Need help customizing Dell XPS M1530

M

mchen01

n00b
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Jul 29, 2007
Messages
38
Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Dell XPS M1530. I'm going to be playing games on it, and travelling quite a bit with it. I just need help deciding what specs I should get (price is not really a concern--just need to know if its a good idea/worth it):

SCREEN:

1. High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LCD(1440x900) & 2MP Camera
2. High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LED LCD (1440x900) & 2.0 M
3. Full Hi Definition, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LCD(1920x1200) & 2MP Camera

- No idea here. Is the LED based screen any good? Anyone have experience with it? And what about the 1920x1200? Seems awkward they could do it on a 15.4" screen.

HD:

1. 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
2. 250GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive Free Fall Sensor

- Is the 7200 RPM drive worth it? It would sacrifice battery life right? But by how much?

BLUETOOTH:

1. Dell Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Bundle
2. Dell Bluetooth Travel mouse
3. Dell BH200 Bluetooth 2.0 EDR Stereo Headset, VOIP Capable
4. Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate), for XPSM1530

- My question is, does the 1530 come with built-in bluetooth so I can add bluetooth devices later without picking any of the 4 options?

BATTERY:

1. 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
2. 85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

- Is choice 2 worth $169 more? Not sure how much more battery life it would provide. Maybe the 56 WHr 6-cell is already good enough.

Thanks!
 
Screen:
2. High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LED LCD (1440x900) & 2.0 M
LEDs actually are more efficient and lead to a longer battery life. And higher resolution leads to more processing power required to draw the screen, which in turn, leads to more battery consumption.
HD:
2. 250GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive Free Fall Sensor
If you need the performance, this is what you want. It doesn't affect battery life too much; how much hard drive use do you expect on battery?
Bluetooth:
4. Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate), for XPSM1530
This option will ensure you have the Bluetooth module in your system. You can then go from there.
Battery:
The 6 cell is good enough, most of the time I assume you'll plug in where you go, but I personally have the 9 cell on this system and it really gives me a lengthy life. It also props the notebook up a half inch or so in the rear giving the system as a whole more cooling underneath.
 
Thanks for the response!

So, does the LED screen look just as crisp? How is the viewing angle btw?

I think I'll just get the 6 cell. Roughly how much uptime does your 9 cell give you?
 
get the 320gig drive, there's little to zero in performance difference and it's cheaper/less loud
 
mchen01 said:
Thanks for the response!

So, does the LED screen look just as crisp? How is the viewing angle btw?
Click to expand...
Yes, it is actually brighter at the highest setting.
I think I'll just get the 6 cell. Roughly how much uptime does your 9 cell give you?
Click to expand...
Average 5 hours doing programming work.
mchen01 said:
Also, is it true that you can get shocked with the 2 prong AC adapter?
Click to expand...
It has never happened to me. It does create a tingle along the palmrest and the girlfriend, while I was typing, touched my back and felt the tingle; but still, never a shock.
 
Is the DVD eject/system stutter problem still happening? Did you experience it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ4bYynnqq8

Finally, I plan on getting a new HD for it to put in myself (cheaper this way). Would it be hard to reinstall with the Vista DVD that the laptop ships with? Would I be able to partition the drive like the way Dell shipped it?
 
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