Specifications XPS M1710 - Page 12

Its not the real thing. But its okay, I dont mind waiting for and express card
x-fi or usb x-fi. I might even go with a m-audio solution to boost my streosound.

i was just wondering why no one has talked about there new m1710 purchases yet and have you guys seen the price to upgrade to 4gb of memory over 2000 dollars im hoping that is a typo or no one is going to get that upgrade.

Since 4gb is really only useful for MS Vista, most are waiting for that OS to be released (and the price of the chips to come down) before leaping. Some M90 folks doing workstation stuff may have considered the leap but it's a lot of money for something that doesn't give any benefits under Win XP.

Mind you it is good to know that is the memory limit since many gamers will want 4gb under Vista because Vista itself takes a lot of memory. So 4gb is not a bad thing, it's just not something you need right now in most cases.

Merom, G80 (hopefully), and 4gb and Vista ready all make a superb machine. Mine is scheduled for May 11, we'll see if they beat or delay that date.

On the sound thing it clearly says Audigy built in and there are mobo's coming with the Audigy SE, which if you look up on the web seems to be a derivative of the Audigy 2. I do not "know" but I'm thinking that its not a simulated chip but a real Audigy, just a cut down version of one. We need to write Creative and see if they'll explain what they sold to Dell.

Next I need them to make a 200gb 7200 rpm notebook drive. Yes I know, that's reaching but I think it can be done. And it will sell like hotcakes.

is the 7900gs dx10 compatible?

probably not unless Nv works some kind of driver miracle

Or the DX10 spec might change... or both!

Dell in Norway

Hi

Dell XPS M1710 just came out in Norway too.

And guess what, we need to pay almost 1000 dollar more for our ver. then the one in America. And there isn't a system over what color you get, and we don't have the option with the Creative EAX card or wathever it is.

And we have a lot less options then the Americans

Yeah i noticed that on dell.co.uk Whats the deal it just says "Clear LCD color inserts'. Are the red and black the color inserts or what? lol

I hope we soon can get the same options as the americans.

I would like to have the best audio option and would like the black, but I would rather know if the M170 personell picture thing would fit the M1710

Finally, something about the sound card. This is the "Help Me Choose" from the dimension desktop system sound options, but the same "Integrated Audigy" is available there too:

http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/learnmore/learnmore.aspx?c=cn&l=en&s=dhs&~id=dimen_sndcard_ap&~line=desktops&~lt=popup&~seri es=dimen

Quote Dell rep:

"The actual chipset of the laptop is SigmaTel® STAC9200, featuring the Intel® High Definition Audio (HD Audio) codec, an upgrade form the current AC '97 standard. "

About the Audigy option:

"The short answer is that it turns the Integrated card which I mentioned before into an Audigy card. "

"While it gives the same 24 bit/96 KHz sound capability, the SB card gives true THX-certified audio quality. "

"Not as good as an Audigy 2 but definitely an improvement."

But there are no surround sound outputs on the M1710... ?

"No. IT does not. The connector for the headphones and the speakers are the same. "

"That's basically it."

Just thought I'd mention to my Canadian brethren, that the new XPS M1710 is actually cheaper now than the M170 was. It starts at $2499 (Black) with a half-decent config with GTX going for less than $3000 (only a $150 upgrade from the GS to GTX). I suggest grabbing one while you can, as I've noticed that prices for new systems generally start low, then balance out later on (the 9400 is still more expensive than when I bought it back in January).

P.S. The svideo/spdif adapter is also available for the M1710 ($10), which should allow for 5.1 digital output [EDIT]: But not on the US site!!!

[UPDATE]:

Did a few spec comparisons:

All with: 1GB @667, WUXGA, 7900 GTX, 8X DVDRW, 3945 Wifi, Audigy Sound, XPS Backpack, MCE '05

FROM THE CANADA SITE:
---------------------
Black M1710: T2400, 80GB 7200, SPDIF adapter, 720 Colour printer, 1YR Warranty = $2814 CAN ($2479 US)
Red M1710: T2500, 100GB 7200, SPDIF adapter, 720 Colour printer, 1YR Warranty = $3164 CAN ($2788 US)

FROM THE US SITE:
-----------------
Black M1710: T2400, 80GB 7200, NO SPDIF, NO printer, 1YR at-home Warranty = $3198 US ($3629 CAN)
Red M1710: T2500, 100GB 7200, NO SPDIF, NO printer, 1YR at-home Warranty = $3584 US ($4068 CAN)

So it looks like if you're in the US, buy from that balthazar guy, if you're in Canada, the Dell Site is pretty good!

Ok well that Integrated Audigy sounds almost perfect. EAX 3.0 would have been perfect, but CMSS 3D, 64 sound streams, EAX 2.0 and 96DB sound are pretty darn good for integrated. I'm still going to leap on a Xifi expresscard if they ever make one (hint Creative!). But that at least means I don't have to use the dumb USB option (hate the fact that the Aud 2 NX needs a power adapter plugged in) unless I want full EAX 3.0. I have to hope they'll make an Expresscard Aud2 or Xifi sometime soon.

I was getting a bit nervous at having paid for the Audigy option and thinking maybe it was entirely software on top of the Sigmatel which would have not been fun. It's far better than that and worth the $ spent. Now come on Xifi expresscard!



PS: kudos for finding the info out - I'm grateful.

Absolutely with you on that advice. I ordered this am once I got things in order. I also got the partner 12% discount to bring the lappy in my sig to 2900 CAD.

Doing the happy dance as I type, believe it or not.

I'm still whistling to myself the benefits. Dual core, with 64 bit later. Audigy and probably later we'll get xifi in expresscard. 11n wireless in the mini pci-e. So many treats both now and later this is going to be a truly fantastic laptop, even a brighter screen, which improves CR.

Added:
Laptop cooler
500gb external drive
Wireless desktop set (kb&ms)

And the red is growing on me, though the 170 black still is the best

What do you mean you can't see me doing the happy dance?!?



Yeah, I toyed with the red. But I had to go for the black. Black and silver is a great colour mix, and the lights provide a little variation.

Couldn't agree more on the bits and the potential. The sound upgrade seemed a no brainer. I even went with bluetooth just in case a nifty bluetooth keyboard became available down the line...

You know, I just don't understand Dell's pricing between the US and Canada. A lot of things seem comparable, but the notebooks are just way off. Last week the M170 was $3000 Canadian before they pulled it, and the US could get it for $1500... mind you, I think the US one came with a 6800 Ultra, while the Canadian one was a 7800 GTX (but still, twice as much?). Now the new XPS is a cool $800 cheaper in Canada... Really, WTF?

And all the notebooks for the US/Canada come from the same place (built in Malaysia/whatever, shipped to the US), so it's not like they use different materials. Maybe someone at Dell doesn't know how to work the currency converter?

And why isn't the SPDIF an option for the US models? It's no wonder people aren't getting this adapter with their notebooks...

And don't even get me started on the coupons (or lack thereof for those of us up north).

Maybe Dell Canada is a really separately administered entity (not that there's anything wrong with that ). I know how the europeans feel with the wild exchange rates and options they get as well...

... sorry, just mindless banter

I work for a company that has both a US and Canadian division. The Canadian division has 60% lower revenue, BUT we are running approx. 30% margin, in comparison to the US at 7%.

SO, in our case, we are much more profitable. What if Dell Canada actually gets pricing autonomy and is trying to meet revenue targets?

At any rate, I am SO lucky. I was contemplating a 170 order a month ago and would have paid more than I am paying for a superior machine.

You say that about Canadian pricing then along comes that 30" lcd for a price that makes the rest of us WISH we were in Canada

I do feel badly, but my hope is that you get bargains every so often that help to make up. Dell shouldn't hurt you quite so badly though. I'll bet it's probably based on FX rates that are budgeted at a higher level than actual rates are going these days. Meaning when they set up pricing the do so at a predicted exchange rate to balance pricing and margin to an expected level. If the rate changes later on (and thus makes the pricing seem to high) often it's because that FX prediction lies deep in the heart of how the cost structure is set up.

I don't see the dollar being strong again for a long time vs the CAD, so I'd expect that pricing will moderate over the next year. So let's hope for better.