Dell XPS m1330 performance ultraportable revealed

We've got the scoop on some early marketing materials / renders for Dell XPS m1330, and we have to say, this is as impressed as we've ever been with a Dell laptop. Check it out:

• 13.3-inch screen, configurable with LED backlight! (300cd/m2, or 220 with CCFL backlight)
• Core 2 Duo processor (up to 2.4GHz), Santa Rosa chipset (965PM/GM)
• Up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM
• 32GB SSD drive or spinning-platter drive options up to 250GB
• Slot-loading dual-layer DVD±RW drive!
• Optional NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS / 128MB
• WWAN option for Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T
• Ethernet, 802.11a, a/g, or n options, Bluetooth option
• Integrated 2 megapixel webcam (VGA only on LED-backlit display)
• HDMI, VGA, 1394, (2) USB 2.0, integrated media reader (MS, SD, xD), dual mini-PCI slots, fingerprint reader
  
• Dimensions with LED 12.5 x 9.4 x 0.87 - 1.33-inches (318 x 238 x 22.1 - 33.8mm) / with CCFL 12.5 x 9.4 x 0.97 - 1.43-inches (318 x 238 x 24.6 - 36.3mm)
• Weight starts at 4 pounds

More shots after the break!

[Brent @ Jun 4th 2007 12:10PM]

Damn, that's hot! These specs make my wallet hurt...

[fallen @ Jun 4th 2007 12:12PM]

Wow that thing looks amazing. Dell seem to have really stepped up their designs. I am really impressed. I thought it was going to be a 12" screen.

[daniel @ Jun 4th 2007 12:13PM]

This is similar in looks to an old sony laptop. But it sure is nice - hopefully its dell price, not sony.

[Ike @ Jun 4th 2007 12:13PM]

Dayumm that's hot...argh must resist!

[T. @ Jun 4th 2007 12:13PM]

I would've liked to see Dell stick with the 12 inch screen from the M1210

[nebulus @ Jun 4th 2007 12:14PM]

Looks like this is aimed fairly and squarely at the Vaio SZ series, though has better GPU options, unless Sony get their act together on that..
And maybe Apple are coming up with something similar too, could be a three way fight for my new laptop..

[boe @ Jun 4th 2007 12:16PM]

Ultraportables are typically under 3lbs. Sony has had similar models (made by asus) for a couple of years now. Make this unit with similar specs under 3lbs and it would be impressive.

[Joseph @ Jun 4th 2007 1:05PM]

Check out the toshiba portege 2000 (its from 2001 or so)

imagine a computer the size of 50 sheets of letter paper. and weighing something simular.

[Vagrant @ Jun 4th 2007 12:18PM]

I've been waiting for this new configuration. Hello SSD & LED.

[fallen @ Jun 4th 2007 12:22PM]

Could someone please explain the difference between a CCFL and a LED screen. Why one is thicker and which is better. Thank You.

[tphil9 @ Jun 4th 2007 12:32PM]

you aint seen nothin yet. wait and see what apple has up their sleeve.

[Abdul Quraishi @ Jun 4th 2007 4:38PM]

What are you talking about, the 13.3 MacBook? Yeah whatever, this is better than that in every way.

[Mark @ Jun 23rd 2007 12:42PM]

apple has a proprietary os to go with their cool hardware. it doesn't matter what they produce until they're willing to open up to new platforms and offer windows and opensource w/ their hardware.

[naveen john @ Jun 4th 2007 12:35PM]

Mildly reverable direction from Dell in terms of design. It borrows some
design cues from the now extinct Sony VAIO Z and I think that is a
good thing.

http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/PCG-Z1V/feat4.html

[Dead Man Inc @ Jun 4th 2007 12:35PM]

The design looks eeriely and strikingly similar to the older Sony VAIO Z1 series.

Anyway, the specs do look impressive (But I was hoping for a faster display card), and I am sure Dell will charge a premium for this. I have a feeling with the amount Dell charges there would be plenty of other options available.

[fallen @ Jun 4th 2007 12:42PM]

Thanks Neel for explaining that.

[johnny @ Jun 4th 2007 12:45PM]

Hey I am looking to buy a new laptop, I truly love Asian machines (Sony, Fujitsu) but I don't love the price. And I'm not interested in a mac. Does anyone know of some good asian companies who make great machines besides the more well known. And where can you by a nice ASUS or ACER machine, or do they not exist?

[Michael Chastain @ Jun 4th 2007 12:56PM]

They're ALL Asian machines. Do you think Gateway laptops are made in Des Moines? No, they're made in Shanghai, in the same building Dell laptops are made.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 4th 2007 1:59PM]

Dell also has a factory in Xiamen (in Fujian province), and quite possibly many other locations too.

[chris fredette @ Jun 4th 2007 1:02PM]

I have a M1210. The screen size is fine, but I hate the glare from the shinny screen. could be a bit thinner too.
HELP, anyone know how to get the M1210 to output in is wide screen format? I have a 24" 1920X1200 screen I would like to see this thing on. I've been on the phone with Dell for 4 hours trying to add resolutions with no luck.

[stukibbe @ Jun 5th 2007 5:48AM]

Hi Chris, found this out when researching the same issue, except I was looking to use a 1210 with dells 30". Hope it helps -- Stu

"To use the full resolution of the screen, you need a laptop which has a graphics card which suppots dual-link DVI"

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2098720,00.asp
http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2006/02/dell_3007wfp_on_dell_2001fp_action_8_megapixel_desktop.html

[chris fredette @ Jun 6th 2007 1:17PM]

That doesn't really help. The 30" displays are a whole-nother ball of wax.
The problem is you can't set the output rez to what ever you want. I'm sure it can do 1920X1200 but it doesn't let you set the external resolution to that. I think nvidia blows.
I have a 3 year old Dell 6000 laptop with a 64meg ATI card that works just fine.

[Brian @ Sep 10th 2007 4:30PM]

Yeah, BUT - this has a slot-loading CD/DVD-RW drive! That's what the ultraportables have typically lacked, and was the reason I went with the Dell M1210 a couple months ago. Also, this runs 1/2 the price of the Vaios, etc. Looks great!

[TS @ Jun 4th 2007 1:08PM]

Dell did a great job of aping the design from current HP notebooks (everything from the rounded hinge, the touch-sensitive media buttons near the screen, and even the ExpressCard remote). Yes, I understand that HP doesn't have a 13.3 inch notebook in this design, don't get all riled up.

[ilancen @ Jun 4th 2007 1:19PM]

Fake.

[Khris @ Jun 4th 2007 1:24PM]

Wow! Aren't you insightful!

Next time back up your less than intelligent comments.

[McLogic @ Jun 13th 2007 7:13PM]

I think it is a fake. I do not think that ilancen (above) has been clear about why.

It is fake because it is fantastic and it is different in two ways. Dell designs bricks. Even the XPS line is just a bunch of nice bricks with racing stripes.

We don't normally see new Dells as a computer-gen image, but these XPS m1330 "revealed" shots are rendered. We don't normally hear about a new dell all at once. We usually get word from someone has seen it in a presentation, and may have low-res pictures and no port-level stats. Then, it just shows up a few weeks later.

The Wal^Mart story is different, but it is not fantastic. Both companies are obsessed with low cost distribution, and Dell is trying to find a way to gain share.

[Khris @ Jun 21st 2007 2:47PM]

How does it feel to be wrong? Both the m1330 and a slew of Inspiron laptops have been confirmed directly from the horse's mouth!

[battle.panda @ Jun 4th 2007 1:20PM]

8400M GS (128mb dedicated) > Go 7400 (64 mb dedicated)

[Lev M. @ Jun 4th 2007 1:21PM]

Looks like we're going to have to learn how to type without looking at the keys (they're all blank).

[Muu @ Jun 4th 2007 1:25PM]

The price on the Sonys hurt, but are the XPS's really that much better? All the decent coupons on the Dells seem to be for Inspirons only, and in the end the price isnt all that different between the two.

Then again I've heard about how horrid Sony's support is, so if the XPS system can provide matching style and performance (and a decent screen), this may be a decent choice...

[nebulus @ Jun 4th 2007 2:00PM]

I can definitely vouch for Sony's support being very poor, my S series laptop stopped booting a couple of weeks back,. It took a week for an engineer to come out and replace the motherboard, it now boots but hangs after 15-30minutes of usage and Sony are refusing to believe its a hardware problem unless I revert it to the factory default install, unfortunately in doing that the damn thing hung again and I'm left with a 4lb paperweight...

grrrr

Having said that I'd definitely buy another Sony, I'd just get a better warranty package.

[Gabriel @ Jun 4th 2007 1:30PM]

Oh God, that's another pathetic attempt to overcome apple's macbooks. Another pile of junk from Dell.

[MC Squared @ Jun 4th 2007 1:46PM]

Gabe, my 710m "pile of junk" from last year has better specs than your brand new MacBook with a cheaper price. It's also in one piece, which is more than i can say for all those shiny Macs at the campus coffee shop.

[Chinthaka @ Jun 5th 2007 2:42PM]

overcome apples macbooks? waht you mean OVERCOME? and yes, lol i've had 4 dell latitudes (dads former office laptops) since 1997, and they all still work, havent broken, chipped etc... how often do you hear about dells falling apart (other than the battery issues, which STILL affect apple)? question number 2, how often do you hear about apples openin gaps, splitting etc? now, look at the price difference between the respective models... and mind you, all those complaints about the apples comes from a much smaller number of overall consumers... so a higher percentage of all the apple macbooks are reported than the dells.

eat my shorts!

[Christopher M. @ Jun 4th 2007 1:38PM]

Wow, a lovely 13.3", 4 pound "ultraportable" - such a useful term

[Peppelorum @ Jun 4th 2007 1:50PM]

"Ultraportable"? How can 1.8kg be ultraportable? My 7 year old Toshiba Portege 3440CT weighs 1.4kg, come on now!

[Stoned Hippy @ Jun 4th 2007 1:55PM]

Damn you Dell!
Why couldn't you have just put a better graphics card into this bad boy so I wouldn't have to spend endless sleepless nights tossing and turning deciding between this and a 14.1" with a better card?

My fingers are crossed three times over hoping that they'll offer a better card as an ugrade.

[dkang @ Jun 4th 2007 2:11PM]

anyone know when this is going to be available.

[ckthepilot @ Jun 4th 2007 2:16PM]

june 29th

[ckthepilot @ Jun 4th 2007 2:22PM]

26th of june to be more exact :P

[fb @ Jun 4th 2007 2:32PM]

How does it compare to the Apple MacBook Pro Quad Core 17" Machine?

[Abdul Quraishi @ Jun 4th 2007 4:38PM]

quad core macbook pro? when was that?

[newsjoke @ Jun 4th 2007 2:43PM]

Way too heavy for a so-called "ultraportable"... Give me the same specs with a 12" screen and no optical for 2.0 pounds, and I'm there.

[Hans @ Jun 20th 2007 4:17PM]

I'm a Dell X1 ultra portable user and have been without an optical drive for my last two laptops (IBM X40). For a pure road warrior, ditching an optical drive is weight happily surrendered.

The Dell X1's biggest problem is their slightly cramped keyboard key size. Hopefully, this slightly wider unit will move back to a standard key size.

[Mark Spiegel @ Jun 20th 2007 4:38PM]

I've had a Panasonic W2 (2.8 pounds) for almost four years. Now I have my eye on the new 1.8 pound Toshiba, as soon as it's available with the 64 gb flash drive. The only thing I don't like about that one (from what I've read) is that it doesn't have the new Santa Rosa chip in it.

[w00t @ Jun 4th 2007 2:50PM]

this will seriously give Apple a run for their money...and I do love Macs!

[Roger L. Cauvin @ Jun 4th 2007 3:01PM]

And the screen resolution on this model is . . . ?

[xchekox @ Jun 4th 2007 3:15PM]

To chris fredette
The nVidia card only will support 1900X1200 in 16 bit colour... change that first and then change resolution... I think..

This is agreat deal from Dell although I would prefer an upgrade to m1210 with this graphics card, more resolution, and the led screen...

[Oscuh @ Jun 4th 2007 3:17PM]

Give Apple a run for its money? I doubt it. This thing is ugly ... and specs regardless, it's still running an inferior OS. You can't shine a turd and yet that's what the PC market continues to try to sell to you Windows fanboys. As far as it being an "ultraportable" ... hardly; not at that screen size and weight.