.) How do I use the EPP discount as a student currently attending college? I've already selected the XPS from dell.com/eppbuy, customized my build and added it to my cart. The discount shows at the checkout, but I'm afraid of proceeding with checkout and having to backtrack to find out EPP information about my school. Is it just as easy as selecting that you're a student, or are there more steps?

3.) Does anyone have any "docking" suggestions or information about hooking this up to my existing hardware (monitor [as above], speakers, mouse, keyboard) when I'm at home? I really appreciate the portability of a laptop, but I don't want to have it on my lap, staring at a 15" screen ALL the time.

4.) Are there any accessories/combos that I should pick up with the system, such as an extra adapter, to get it certified through Dell? Is it more cost efficient to buy from Dell as a package, or should I just grab replacements and accessories when I need them?

5.) This is less of an issue, really. I'm curious whether "Tuxedo Black" has a microsatin finish or a glossy one. I'm a huge fan of microsatin and I hear glossy cases show a lot more wear and tear. If not, I'll probably go with "Midnight Blue."

That's all for now. I could've sworn I had more important questions.

 

Does the M1530 get hot?

Is the larger capacity batter big? In the pictures I see the larger battery makes the 1530 thicker than most laptops. On the other hand I heard it helps keep the laptop cooler by elevating it up a little.

 

How is the build quality? Does the monitor flex? Does the body flex any?

 

Odibil - nice specs - almost exactly what I ordered recently.

You will be able to attach to your external monitor as I'm planning to do. And you can set the resolutions of both displays differently. I have ordered a high speed docking station from Belkin to make this easier. It can do up to 1600x1200 and couples via a ExpressCard with 27" cable.





Peripherals and audio

* 5 x USB 2.0
* 3 x Audio Line-Out (5.1 surround sound)
* 1 x Audio Line-In
* 1 x Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
* 1 x RJ45 (10/100Mbps)
* 1 x ExpressCard Cable Connector

Warranty

* Lifetime Warranty

 

it gets standard hot... like most notebooks,
the larger capacity battery (9-cell) is big, it makes the laptop sit at an angle, which makes writing on the keyboard MUCH more comfortable, in my opinion.

and yes, as it elevates the laptop, there is space underneath for the air to continuosly flow.

the build quality is kinda nice, well, i find it perfect, people were talking about build gaps, which i think they are correct, in SOME systems, my 1530 has a perfect build, the monitor flexes? in what way? you mean rotating? no, it does not rotate, its very sturdy, very nice.. and neither does the body...

 

Ken,

That's a beautiful docking station, but it might be a little bit out of my budget after this purchase. Edit: Looks like that thing has some pretty lackluster reviews on Dell's review site. Looks like I'll be passing on the Belkin, but I thank you for your suggestion.

I was thinking more of just slumming it and running wires straight from the laptop to the monitor until I can afford that. I know the laptop has HDMI and VGA, as does my monitor. I know the laptop also has enough USB ports for a keyboard and mouse. What I don't know is if I can have separate resolutions without a docking station and what will give me the best results, going from a 1680x1050 laptop to a 1360x768 monitor; HDMI->HDMI, VGA->HDMI, or VGA->VGA?

Thanks.

Also, from all the videos I've watched, it looks as if Tuxedo Black has a microsatin finish, but I'm still not 100% sure.

 

Those are disappointing reviews. Too bad I missed those before ordering. The user reviews on cnet.com were much better. But I bought it through Dell so no worries if it has to go back. It was the best I could find -- Dell doesn't make one, probably because this is considered a consumer laptop -- and I want something to attach an external monitor, ethernet, external USB drive, keyboard and mouse. Who knows, the 1530 is still pretty new. More accessories will be coming out no doubt.

BTW, I hope you're right about the microsatin finish. I went with classic Tuxedo Black since the other colors can lose their appeal and/or be too flashy for work use. But fingerprints are a PITA.

[EDIT] Maybe this one will fare better:
http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=ACP60US
Review here: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3558

 

Is it easy to format and install the OS and drivers?

 

I don't know if the black is considered the micro satin finish but it's definitely matte. It doesn't feel "rubbery" like the espresso brown 1520 I had though...

As soon as I got mine I reformatted and loaded Vista Ultimate. I didn't have any issues with drivers, so yes, it was easy.

 

I had that, too! Sometimes I would just sit and rub it and squeeze it, I liked it so much. Unfortunately, the 1520 looked like a pregnant pizza box to me. So I sent it back for the slimmer, super model M1530.

 

LOL! I agree, loved how it felt, but it wasn't any thinner than my 1505. Plus I got a terrible TERRIBLE screen in it so I sent it back. Glad I did otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get the 1530.

 

Its a great laptop,,,but they could have done better for the Design...
Make sure u get the 1440*900 screen,,,

 

yes sir, very easy.

the design, IMO is really good... Its not as flashy as an alienware, or as crappy as a.... <insert a crappy lappy design here>.

 

Someone said this at the 1st page, I just watned to say, that it depends on Your size...
as in if you're tall and all...

on my side, the 1530 looks like a notebook, given that i'm sasquatch-sized...
6'3'', 280 lbs.

but it fits perfectly,

also i just wanted to mention the keyboard quality,
i just stated my size, my hands are huge...
but they somehow seem to just strike the correct keys every time i type

and i'm the kinda guy that presses a 5 on a cell phone, and the screen reads 1643 xD

 

Well I'm 5'9" with little girl hands =/

 

Then it would still look good on you xD

 

Is the Windows Vista Ultimate 32 or 64 bit?

 

Ultimate is 64-bit.

 

It's either you can get 32 or 64 bit for any of vista packages

It is 32bit on the M1530

 

Good to know. When I bought it from MS, it was 64-bit and there was no option for 32-bit as I recall.

 

I thought if u get the 3g ram option Vista ultimate installed is 64bit.

 

I have the retail version of Ultimate and it came with two seperate disks, 32 and 64 bit.

 

Does a 5400 HDD speed cause any performance bottlenecks?

I chose the 250GB.

 

It depends a partly full 5400rpm drive will run faster than a completly full 7200rpm drive.

 

Sylenall - most people won't notice any difference between the two drives. But the 7.2K drive spins faster and there is some performance gain to be had with it. For typical use with lots of small file read/writes, that 5400 will do just fine. Where you will notice a bit more speed is with big file use like gaming, video, etc.

Hopefully the next time we buy laptops, we'll be asking about solid-state disc performance because they will be bigger and less expensive

 

Agreed with the above user!

 

The Vista Ultimate is 32-bit.

I just ordered on and that's what it says in the order.

My main concern was always the screen. But, after looking around it seems that these forums are almost the only place people complain about the screen. Dell forums don't have complaints that I saw. I couldn't find much in other forums either. Plus, looking at non-Dell forums there are just as many complaints about grainy screens.

Well, I'm hoping mine will be ok... if not I can always get a refund right???