Dell XPS M170 laptop reviewed

When Michael Dell showed off the XPS-M170 laptop at CES, he highlighted what he called the portable's "incredible gaming power." And the raw specs of the laptop certainly sound impressive: 17-inch widescreen display, GeForce Go 7800 GTX for graphics, Pentium M at up to 2.26 GHz and up to 2GB RAM. But how does it fare in the real world? BIOS took one for a spin, and found it to be "about as powerful as mobile gaming currently gets." The review cited the 17-inch display, great sound, and solid gaming performance as major pluses. Downsides? The lack of a DVD burner or an internal TV tuner (after all, the box comes with Windows XP Media Center Edition) and "mediocre build quality." However, these complaints weren't enough to stop the reviewer from declaring it a "powerhouse of a laptop that will appeal to high-end multimedia users."

[miscreant @ Jan 26th 2006 8:49PM]

those new laptop lids are about as ugly as ugly gets. What was Dell thinking? It screams "d00oD m1 D31l xps r0x0rzz!"

[Ex @ Jan 26th 2006 9:00PM]

I dont know i kinda like the lid, but why dont the make an AMD FX-60 version?

[Ruben @ Jan 26th 2006 9:40PM]

this is embarresing, but that laptop is more powerfull than my crappy desktop im using at the moment:(

[srtjtrfjjf @ Jan 26th 2006 9:44PM]

Does it have heat issues? It seems like all that power in a laptop would generate a huge amount of heat. My cheap Inspiron 1100 gets hot and it isn't even close to that. I think I see dual fans.

A 15" screen is already kind of big. It sounds akward to carry a 17" around.

What about battery life?

[trev @ Jan 26th 2006 9:44PM]

miscreant, yeah your right! Still if all the lights stay the same colour the black, red and silver colour scheme is more coherant than previous models: the ones I saw advertised had purple green and yellow lights - yuk :P its a laptop not a christmas tree. Bsides Im sure all that lighting guzzels power - anyone know if you can turm them off?

Just a thought... but it would be interesting if the lights changed colour depending on what you were doing - blue for less intense stuff like surfing the web or watching video, which then changes to red when you play games and the 3d starts getting heavy use.

[Daryl @ Jan 26th 2006 9:44PM]

makes me want an Apple Macbook pro soooo badly

[Ethlite @ Jan 26th 2006 10:22PM]

Um, GeForce 7800 and Pentium M is more "powerful" than Core Duo +
Radeon X1600? I don't get it. It's more expensive than the MacBook,
has no DVD burner and about twice as thick... Oh wait, it does have
six USB ports and a modem, that must be it.

Looks like somebody didn't do their homework...

[Seraph_X3 @ Jan 26th 2006 10:35PM]

I have a friend who has a last-year model Dell XPS laptop, and the backlights on that one, which were the same, had changeable colors, so the red, purple, green, and yellow lights are, I'm guessing, just from the pictures taken by Dell. I doubt they would take out such functionality in a newer model, so you could make them any color you'd like.

[Dark @ Jan 26th 2006 10:53PM]

Umm how does the Geforce 7800 not beat the Radeon X1600? The X1600 is only a middle class card. No it doesn't have a DVD burner, but it's an option. Twice as thick? You retard it has a 17 inch LCD not 15.4 like the Macbook Pro. If you know anything or DO OUR RESEARCH you'll find that the 17 inch LCD are thicker. There doesn't seem to be any Core Duo vs. M benchmarks yet. Myabe there is. So i can't really say that it's much much faster. I'm not a Dell fan although i do own the Inspiron 9300. My specs are near top of the line and no other comapred at the time so i went with Dell. Do us all a favor Rotten Apple Fanboy. Do your research and stop being an ignorant a**.

[Echo_ @ Jan 26th 2006 11:27PM]

number 8 is right you dumb apple fanboys (i use pc and macs and im gettin more tired of these dumb apple fanboys saying stupid stuff).

plus unlike apple you can get coupons for 750 dollars off or like 30% off so it becomes the price of a low end powerbook or high end ibook

ownd :)

[Ty @ Jan 26th 2006 11:38PM]

I don't care how "powerful" it is. I wouldn't sport the DELL + XPS logo that prominently for anything! Oh, and to the guy saying he's embarassed to admit that this is more powerful than his desktop. Ummmm.... welcome to 2006 retard. Duh, this is more powerful than your desktop unless you have a boutique PC built in the last 9 months.

[sad guy @ Jan 27th 2006 12:05AM]

Why does everyone that posts comments have to be so mean. :(

[Pal @ Jan 27th 2006 12:19AM]

Is it me, or hasn't DELL had the M170 system available to buy for a few months now? Who cares now, it's been released for so long. These are "old" specs, the new Inspiron 9400 is not too shabby compared to it.

Until a new XPS with a dual-core processor springs up, it's not "news".

[Justin Credible @ Jan 27th 2006 1:26AM]

I dont know why so many people complain about new laptops not having an internal tv tuner?

I just bought a new laptop from Dell and there's no way I'd want to carry around one of those brick tv tuners.

Its not like you're going to connect to the cable in starbucks or carry a satellite disk on your head where ever you go.

[Daryl @ Jan 27th 2006 3:02AM]

wow the people posting here are truly young kids. I am finding a better place to get my information

[james cordero @ Jan 27th 2006 3:34AM]

as another apple fanboy here.............i'm glad you all love your dell's and i am especially happy that you were all able to purchase them with your discount code/coupons! youmust be proud to own merchandise that only sells due to its cheap pricing and discounting. selling a product on price or value eventually goes the way of emachine, micron and gateway! perhaps we are already seeing it in reduced tech support, no free shipping and missing analyst performace targets for 6 quarters! but none the less, you got a cheap machine, shitty build quality and really tacky design. always remember this, apple sold all of its merchandise at full price with the exception of the day after thanksgiving discounts without having to resort to discounting. that accomplishment is pretty impressive in this day and age. good design and perceived customer value makes that possible. mike dell has even hinted that he would put the mac os on machines to sell if apple would allow it, sounds like a man who needs something to sell. dells biggest challenge is that they have built a company on value which has/had been very successful, but he is starting to feel the pressure of pricing squeeze from asian manufacturers who can build cheaper than him and are hungrier for growth than dell is. other than value, dell doesn't offer much that other makers can't fill at a cheaper price. isuzu and saturn prove my opinion that selling strictly on value leads to nowhere. customers want desirable, well thought out and innovative products more than they want cheap products in the long run. most people when asked want a mercedes, not a kia! long live the coupon/rebates!, that is until dell goes under!

[kamil mytnik @ Jan 27th 2006 4:03AM]

i am a troll: [e-mail]

[LS @ Jan 27th 2006 4:29AM]

My Alienware M7700 is probably more powerful than this Dell, and I've had it nigh on a year. I say it's probably more powerful 'cos it runs a desktop P4 3.4 HT, has a gig of ram already, and uses the only slightly less powerful Geoforce 6800Go card. And it has a 17" screen and a DVD burner to boot.

It weighs the same as a small russian breakaway state mind you, but hey you can't have everything.

[unal parlak @ Jan 27th 2006 5:08AM]

ya abijjim makina dehşet bişi ama bunu t?yede alacak insan sayısı fazla olmaz anıjaan bize gitmez biz yine asus a3 serileri ile idare edelim...

[Jeff Lewis @ Jan 27th 2006 5:45AM]

Wouldn't it be cool if just once we had a review of a PC or a Mac without the Mac fanboys having to run in and make pointless snipes about PCs or why they'd rather have a Mac, or having to defend everything Apple does no matter how bizarre or inane it is - or constantly frame their Mac preference by slamming PCs?

Then again, I'd love to win the lottery too and that's about as likely...

This laptop is for a very specific market. This laptop is for gamers. It's stated up front that it's meant for gamers. And no - I don't mean 'I play Warcraft' gamers, I'm talking GAMERS. The people who drive the bar up through the roof for laptops and desktops. The people who play the games you can't GET for Macs.

If you're NOT in that market, then either butt out - or frame your comments from that perspective. Saying that this a crappy laptop because it won't fit in your shirt pocket is stupid. Saying this is a crappy laptop because it can't run MacOS X is equally stupid.

And one other comment - PC guys - please, don't feed the trolls. They get their jollies when you get upset at their comments. That's WHY they post the comments. If you stop reacting to them - they'll get tired and go away.

'Nuff said.

[ST @ Jan 27th 2006 10:08AM]

We've got a few of these around the office for those slow days when we need a few rounds of F.E.A.R. to wake us up.

[steve @ Jan 27th 2006 10:45AM]

that thing must weight 20 lbs!

[Slo-Mo-Shun @ Jan 27th 2006 12:21PM]

I like the carbon-fiber clad Acer Travelmate 8204 better, chances are that it's MUCH lighter than this brick and just as capable.

[gamer @ Jan 27th 2006 12:21PM]

According to PCMag.com the new core duo Dell Inspiron e1705 doesn't perform near as well for gaming as the m170. So, from all the reviews I've read thus far, the m170 is still the most powerful gaming laptop out there.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1908404,00.asp

[Logan @ Jan 27th 2006 1:13PM]

I have one of theses and it has a DVD burner... And it hasn't over heated at all either.

[samer @ Jan 27th 2006 1:34PM]

Why do companies insist on making their gaming laptops with 1920x1200 resolutions, which are impossible to play at smoothly


Give us ~15" powerful notebooks!

[Cliff @ Jan 27th 2006 2:57PM]

As much as I HATED buying a Dell, My XPS GEN2 is the best and fastest machine I've ever owned. It's never blinked at any game I've put on it. Apple's new toy isn't even in the same class. Also, I can upgrade it to the new 7800 and processor.When have you EVER heard of a laptop you can upgrade? I bought this 6 months ago and (with the upgrade) it's still the fastest gaming machine on the market. Keep building a better product, and I'll keep buying it.(Even if it's a DELL)

[Jim @ Jan 27th 2006 5:32PM]

The Inspirion 9300 with some upgrades is pretty much as fast as the XPS M170. I configured one to be about the same (can't get the same video card but you can get a great card nonetheless) and the cost was a bit more than $1,000 less than the M170. I was going to get an M170, but saw a review in PC Mag. comparing them and they were right. You can get great performance for a lot less money with an Inspirion and it doesn't look like it has a BBQ grill built into it; it just looks like a laptop...

[Jim @ Jan 27th 2006 5:33PM]

The Inspirion 9300 with some upgrades is pretty much as fast as the XPS M170. I configured one to be about the same (can't get the same video card but you can get a great card nonetheless) and the cost was a bit more than $1,000 less than the M170. I was going to get an M170, but saw a review in PC Mag. comparing them and they were right. You can get great performance for a lot less money with an Inspirion and it doesn't look like it has a BBQ grill built into it; it just looks like a laptop...

[sheik124 @ Jan 28th 2006 12:01AM]

Well #18/LS, you've made a fool of yourself. Your Alienware is faster because it has a desktop P4 chip? HA! The only thing that desktop P4 is compared to a Pentium M or a Core Duo is HOTTER, SLOWER, AND MORE POWER HUNGRY. And the GeForce 6800 Go is NOT only "slightly less powerful", and this is coming from someone who has a 6800 Go in his Inspiron 9300, and went from a 6800GT to a 7800GT in his desktop. You're severely mistaken if you think the Pentium 4 is a faster and/or better chip than the Dothan Pentium M.
All ranting aside, I'm looking into getting a 7800Go off eBay along with a new northbridge heatsink for my 9300 so I can essentially have an e1705/9400.

[Vince Carter @ Jan 28th 2006 3:01AM]

People, people!!! Calling an "Apple Fan Boy" an "idiot" is redundant! That goes without saying. BTW, who in their right mind would even bring up Apple when we're talking about gaming machines? Come on now! You're soooo the subject of mockery like that Apple Switch ad campaign a couple of years ago..

[JDE @ Jan 28th 2006 5:05AM]

mmmmmm, can't wait to get my hands on this and pop fedora core 4 on it... only problem I have at all, is the intel processor. Oh well, guess Intel still has the money to buy exclusivity with the major companies. Suppose I can wait for the warrantee to go out and put a real mb/processor in it. ;)

[E @ Jan 28th 2006 10:34AM]

I love my Dell. Worked flawlessly for years great tech support.

Dual 2.4 Xeons, 2 gig ram, and it's 4 years old. Cost a lot but it's paid for itself in the 3D F/X work I have been able to do on it.

Never had a problem with it.

If you like to sit in cafes sporting your Mac Laptops as a fashion accessory, go for it. I am all for freedom of expression. So enjoy your new Apple laptops... You know the one's with the inferior intel CPUs in them. Yeah, you dumbasses believed that too.

Owned bitches.

[. @ Jan 30th 2006 12:14PM]

"14. I dont know why so many people complain about new laptops not having an internal tv tuner?

I just bought a new laptop from Dell and there's no way I'd want to carry around one of those brick tv tuners."

Tuners are minipci now, and internal :)

[Mu Doggy @ Jan 30th 2006 6:25PM]

Here here #26, I also own a XPS Gen2, and it has outperformed all notebooks that have been purchased by anyone I know to date. This latest one will continue the trend. I'll even upgrade my graphics card in due time.

I'm also happy to say that these notebooks do NOT get that hot, the fan isn't even on most of the time unless youre gaming, and even then its not as hot as other notebooks I've had.

Also, you can't beat the screen... its flat out beautiful HD glory. I have a little usb 2 hdtv tuner, and shows are beautiful on this thing.

(although, someday I'd like to have a second laptop, a MacBook pro with Windows on it. hee)

[Jeff @ Jan 31st 2006 4:45PM]

You guys come on. Granted Dell has a deal with Nvidia but at this moment in time Nvidia is losing the graphics card war. I mean the new X1900XT with 1.5GB of onboard memory is just like @_@. Granted I know Nvidia is the way gamers are going these days but just pointing out two X1900XT's would be lovely.

[doug @ Feb 1st 2006 3:30AM]

Really sad that Dell didn't put or make available a dual-link dvi port so I can run my 30" dell monitor. They don't even make a laptop to run their 30" monitor. Apple sells several laptops that run their 30 inch monitor.

I really don't want an apple. Dell, please dont make me get a desktop or apple. My monitor arrives this week and I guess I will get a macbook or whatever that stupid apple thing is...I really like windows xp.

[doug @ Feb 1st 2006 3:34AM]

I agree, I would buy the 170 in a heart beat if it had the "to go" x1800 like the apples have...then i'd have a dual-link port. Resolution anyone?

[Robbie @ Feb 3rd 2006 9:57AM]

I have one of these, fully maxed out with all the optional extras. This replaced my older Dell M60 as a general work machine for 3D graphics programming etc. This is a far better machine than the older M60, better built (the case dosn't flex when you lift it up!), with better battry life and massive performance (Doom 3 with all options on at over 100fps).

This is an expensive machine, but there is not equlivant in performance, (I even looked at the AlienWare machine), if you have the need for this sort of stuff it is worth the money, otherwise buy a desktop

[TranzAm @ Feb 16th 2006 5:58PM]

It�s always disheartening to read such incomplete and misleading reviews. Although this review gives a rather clear view of the Dell XPS M170, the author seems to just run out of steam toward the end; especially when noting his complaints of the machine. Allow me to clarify some of the misleading and (in some cases) outright incorrect claims by the author.

1) The first page of the review complains about a lack of a DVD burner. However it neglects to mention that you can upgrade to one. A nice one. Mine came with an 8x dual-layer DVD burner.


2) BIOS: �One tiny oversight is the lack of a dedicated Wi-Fi button or switch, which has become industry standard on laptops�.

NOT TRUE. Many laptops integrate a �Fn� key for supporting laptop functions, such as adjusting screen brightness, volume controls, etc. Dell has been doing this for many years with their laptops. With the M170, you simply hold down the �Fn� key and press �F2�. Just as easy as making a capital-letter in a document.


3) BIOS: ��the keyboard has no numberpad�.

Alright� who the heck wrote this article, anyways? Can anyone tell me of a laptop WITH a numberpad? As with most (if not all) laptops, the XPS allows numberpad capability by engaging the NumLock feature. This allows numberpad entry via the characters along the right-most side of the keyboard.

As for the comment about the mediocre build quality, I have to say that this is perhaps the most solid laptop I�ve owned. Given, IBM laptops have superior case build and keyboards, but this XPS is no slouch either. I owned an Latitude about 6 years ago and screws were falling out of it as I sat typed. That wasn�t a very well-built laptop. My bad experience with that laptop make me very wary about investing a large amount into the XPS M170, but I haven�t had a complaint since. Well, perhaps one� The only complaint I have about the M170 is that you cannot dock it. I use mine for work, as well as for play. When I come into the office, I would like the ability to slide the laptop into a docking station and begin working. Instead, I�m bound to the morning ritual of plugging in the monitor, keyboard, mouse, network, speakers, etc. before booting up. Dell does offer a Targus USB adapter that works similar to a docking station, but it still involves a lot of plugging/unplugging.
Lights can be manipulated via the system BIOS or Dell�s QuickSet application (preinstalled). You can change the colors, or completely turn them off (advisable if you�re not plugged into an AC outlet because the lights will certainly help deplete your battery).
For the price (relative to Alienware and other specialty builders), this is an excellent buy. Yeah, it�s pretty expensive but, as the adage goes, �You get what you pay for.�

[John @ Mar 7th 2006 12:24AM]

Slvr soo sexy!

[cybert @ Mar 25th 2006 3:20PM]

Who actually gets excited that apple can sell their overpriced crap at "full price" or "without resorting to discounting" besides owners of Apple Stock or Apple employees?? The bottom line is WHO GIVES A CRAP how fast, inexpensive and well designed an Apple computer is if you can't PLAY/USE your favorite game/software??? The only thing good about Apple is their designers. As far as the XPS laptop, i love mine. I haven't been on my desktop since i got this thing. The screen is incredible and you can't beat playing WoW at 1920x1200!! it's hot! battery life isn't great but i didn't expect it to be with this hog. You can turn off the lights if you want. Mine came with a DL DVD burner. I haven't seen anything with the "build quality" yet and i bang my around pretty hard. hope this helps someone.

[Ogog @ Mar 28th 2006 9:52AM]

I made the mistake of buying Alienware 7700 what a load of c--p the screen was a total let down, so �90 later DHL charge to return it to Ireland Ive bought an xps,np complaints, wish I had bought it in the first place.

[Jonno @ Mar 29th 2006 5:35AM]

Well people here are the facts:
for all you apple fan boys out there you will be dissapointed to know that the xps m170 obliterated the 3D06 benchmark score and all the other tests.
This laptop is better than any other notebook or desktop replacement currently on the market, even rock's sli laptop!
P.S. Pentuim M780 = about a P4 3.6

If you are serious about gaming, buy this!

Jonno ^_^

[Chris G @ Apr 7th 2006 6:15PM]

The Dell XPS M170 DOES come with a DVD Burner and every other option. I got mine with everything for $1,800 with the coupon code. It is better than Alienware in a lot of benchmarks, where some it isnt. It is a great laptop. YES, you can turn the lights off. Their are 16 different colors that the xps m170 can change to. The XPS m170 is a big upgrade from the old Gen 2 laptops. No, it's not very thick neither. It's the same case as my 9300 inspiron with the Go 6800 Graphics.

[Daniel @ May 4th 2006 5:40PM]

First of all, those of you who are saying how much more powerful your P4 Alienware systems are, are complete IDIOTS! They are Extremely HOT, they give you about 30 mins of battery life, and are SLOW (a pentium M at 1.73 operates the same as a P4 at 3.6 with HT). The nVidia GeForce GO 7800GTX, smashes the crap out of Raedons. The battery life on the M170 will last up to about 3 hours if you are smart, the battery life on an Area 51 M7700 will give you 45 mins max!

Think smart, why would you purposely go for less performance, just for a name? Besides, why would you go for an apple when you cant do a darn thing with it as far as gaming goes, which is what this was DESIGNED for!