Dell XPS M1730 gets confirmed specs and release date

We've just gotten our mitts on some specs for the forthcoming Dell XPS M1730; a nasty looking, gamer-targeted laptop that's due out soon -- and we'd thought we'd share. The new 17-inch, 10.6 pound entry will rock the much-loved Intel PM965 Santa Rosa chipset, a Core 2 Duo T7300, T7500, T7700, or X7800 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce Go 8700M GT, up to 4GB of RAM, an optional Blu-ray drive, 802.11 (in varying configurations), plus an ExpressCard 54 slot, Bluetooth 2.0, and a slew of ins and outs (USB, DVI, Firewire, S-Video, etc. Additionally, Dell is going to a lot of trouble to "trick out" the laptop, offering customizable external LED lighting, adjustable keyboard lighting, and "flashy industrial design with color customization options." The laptop also curiously features a small "gaming LCD" display above the keyboard, for providing "additional information about the system or applications." Also of note is the fact that an Ageia PhysX Controller will be available as an add-on, as well as 2-megapixel, built-in webcam, and a variety of SATA hard drive options. The system will be available on August 27th worldwide, so stay tuned.

[fistpittingnork @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:40PM]

Available Aug 27th. Order now to receive your very own shipment delayed e-mail!

[Homeboy @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:40PM]

Straight to colorware, anyone?

[NateMan99 @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:48PM]

That think is 1 pound lighter than Voodoo's ENVY!

[Peter @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:53PM]

Pointless Blu-Ray drive IMO since it doesn't have an HDMI out port, strictly a desktop brick with some bells & whistles.

Pass!

[koopa @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:21PM]

Actually it does have HDMI through DVI, same thing.

Still, I pass cause my sons LeapFrog in its green plastic is easier on the eyes. ieww!

[Nerdtalker @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:50PM]

HDCP is really what you need, and you can drive that through DVI to basically any monitor, even HDMI if you so wish.

That's called compatibility.

[bi0logic @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:59PM]

I can't start thinking about one of these until i get my m1330

[Daniel Foster @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:03PM]

Is Dell on weed? That thing looks like something Michael Dell ate for lunch and puked out. The notebook's predecessor was much nicer.

[Blayne @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:56PM]

I agree. This one is ugly. It kind of reminds me of what was the Acer Gemstone.

[Megarain @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:08PM]

Damn. I should have gotten my dell replaces around now. I just got a brand new m1710. I mean, I've got most of all that stuff. I just like that hinge better. GGR. ARG.

[soniiic @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:17PM]

can anyone enlighten me why the touchpad is on the left of the system? being right handed and not caring about any left-handers, i would want the touchpad as far to the right as possible, if not actually on the border of the system. on the other hand (HA! PUNNY!) being caring towards the left handed community, the touchpad should be in the middle (and a bit to the right) to satisfy me.

[John @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:40PM]

I have always wondered the same thing. It doesn't matter to me if it is more lined up with the main keypad or not; if it is on my lap, it's going to be centered.

Not that I would ever use a monster like this on my lap, mind you. That was pointed more towards mainstream lappies with the off-center touchpad. Something like this would likely have my Nostromo n52 and my Logitech G7 hooked up to it...

[M@ @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:42PM]

The touchpad is centered below the qwerty keypad so that your palms rest on either side of it while you type. Duh! ;)

[kn0w1 @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:33PM]

*sigh* as if laptop keyboards aren't skewed to the left enough already ...

[Chekote @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:34PM]

The touchpad is centered within the normal laptop style keyboard, thus ignoring the numeric keypad in it's centering. Don't ask me why though. Makes little sense to me...

[Ben @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:40PM]

Come on people! The touchpad is to the left so when you are typing, your right hand is not resting on the touchpad causing erratic mouse movement and incorrect selections.

[Chekote @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:46PM]

Good point. That's why I don't get paid to design laptops!

[ElMAGNiFiCO @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:44PM]

I guess I will stick with my XPS M1710

[waiownsyou @ Aug 23rd 2007 2:55PM]

WTH is with that ugly smoky marble lookin' theme? God, that's ugly!

[Alex @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:02PM]

if its really a gaming laptop why isn't the mouse under the numeric keys? its not you would use them that much. And for the specs, they are very nice! Though if I owned one, case modifcation asap! It looks like something I would give to someone I hate as a joke!

[esoterica @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:12PM]

The touchpad is actually still off to the left even within the confines of the main keyboard.

[Michael Geary @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:28PM]

No, the touchpad is centered perfectly directly under the B key, the same location you'll find it on most notebooks. It's not centered under the keyboard as a whole, nor should it be. The B key (halfway between G and H) is the center of the home row for touch typists.

There is a bit of perspective distortion in the photo that makes it look like the touchpad is even a bit to the left of the B key. Here is a copy of the keyboard photo with the distortion removed, to make it easy to see where the touchpad is centered:

http://mg.to/images/m1730.jpg

[Rayburn @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:14PM]

I hope you guys aren't confirming the looks as well

I can't say whether or not the leaked pictures qualify as a "flashy industrial design"

[James @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:47PM]

Jesus that's ugly

[henrrrik @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:14PM]

AARGH! My eyes! My beautiful eyes!

[Dualboot @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:16PM]

I'm a big fan of desktop replacements, but I'm waiting for the Precision line. This thing is ugly although I like the bells and whistles, I could do without the lights...

[Simon N @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:44PM]

I think Dell needs to take the designer of the XPS 17xx laptops out back and put a bullet in his head. Then get whoever designed the M1330 to redo it.

[ark_v2 @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:21PM]

So the paint job was real after all....:(

[tylee @ Aug 24th 2007 10:32AM]

gosh, my m1710 is apple pretty compared to that. but i would still buy one when it comes out with geforce 8800m gtx.

[lorax1284 @ Aug 24th 2007 11:17AM]

This gives me some faint hope:

"Additionally, Dell is going to a lot of trouble to "trick out" the laptop, offering customizable external LED lighting, adjustable keyboard lighting, and "flashy industrial design with color customization options."

Let's hope 'color customization' includes a light coloured case to match the light keyboard: that is the single most offensive thing... I previously speculated that the bright-red panels are LED panels, so they can be turned off altogether, or made a colour that matches better with the chosen case colour.

But no eSATA port? Sad!

[Ryan Germann @ Aug 25th 2007 2:49PM]

Ok, so it's official: it really DOES look like that.

I know that a hardcore gamer machine is supposed to look like a warrior: a tough hombre with tattoos and broken teeth and an eyepatch and scars and missing fingers and always angry and mean... but it COULD look like a pretty japanese RPG character: pretty hair, flawless complexion, colour-coordinated, but underneath it all, a highly disturbed level 60 mage / fighter, wielding a +20 mace.

There are other options for "hardcore gamer" here!

[TH3D4RKKN!GH7 @ Aug 27th 2007 9:23AM]

WHERE THE HELL IS THIS LAPTOP DELL?!

[Moorman @ Aug 27th 2007 6:32PM]

I think they are gone waith till the releas of NVIDIA GeForce 8800M normaly it is gonne be one of these days thy said the end of the summer. I hope so it would really be cool if that card was in it.

[CB @ Aug 30th 2007 6:41AM]

Is the 8700 GT better than the 7950 GTX that is in the m1710?

[josh @ Nov 1st 2007 3:29PM]

the 8700gt is not better than the 7950 gtx performance wise. however it is a dx10 card. but if you really want to run dx10 games on a notebook, wait for the 8800m gtx. the 8700m gt simply cant perform at the levels required to really take advantage of games like crysis and bioshock.