XPS2 2.0/1G Ram/60G5400RPM
There are a number of reviews already but maybe I can hit on something of interest to you. No certain order...
Didnt see the need to do a fresh install. The only really nasty item was a "my search" or similar thing that Dell put on the machine. Took editing the registry to remove! Bleh.
KB is nice. No issues with moving from my Thinkpad as the layout seems the same... I still think Thinkpads are excellent btw. Keys are firm with good tactile feel... I dont miss a number pad as NONE of my laptops have had one.
One nice thing I noticed is that the laptop is light (for what it is) but not so much that you cant open/lift the screen without tilting the laptop. Also speaks to the just right tension of the screen hinges. Two latches for the screen are quite beefy, symetrically aligned.
DANG POWER SUPPLY IS WAY TOO BIG.
Screen cont: I dont see the need for a pad or protector. There is a generous gap between KB and LCD. Pics are of my light shining through or with light backgrounds. I even included a pic of the light I used - just for fun.
MORE screen: Sparkles? I think of it as metalic paint with a liberal clearcoat. Either way, if what I see isnt sparkles then I dont have them. Doesnt bother me too much actually. Not much light leakage. Plenty bright.
Touch Pad scrolling feature isnt enabled by default - I like it! The "two tap and hold" feature for dragging kinda sucks though. If someone likes the dragging option tell me how you use it - maybe I dont "get it". <grin>
The sound is very good for a laptop. I have retired the desktop speakers I was using with my R32 Thinkpad. Sub WILL distort with high volume or mega funk bass. Its next to the batt which includes the LED charge indicator that I really like.
Battery life is reasonable. With no attempts to save batt and with settings on "Max Perf" with quickset I get over an hour on wireless... could be closer to 1.5+ but I didnt time it or drain it all the way. Im now using quickset for max batt on wireless and at the 45minute mark batt shows -- 1:16remaining 63%charge MUCH of the time with screen brightness maxed! Yea! Did change driver pref for max power savings this time instead of "balanced". Whoops, left CD in and its now spun up for a second time. IMO, if you want to wach a movie that is 2 hrs it shouldnt be a problem... I didnt disable any services or do anything special.
Integration of my T3 worked like it SHOULD. Migration from Thinkpad was simple with only a few files needing restored for my WebPro browser. No issues with USB port voltage while charging even while KB, Mouse, and FD were plugged in. I ran on battery for a while also, no probs.
Games. All work fine except for RobotArena2. While it plays fine from a vid perspective, the resolution I think makes menus and such hard to use.
3dmark05:
2576 set for Max Perf with the Dell util
4908 after I realized the dang power strip was off.
5208 after I set vid to "performance" in the nvidia prefs and closed out unneccessary services, turned off wireless, disable AV etc.
No mods, formats or added drivers. I DID remove some of the Dell software and the AV software. Trend AV installed.
Doom3:
Pretty much maxed out. I generally dont mess with AA though so keep that in mind. 20-30FPS depending, until I set the NVidia drivers for "performance"... now its 45-65FPS depending on what I want to max out. With EVERYTHING maxed or enabled except for Vertical Sync I could get it down to under 10FPS! Sorry to be vague but its too easy to miss a setting and Doom3 timedemo can actually be cached which will skew results usually.
BF1942/DesertCombat:
Pretty much maxed out, plays great. LOADS a LOT FASTER than my P4 desktop - this point is important.
HL2:
Yea! Runs good at 1900! Woo! Pretty near maxed.
ALL GAMES PLAYED FROM EXTERNAL USB2.0 DRIVE, 40G 4200RPM, PROBABLY FRAGMENTED
Bag:
Got the XPS backpack. Its not as polished or professional like some other options but thats ok, its go an excellent layout. Its BIG too... better for traveling than a traditional bag since it could serve well as your only carryon (think change of clothes). Has a nice place to hold an external HD or PDA and another place for your iPOD or whatever... WITH a hole to run your headphones through. Has a section with CD holders also... nice.
Since I have been watching TV while writing this its taken a while... batt says 58min 42% at the 1hr13m mark. Im now 50/50 on dim vs bright screen settings. Should get exactly what they say it will with less than optimum variables.
Thats it! Any questions? I know this might be clunky to read. The pics are mostly in order but not imbedded as I didnt feel like hosting - sorry. I may have to make two posts to get all the pics in.
There are a number of reviews already but maybe I can hit on something of interest to you. No certain order...
Didnt see the need to do a fresh install. The only really nasty item was a "my search" or similar thing that Dell put on the machine. Took editing the registry to remove! Bleh.
KB is nice. No issues with moving from my Thinkpad as the layout seems the same... I still think Thinkpads are excellent btw. Keys are firm with good tactile feel... I dont miss a number pad as NONE of my laptops have had one.
One nice thing I noticed is that the laptop is light (for what it is) but not so much that you cant open/lift the screen without tilting the laptop. Also speaks to the just right tension of the screen hinges. Two latches for the screen are quite beefy, symetrically aligned.
DANG POWER SUPPLY IS WAY TOO BIG.
Screen cont: I dont see the need for a pad or protector. There is a generous gap between KB and LCD. Pics are of my light shining through or with light backgrounds. I even included a pic of the light I used - just for fun.
MORE screen: Sparkles? I think of it as metalic paint with a liberal clearcoat. Either way, if what I see isnt sparkles then I dont have them. Doesnt bother me too much actually. Not much light leakage. Plenty bright.
Touch Pad scrolling feature isnt enabled by default - I like it! The "two tap and hold" feature for dragging kinda sucks though. If someone likes the dragging option tell me how you use it - maybe I dont "get it". <grin>
The sound is very good for a laptop. I have retired the desktop speakers I was using with my R32 Thinkpad. Sub WILL distort with high volume or mega funk bass. Its next to the batt which includes the LED charge indicator that I really like.
Battery life is reasonable. With no attempts to save batt and with settings on "Max Perf" with quickset I get over an hour on wireless... could be closer to 1.5+ but I didnt time it or drain it all the way. Im now using quickset for max batt on wireless and at the 45minute mark batt shows -- 1:16remaining 63%charge MUCH of the time with screen brightness maxed! Yea! Did change driver pref for max power savings this time instead of "balanced". Whoops, left CD in and its now spun up for a second time. IMO, if you want to wach a movie that is 2 hrs it shouldnt be a problem... I didnt disable any services or do anything special.
Integration of my T3 worked like it SHOULD. Migration from Thinkpad was simple with only a few files needing restored for my WebPro browser. No issues with USB port voltage while charging even while KB, Mouse, and FD were plugged in. I ran on battery for a while also, no probs.
Games. All work fine except for RobotArena2. While it plays fine from a vid perspective, the resolution I think makes menus and such hard to use.
3dmark05:
2576 set for Max Perf with the Dell util
4908 after I realized the dang power strip was off.
5208 after I set vid to "performance" in the nvidia prefs and closed out unneccessary services, turned off wireless, disable AV etc.
No mods, formats or added drivers. I DID remove some of the Dell software and the AV software. Trend AV installed.
Doom3:
Pretty much maxed out. I generally dont mess with AA though so keep that in mind. 20-30FPS depending, until I set the NVidia drivers for "performance"... now its 45-65FPS depending on what I want to max out. With EVERYTHING maxed or enabled except for Vertical Sync I could get it down to under 10FPS! Sorry to be vague but its too easy to miss a setting and Doom3 timedemo can actually be cached which will skew results usually.
BF1942/DesertCombat:
Pretty much maxed out, plays great. LOADS a LOT FASTER than my P4 desktop - this point is important.
HL2:
Yea! Runs good at 1900! Woo! Pretty near maxed.
ALL GAMES PLAYED FROM EXTERNAL USB2.0 DRIVE, 40G 4200RPM, PROBABLY FRAGMENTED
Bag:
Got the XPS backpack. Its not as polished or professional like some other options but thats ok, its go an excellent layout. Its BIG too... better for traveling than a traditional bag since it could serve well as your only carryon (think change of clothes). Has a nice place to hold an external HD or PDA and another place for your iPOD or whatever... WITH a hole to run your headphones through. Has a section with CD holders also... nice.
Since I have been watching TV while writing this its taken a while... batt says 58min 42% at the 1hr13m mark. Im now 50/50 on dim vs bright screen settings. Should get exactly what they say it will with less than optimum variables.
Thats it! Any questions? I know this might be clunky to read. The pics are mostly in order but not imbedded as I didnt feel like hosting - sorry. I may have to make two posts to get all the pics in.
