Dell's new Inspiron XPS Gen 2
posted February 25th 2005 9:10AM
If you're the mobile gaming or the mobile media type—you know who you are—then Dell's got your ticket (again). Their
new second gen version of the Inspiron XPS keeps with
the out of this world specs and price: $2800 gets you an 8.6-pound beast of a
Sonoma-based machine (yeah, they finally switched to Pentium M
chips), replete with a new insane 17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) widescreen TrueLife screen, user-upgradeable 256MB
GeForce Go 6800 Ultra graphics, dual channel DDR2 SDRAM, and some LED lighting around the chassis they found in their
hearts to shave down to 1.67-inches thick. Oh, and they're resurrecting an old Dell classic: personalizeable lid
covers! Just slap a transparent cover onto the metal lid, and sandwich in your favorite "game imagery." All that power,
and they still resort to gimmicks.
[Thanks, Phil]
Can't Dell hire a designer and create their own default desktop wallpaper that doesn't copy Apple's?
Yea, no doubt. Everyone knows that the desktop wallpaper is the most important thing in a computer... damn them for copying Apple. Damn them!
Or not... who really gives a damn?
Yet another piece of crap from DULL
"Can't Dell hire a designer and create their own default desktop wallpaper that doesn't copy Apple's?"
Yeah, because it's not like Mandrake had that design even before Apple did, or anything. And it's not like Mandrake didn't just steal it from the KDE community themselves.
But I guess since it's Apple, they get credit for inventing desktop wallpaper in the first place, right?
crap? who is number 1? I'll maintain my previous posts... dollars and marketability (which really means dollars).
Style gimmickery has sold products as simple as bubble gum packages to cars and houses, so it's not surprising that Dell has done the same with this machine.
Anyone remember the first generation iMac and iBook machines? People remember things like this, and in the consumer space, recognition is all.
Too bad Christmas is 10 months away: I want one of these now, with or without wallpaper (which, let's be frank, the average user of this machine would change in a heartbeat anyway.)
Carmi
http://writteninc.blogspot.com
Gack! I needed my morning tea before looking at an ugly wife so early in the morning. That thing is hideous looking... and to think they spend about as much on R&D as Apple. It looks like they scooped out the middle of one of their old notebooks and plopped the bottom of a tibook inside. But there must be a market for it.
f--- all of ya'll, this system (after seeing the benchmarks) is badass, better than desktops in graphics, im selling two laptops and saving up right now to get one of these!
oh yeah, btw, you say its ugly, and yet you bash anything that takes a simple approach as being a apple knockoff, no one can win against the blind
benchmarks via:
http://www.tomshardware.com
What I meant was by copying Apple's wallpaper look, which takes up 1/3 of the picture, Dell is piggybacking on Apple's image. It's an easy way for them to brand the product, but Dell totally missed out on that chance.
… and yes, like most Dell laptops, it is as ugly as hell.
ah yes, an abstract blue design with white highlights is all Apple... *spits* typical appleness
If its white and overpriced then its apple. I do soooooooo hate those apple lovers. Everything copies apple...everything...apple is god...anything created is in his image...puke.
Dell laptops are garbage. I had the unpleasant experience of buying many for a business and configuring them. Cheapest piles of plastic made-in-China shit. Being #1 doesn't make you the best, Microsoft proves this every single day.
@matt -- if you think Dell laptops are garbage, you're looking at the wrong models. Their low-end ones (1000, 1150, 5160) are terrible, but their Centrino models, especially those based on the Latitude lineup (i.e. 600m, 8600), are pretty good.
Could they make it any more ugly? Slapping XPS on there isn't fooling anyone. They need to take lessons from Alienware and learn how to make a gaming laptop.
As much as I hate Dell laptops, this one isn't bad spec wise. The fact that they did this in 8lbs and were smart enough to stick a Pentium M in this box shows that they are not all stupid there. Frankly I would have expected this to be a 12lbs machine with a P4.
Sigh.... this is so close to my dream laptop... It needs to lose 2 lbs, and not be made by Dell... Anyone at IBM listening? Shoehorn these specs into a T series notebook and I'm buying.
Dean, this thing (http://image.alienware.com/images/prod_info_img/cases/comparison_cases/a51m_7700_new_back.jpg.img) is at least as ugly as the Dell XPS. Gaming laptops in general are overpriced, gaudy suckers that I think are nasty looking. But that's just my personal opinion. I'd like something simple and sleek, more like a Powerbook or Dell 600m.
As much as I hate Dell laptops, this one isn't bad spec wise. The fact that they did this in 8lbs and were smart enough to stick a Pentium M in this box shows that they are not all stupid there. Frankly I would have expected this to be a 12lbs machine with a P4.
Sigh.... this is so close to my dream laptop... It needs to lose 2 lbs, and not be made by Dell... Anyone at IBM listening? Shoehorn these specs into a T series notebook and I'm buying.
i've been slobbering over the dell M70 (through small business section), close to the same specs but without the butt ugly design.
I worked at a lot of places where we created marketing stuff for DELL. All on Macs. lol
BTW people in Austin refer to DELL employees as DELLdos because they're a bunch of dicks.
I'm almost certain that this graphic card isn't all that upgradeable, atleast not to a better ATI card. I mention this because of the original review up top says upgradable graphics.
All posts above who praised "higher end" dell models such as the Centrino 600m's, you're dreadfully wrong.
I do a lot of research before buying products, and so I thought a 600m would be a wonderful laptop. As a result of my decision, 5 of my friends ended up picking up the same model. One and a half years later, 5 out of those 6 (6 including myself) laptops have had their harddrives fail, and have other quirks such as the Broadcom ethernet adapter randomly cutting out. The screen hinges are all loose now, and you can bet my friends and I will not be buying from Dell again.
I personally use a Powerbook now, and I'm happy. I hope it lasts.
No fanboyism here, just a true bad experience with Dell and their so-called "high-end" models.
Sorry to hear about your problems Spoon, I've had a dell before too, Hd problems as well. but so long as you get a 3 year warranty, HD failure is covered. i went through 3 of them, and had no problems with getting my parts replaced by tech support. thank goodness for canadian tech support. :)
so opinionated! what's the best laptop on the market gents?
Right now I'd have to say the Dell Inspiron XPS gen 2. if you're canadian then the price is WAY better then anything alienware and voodoopc have to offer. this is a shamless plug anyways cuz i work for Dell. I think it's pretty nice, and the battery life is decent for a desktop replacement.
One of the best things about the XPs2 is the graphics processor. I thought the GeForce Go 6800 was cutting edge, but Nvidia improved that with the introduction of the Go 6800 ULTRA:
http://www.laptopical.com/news/nvidia-geforce-go-6800-ultra-03351.html
Performance wise this processor is amazing, but it's a bit thirsty, draining around 66.1 watts of power.
Still I've got to get myself one of these XPS 2 gaming puppies.
This is the best laptop ever that Dell has made so far. I really like the design this baby has especially the snap on that you can put whatever picture you want. Compared to the Alienware 7700 laptop the XPS2 kicks ass. The 7700 its f***ing ugly just as the fist gen XPS was.
Here is a good site to show the ture work of are this lappy is for all you ""HATERS OUT THERE""
http://notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=66424
I just ordered this laptop actually.
PM 2.0
1gig.
80g HD
8x DVDR
XP Pro
Integrated wireless adn B-tooth.
Additional battery (yes this can hold two batts)
As far as alien and other. I use to work at best buy when they sold aliens.. they were crap we have one there that wnet back adn forth tween alien and us cause they wouldnt fix it. (bad mboard).
We never did sell that thing.
As far as DELLdos....and china made plastic... have you ever been to austin tx??
They dont call them that.. and they are made in austin on tech ridge if you know what im talkin bout.
So bad mouth what you want and say what you want... but if you didnt like the pc.. then why are you in here reading about it?? If i were a mac or powerbook user.. im sure id be in the apple sites .. all three of them.
Ok
I Ordered this laptop because I wanted a Mobile desktop not a notebook(I would get a palm pilot if that what needed). We can all agree that no laptop out compares to the specs of this system. To say it looks Ugly or not the overall view. Its very impressive and quite beautiful for what it is for... a power gaming laptop from evil to move down your enemies and drink there blood.
i have the earlier 9100 (inspiron xps) as its know in europe (uk). without fail every time i get the laptop out its bag people comment on how ugly and big it is. most laugh outloud, its become a joke amongst my mates. its dam heavy, ugly and not good if u want to look cool. but power, its got loads, eats games and big photoshop files for breakfast. now i think i need a shuttle pc for desktop gaming and something lighter as a laptop. my spine is not happy.
The XPS Gen 2 is awesome! I've had it for a month now and absolutely love it! For me, the screen is probably the most important aspect of a laptop. After I bought it, I was out shopping a couple times at computer stores and noticed how inferior all the laptop's screen resolutions were to mine. I am so spoiled already, it seems like everything else is crap. If you really want to see what this computer can do, install Half-Life 2 on it with 5.1 speakers and get ready to be blown away!
What about battery life? I can't find any information on that. And what about heat? Can this thing sit on your lap while playing half-life 2 without burning you or bursting into flames?
I've had this a week now. It won't win best looking, but it's not pig ugly. More importantly what it does have is power and the best screen you will find on a PC (don't want to offend sensitive MAC types) laptop. I didn't get it for games, I got it for screen, I don't use Windows (although I had no choice in buying a copy as it must come with a Windows licence, extortion I believe is the correct term). Anyway after formatting Windows to the trash, it Runs Linux like a dream and the max res with X accl.
I happen to believe that this series of computers are easily some of the ugliest things that I've ever seen. It's so ugly that it's offensive. Well, I guess that's just my opinion. I am sure there are people who would say these are the prettiest things, just like there are always people who adore Britney Spears.
I am so pathetic. I have no taste. I am cheap and I sell cheap stuff. I should really stick with selling cheap computers instead of pretending to be someone I am not. I am really proud of these ugliest machines? Even the name, XPS, is so corny. I am such a low life with no taste. I love Brittney Spear. I have no clue who Bach, Rachmaninoff, Brahms are. My intellect is defined by the 2 neurons that I happen to have. I cannot appreciate any thing more substantial than a hot dog. Thank you.