• Speed-Link Medusa 5.1 Surround Sound Headphones Review
• LG Electronics Flatron L1980Q LCD Review
• LITEON LVC-9006 DVD and VHS Recorder Review

Dell Inspiron XPS

Company:
Dell Inc., www.dell.com
Price:
$2,899
Spec Data:
3.4-GHz Pentium 4, 512MB of dual-channel DDR 400 SDRAM, 60GB 7,200-rpm hard drive, 4X DVD+RW drive, 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics, 15.4-inch WUXGA LCD, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless, Microsoft Windows XP Home

Ratings
Music: Photo: Video: Gaming:

Pros:
True desktop power in a somewhat portable case, gorgeous widescreen display with awesome upgradeable graphics, choice of lid artwork, excellent thermal design, effective subwoofer
Cons:
Bulky case and power brick, low battery life despite cell size
Bottom Line:
While it's a lot to carry, the Dell Inspiron XPS is also a lot of machine. If you plan on using it mostly near AC outlets and for high-end gaming or content creation that other notebooks can't handle, then toting it around with the included backpack will seem a minimal burden.

A Gaming Dynamo

Borrowing the name of its successful desktop gaming machine, the Dimension XPS, Dell hopes to propel the same kind of success with its new Inspiron XPS ($2,899 direct) notebook. Based on a 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 chip, along with an 800-MHz front-side bus and 512MB of dual-channel DDR SDRAM, this XPS brings true desktop hardware and power to the mobile world. The system is poised to give Athlon 64-based laptops serious competition and provide high-end users with horsepower they can use anywhere.

The two-tone case measures 2.0 by 14.1 by 10.8 inches (HWD) and looks like a giant Inspiron glued to a docking station, but that's partly due to the spacious thermal design. The notebook is actually lighter than it looks, although it does tip the scales at 9.4 pounds. Taking advantage of the size, Dell added a 5-watt subwoofer to the battery underneath, and its effect on music and games is instantly noticeable. More impressive still is what fills the top real estate: a brilliant 15.4-inch widescreen LCD with a good 25-ms response time.

The display runs at a native resolution of 1,920-by-1,200 (WUXGA), which is a cinch for the new 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics chip to handle. High-frame-rate games look stellar, as does Windows Media 9 HD content. There's future-proofing, too: Dell will offer a field upgrade service that will swap out the graphics card for whatever the company chooses as its next generation adapter. Four USB 2.0 ports enable plenty of add-ons, and the FireWire port lets you do video editing. Sonic MyDVD is the only notable software on the 60GB hard drive, but it gets you started with the 4X DVD+RW drive.

Dell did a good job with input, adding media control buttons to the keyboard as well as a pointing stick and touch pad. For gaming, however, you'll still want an external mouse or game pad. We like the A/V dongle that has a digital coax connection for surround-sound speakers as well as jacks for S-Video and composite video devices. When you want to forego the beautiful LCD, DVI and VGA connectors further expand your options.

Compared with other Intel-based portables, the XPS pretty much takes top honors in our suite of performance tests, scoring about the same as a Northwood-based single-hard-drive desktop. We were particularly dazzled by the noticeable difference the new Mobility 9700 chip makes in 3D tests. There are more expensive Athlon 64-based laptops from enthusiast shops that don't yet feature the new ATI solution, and they'll lag in 3D performance. This will make the XPS compelling to those considering, say, a VoodooPC Envy, even if the Athlon 64 sometimes outscores Northwood chips in standard productivity benchmarks. And thanks to the 802.11b/g solution, even wireless throughput is a positive, hitting 17.6 Mbps at our 60-foot marker and still managing an incredible 10.7 Mbps at 120 feet after we turned a corner, adding interference from walls.

While it is a lot to carry, the Dell Inspiron XPS is also a lot of machine. If you plan on using it mostly near AC outlets and for high-end gaming or content creation that other notebooks can't handle, then toting it around in the included backpack will seem a minimal burden.

Benchmark test results
Business Winstone 2004: 17.1
Multimedia Content Creation Winstone 2004: 25.8
3DMark 2003 Pro: 2,489
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter (1,024 x 768): 77.9
BatteryMark 2004: 2 hours 11 minutes

Copyright (c) 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Need to search for a different product or additional info?

	Web www.upgradeadvisor.com