NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Home (Inspiron, XPS, Studio) › E1705 vs. M1710 ... I need some clarification
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

E1705 vs. M1710 ... I need some clarification

post #1 of 17
2/17/08 at 10:49am
Thread Starter 
So I bought an Inspiron 9400 bout two years ago, its a piece of shi*t ... i've had i dunno about 6 or 7 service calls now .... ANYWAYS

When I went to purchase a laptop I was looking at both the XPS and the laptop I decided on (E1705), and the only thing I noticed that was different was that the XPS was substantially more expensive, and had a different look ...

Not to insult anyone's taste or anything, but the look of the XPS is tacky as hell lol ... I mean, its inundated with the word XPS everywhere (even on the touchpad ... ???), i've never seen one in person ... maybe someone can explain to me haha

Anyways, the purpose of this post isn't about the aesthetic differences between the two series of laptops lol. A friend of mine who is in the market to purchase a laptop has asked me what the differences were ... and I couldnt answer him (hence why i'm posting)

What i'm asking then is, other then its shell, assuming the CPU, GPU, RAM, display are identical what is it that makes the XPS better and at a much higher price? Is the motherboard better, or are XPSes less prone to random breaking? If anyone can differentiate the two for me i'd appreciate it, so I can help my friend out before he drops $2.5k on a laptop

Thanks
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 17
2/17/08 at 11:45am
Hmmm havent been active for awhile, but:

I believe they're identical, like the i9300 and the xps gen-2 were. The thing was, that you could only get the good graphics cards with the gen-2, so you had to upgrade your 9300 yourself - which was easy.

Then we had the i9400 and the xps m170.

I think its the same between the e1705 and xps m1710.

But 2.5K$ Sounds steep for a used laptop? I dont think dell sells 1710s or e1705s anymore, i think theyre called XPS M1730 and Inpsiron 1720 now. You'll see the difference pretty fast :P. Probably the same ordeal, you have to upgrade your graphics card yourself.




€dit: I looked at the 1730 and 1720, and the differences are as follows: Your options are way more limited, you dont get the option to buy RAID, a good graphics card, or an overkill processor. Since the RAID and overkill processor really aren't that important (according to me), I'd say you're paying 1.5k for a nice graphics set-up. I dont know what it would cost if you were to install two cards like that yourself, or if you even can.


Now on a side note, can anyone answer me this?: The 1720 has a T7700, and the XPS a T8300, isnt the T7700 better, since the 1mb more cache?
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 17
2/17/08 at 11:55am
Thread Starter 
Lol, no no, not used ... hes buying a new laptop

I just used E1705 vs. M1710 because i'm familiar with their specs (I am not familiar with the current Inspiron and XPS models)

I figured the comparitive difference between Inspiron and XPS laptops hasn't changed in the context of what (if any) differences the XPS models have over the Inspiron that make them so bloody expensive, with the exact same components lol

I guess the title was a bit misleading, i'm just basing my info on what I know best, which would be the laptop i'm typing on now (E1705), cuz I did intensive research when I was preparing to buy it to try and find the difference between the XPS M1710 ... and I found none

Now the issue has just resurfaced with my friend ... and at the time I bought my laptop I didn't know of this forum

I don't know what a 9300 is, but I know I have a 9400, and if what your saying regariding graphics is true I guess I got lucky, because I have a 7900 GS (which as far as I know is the better model (i'm an overclocker :P)
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 17
2/17/08 at 12:07pm
The difference now is SLI, id think. what sucks is, the 1720 (the "modern" 9400) only can get a 8600, which, well, blows. Your 7900GS is better than that. and you did get lucky the 7900GS is a very good card, and an excellent overclocker, if i remember correctly.

Graphics card wise theres now a gigantic gap, partly due to SLI, partly due to the fact that the 8600 simply sucks. more than the 8700, which also sucks.

Back in the day, the graphics card differences werent so gigantic. However im not sure if you can install a 8700 sli setup in a 1720, but even if you could, it would cost a fortune.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 17
2/17/08 at 12:24pm
Thread Starter 
Ah, thanks

Yeh I have absolutely no plans on upgrading my video card, im more then content with it

I do want to upgrade my CPU (I have a core duo ... I apparently can't read, and thought it was a core 2 duo when I customized the parts when I was ordering)

Also, the onboard audio SUCKS ASS !!!! Do you have any suggestions on sound cards, like ones that dont crackle constantly and lag your computer, and make it impossible to play GH3 ?

Also, i've staved away from buying upgraded parts because my laptop is still under their complete care warranty, and I don't want to void it ... would adding differnt components void my warranty (damn thing cost me $350 ... but considering my laptop breaks constantly I guess it was a worthwhile investment lol)

I know I should make seperate posts for all these questions, but you seem to be actively reading my thread lol, so I figured i'd just ask here heh
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 17
2/17/08 at 1:08pm
According to this, a CPU upgrade doesn't void your warrenty, but it is dated 2006. http://www.notebookforums.com/showth...=dell+warranty.
Not sure about other upgrades.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 17
2/17/08 at 1:15pm
The XPS motherboard is better, It has a gigbit Lan, and if your really comparing the M1710 to the E1705 the XPS comes with a Dual Pipe GPU where the E1705 was single.

Mind you it is very easy to add the dual pipe GPU to the E1705 and have a the better cooling.

The XPS motherboard also can use the T7600G processor which allows you to Over clock the CPU.

last the XPS series come with a much better level of technial support.

I have seen the M1710 on the Dell outlet for about $ 1500.00 here in Canada which is a good deal for them.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 17
2/17/08 at 2:22pm
Better warranty, SLI, Shell, Game Panel, 2Mics, LED's, Sub(Ohh, wait they got rid of that ) and Light Up Keyboard.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 17
2/17/08 at 3:25pm
Thread Starter 
ah, most of that seems minimal (for the price differential), but thanks

What do you mean by 'better warranty' ... doesn't 'complete care' mean just that?

And I was PISSED at dell for not designing the laptop with lightup keyboard (which for some reason is important to me :P), its nice to know that their design team did implement this in the XPS, dunno how i missed that when I was doing research ... can I buy an M1710 keyboard and install it in my 9400, or are they completely incompatible?
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 17
2/17/08 at 3:45pm
The light features are not available with the 9400/E1705 mobo, only for the M1710 mobo, for some reason which I'm not sure of. Maybe it's the mobo bios, but I suspect it's more to it than that.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 17
2/17/08 at 5:24pm
You'll contact XPS warranty instead of the basic. XPS is only in North America... so that mean no indians
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 17
2/17/08 at 5:37pm
e1705 was very close to M1710

The same is definitively *not* true for 1720 <-> 1730 - they are completely different laptops.

Dell has made quite an effort, in the new models, to make sure that if you're looking for high-end, you can't get the 1720. The e1705 was an incredible good buy, as you could get almost the same components as the m1710. That's not true for 1720/30.

So, the XPS and inspirons are no longer in the same league. Don't compare as equals. The XPS 1730 has a vaaastly better graphics card, better CPU, DVI port, etc etc.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 17
2/17/08 at 6:25pm
Yeah, im not sure im ok with that. The only true difference between them is the graphics card, and so that you have a substantial performance difference, graphics wise, you need to invest 1.5k$ more. THATS the difference, the rest is so minimal, its practically impossible to notice, apart from bragging rights.


There used to be the rule saying that once you opened your laptop, your warranty was void. Not sure thats still true, though.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 17
2/17/08 at 7:12pm
Thread Starter 
Hmm, guess I should be glad I bought an E1705 then (never thought i'd be saying that :P ... nah, its a good laptop performance wise, I just wish stuff would stop randomly breaking quite frequently ... its not like I beat my laptop before I go to bed every night or anything :P)

Guess also I have some reading on Dells website to do before I give my friend any more advice
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 17
2/18/08 at 3:59am
Hi,

Yes.You can install the silver XPS M1710 keyboard on the I9400/E1705 notebooks.They only difference between the keyboards are the color.Oh,I think the keys on the M1710 XPS don't feel as cheap when typing on them but that might just be my opinion.

Regards,

Ko



Quote:
Originally Posted by hitech View Post
ah, most of that seems minimal (for the price differential), but thanks

What do you mean by 'better warranty' ... doesn't 'complete care' mean just that?

And I was PISSED at dell for not designing the laptop with lightup keyboard (which for some reason is important to me :P), its nice to know that their design team did implement this in the XPS, dunno how i missed that when I was doing research ... can I buy an M1710 keyboard and install it in my 9400, or are they completely incompatible?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 17
2/18/08 at 5:15am
The M1730 keyboard is the one with backlight. It might be possible to transfer to the 1720, but certainly not to the e1705.

The M1710 does *not* have backlight.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 17
2/18/08 at 10:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by m94mni View Post
The M1730 keyboard is the one with backlight. It might be possible to transfer to the 1720, but certainly not to the e1705.

The M1710 does *not* have backlight.
True 'dat...but boy it sure would be bitchin' if someone made one that retrofit the m1710....

I'd buy one...no, TWO....

B.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
NotebookForums.com › Forums › Notebook Manufacturers › Dell Forums › Dell Home (Inspiron, XPS, Studio) › E1705 vs. M1710 ... I need some clarification