A luscious 17-inch screen, GeForce Go 7800 graphics chip with 256 MB of video memory and 2.26 GHz processor: Jørgen Sundgot gets the very first look at Dell's new Inspiron XPS M170.
What's old is new again; Dell's Inspiron XPS Gen 2 gaming monster has received a slight make-over, and now offers even more graphics power under its new XPS M170 moniker. Now boasting Nvidia's GeForce Go 7800 chip with 256 MB of DDR3 RAM, the XPS M170 cranks out pixels to its 17-inch widescreen display at an even faster rate than that of its predecessor - yet for nostalgics and cheapskates, the GeForce Go 6800 Ultra of the XPS Gen 2 remains an option.
The spitting image of the XPS Gen 2 - down to its flashy 16-colour LEDs, it's not only the graphics that have received an update, though. Also news is an Intel Pentium M 780 processor option which at 2.26 GHz ekes out a tad more processing power than the Pentium M770 processor of the XPS Gen 2, which also remains an option in the XPS M170.
Every bit as good- or gaudy-looking as the XPS Gen 2, depending upon whom you ask, the XPS M170 remains identical to its predecessor in all other respects, such as it supporting a maximum og 2 GB of DDR2 RAM; its choice between 60, 80 and 100 GB hard drives; and the options of either a Dual Layer DVD drive or CD-RW/DVD drive.
Gloriously glossy, the 17-inch widescreen also remains in all of its striking high-resolution glory; 1920 x 1200 pixels is enough to make a man go blind from squinting if the DPI isn't adjusted properly.
Of course, when I say everything else remains identical, there's little purpose in rattling off all the specifications in detail; suffice to say that Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth are also on board, along with everything you'll ever need in the wired department; DVI and S-Video out included. In fact, our review of the Inspiron XPS Gen 2 would be an excellent starting point for finding out whether this notebook is for you; just keep in mind that the graphics have been bumped up a couple of notches in comparison.
If you just want an executive summary, however, suffice to say that Dell seems to yet again be trumping its competitors through carefully balancing a set of features that lends itself very well to gaming. Simultaneously, the feature set remains broad, and with the optional addition of Windows XP Media Center Edition and a USB tuner could also serve broad digital media needs.
Immediately available across Europe and in North America, the price of the Dell Inspiron XPS M170 is a hefty €2,300 EUR - but well worth it for gamers on the go.
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