Dell XPS m1330
Dec 10th, 2007 by William Jones
If Santa had really been listening to me a few weeks ago, this would have been under my tree. The Dell XPS M1330 is not just a computer, it is a piece of art – or at least that’s what the marketing types at Dell would lead us to believe. And they’re right!
The M1330 is a real treat to look at, coming in Alpine White, Crimson Red, or Tuxedo Black. Stunning colors that will make heads turn while you’re typing away in the Starbucks. It’s sleek, thin, and one of the lightest notebooks in its class, weighing in at under 4 lbs.
All reviews of this machine make note of its exceptional quietness, but don’t let the silence fool you. It’s an extremely powerful notebook, with even the most inexpensive system running on an Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 processor.
Starting at just $999 for the low-end model, the M1330 tops out at only $1,399 (original retail price at launch was $2,023). This more powerful model packs a Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7250 (2.0GHz / 800Mhz FSB, 2MB Cache), running Windows Vista Home Premium Edition. An enormous 250GB hard drive is enough to hold everything you have and more, while the 128MB NVIDIA GeForce video card is truly top-shelf.
Dell promises up to 7 hours of mobile power (enough time to watch 3 DVD’s) on a single charge. Included is a built-in 2MP camera and microphone in case you feel like creating your own movies. And, you can burn them on a built-in CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW Drive).
One of the most popular features of this model is Dell’s Biometric Fingerprint Reader. This fingerprint technology allows you to log into your system without a password and helps keep sensitive information safe.
As with all good things, there are always a few drawbacks. The colorful cover attracts fingerprints, making it a little less attractive almost immediately. The system includes only 2 USB outlets which can limit your options, especially if you are using an external mouse or drive. The carrying case appears to be a little less than functional and some people have reported the keyboard being particularly difficult to type on. Finally, of course there is an issue regarding the loading of Windows Vista. Early adopters appreciate it, but the rest of us who have a multitude of software that doesn’t play with Vista aren’t too happy about it.
Overall, the Dell XPS M1300 is an amazing machine. It’s beautifully designed, lightweight, and has features often seen on systems twice its price. Though I just purchased a tricked out Dell Inspiron E1705 exactly a year ago, the Dell XPS M1300 makes me want to max out my Dell Preferred credit card (and I just finished paying it off!).