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Entered CNET Catalog: 06/04/2007
SKU: DYCWTG3
Manufacturer: Dell, Inc.
Manufacturer description
Love great art? The XPS M1330's sleek lines and elegant form elevate it from PC to icon. Opt for Crimson Red or Tuxedo Black and enjoy the surprisingly sensual look and feel of MicroSatin paint. Select high-gloss Pearl White for the ultimate in simple sophistication. As one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks in its class, the XPS M1330 is a truly portable notebook. How did Dell get so thin? Dell's optional LED display uses 32 tiny, white LEDs for a super bright, super skinny screen. Projected weight starting at just under 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and featuring next-gen technologies like optional embedded mobile broadband, slot load optical drive, HDMI connection, Biometric Fingerprint Security, the XPS M1330 is the last word in leading edge high tech. True mobile freedom is about more than just the size and weight of your notebook. The XPS M1330 offers an exclusive set of wireless options that help you stay connected wherever you go. Enjoy a wire free environment.Product summary
The good: Thin, sexy design; strong performance; backlit-LED display; included media remote control.
The bad: Small touchpad; some options (SSD hard drives, Blu-ray) not available yet; not as many color options as Dell's new Inspiron line.
The bottom line: Dell has finally put design first with the head-turning XPS M1330 laptop, emphasizing both the "thin" and "light" aspects of the thin-and-light category without sacrificing features or performance.
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 06/26/2007
| Price as reviewed / starting price | $2,188 / $1,299 |
| Processor | 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 |
| Memory | 2GB, 667MHz DDR2 |
| Hard drive | 160GB at 5,400rpm |
| Chipset | Intel 965 |
| Graphics | 128MB Nvidia GeForce Go 8400 |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Premium |
| Dimensions (WDH) | 12.5x9.4x0.87-1.3 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 13.3 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter [pounds] | 4.3 / 5.1 pounds |
| Category | Thin and light |
Unlike the bulky, unattractive 12-inch Dell XPS m1210, the M1330 has clearly been built with an emphasis on good looks and clean lines, ditching the earlier model's cumbersome, rotating Web cam and thick chassis. The system is slightly wedge shaped, going from 0.87 inch in the front to 1.3 inches in the rear. At less than four pounds, it's one of the lightest 13-inch laptops we've seen--nearly a full pound lighter than the popular yet hefty 13-inch Apple MacBook, and a touch lighter than the 12-inch XPS M1210.
The keyboard tray is brushed silver with black accents, while the lid is available in black, white, or red. Our review unit had the matte-red finish (Dell calls it Crimson Red), which looks great, but more color options (as with the newly revamped Inspiron line of laptops) would have been welcome.
Dell manages to squeeze a good number of extras onto the keyboard tray, including touch-sensitive controls for volume and media playback, an eject button for the slot-loading DVD drive, and a quick-launch button for Dell's proprietary Media Direct software. The biggest drawback we found with the M1330's design was the tiny, 2.75-inch touchpad, which we found to be particularly frustrating given the fact that there's plenty of room on the wrist rest for a bigger pad.
Rounding out the laptop's external features are a Webcam on top of the display and a small, credit-card-size remote control that pops into PC card slot on the side.
The LED-backlit display, also seen in the new 15-inch MacBook Pro, helps to make the system's lid thinner (less than a quarter-inch thick) while also extending battery life, although users should not expect the display to look any different than a traditional LCD laptop screen. With a native resolution of 1,280x800--the same as on the 13-inch MacBook--you get the best mix of screen real estate and readability.
| Dell XPS M1330 | Average for category [thin-and-light] | |
| Video | VGA, HDMI | VGA, S-Video |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, headphone (2x)/microphone jacks | Stereo speakers, headphone/microphone jacks |
| Data | Two USB 2.0 ports, a mini-FireWire, and a multiformat memory card reader | Three USB 2.0 ports, a mini-FireWire, and a mulitformat memory card reader |
| Expansion | Two Type IIIA Mini-Card Slots | Type I/II PC Card or ExpressCard |
| Networking | Modem, Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional WWAN | Modem, Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, optional Bluetooth, optional WWAN |
| Optical drive | DVD burner | DVD burner |
With only two USB ports, some accessory-heavy users may feel shortchanged, but we suspect they'll be few and far between. The HDMI output is a welcome bonus, but we're not sure how useful will be until Dell adds a Blu-ray drive to the configuration options. Wireless 802.11n networking is rapidly becoming the new default for laptops, and we would have been disappointed not to see it here. We were also pleased to see Dell offer an optional mobile broadband antenna, with service from Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint.
Our prerelease review unit had a decent set of specs, but we'll have to wait until Dell's online configuration utility is live to see exactly what your options are. We do know the high-end 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor is available--our review unit featured a 2.0GHz T7300--as well as your choice of Intel's integrated 3100 graphics or Nvidia's GeForce Go 8400. A non-LED backlit display is also an option, but as it adds weight and thickness; we'd avoid it. Solid-state hard drives and Blu-ray optical drives are promised in the near future, but exact dates for those features making their way to the M1330's configurator aren't known.
Compared with other recent 13-inch laptops, the Dell XPS M1330 performed as expected, closely matching the performance of the similarly configured Apple MacBook, and easily beating the Fujitsu's 13-inch AMD-based LifeBook S2210, thanks to the strength of Intel's Core 2 Duo processors and Centrino Duo platform. Hardware has evolved to the point where laptop performance comes only into play if a system is somehow working slower than it should be and as we'd expect for any recent Core 2 Duo laptop, the XPS M1330 is a speedy performer, even when running multiple apps such as iTunes, Word, and IE at the same time.
The Nvidia GeForce Go 8400 isn't the fastest laptop GPU out there, but it's at the upper end of what you can find outside of 17-inch desktop replacement systems. We got a very playable 33.3 frames per second in Quake 4 at 1,024x768, even with high-end options such as antialiasing turned on, meaning the XPS M1330 has decent gaming chops, as long as your expectations are reasonable.
The M1330 ran for 2 hours, 23 minutes on our DVD battery drain test, using the included six-cell battery. That's not bad, but nearly an hour less than the latest 13-inch MacBook, a testament to Apple's emphasis on battery life. Our DVD battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use. Dell offers a nine-cell battery option, but it's an exceptionally large battery for such a tiny system.
Though Dell has moved to a 90-day standard warranty on its less expensive models, the company covers the XPS line with a one-year warranty, which provides free parts and labor with on-site service. You can get help through Dell's 24-7, toll-free tech-support number, with special reps exclusively for XPS owners. Dell also offers a fairly robust set of support tools on the actual laptop, including 10GB of online backup space and the new Automated PC TuneUp utility, which can either show you how to perform basic performance optimization or take care of it automatically (for a small fee after the 30-day trial).
Find out more about how we test laptops.
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System configurations:
Dell XPS M1330
Windows Vista Home Edition; 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 128MB Nvidia 8400M GS; 160GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
Apple MacBook
OS X 10.4.8; 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo; 2,048GB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 64MB Intel GMA 950; 160GB Fujitsu 5,400rpm
Lenovo ThinkPad X61s
Windows Vista Business Edition; 1.6GHz Intel Core Duo L7500; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 358MB Intel Mobile Express 965GM; 100GB Seagate 7,200rpm
Fujitsu LifeBook S2210
Windows Vista Business Edition; 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 x2 TL-52; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 638MHz; 128MB ATI Radeon Xpress 1150; 100GB Hitachi 5,400rpm
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 User Rating: 
2/10
Keeps breaking down
Pros: Nice design and nice size
Cons: Graphics card and RAM had to be replaced. Adapter not working
- Graphics card had to be replaced because it broke down. I had to wait two weeks before a technician showed up and replaced the card
- After one year: Had to replace the RAM-card, because it was not working any more. It was after the warranty period so I had to pay it myself
- After two years and five months: The laptop will not accept the power adapter. I get power but the battery will not charge. I get the message that I dont use a genuine Dell-adapter. Eventhough it is a the original adapter. Check online forums - other users also have the same problem.
So dont buy this laptop!
User Rating: 
5/10
I could make fried eggs on this!
Pros: Slim, elegant build. Responsive customer service, which is important since you'll be calling them a lot.
Cons: Overheating issue
Noise
Unreliability
Dell pre-installed applications conflicts
Loud and unresponsive
Poor keyboard design
Slow
That said, it's a light and attractive computer...when it works.
User Rating: 
3/10
poor hardware
Pros: slick, good price
Cons: motherboard, screen, fan, customer service
- major motherboard issues - just search for it on the web. Expect to replace it 1-2 times.
- screen that dies early - before 2 years
- fan that is very noisy
- Customer service - these guys are just terrible - all calls go to India. Expect to be transferredd 2-3 times and rarely have a solution. Virtually impossible to speak to someone in the U.S. If you ask for someone in the U.S. you will be placed on perpetual hold. Terrible and that alone makes them not worth buying in the future.
User Rating: 
4/10
Not what i thought it would be
Pros: Purchased the fastest model when they came out. Thought it would be better than a MacBook. Not worth it. My new Mac is soooo much better. Would not purchase a 1330 again.
Cons: doesn't lay flat on a table. Problems with the media 'button' dvd drive twice, bluetooth
User Rating: 5/10
Warped Chassis and wont charge
Pros: Pretty and sleek looking
Cons: Must be made in China its a POS!
User Rating: 3/10
Never Buy this !!!!
Pros: i cannot think of anything
Cons: waste of money
User Rating: 3/10
Not made to last, technical problems
Pros: runs well when it actually runs
Cons: -technical problems, constant repairs
User Rating: 3/10
Motherboard replaced twice in less than a year.
Pros: The look is great, many features (HDMI, webcam, remote control, fingerprint reader, etc.). Great service plan, replaced the motherboard while on a business trip in another country.
Cons: Fan is loud when running graphic intensive programs. Computer heats up almost to the point where it can be painful to touch. Had the motherboard replaced twice, first time the graphic card burned out, second time the motherboard burned out.
The case is made of metal and transfers the heat, making it uncomfortable to work on. I use a wireless keyboard/mouse to avoid touching it. Forget putting it on you lap unless you want a sauna experience with your computing.
User Rating: 
1/10
This computer has no lasting quality!
Pros: Nice dedicated graphics
Light
Fairly nice looking
Cons: Loud
Touchpad is tiny
Gets quite hot
Prone to breakage
Terrible customer service
About a month after that repair, I moved to Japan. Another month later, the hard drive broke irreparably. Physical damage on the head of the hard drive, meaning no data to be recovered, unless I wanted to pay about $1,200 to get a 3rd party service to do this. On top of that, the "international support for the XPS system" (at least in Japan), only speaks Japanese. This model is not even sold in Japan, so they really should have English speaking technicians. Anyway, the technicians required that I get the warranty transferred to my name (it was in the name of the person who bought it for me as a gift), even though this wasn't an issue the first time I repaired it. I did, and it took 3 weeks to finalize. After that, I had to get the warranty transferred to Japan, which took another 3-4 weeks. Furthermore, Dell was not even willing to give me back my busted drive, just in case I felt like going to a data recovery specialist afterward. What are they going to do with my busted drive, anyway?
About 4 months later, I finally got my computer back, and was glad to see that they actually fixed the screen, too. However, not even 3 months later, the hard drive breaks, again. After running some 12 hours of diagnostics and tests (BIOS hardware check, chkdsk /r, etc.), I couldn't get it fixed. I was presented with some mysterious error codes, though. Luckily, the damage was not physical, and I bought a hard drive case and was able to transfer the data temporarily onto another system while I get things worked out with tech support.
However, that's where the real nightmare began. Somehow, my system is no longer registered in Japan, even though I have had it repaired in Japan before, and I even have the receipt from the previous repair. Japan tech support (who are not even actually native Japanese speakers, and therefore basically can only read scripts), told me to call the US. The US operator decided, for some reason, that I needed Canadian tech support, so they routed me to Canada. I got bounced around throughout Canada a few times before getting forwarded back to the US.
Within the US, I got forwarded at least 8 times, and given some 6 numbers I should call. Eventually I got to a tech that was (surprisingly not foreign) knowledgeable enough to help me. This person was able to confirm that my tag had indeed been transferred to Japan, and confirmed that the tag does NOT change upon international transfer. He told me that if I wanted some sort of email that I could forward to Japan as proof of transfer, I needed to call customer care. I did, and they couldn't even pull up my system. I said, that's impossible, I was just on the phone with Tech, and they could. They said, there's nothing we can do about it, and hung up.
I decided to try Japan once again, but this time I couldn't even get past the automated system--there is an automated message that requires you to input your service tag before you talk to a real person. The online chat was the same, and even the standard Dell Tech Support for Japan was inaccessible. I called US once again, and they said that if I sent the drive to someone in the US, have them send it to Dell, have Dell send it to them, and finally have them send it back to me, I could get it replaced. Considering that I would probably need to send the whole computer, not just the hard drive, shipping alone would cost me over $100. I could buy a new drive for that much. However, I told them that it just so happened that someone was visiting me, so it would be a feasible option. However, when that person called Dell, they claimed that they never had said such a thing, even though it was logged.
I am absolutely fed up with Dell Tech Support, having spent some 20 hours between Skyping 1800 numbers (because they're not free here in Japan!) and attempting to call Dell. And that doesn't even count the time it took me to find a place with a 2.5" hard drive cage, or the time it took to finish all the diagnostics and try to find out what was wrong.
User Rating: 4/10
After 2 years w/expired warranty video card (GPU) died
Pros: Working well up to 2 year.
Cons: too many updates, automatic shut down modes and no support.
User Rating: 
10/10
Really neat, very tiny but powerful
Pros: Ability to add up to 8GB ram
Lightweight
Great screen
Dell service
Cons: CD/DVD drive noise
User Rating: 2/10
Laptop has VERY SHORT life span! Too many problems!
Pros: Looks good from the outside.
Cons: The life span is extremely short. Shortly after 1 year, my LCD showed signs of damage, battery died, and laptop became extremely slow, hot, and loud. Soon after, my AC adapter died. Dell does not own up to its reputations.
Bad customer service, useless technical support.
If by all means, you decide to purchase this laptop anyway, i suggest you purchase the extended warranty. Although, I don't know how good that will do you because your computer will spend most of its time at the shops, regardless if the parts/labor are free. Bottom line, not worth your money and time!
User Rating: 5/10
I feel that Dell reliability/quality has slipped!
Pros: Light weight, adequate options for my needs, and so far the customer service has been very good. Judging from past remarks Dell must be working to improve their customer service.
Cons: Reliability of the product.
I contacted Dell, and they had a technician out within a few days to replace the MOTHERBOARD.
One month later it has happened again. I called on Friday, and a technician will be out tomorrow (Sunday) morning to, you guessed it, replace the MOTHERBOARD.
My feelings are this. Either Dell has decided to begin using inferior components to remain competitive, or their troubleshooters are missing the mark when they hone in on the Motherboard as being the culprit.
Perhaps the Motherboard is the end result, not the cause.
User Rating: 4/10
Replaced two motherboards already...what a lemon
Pros: The only true "pro" of this laptop is it's design. I like that it doesn't lay flat like most laptops, allowing for air to get under it. I like the sleek black look. It's very lightweight.
Cons: Poor motherboard. Loud clicking CD/DVD player. Keyboard seems a bit cheap. The mouse I bought with it stopped working. The fingerprint ID scan didn't consistently recognize my fingerprint. Not enough USB ports.
User Rating: 1/10
Complete waste of money... worst laptop ever
Pros: light weight
Cons: Motherboard issues... goes dead and needs continuous replacement
User Rating: 2/10
Worst Dell I've ever owned--now I've switched to a Mac
Pros: The laptop seemed to be a great deal and Dell offered a four-year complete care package--it seemed like a good deal.
Cons: The computer has the worst performance of any Dell I've ever owned (over the past 15 years). It has malfunctioned repeatedly. And when I call Dell's special XPS tech support, I spend hours trying to get problems resolved--and the word is trying.
User Rating: 2/10
Good looking product, rotten execution
Pros: Nice screen
Lightweight
Nice feel
Cons: Horrible, horrible, horrible customer service.
Very poor repair service - they DO NOT call back.
Completely unreliable computer - I am now waiting to have the motherboard replaced for the 3rd time (also replaced keyboard, power supply and screen).
User Rating: 3/10
Dell missed the mark on the Dell XPS M1330
Pros: I really like the size - very compact and portable.
Cons: Had this laptop for 2 years. Months after, Dell had to replace the motherboard. Since I've had this laptop, I have experienced problems every 3 to 6 months. Had 6 motherboards in addition to other parts replaced in this two year time span.
User Rating: 10/10
MOBILE POWER-$899.00 brand new.I love it!!!
Pros: Everything!!! #1 Mobility
Cons: I realli dont care for the thin aluminum wrist-pad,a non skid textured surface would perform better and hide dings and scuffs from ordinary wear and tear.
User Rating: 1/10
An advertisement for Mac
Pros: Great keyboard.
Cons: Crashes constantly. Motherboards fail. Microsoft updates put it into an infinite, failing, loop.
User Rating: 10/10
3 units so far so good.
Pros: Styling, Lightweight, Features, Options, Performance
Cons: WiFi finder switch is a little bit worse than Latitude's switch.
User Rating: 3/10
When it works it's great--but it's really unreliable
Pros: It's pretty, it's light, and when it's working I love it.
Cons: After 18 months I, like others, have had the mother board replaced at least 4 times and in the past 3 months the hard drive has failed twice. I, too, am getting very friendly with the technician who fixes the problems.
Updated on Jul 24, 2009And just 2 weeks after replacing the hard drive, it fails AGAIN!!!!!!! I'm now waiting for a call back from a Dell support manager to speak about replacing this lemon!!
User Rating: 2/10
Worst laptop computer I ever purchased. Broken 4 times
Pros: Light, looks good
Cons: Everything else. I purchased 3 XPS systems at the same time and this was my worst PC purchase so far. All 3 have experienced at least 3 problems for each within 1 year of use. Dell technician comes to my place more often than my best friend now.
User Rating: 
7/10
http://www.dell-laptop-batteries.net/xps-m1330.htm
Pros: It's very good product, do you need xps m1330 battery?
Cons: shopping on battery at http://www.dell-laptop-batteries.net/xps-m1330.htm
User Rating: 1/10
Worst pc experience ever
Pros: Small and light
Cons: Flimsy construction. Tiny trackpad. Dell customer service - if you can call it that.
First, the laptop:
I received it and immediately regretted not shopping elsewhere. The machine was defective right out of the box. The case was warped and didn't sit flush on the table. Trackpad left-click button inoperable. The case itself was flimsy plastic with a strip of magnesium alloy (I guess) glued over the palmrest to unsuccessfully provide the illusion of quality construction. I'm really not a fan of this laptop.
The only thing that makes the quality of this laptop worse is that it's from Dell. I went through "Dell Hell" trying to get this laptop in the first place, and once gotten and realizing it was defective, I went through DH trying to get it back again. I will certainly not buy from Dell until they get their customer service issues worked out, if ever. In the meantime...there are better buys out there. Avoid this stinker at all costs.
User Rating: 2/10
Don't be deceived by the packaging!
Pros: Super sleek design, relatively light weight, great screen and keyboard, and fast. Sounds perfect, right? Except:
Cons: Absolutely unreliable. In the 14 months I have owned the machine, the motherboard had to be replaced THREE TIMES - once for a video controller failure, twice for power supply. If you travel and need a machine that works, reconsider!
User Rating: 4/10
Multiple hardware failures
Pros: Lightweight, quick, has plenty of ports (HDMI, etc)
Cons: Motherboard failed 4 months after warranty expired (1 year). The laptop would no longer charge through the AC port. Ordered a new motherboard on ebay, but that failed because of the nvidia problem. This laptop is completely unreliable - avoid.
User Rating: 4/10
Poor quality construction and poor performance.
Pros: Sleek design; lightweight; easily portable
Cons: Very poor quality construction; poor performance
User Rating: 2/10
DON'T BUY!
Pros: None! None!
Cons: Problem after problem after problem... from hard drive to broadband card. I know every name of the tech staff in India and the Philippines. This product is as "good" as the $300 crap that Dell sells.
User Rating: 2/10
Breaks and Breaks and Breaks again
Pros: sleek, great design, powerful fun pc when it works
Cons: DELL, tech support, motherboard needs to be replaced often
User Rating: 1/10
The worst laptop ever made
Pros: sleek size
Cons: Horrible processor, and hard disk. Crashed in less than a month of purchase. Horrible customer service.
User Rating: 2/10
would be awesome if it didn't keep breaking
Pros: Super fast processing, bright, clear and beautiful screen, looks sleek, nice design. Connects very quickly to the internet wirelessly. Very light at only 3-4 pounds. Can use multiple programs without a hint of slowness.
Cons: Within 3 months, I had to have the motherboard, fan, and DVD drive replaced. 1 year later, I had the LCD screen, fan, motherboard replaced. Motherboard ended up having a faulty sound chip so no sound on computer! Motherboard to be replaced 3RD TIME!
User Rating: 
8/10
Good-looking laptop and best Configure
Pros: Beautiful and Performance well
Cons: Though th battery have a higher capacity, but i still buy one at http://www.all-batteries.co.uk/notebook-batteries/dell-xps-m1330.htm as the referral. Look forward to a OEM m1330 battery with large capacity!
User Rating: 3/10
Disappointment!
Pros: Lightweight, compact, pretty
Cons: overheats, burned motherboards, poor support.
I started experiencing the notorious Nvidia GPU problems literally days after my warranty expired - constant crashes which damaged my hard drive, wavy lines and finally complete failure to boot.
After a few weeks of haggling with Dell support and after Dell finally issued a warranty extension on the Direct2Dell website, they finally sent out my replacement motherboard and hard drive. Dell support wanted to charge me to have a tech fix it so I finally agreed to a parts only repair, where they send me the part and I install it myself. If there is anything more tedious and time consuming than replace a notebook's mobo I'd like to know what it is. Thank goodness I could do the work myself.
Since then I haven't experienced the same magnitude of problems with my M1330 since the motherboard replacement but there are some problems. The DVD drive will only run a disc for a period of time (around 20 min) and then it just quits.showing no disc in the drive then I have to shut down to let it cool off before it will read again. Also despite the fact that the fan runs constantly my notebook still gets very hot and just recently my power jack has gone bad. I'm certain it's the jack because the AC adapter is fine, I've tested it on a known good system and my battery is fine too, I charge it in that known good system to use it in my laptop.
While my M1330 is cute and compact, it has major heat issues.
I wouldn't be surprised if the heat issue with the gpu is the same thing that burned out my power jack. Dell support is even less helpful this time around so it looks like I will be buying parts on my own. I hope Dell knows that the money they saved by not helping me will not be near the amount of money they loose when my company's Dell leases comes up and we decide to go with another vendor.
User Rating: 1/10
Unreliable
Pros: Looks Nice, Powerful for size, Dell Support team can speak English
Cons: Unreliable, Poor Quality, Not cost effective
User Rating: 2/10
Dell hardware and Vista software both unreliable
Pros: looks nice and was quite fast initially
Cons: Two machines purchased and both needed new motherboards in first year.
Vista is useless - all sorts of software compatibility issues.
Cannot downgrade to XP without voiding warranty.
User Rating: 5/10
I made a mistake
Pros: Looks good and Vista actually seems to work as it should have two years ago. The HDMI connection is a good feature.
Cons: The transformer/brick is ridiculously heavy. It needs an option for a higher resolution screen.
Because of the scant difference in resolution between my netbook and this Dell, I'll soon be leaving the 13 inch notebook home. I'll purchase and use an Asus 1000HE as my main travel companion.
User Rating: 8/10
A good buy in its range
Pros: Sleek, robust, elegant, sound processor and good battery backup.
Cons: gets heated up quickly and very less available colors
It gets heated up quickly without any effect on its performance. A nice buy for a professional but very less color choice for funky customers.
User Rating: 1/10
Complete disappointment, money wasted, defective laptop
Pros: Looks nice
Cons: The horrible positioning of the laptop's fan makes for loud fan noise and fast overheating, slowing down all computer performances within minutes and sometimes causing horrid crashes and the entire OS to stop responding.
User Rating: 2/10
I hate this computer!
Pros: If you like forced breaks from your computer due to motherboard overheating and damaged hard drives, you might like this computer
Cons: I've had 4 motherboards in less than a year. The XPS has a serious design flaw in that it can't manage the heat it generates. The service was deplorable - sometimes I thought I was chatting with mental patients. I finally demanded a replacement
User Rating: 3/10
Motherboard dead at 14 months
Pros: Fantastic looking machine that was the household favorite while it lasted. Ran great right up until it died.
Cons: Powerboard shorted out causing the motherboard to die - that's the official reason from the repair shop. I self diagnosed via google and was shocked at all the motherboard issues this model has had. Mine had the intel gpu and still didn't last.
When did dell's support go from first to worst. HP replaced 2 laptop motherboards for me at around 14 months for free. Dell wouldn't even talk to me.
When did the xps become a cheap, disosable computer?
User Rating: 1/10
"They tell me its a design flaw"
Pros: sleek and light
Cons: Horrible performance.
Save yourself the heartache, and leave this machine with Dell.
User Rating: 5/10
Great insides, terrible exterior
Pros: fast, good quality screen, good features and very attractive design.
Cons: the cover attracts fingerprints, smudges. The keyboard doesnt register all the keys when typing quickly (although that could be a user fault), the touchpad is way too small, and the hard drive and disc drive is very loud.
User Rating: 1/10
Absolute Garbage
Pros: Attractive slim laptop
Cons: Poor quality, the laptop just sits on my desk, do not carry it around. Have had 2 motherboards replaced in less than one year. The laptop is not even a year old!!!
User Rating: 8/10
Pretty good, but not perfect
Pros: Small, light, bright sharp screen, side slot load dvd, built-in cellular wireless, good battery life with 9 cell, fast
Cons: Only 2 usb ports, can get hot, noisy dvd loader, power/display leds in hard to see location, poor speaker quality, lousy keyboard
I detest the keyboard on this laptop. The silver keys might look nice, but I don't like the way they feel compared to the black keys on other dell laptops. The space bar works most of the time, but the sensor is in the center of the bar and if you know how to type you often only touch the right or left side of the space bar, and this keyboard doesn't pick the press up. Frustrating having to keep going back to enter a space that didn't get entered. Called dell about it and they asked me to install new drivers. Yah, I could've told them it wouldn't help but...what do I know.
I don't like the LED placement for the hard drive light, which is on the front of the laptop and not bright, so it's hard to tell when the HD is running or not, and if power is on or not (other than then obvious).
Performance is quite good. I got 4 GB RAM and installed Vista 64 bit and it's been quite stable. Very rare BOD's.
The screen is bright and sharp (got the standard LCD, not the LED one). No complaints there.
Everything else is nice about this laptop. I take this laptop everywhere and as long as you take a little care with it, it seems to hold up quite well.
User Rating: 8/10
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Pros: dddddddddddddddddddd
Cons: dddddddddddddddddddd
User Rating: 
9/10
Sleek design, outstanding performance.. but a few cons
Pros: The back screen is very bright, but has 7 lightness settings. It is very light and portable. The base price is decently cheap and runs just below a brand-new macbook (About $800 cheaper). Very useful heat-sensitive control pad on the top.
Cons: Is easily broken in many ways. The "Cool" colors scratch off to expose a gray-white under layer quite easily. Speakers make a strange noise with certain noises after. The monitor is a dirt and dust magnet, and it difficult to clean.
Updated on Jan 29, 2009*Update* Sorry for the unneeded "after". Please just ignore it.
User Rating: 2/10
Horrible product
Pros: Nothing is good about this. Heavier than I expected.
Cons: It crashed and didn't boot for 5 times in 10 months. I couldn't use it half of the time.
User Rating: 2/10
Major Defect in M1330
Pros: Everything . Style ,speed , looks and potability.
Cons: All of these machines have a major fatal defect !!!!
Then came that day when my screen went blank and then filled with tight vertical lines . The Dell rep ask me to turn the unit off to cool several times during the hour diagnostic and finally said this was not an unusual problem with the1330 .The mother board would have to be replaced . When the tech arrived he mentioned that this was inherent with the 1330 and would likely happen again due to a cooling problem with this model . This is not a problem I was told , with the larger units .
I will have to extend my warranty because it will apparently happen again .
So , as nice as this computer is ,you will be stuck with an unacceptable and fatal design flaw . BEWARE !
Updated on Jan 20, 2009My review is #50 which states that I had the same experience .Varying screen colors with narrow vertical lines . The phone rep finally (1hour later) ,after trying many tests , consulted with someone else . Almost instantly "We'll have to replace the mother board ." It is a problem specific to the M1330 due to a heat build-up problem ". The service was fast and acceptable but the tech basically stated the same thing , the problem is with heat build-up specific to the M1330 and it will likely happen again . No fix to the problem . How can Dell be allowed to continue to sell a machine with costly engineering defects .I was seduced by an attractive $3000 machine with a life expectancy of 8 months or less.
Is there a class action suit in here some where ?
User Rating: 2/10
Do not even consider this laptop.
Pros: Attractive, portable.
Cons: Unreliable, multiple errors from different system components, and absolutely terrible customer support.
Spend your money somewhere else, and as much as I don't want to jump on the Apple band wagon if the programs I used could run on Mac OS I would be all for one, but i don't feel like messing with a partitioned hard drive or any of that.
User Rating: 2/10
Bad quality, much worse customer service.
Pros: Sleek looking. It has nothing else going for it.
Cons: Non-stop hardware issues - blue screen of death occuring several times a week. WIth "at home support", they keep telling to reinstall the OS or upgrade BIOS. It is still crashing. Latest tech support guy wants "debugging the hard drive". Seriously...
Don't be cowed by "at home support" - they will only agree to send someone onsite after spending all kinds of crazy hours on the phone with you first. I have not even gotten that far, and my total # of hours should be about 5 - that's without the reinstall time...
User Rating: 10/10
Awesome Laptop! Lot's of hardware for the $$
Pros: Light Weight, Absolutely No Quality Issues, Good Looking, Brushed Aluminum Casing is Very High Quality
Cons: Basically, none. The optional large battery is too big and makes it sit on a slant.
Oh, and Vista sucks. Thanks for screwing me on this one Bill.
User Rating: 9/10
Very good and reliable Laptop
Pros: I really liked this laptop. It was very small, and light. Since i'm a college student, I needed a laptop I can bring with me to school, with a long lasting battery life. The battery easily lasts five to six hours. It never gave me any problems.
Cons: The only downside to this was the small screen size. It would sometimes make my eyes hurt
User Rating: 
6/10
Have a spare power pack on hand.
Pros: Great computing power and strong performance as a dual-booting machine. Thankfully, the power pack was included under a warranty and was replaced by Dell without much of a hassle.
Cons: I have had this computer for 4 months and have had to replace the AC power pack because of a break in the power cord. The break crackles and pops when moved and intermittently charges the battery.
User Rating: 1/10
I wanted to like it... but it was just too crappy.
Pros: Does function occasionally
Cons: Usually broken
Personally, my XPS broke regularly, and every time it did I called Dell tech support which would take about an hour since they would put me on hold so much. (Note: the state of New York successfully sued Dell for false advertising and for providing horrible service.) When I did get through, they would be generally useless and ask subtly insulting questions (Me: my xps won't detect any wireless networks. Dell: well, are you near a wireless signal?)
Computer purchase: January '08
Blue screen of death (couldn't be fixed): January '08
First reformatting: January
Internet breaks: Feb
New wireless card (doesn't fix problem): Feb
Force Dell to send repair person: Feb
(Repairman says he gets more calls for XPS's than any other type of computer. He replaces the motherboard and the screen, but it fails to fix the problem. )
Return machine for a different XPS: Feb
Blue screen of death: March
2nd reformatting: March
...
you get the picture.
Last month, (at the age of 6months) the computer broke for the 5th time, and my company's repairman got tired of reformatting it. He has to fix lots of XPS's and he encourages the owners to just get new computers even if they are still under warranty, since getting a working machine saves time and energy. I do like that it's small and red, so I considered trying to get a new machine again, but after I called and was put on hold for the 100th time, I just gave in and got a different computer.
Don't buy an XPS. It's not worth the good looks or the long battery life... get something that functions instead.
User Rating: 1/10
Worst Experience of my life!!
Pros: Dell replaced the mother board for me after it would not start. Light weight.
Cons: Weekly blue screen, daily unexpected shut-downs, drops drivers, drops internet connection. Sporadic user experiences s.a. will not drag windows etc.,etc., Never seen or experienced anything like it and I've been around.
User Rating: 3/10
Looks nice but poor quality.
Pros: Looks nice it's light tons of features.
Cons: Poor quality broken down 3 times in the past 12 months.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent notebook
Pros: Light, fast, take it everywhere
Cons: minor, not wort mentioning
This is a great machine and I recommend it highly.
User Rating: 5/10
Nice, but only if you get a good price
Pros: 1. LED Display
2. Size Wieght
3. HDMI port
4. Video card is reasonable
5. Performance is good
Cons: 1. Build quality is terrible
2. Slot load drive is noisy
3. Fans kick up
4. Runs hot
5. I had a deflective LED display
I hope they follow up with a 13 inch model of the studio series. The 15 inch is just a little on the heavy side, but the slot load is better, build quality is much better, and the price is also much better. I purchased this a few months before the studio 15 and was happy only because I got a great deal on it.
All in all this laptop is Okay.
User Rating: 5/10
Looks nice but not for me
Pros: Nice compact size. I like the feel of the keyboard. It had the features I had been looking for. Feels solid.
Cons: Unreliable. harddisk died after 2 months. Motherhoard died after 1 yr. Fingerprint reader has decided to stop working. Sometimes bluetooth mouse won't connect on bootup(restart and mouse works), Gets really hot at times.
Right now I am thinking MacBook. I have always been a PC user but this laptop made me realize that it is time for a switch.
Updated on Nov 20, 2008My earlier review I had given my Dell a 2 and a half stars buy now I can't see giving it any stars.
In my earlier review I explained how I had to replace my motherboard. Using Dell's instructions I sent the old dead motherboard back to Dell. 2 months later I get a call from Dell asking me to return the old motherboard.
I used Dell's chat at their website because I they were closed when I called them. The tech rep took all my shipping info but told me to call customer service and notify them.
6 transfers then put on hold I hung up on Dell. Finally talked to rep and he would resovle my problem. The very next day Dell calls. They want to know if I returned the motherboard.
I emailed them then got a reply. They want me to call customer service again.
Raheeb you said you would take care of it. What happened???
User Rating: 8/10
e summarf fdf dd wow-g
Pros: 3222dd d dfswow-g wow-g
Cons: 43344 wow-g wow-g wow-g
- CHEAP WOW GOLD
- wow gold es
- wow gold en
- aoc gold
- aoc gold
- EQ2 Gold
- Eve Online ISK
- FFXI GIL
- Guild Wars Gold
- Hellgate Gold
- Vanguard Gold
- LOTRO Gold
- Vanguard Gold
- game pet
- games money
- Wine Glass
- Age of Conan
- Apple News
- Asia Travel
- Body jewelry
- Eat near you
- gift shop
- learn chinese
- MMORPG News
- Mobile News
- Nintendo DS
- Pc Gaming
- PlayStation 3 News
- PSP news
- Web Design
- Wii News
- wow gold
- Xbox 360
User Rating: 10/10
Good looking, strong performance, very portable.
Pros: Very nicely designed
Thin and light
Fast
Cons: Optical drive's BIG LOUSY NOISE
User Rating: 10/10
High value for money, blazing fast laptop
Pros: Performance is superb; really zips when starting the laptop and shutting it down; programs pop up in no time; using multiple programs isnt a problem; very pleasing design, very light weight and the addl cover is a boon
Cons: Will the silver keyboard last, and not start fading? Like it did with the toshiba I had earlier!
User Rating: 1/10
Catastrphic Failure
Pros: Good screen, and fast.
Cons: After 2 months the laptop failed catastrophically -- the only thing that worked was the battery after failure. Hardrive failed. WIth harddrive removed wouldnt boot.
The "space" bar never worked properly
User Rating: 7/10
Performance is not bad, but could be improved.
Pros: Sleek Design, good looks.
Cons: Heavier than what I expected, keyboard has bad feeling.
User Rating: 9/10
Very Happy Customer
Pros: Solid state drive flies!
Quiet
Backlit LED screen is crystal clear
Keyboard is nice and responsive
Touch pad has nice features
Did I say fast?
Battery life with 9 cell is >6hours of continuous operation. Sits up at a nice angle.
Pretty and light.
Cons: A bit pricey
On starting Media Direct, locked up the first time. Called customer service (invest in the customer complete care, they speak perfect english!) and they walked me through it. Easy fix.
User Rating: 4/10
Very bad quality, but good customer service however
Pros: - Design is suited for both business and creative work
- Extremely efficient customer service (warranty complaint)
- Great balance between size and performance
- Fast replacement with upgrade under warranty
- Status of order can be tracked online
Cons: - My original laptop was overheating after a few weeks
- HD and DVD Drive very noise
- Like any branded computer I know, comes pre-loaded with programs you may not want; I have over 90 active processes after installing only about 10 genuine programs
It's sad I had so many problems in less than a year, but the customer service is very efficient, which attenuates the situation and eliminates most of the customer's frustration. The person I was talking with on the phone understood the technical part of my problems almost as well as the techs themselves, which is very rare in the industry, showing strong training from Dell. However, I prefer a better computer at the start and not to deal with the warranty/customer service department. I didn't have any computer to work with for more than a week.
Problems I had with my 1st one (in chronological order):
- CD-ROM making extremely high and unpleasant noise at startup and when inserting and ejecting a disc (everyone around you at the office will look at you when you boot your computer)
- The 200GB and 250GB hard drives I worked with are making a lot of abnormal and loud click noise from day 1, noise which usually is a sign of malfunctioning of the hard drive. However, I never had any problem with data integrity, so maybe it's just an illusion, but doesn't make you feel confident.
- Overheating of the front part of the laptop began after a few months (SpeedFan software showed CPU and HD temperatures of 60-90C most of the time, even when the computer was idle for hours) The replacement laptop I just got is showing at most 42 degrees when busy. I just hope it will remain like that...
- The internal sound card stopped completely working after about 3-4 months. Because I have an external USB sound card, this wasn't a major issue for me, but still unpleasant when on the road. I didn't send a support ticket for that but I could have.
- Probably because of overheating, the motherboard showed stability issues and the computer didn't start at all after about 9 months from the original purchase date. It was showing vertical colored lines when turned on, probably coming from the video card overheating, but can't confirm anything.
I know the computer I received as a replacement costs about 2k today, including a better CPU (T8300 instead of T7500) and a larger HD (Seagate 250GB 7200rpm instead of Hitachi 200GB 7200rpm).
What I found the most ironic is that the customer service people strongly suggested me to renew my warranty as if it would be something normal that my laptop would fail in the following year.
I used to work at a computer shop that was mostly specialized in laptops and the stats at the time were that among all the laptops on the market, Fujitsu had the least return rate in the first year (under 10%), followed by Toshiba and IBM, and Dell had the highest (worst) one with about 27% of return rate in the first year.
The value of this model is quite good today in my opinion. The choice is yours, but the risk of a failure is still high according to my experience. If you can live without your laptop for a week or two, then it's probably worth the risk. Otherwise, you'll have to upgrade the warranty or simply choose a more reliable brand/model.
User Rating: 2/10
Total Failiure
Pros: Size and Looks.
Cons: Heats up,GPU Burn Out ,poor technical support.
After raising a support with the dell xps support i was sent a new motherboard which was not replaced. The technical team is not sure if the new motherboard is the one with the fix since the fix is not yet known and it seems the strategy is to keep changing motherboards one after another till the warranty expires. Finally the mother board was taken back and I was given some Case ID.
I have been using my laptop least extensively (never installed a game) and the problem of a burnout is something that makes it quite obvious that the design is very poor and LEAST TESTED.
I want my laptop to be replaced with a new one and with a fixed nvidia card(which dell endorses by providing it as an option, dell support guy even questioned me that why did I order a nvidia card),and an extended warranty of one year without making any payments of course.
That is the least I can settle for, with dell not providing any direct alternative for a refund. However that may be possible if the customer approaches the consumer court which would be my last alternative. My support call is pending for around a fortnight now and my mails have never been replied to. I have been losing a lot of my business, time and energy because of this.
It?s quite surprising to see DELL still advertising defective xps models in INDIA where it has managed to have a strong customer base.
DELL has to come out in public and accept this issue and get it sorted with the NVIDIA, before somebody goes to the consumer court or files a petition.
Other than publishing flashy advertisements alone, As part of public awareness dell should also make customers aware of this issue and recall such faulty machines and provide the right information since INDIA is not a dumping ground for such machines.
It has been a fortnight since I have raised a support and I have not got a solution yet.
If people at DELL think they can dump such customers and we would be helpless and accept the replacement of the mother board with another defective one then they are wrong.
I am least bothered about my laptop but I would make sure that I settle my scores with dell.
As part of our genuine campaign and legal proceedings against dell:
i)I and few others have filed a complaint in the consumer court.
ii)We will soon have a portal ?www.dontbuydell.co.nr? with updated information for Indian users about flaws in dell laptop and to bring them to a common platform for handling any legal issues.
iii) We would also publish awareness articles in newspapers about the issues with these dell laptops which are still being marketed in the same newspapers.
Looking forward for a DELL FREE WORLD
Regards,
Salman
User Rating: 10/10
Review date 9/2/08 Nice value; great performance!
Pros: Quiet operation (yes, even the DVD drive)
Fast 128 GB SSD
Windows Ultimate integrates well with Dell hardware
Sharp LED display
128 MB graphics card
Wireless N
Fingerprint reader works well
Battery life: custom setting approx 4 hours
Lightweight
Cons: Can be pricey; Google online coupons for Dell, there should be something out there-I got $550.00 off for just doing a few minutes of research.
User Rating: 2/10
Worst computer yet
Pros: small and light
Cons: Screen is way too shinny.
Wireless keeps going down.
The keyboard is always sprinnging keys
The touch pad is unresponsive sometimes
Computer locks-up frequently
Dell support has gone bad
User Rating: 3/10
Poor QC, Poor Dell Support, would not recommend
Pros: Size, portability, screen, loaded hardware offerings
Cons: Reliability, Dell customer/technical support, return policies, major quality control problems
User Rating: 7/10
Literally cool portable desktop replacement machine
Pros: Sleek design, remains cool, lightweight
Cons: spacebar on keyboard, looks of multimedia control strip
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz, 800 MHz, 3 MB L2 ach
4 GB DDR2 667 MHz RAM
128 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
160 GB 7200 RPM HDD
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive
WLED backlit display
It is so lightweight, I simply couldn't believe I was holding it with battery on
. It's little over 4 lbs with 6-cell battery. I think I should have gone for even 9-cell battery.Open it to get a feel to know the smooth barrel hinges. They are crtainly better than regular hinges on other dell laptops and for that matter any other manufacturer.
Battery lasts for about 2 hours with average surfing, and songs playing in backgound. I'm little disappointed at that. But hey, it's not what I do while on travel.
Next good thing to notice is that it remains cool all the time. Hats off to Dell for designing nice cooling system. I couldn't watch youtube videos for more than an hour with HP dv2000/6000/9000 or toshiba satellites or Inspiron sitting on my lap.
WLED display is worth paying $125 extra. It turns on quickly, shines much more brighter than CCFL screens. I simply love it.
The thing that distracts me is that while the screen goes off from on or vice versa, audio playback pauses momentarily or sounds like broken record. Somehow such situations are rare.
Worst part is the keyboard. I had read it in many past reviews and hoping that I don't get a bad keyboard. Alas I got a keyboard that's bad!!! Spacebar has to be hit exactly at the center to get it working. Try to press it at either ends, and you haven't pressed it. ***Check every key on keyboard right after you have got your dell xps laptop.*** Maybe you can start writing review of the laptop then and there, like me
. Dell support was very friendly to get it replaced after a chat of about 15 minute and letting me pull out and put back the spaceba on place . It's ok for a computer geek like me, other consumers may say that they broke the keyboard. Dell will replace the keyboard.Keyboard design is good otherwise. Keys are well placed. Placement of 'Fn' key between Conrol and Windows keys ok left confuses a little for a regular desktop user like me.
Another thing that looks bad is the multimedia control strip just above keyboard. It looks really cheap for a laptop of such good looks and $1500 laptop. Leave looks apart and the strip works very well. Unlike few other reviews (even professional ones), I'd say that the capcitive controls (i.e. they are not real keys) on the strip are responsive.
Somehow I feel that Dell missed out some utility that shows volume level afer you touch volume controls. Same goes for brightness control. Of course you can sense the effect, but a display of volume scale and brightness scale would always help.
Talking about Dell support, I'm extremely satisfied with chat support (that's only one I have tried yet).
Finally about looks. The aluminium brush finish looks superb to be me, some of friends say it's cheap. I guess it's a personal preference. I'd suggest to have a look at real XPS laptop, if looks matter so much. It was love at first sight for me
.And if you like bright red color, do go for Product RED version of the laptop. It costs the same and has unbeatable looks, plus it adds to donations to social cause.
In short, if you are ready to pay little over 1000 bucks, xps m1330 is the portable desktop replacement machine.
PS: It's been around 72 hrs that I've had this laptop. Will update the review about real performance after a while.
User Rating: 8/10
An excellent PC with many features in a small package
Pros: Beautiful screen, full keyboard and nice exterior finish, solid state drive
Cons: Small touchpad, so-so battery life, heat
The only problems that I have with this computer are the small touchpad and the battery life, which is average at best. The computer can heat up after prolonged use so I would recommend using a latpop stand.
Overall this is a great laptop and it just proves that you don't need a heavy laptop to get all of the important features.
User Rating: 2/10
A constant headache!
Pros: Looks good
Cons: Can't trust it
Dell has lost it! Cutting costs has resulted in cheap equipment and the disappearance of the legendary Dell service. Dell equipment has always been on the thin edge of reliability, so without the quality service, Dell products are hefty risks.
A reputation is a fragile thing. Sadly Dell's is near the tipping point. I urge anyone reading this to avoid Dell. As for me, over to Mac next time. RH
User Rating: 6/10
Disappointing hardware and service
Pros: Attractive design, large keyboard, light weight
Cons: Poor quality control, poor customer service
User Rating: 1/10
Bad keyboard
Pros: Nice formfactor, sexy. Light. I want to like this little laptop.
Cons: Bad spacebar, on 4 laptops in a row. Unuseable for email, or any program requiring the use of spacebar.
If I am able to get a laptop with a working keyboard, I'll continue review.
User Rating: 5/10
Dell fails to deliver quality product and not as good as it could have been
Pros: Light weight, great LCD screen, powerful/fast, good day to day computing power
Cons: Mousepad heats up, poor dell service esp. international, hard disk errors frequently
User Rating: 2/10
Never will it be a Dell again
Pros: sleek design
Cons: shoddy workmanship.Unacceptable customer support ethics.
I will never recommend Dell to any one and I will never purchase a Dell product again. This experience has been the most negative I have ever endured after spending so much money for a lemon.
User Rating: 5/10
Jury's Still Out
Pros: Weight, Performance, Looks
Cons: Build Quality
User Rating: 10/10
Perfect For Me
Pros: Beautiful design, light weight, very user friendly, and very fast
Cons: I'm sure if I spent 30 minutes thinking about it I could find something to complain about, but off the top of my head... No complaints.
User Rating: 2/10
Dell XPS M1330
Pros: Very light Powerful laptop
Cons: RELIABILITY IS THE WORST OF ANY COMPUTER OR LAPTOP THAT I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCE !!!
The customer support, or lack thereof, with Dell has to be the most frustrating part of the Dell experience !! I purchased the "in-home" service. They have since replaced the LCD and motherboard on both laptops that were purchased. Now, my laptop is DEAD AGAIN yet Dell wants me to send it back for service. It has been a week since they told me they were going to send me a box for shipping. They have not offered a replacement or helped with any of this inconvenience. I have requested that Dell extend my warranty based on the LEMON that this laptop represents. They juggle me around from department to department telling me the next department will help me. I should receive the box by weeks end..........8 days after my first complaint, and should be without my laptop for several weeks. The "SPECIAL XPS" service is non-existent. Dell needs to move manufacturing back into the states because their quality has suffered severely.
Best advice...........STAY AWAY FROM DELL PRODUCTS !!
User Rating: 9/10
Take it from a level-headed tech
Pros: Size, performance, price (if you do your research), and nearly everything else
Cons: Occasional build quirks, Heat issues with dedicated graphics card (NVidia's mistake)
Just a little background. I purchase between 50 and 100 notebooks each year for people (which includes setting them up as well before delivery). This is among the best I have seen ever to date (hence why I now own one for myself). It's ridiculously portable considering its power, and it's priced to beat if you just do a tiny bit of research prior to committing to a purchase (there are discounts EVERYWHERE). I quite honestly have almost nothing to complain about with regard to mine. I own both the 9-cell and 6-cell batteries; with my configuation, I get 6.5 hours and 4 hours of battery respectively.
The only problem I had with mine? Talk about stingy. My keyboard flexed a bit more than I preferred, so I did a quick search and discovered that a small group of others had noticed the same issue. Following a brief call to Dell's speedy XPS support, they arranged for a tech to visit me the next day and replace the keyboard with a different, sturdier model. He got the job done in 15 minutes, and the problem is 100% rectified--now, my keyboard's even nicer than even the Macbook and Lenovo models I've purchased (no kidding).
Other quirks? Well, only one. The integrated graphics solutions never produce enough color saturation to my liking, and there are no built-in controls to adjust the parameters. But the screen is absolutely gorgeous, never gets hot, and consumes less power than the CCFL-backlit counterpart. So if that's the biggest problem you have with your laptop, you know you probably have a keeper.
User Rating: 7/10
7/10 and a good laptop for on the move!
Pros: Good design, good specs for size, light weight
Cons: Mother board broke but dell fixed with in 2 days and runs fine, wobbily body work
User Rating: 4/10
My rating is dropping like a rock
Pros: Nice features, slick looks
Cons: poorly assembled and crashed before 1 year
User Rating: 3/10
Watch out if you get one via Dell Outlet
Pros: Good performance (when it works), light, small
Cons: Hardware is poor quality, service from India is poor too (they try hard, but don't get it)
Keyboard (shift key inoperative)
DVD drive (inoperative, not software related)
Hard drive (total failure 320GB drive)
Power cord was wrong number of prongs into the charger (some idiot pulled the wrong cable)
These were all problems right out of the box. I doubt they did any QC/QA as it was pretty obvious this one was DOA. Here is my dillema, after being jacked around for repairs I am outside my return window of 21 days. They don't respond well to email, you can get someone on chat who has to follow a close script and the people they send out from BancTech are just scary.
I really like the overall form factor and performance of the laptop so no issues there. My main problem is the low quality of components and the support infrastructure that Dell has degraded to is just awful. I've had a long string of Dells and seeing them go further downward makes it time to consider another vendor.
User Rating: 2/10
Screen issues galore
Pros: compact form factor
Cons: terrible build quality / Dell support
In addition, Dell shipped the return, postage paid box, to the address I specificaly asked them NOT to ship it to.
I would expect to have a much better build and customer service for a premium product line with a high price to match.
I would urge anyone considering to purchase this unit to look up the various problems being reported on most of the notebook forums avaialble on-line.
I will never purchase another Dell.
User Rating: 7/10
Good Laptop - not great, but good
Pros: Size, weight, screen
Cons: Vista, no dell docking station
The #1 problem with it is Vista (I know - not Dell's problem, but still Vista is awful). I've thought about re-configuring with XP, but I'm not sure it would work well enough and frankly after almost a year, I've learned to live with it.
The biggest Dell problem is that I just had to have the motherboard replaced (tech said heat buildup probably killed the video processor). Anyway, the new board is installed and everything is working fine now. I'm thinking about uping for the expanded warranty before my 1 year expires.
User Rating: 8/10
Looks great and runs well but it has its flaws.
Pros: Design is beautiful, thin and light, can be fully loaded with options.
Cons: Price, BUZZING NOISE, loud cd drive, too many problems for a $1600 laptop
The thing I hate most about this laptop is the whining noise that everyone else gets. I've talked to customer service a few times and they've told me to update my BIOS but that didn't work. Customer service through telephone is a pain in the ass because they have heavy accents, long wait times, and sometimes they are very rude. I've found it easier to go online and chat with tech support. It takes like an hour as well but at least you can be using your computer while you're chatting with them and they will still take care of your problem.
I've had 2 problems with this already, and I've talked to customer service on the phone both times and didn't resolve the issue, then I went online and did it through tech support chat and finally resolved the issue.
First, the power adapter stopped working on it. It was powering the laptop, but there was insufficient wattage to charge the battery. The rep kept trying to troubleshoot, telling me 1000 things to do to test it out. I knew it was broken because my sister and I have the same laptop and we've tested it that way already. I started getting impatient and demanded he send a new one and he finally did. The charger comes in the mail and its the wrong one, didn't fit my laptop. I then went online and did the process again and this time they sent the right one.
Second problem I encountered was my LCD screen would sometimes not light up. They first gave me instructions on reseating the LCD wiring inside the laptop, but that required me to take apart the laptop. I didn't pay all this money to fix it myself. Afterall, it comes with 1 year IN-HOME service. So I just went online to tech support chat and told them I want them to come and fix it. A tech guy (3rd party) called me 2 days later and came to my house. He had a brand new LCD screen ready to replace. He first tried reseating the LCD wire like they told me but that didn't work so he replaced the LCD. If I would have listened to the first guy and reseated the LCD myself I would have wasted a lot of time and it still wouldn't have worked. So my advice is deal w/ tech support through the CHAT, not phone.
SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS DAMN BUZZING NOISE!
User Rating: 2/10
buzzing noise, bad customer service
Pros: better external design than the other dell laptops
Cons: buzzing noise, terrible technical and customer service
User Rating: 3/10
Do not waste your time with this one
Pros: Operation System Vista, great graphics, very sensitive though
Cons: Dell customer service is still the worst in the industry.
User Rating: 9/10
Really glad I made this purchase. Still enjoying this compact laptop after 6 month of use.
Pros: I am very impressed with the high performance of this little computer. It flies past my 10lb toshiba, and it truly is a desktop replacement.
Cons: I'm not crazy about the keyboard. Battery life isn't terrible but we can always wish for more....
User Rating: 9/10
Great product - Good service
Pros: Good design - great features - slim and light
Cons: Cost of options; smudges on the outer part of the lid.
I have a T7250 processor, with 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 6 cell Battery and LED display. I really liked the LED Display, it is nice and bright and sips on power. I have not had any problems with the hardware and none of the VISTA issues that many complained about. I have used this unit for about 3 weeks now.
I would definitely recommend this product.
User Rating: 10/10
As expected, as advertized
Pros: Stylish, metal palm rest, good speaker, web cam works great and has many features, slot loading disc drive, great hinge, hide away remote control, hdmi out port, nice keys and big keyboard, very light
Cons: standard battery life not impressive, small mouse pad, three pronged power plug (US), keyboard can bend around enter key when pushed hard, capacitance media keys have not tactile feed back
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Special Note: This wasn?t very clear on Dell?s website: The red version is red for a reason. It is being sold as a ?(product)^red? version. I didn?t know this at the time but ?(product)^red? is an organization started by Bono from U2 where products from many different companies are sold as special edition (product)^red versions and in turn money is donated from the profit made on your order to help fight aids in Africa. For the M1330 $50 is donated. With the product red version m1330 comes a product red version of Vista Ultimate from Microsoft with things like product red back grounds and such. If you choose the product red version of the m1330 it starts with mediocre parts and performance, but you should be able to add on all the good bits of the higher pre-config systems for only $25 dollars more.
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What I like:
128MB Geforce 8400M graphics card, 4Gigs of RAM, Slim and light LED LCD screen, 320 Gig hard drive, in a stylish computer for $1500 straight from Dell.com, I think that?s a good deal.
It has a really good webcam and microphone with many features and special effects. You can have it track your face around and put things like huge ears or sunglasses on your head that stay with your face no matter how you turn.
The keyboard keys are a nice silver satin finish. The touchpad keys have good tactile feedback. You can start the dell media direct without running windows and in theory you can watch a DVD or look at pictures for longer than you could through windows because it doesn?t use up battery life running the operating system. It has a very bright clear screen on a strong hinge. It is smooth when closed so that when you put it in a bag or something there are no sharp corners to get caught on anything. The overall computer structure is very ridged and doesn?t bend or flex. The touch ?capacitance keys? are aesthetically pleasing and nicely placed. Has a fingerprint reader. Metal palm rest is very supportive and feels nice on the hands. I like having the side facing power plug and center headphone connection. Has two headphone jacks. Has eight way memory card slot. Has slot loading cd/dvd burner reader which means you have no flimsy drive tray that pops out like on every other laptop except mac books.
And last but not least it has a hideaway remote that fits in an express card slot on the side of the computer for watching a movie in the hotel room or giving a presentation. Very cool. I?ve never seen this on a lap top this size, you normally have to get a 20inch monster to find this feature.
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What it comes with:
A nice XPS embossed computer sleeve to protect it in a bag.
Noise canceling headphones from creative in a nice little carrying bag.
A nice leather XPS embossed binder book for holding the owners manual, all the cd?s it comes with and a nice XPS embossed micro fiber cleaning cloth.
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What I don?t like: (but was not advertized as being different)
The keyboard keys flex down when you press them to hard in the area of the enter key. The touch sensitive media keys have no tactile feedback. Touch pad is very small. Smallest I?ve seen. The standard battery life is not impressive: you can get it to say 4hr 30min max when on battery with the brightness turned all the way down and having the power plan in a battery saving mode but who knows if that is right, they are always just running estimates. The slot loading disc drive makes a lot of noise when you load or eject a cd/dvd (though all slot load disc drives make a lot of noise). And finally, it has a three pronged power plug, which could limit you if a power outlet only has a 2 pronged set up.
User Rating: 10/10
This Is a great computer
Pros: Fast, Sleek, Great
Cons: Battery runs out fast
User Rating: 10/10
Perfect qwe
Pros: Exelent w
Cons: The Best laptop ever
User Rating: 1/10
Completely frustrated with Dell !
Pros: Sleek looking case
Cons: Out of the box problems! Did not work due to software baseline load.
User Rating: 9/10
7 months ownership and fully satisfied. Frequent world traveler
Pros: weight, size/style, battery life, bluetooth! not a single problem in 7 months
Cons: touchpad (same as everyone else), only 2 USB ports
My decision was between this Dell and the similar Sony Vaio SZ models (of which there are many which makes it bloody confusing). I opted for Dell due to my historical lack of confidence in Sony products due to poor craftsmanship, software issues, and pathetic warranty or help. 7 months later and very satisfied with choice. Didn't really consider Macs at time, since I've never touched one, didn't feel like diving into something new - maybe next time (in 10 years with the way this thing is holding up).
Vista Home- No issues as long as it's been kept updated. The system has no issues running more than 3 or 4 programs at same time (i.e. auto cad, firefox, excel, word, skype-video)
DVD/Gaming- Call of Duty 4 runs great-fast frames, no issues when on power supply. Overheated once at around 3-4 hours, but then again playing video games for that long is pretty sad. Never had overheating issues during "normal-office-use". Any talk of a "noisy system" is ridiculous, it's quiet-as. When it seems to get hot, I just prop up the back of the laptop with my engineer's scale ruler, and it works perfectly to get some air-flow into the fan and keep her cool.
Highly recommend the Bluetooth and fingerprint reader options. Bluetooth is definitely necessary for a truly wireless mouse that doesn't use up a USB port (as there are only 2-ports installed in this XPS setup). Fingerprint reader is great for quicker log-ins to websites.
Overall I am totally satisfied after 7 months of ownership and travelling around the globe every few months, this compact, reliable and powerful laptop was the perfect buy for a frequent traveler that didn't mind paying a slightly outrageous price for a piece of modern luxury.
User Rating: 9/10
This notebook is a Winner!!
Pros: Great design, Awesome fingerprint scanner, Ultraportable at under 4lbs, LED screen quality is A+. Quiet machine thats fast!
Cons: Only 2 USB ports, Keyboard keys are too hard.
User Rating: 8/10
surprising innovation from dell
Pros: head turning design, solid build, light, fast
Cons: none, maybe wish it can be a little thinner and lighter
13.3 inch screen only 4lbs. ofc, its not as light as dell d430=3lbs, true ultraportable imo shall be ubder 3.5lbs, so
an adult can hold it up with 1 hand and not geting hand & arm tired.
overall, the computer runs pretty fast, decent screen, sound quality so-so.
dvd slot is well, an apple imitation.
even though i give it a 8, but i wouldnt put dell 1330 in same category with apple macbook. well, 1330 is the best looking
windows laptop out there.
User Rating: 10/10
Great System!
Pros: Very portable, great display, nice keyboard
Cons: all ports are on the sides
User Rating: 2/10
Biggest POS ever
Pros: Compact size and battery life.
Cons: Too many to list.
One. Vista sucks, and the computer crashed countless times. Within 2 weeks of getting the system, I had to reinstall Windows, and many times after. Eventually, I put XP on the system, and it was much more stable. I know that Vista doesn?t have anything to do with the system itself, but is one of the reasons I hate it.
Two. Within 5 months, the computer was the biggest POS I have ever used. In that time, I had 2 hard drives replace, my optical drive replaced, and my motherboard and video card replaced. Never have I used a system that had such bad quality. The main reason I feel this happened is because of the fact that the system runs hot, even with my cooling fans (Zalman Notebook Cooler) running on high underneath it.
Three. Dell customer service is OK, except when they send out the wrong parts, or forget to put parts in the box, or recently, forget to ship the box out. Finally though, after an Accidental Damage Claim, I am finally getting a new system sent to me. Maybe this one will last me through the summer with no problems? Doubtful. Really, in the end, customer service doesn't mean **** to me if the products cannot even last me one semester in college.
Save yourself time, and stay away from Dell products. I have several people on my floor that have Dell laptops, and have nothing but problems. If I would go back and buy another notebook, it would no doubt be an HP.
User Rating: 9/10
Keep in mind when comparing MacBook: as tested, Macbook is .16Ghz faster and has a 10-whr higher bat
Pros: Gooddddddddddddddd
Cons: BaDddddddddddddddddd
User Rating: 5/10
Who reviewd this thing for CNET?
Pros: Good performance
Cons: Annoying design features- mainly the screen and lack of pointer
The main problem is the screen- the strange hinge design makes battery exchange tricky and requires the screen to be 2/3 closed.
The screen itself has a very shiny finish that makes viewing an otherwise good quality screen impossible when the screen brightness is not maxed out.
Lastly, why not put a 14inch in this system- there's lots of room, or alternatively reduced the overall width.
Lastly, why no pointer? This is the ultimate feature for the frequent flier and takes up little room on a generous keyboard/
User Rating: 8/10
Powerful and cute design
Pros: Fresh look, Light weighted has got almost everything
Cons: Bit pricy, nothing more!!
Keyboard is big enough and the keys have a soft feel, it may take a while to get a feel for it but its good.
I like the black more than the red, black seems more professonal.
The touchpad should have been a little more bigger but that doesnt bother me much. Sloat loading drive is a nice feature that i like. Overall this is one of the coolest gadgets out there in the market.
Though it is a bit pricy its worth spending.
User Rating: 4/10
Utterly not impressed
Pros: Light and portable
Cons: Processor hiss, vista power/bluetooth issue
User Rating: 10/10
Perfect from every point of view
Pros: Performances, design, delivery times
Cons: small touchpad
Core 2 Duo T8100 (Penryn) 2.10 Ghz, SDRAM DDR2 3MB, Hard Disk 200 GB 7200 rpm, White LED display.
Delivery in less than two weeks! In light of the other users' previous comments, I couldn't believe it!!
Incredibly bright display, eye-catching line and...you know...2.10 Ghz+7200RPM HD+3GB RAM...amazing performances...
Just a small remark: Dell could put a larger touchpad.
Conclusions: never been more satisfied of an IT purchase!
User Rating: 9/10
good all around
Pros: fast, light, slick design, good service
Cons: no illuminated keypad. the cd drive makes loud noise when starting up.
User Rating: 7/10
Great notebook Dell just needs to learn how to image a machine
Pros: Light fast notebook that seems well built
Cons: Dell cannot image a notebook to save their lives
However, I spent the first two days working with Dell. When they build these systems they don't do QA to determine if it will be stable.
I could not do Windows update due to some reg entry that phone and chat support could not fix. I found the answer in the forums.
The second problem is Trend Micro Intenet Security has a known issue that Dell support didn't know about. A 30 second chat session with Trend's support helped me out.
Don't get me wrong once I got these issues taken care of I am thrilled with the notebook. I paid a little extra for the 9 cell battery and I get about 4 hours which is much better than any other machine I've owned.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent!!
Pros: Perfect size
Cons: none so far
I've only had this laptop for about two weeks, but so far, it's just great! The only thing I can say is that, I was kind of expecting something a bit lighter. It's a bit heavy for me, but no big deal. I love my new laptop!!
User Rating: 4/10
It was a big disappointment.
Pros: I bought a 2.5GHz model and it sure is powerful. Great for 3D graphics works and games.
Cons: Dell's quailty control sucks.
I reported this issue to the customer care and the agent says all I need to do is to replace the aluminum cover on the palm rest. With common sense, I know the issue has nothing to do with the aluminum cover.
I told another agent that I'd return the product. She says since it is only a "cosmetic" problem, I'd have to pay for UPS and insurance costs. Why is a rocking laptop a cosmetic issue? I don't get it!
Although the customer rep later on told me that she'd reward me with $200 if I'd change my mind and keep the unit, I'll go ahead and return it tomorrow. So disappointing!
User Rating: 8/10
Solid portable laptop
Pros: Good power for the size (2.2GHz, 3GB RAM, 7200rpm disk)
Cons: Sale for $1500 is over
User Rating: 9/10
Outstanding Laptop
Pros: Extremely portable, light and very functional for the traveling user
Cons: No Docking station option. The Targus Dock does not work.
I can see why they put the Head Phone jack in the front of the laptop. Perfect for when on a airplane but at home it's cumbersome.
User Rating: 1/10
Worst purchase I've ever made
Pros: nothing, none, nada
Cons: constant BSOD, loud hissing noises, not stable
I've tried to replace it w/ Dell, but they put me through hours and hours of customer service w/ random morons that don't even speak english. They will log into the pc remotely and try to update the computer. Once done, I was no longer able to start up windows. Now, I'm too tired and angry to even bother talking to their customer support again.
Stay away from this laptop and if you do care about customer service, stay away from Dell. This is the worst purchasing experience I've ever had. I will never buy any Dell product ever again.
User Rating: 2/10
UNRELIABLE!!! DO NOT BUY!!!
Pros: Cool Design/Great Performance
Cons: UNRELIABLE: Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit continually experienced blue screen crashes.
User Rating: 4/10
Competitors offer cheaper and more reliable machines
Pros: One of the first to offer solid state drives as an out of box option
Cons: Get a more reliable notebook with the same specs from anotehr manufacturer
Summary: Don't by this. Competitors (this isn't a plug, so I won't name names) are offering comparable machines for cheaper, and my experience with them has so far been better than the m1330.
Long version:
I have 3 xps m1330 (which is really just an inspiron according the computer's actual information). They are each used for 8 hour days at the office using an external monitor, and of course they are being charged for most of that time. They each have 2 gigs ram, 7200 rpm harddrive, and the 2.4 ghz Centrino Core 2 Duo. I don't run the machines on carpets, or laps, they are run on desks, in-doors. They overheat. If not plugged in, or running the external monitor they hold up just fine, but towards the end of the day they will just drop dead, and power off due to overheating. I've only had them a month, so I can assume the problem will only get worse. I haven't read any other complaints about these machines overheating, so perhaps my batch got botched, but this is my experience.
I've heard a lot of flack about dell over the years, especially a drop in quality in the hardware and assembly resulting in various problems like the ones I am having, but i never believed it until now. I bought a 700m 3 years ago, and ran it under the same circumstances as this xps m1330, actually Iupgraded the 700m's RAM which made it run even hotter surprisingly enough, but after those 3 years (probably averaging 12-14 hour days) the sony DVD writer has crapped out, the sound card drivers are dead to me, but that little guy just keeps on ticking, and judging by touch runs far far hotter than my new m1330 (really inspiron m1330's, so don't think your getting their top of line product, as if there was difference anyway.)
I stand by everything i've said. I am software engineer with a background in electrical and computer engineering as well and am including my personal email address if anyone else has questions about my experience: mmckune@yahoo.com
User Rating: 8/10
Great laptop
Pros: Very light, very bright screen, HDMI out nice
Cons: Somewhat poor attention 2 detail on 2 things
First off, let me say I really like this laptop. I upgraded from an older Dell Inspiron 1200 basic laptop and wanted something a little more top of the line this time around. I considered the Macbook at this price, but felt I didn't want to stray from Dell since I've never had any problems with any of their products before, despite the loads of poor reviews on this site. I'm just too comfortable with Dell and PCs to go to a whole other platform.
I've been using the notebook for a week now and have had zero problems. The only issues I see is the webcam lens is not perfectly centered behind the clear window in the monitor, and the keyboard seems to droop, or the keys sit lower compared to the rest of the keys around the num lk and prnt scrn button area. Neither of these problems affect performance of these two items in any way, so I'm not concerned with it. Oh, and the bioreader is a little crooked in the opening.
These are all minor, but things I'm sure wouldn't happen if Apple made this laptop.
Other than that this thing is very very light weight. The monitor brightness can almost be too bright and hurt your eyes in a dark room it's so bright. WAY brighter and whiter than my Inspiron 1200. I love the HDMI out. I watch a lot of Netflix on demand, so it's nice to be able to just plug the laptop into my 55" plasma and watch.
Battery life is OK, about 2.5 to 3 hours. I wish it were more like 3.5 to 4 hours. That could be improved by getting the bigger 9 cell battery which I may do for a spare during travel, but I like the lighter weight of this battery.
Performance and speed is good, but not blazing. It opens Itunes MUCH faster than my old laptop, but Vista seems slow sometimes while poking around opening applications and windows.
I like Vista in all. I was a little concerned after reading all the horrible reviews about it. I like XP, it was stable, quick, and it worked well so why change it right? Vista maks organizing files and folders easier and makes them easier to find.
So, all in all I like the laptop. It's a keeper for sure. I feel I got a good deal, but Dell is going to have to keep offering deals like the one I got if they want to keep selling these. The deal I bought this under expired a few days after I placed the order and the same configuration would cost me almost $1900 now. There is no way I'd pay that much for it. So, if you can get the same deal I got, or better, it's a purchase you wont regret.
User Rating: 2/10
Not worth the money
Pros: Design and looks
Cons: Unreliable performance, a screen that gets dirty so easily, high price, poor volume, hard keyboard.
User Rating: 9/10
Wonderful combination of size and power
Pros: Delivers as promised, fast, light, good battery life
Cons: video card, windows vista, not much
User Rating: 9/10
Impressive machine, few shortcomings
Pros: Speed, Style, Lightweight, Graphics, Spacious, Expresscard, Vista (yeah, I said it. Vista), AC Adapter.
Cons: Keyboard, USB Ports
I chose the NVDIA8400 model, so that I could play World of Warcraft inbetween teaching classes, and it runs the program amazingly. Even desktop images shine. My hard drive capacity - 320gb - is more than I'll ever need. And, though the remote control is a little over the top, I'm sure it'll come in useful if I ever need to watch a movie on it.
My machine came ready with Vista, and I have to admit, that I bought into the antihype till now. Honestly, it doesn't feel that different from XP at all. There is a lack of a My Computer icon, but it took me all of 5 seconds to locate it in the menu. There are a few wizards that pop up when you're sorting things out, but they're easily bypassed if you need them out of your way while you configure.
So what's the problem? The USB ports are more of an issue than I imagined. I grew used to 3 with my old satellite toshiba, and being able to toss in a mouse, keyboard, and jump drive can be nice.
The keyboard is only a minimal drawback. It's sturdy feeling, not like the chinsy plastic boards that feel like they'll break when you touch them. The downside to this is that I feel like I have to pound kind of hard on the keys. It's something I tend to do anyway, but I have caught myself typing a letter that doesn't show up more often than before.
All in all, I'm very happy with my decision. I passed over the way too expensive sony counterparts for this Dell. I also elminated the idea of getting a ThinkPad (couldn't take its version of a mouse)and a Dell Latitude 460 because it was too tempting to turn my laptop into a gaming machine as well so that I could get rid of my desktop. I ended up with a very lightweight machine that I can bring with me on campus to teach and play video games on at the same time.
I'd highly recommend to anyone considering this laptop that you get 1) the portable extra charger - it comes in handy and 2) some kind of usb hub or docking for more USB access. Overall great machine!
User Rating: 8/10
great computer, and great customer service.
Pros: customer service is great, battery life is great.
Cons: minor glitch with cd/dvd drive
User Rating: 9/10
Abolutely perfect for travel
Pros: Very light, good customer service on site
Cons: No complaints
User Rating: 8/10
A solid machine for the business travler
Pros: A well built machine that provides the frequent travler with an overall workhorse.
Cons: Minor Issues with few complaints
I purchased the 1330 expecting more of the same and was not disappointed. The 1330 is nice looking machine that actually uses less plastic than the 1210. It is easy to type on and the screen is well lit and easy to read. I have minor complaints, but they are simply nits. In summary, I would buy it again without hesitation.
During my competitive review, I looked at the HP and Sony equals. HP had a very nice machine at a good price. But HP had only slow hard drives (5600 RPM). The sony was expensive for what you got. A Sony extended battery was $300. Give me a break! Therefore, a re-settled back on the Dell machine.
Here is my take on the machine:
Pro's:
o Well built and sturdy. It just feels good.
o Comfortable ergonomics (e.g. while typing)
o Wonderful screen (LED)
o Fast (T7500, 3 GB RAM, 200 GB 7200 RPM HD)
o Excellent customer service! (Dell's XPS service is awesome. End of story)
o The little remote control that fits into the PCMCIA slot. You can scroll web pages without ever touching a mouse or the machine. Very nice!
o Quiet. My former Sony S sounded like a turbo prop; even my Dell 1210 was a bit loud. This machine is nice and quiet.
o The nice fake leather binder to hold all the recovery disks and manuals.
o My XPS 1210 power adapters work on this new machine.
o Nice value/price point. I felt that I got a good deal.
Con's:
o Vista. What a pain! (Blue screens for the first week, then it settled down)
o Only two USB ports
o The extended battery is quite long and odd shaped. Hard to fit into a tight briefcase as a secondary battery. (But it didn't cost $300...)
o The finger print reader just doesn't work. Nice idea, but poorly designed.
o The HD in-use light and power light are on the front edge in a faint blue color. Impossible to see unless you pick the machine up.
o I bought the LED screen. It looks that same as my XPS 1210 screen, although it is a bit thinner. Save your money IMHO.
o The docking 'solution'. Save your money here. This thing just doesn't work.
o XPS's STILL don't have the fast charging that the Dell Lattitudes do. This feature would be nice for business travelers.
o The screen touches the keys when closed. I've noticed little scratches on the screen (which you don't notice when powered up).
In summary, I would buy it again.
When you order from Dell, make sure you have your final order in hand. Changing the configuration (I added the LED screen after my initial order) took two hours on a call with an agent.
User Rating: 3/10
XPS DELL ARE MOSTLY LEMON.
Pros: FAST WHEN WORKS CORRECTLY
Cons: CRASHES LOT
User Rating: 6/10
Great Computer / Bad LED Screens
Pros: Small Size, Light Weight, Slot Load DVD
Cons: LED LCD Screens Seem to Have Problems
User Rating: 1/10
this was a terrible machine with multiple problems.
Pros: nice scree
Cons: multiple problems, incredibly unreliable
User Rating: 2/10
Dell costumer care is a myth
Pros: good looking
Cons: computer hard drive breaks down and bad costumer service
From purchasing,tech support or costumer care. My hard drive has broken down after only 6 weeks and dell has refused to pay (or doing it themselves) for the data recovery. They have send me a refurbished hard drive 10 days later... I lost a whole week worth of work, I did not have a functioning computer for 10 days because of their bad hard drives and all I get is a refurbished hard drive! They are just cheap.
I will never buy a dell computer again and would certainly not recommend Dell if one was about to buy a new laptop. Very disappointing.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent notebook!
Pros: Very crisp image, runs quietly, amazing clarity on webcam, slot-loading DVD burner, feather weight, etc...
Cons: No gigabit Ethernet??? Touchpad mouse buttons a little wobbly
There is some room for improvement, as mentioned in the cons. I was dumbfounded when I saw it has a 10/100 ethernet adapter. Not that it REALLY matters for what I use it for, but honestly, you see $500 laptops at Wal-Mart come with gigabit ethernet. Also, the mouse buttons on the touchpad feel just a tad loose/wobbly - but take that with a grain of salt, I'm really reaching for cons at this point. Overall, this laptop is awesome.
I have not had to deal with Dell at all yet. It seems as though the negative reviews on this product are from those who have had the unfortunate experience of working with Dell's rotten customer service/tech support. I hope that day never comes...
User Rating: 3/10
Don't get your hopes up..
Pros: Nice Looking, seems pretty fast and what appears to be good quality
Cons: audio glitches
Oddly I have not seen my problem mentioned anywhere with the xps m1330.
Regardless of what I am doing at the time (no open apps, not copying files, etc. my audio has random glitches in the form of stutters and droputs. I have spent a total of 4.5 hours on the phone with xps tech support. They were very helpfull and polite but after doing everything they asked (restore the image, remove good desktop garbage app from startup, allow updates to install, etc.) I still have these glitches which to me are unacceptable. Perhaps it's due to the discount coupon in order to get rid of a batch of xps m1330's that have a "known" problem with audio. Oddly thought I've seen no mention anywhere about this model and audio problems. Supposedly they are calling again Sunday evening and if my glitches are still happening they will swap it since it's still within the 21 day time period.
To be honest I don't expect the next one to be any different after reading the problems people are having.
This is my second and last Dell notebook. I bought an inspiron 1501 back in 2006 and it's been perfect.
User Rating: 8/10
Powerful, quiet, and light. Oh, and it looks good too.
Pros: Not too heavy, bright and high resolution screen.
Cons: Can't go beyond 128 MB video card. Finger print reader is a bit cumbersome.
User Rating: 9/10
In love after 4 months of use!
Pros: Light, thin, plenty of horsepower, beautiful, good battery life
Cons: None, other than craptastic power cord
I'm really happy with this laptop. I upgraded from an Inspiron 700m to this laptop, and have been totally tickled by it. I was very fond of my old 700m - it was awesome on airplanes (even in coach), looked nice, and got the job done. It was kind of like a Honda Accord - reliable, nice looking, and solid. But the M1330 is like a BMW. It's not only sexy to look at, and you feel proud to pull it out in public, but it has great performance. The screen looks great, the keyboard has a nice feel, and Dell fixed the noisy touch pad buttons that were an embarrasment to the otherwise-fine 700m. The video card can handle playing Battlefield 2, which is a huge video hog, and having bluetooth on board is great. It would be nice to have more than 2 USB ports, but I use a bluetooth mouse, thus I rarely have a problem with running out of USB slots.
I also love the memory stick reader in the front of the chassis: easy access, good placement. Not having a flimsy DVD tray is another HUGE plus.
One particular gripe: Dell, what were you thinking with the power cord? My Inspiron 700m had an external converter/cord that had a nice wrap-around design with a built in rubber strap to make the whole thing roll up nicely for my computer bag. The M1330 came with a longer, stiffer cord, the converter was just a rectangular box, and the whole mess was supposed to be strapped together with a velcro strap. Try as I might, there was no way to wrap that mess up quickly, nicely, and neatly to fit in my bag, especially when in a hurry to powerdown to board my flight. I finally tossed the new one and just use my trusty old power cable from the 700m. Dell, shame on you.
All in all, I really love this laptop. It's by every measure the best portable I've ever owned. I travel every week from my home office, and this is an awesome travel companion. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
User Rating: 1/10
LCD broken out of box
Pros: sleek look
Cons: busted, heavy
User Rating: 9/10
the laptop is super great, the vista truely sucks
Pros: small, sleek , stylish look , nine cell battery makes the computer more stable, very fast, ultra portable, good graphic card for a ultraportable laptop
Cons: nothing much except i wish the battery would go up to 7 hours, the speaker seems a bit quiet compared to asus f3jp and the buffetring that constanly happened when i take the dvd out
Just like others, i was considering buying sony sz series before buying this laptop because there is a lot of concern about buying product from dell because of their lack of service but considering the money i spend on sony, i reckon i would get a better deal through dell and it is true, i'm happy with this laptop.
the exterior of this laptop amazed me aswell. i ordered the tuxedo black which is plain but is looks so nice and sleek. the led screen also amazed me, is much better to look compared to looking at plain boring laptop screen. the laptop also comes with fingerprint reader but so far , i'm too lazy to use it. The speaker is much more quitter and lower quality compared to asus f3jp but it satisfies me. other things such as the slot dvd also amazed me because is so simple and high tech to use and the buttons next to the power button becomes more useful then i thought .
my previous laptop was asus f3jp which is a portable laptop but compared to m1330 , is nothing.
i did experience some of dissapointment through this laptop since it keep stuffing up the first three days i used to it but now it runs perfectly.i have to keep restoring it to a factory condition because the vista keep stuffing up so i decided to let go vista and use normal xp which turn out to work perfectly fine on this laptop.
i recommend this laptop to a person who likes an ultraportable laptop and also want to a high performance through the laptop aswell.
User Rating: 8/10
Sleek Design
Pros: Design, Light Weight, Portable, Beautiful LED
Cons: Vista really isn't that bad
User Rating: 8/10
I love it and will buy another
Pros: Great size, weight and performance
Cons: Vista is not my favorite OS but oh well
User Rating: 9/10
It?s A Great Laptop -
Pros: Light Weight - Sleek Design -
Cons: NonThat Are A Deal Breaker
The XPS M1330 is a replacement for my 4 year old Dell Inspiron 8600 w/Windows XP ? SP2 (it?s still in service). I decided not to go for the XPS M1530 because I wanted to get away from the size and weight of my 8600. I built the M1330 online and then called Dell Sales. The Dell rep was very courteous and discounted the M1330 to a point where I felt I received a fair price. I highly recommend calling Dell Sales to make your purchase rather than buying online. I read some of the horror stories concerning purchase to delivery time; and I can say I was pleasantly surprised when my unit arrived in 6 days.
The Vista OS is a change from XP. One really has to get into the Vista OS and figure out how and where things are stored versus what you are accustom to with XP. For instance? to find Printers and Device Manager you must dig deep (i.e. Start>Control Panel>Advanced Options>Hardware and Sound>Printers or Device Manger. However, you can shorten the process by changing the Control Panel view to ?Classic?. I guess the Vista default view is a security measure to prevent accidents by a novice. Overall I?m enjoying the Vista OS. There are lots more Vista driver upgrades on the net for peripherals; than were available when Vista first launched, which I suspect will continue to make the XP to Vista transition less painful. I can?t wait to get my hands on the SP1 for Vista; due in early 2008 (we hope).
Transferring apps and files from the 8600 to the M1330 using Windows Easy Transfer (WET) was a simple process, however keep the following in mind?buy a transfer cable that carries the Vista OS logo in ?color? (certified) and not one wherein the logo is in ?grayscale? (compatible). The difference is that the ?certified? product has been tested and authorized to carry the Vista Logo which means it should work. The latter ?compatible? product may or may not work. Of course the certified product will probably cost more. That?s enough on cables.
Once you?ve installed the software; (that came with your cable) on your XP or earlier PC and made the connections, the Windows Easy Transfer wizard will walk you through the transfer process?but be careful. By default WET will select everything (and I mean everything) to transfer from your old unit to your new Vista OS. I suggest you select the ?customize? option and move only what you need to. Why would anyone move XP OS settings to a Vista OS?
Now, how does the XPS M1330 perform??? I found the build quality of the M1330 to be far superior to that of my Inspiron 8600. Others have commented about the noise made by the loading mechanism of the slot loading DVD/CD burner. I haven?t found it to be too annoying; but it is definitely not as quiet as the slot load on my PS3. The Fingerprint reader works?when it works. There is obviously a problem with the current driver as ?Please Connect Fingerprint Reader To USB? will sometimes appear on startup. I?ve been in conversation with Dell Tech Support and almost had it replaced by an in-home service tech. I decided not to after reading similar complaints on the net made by others. Also, I don?t like taking a system apart because things never seem to fit as they did on the original build. I have documented this problem in writing with Dell and suggested they elevate the issue to critical and have conversation with UPEK the manufacturer of the reader. I have a call scheduled for 12/31/07 with a Dell 2nd tier technician to further discuss the issue.
The DVD/CD burner works great. I?ve burned several DVD?s and CD?s. I tested the Webcam and found no problems. The keyboard has a great feel and is responsive. The lack of USB ports requires the use of a USB Hub to connect my 2 drives, scanner, photo printer, wireless keyboard & mouse and battery backup. Guess what...everything works perfectly. Bluetooth sync?s with my Treo 755p go without a hitch. Wireless connectivity to my Linksys router is spot on? to which I have connected an AIO printer and Buffalo Link Station both of which are visible on the M1330. I haven?t played with the express media card yet so I can?t comment on it.
The head phone connects are good with lots of volume. SD slots work perfectly allowing me to view and print pictures. The display looks good. However, at home I use a 19? Sony HS95P monitor connected via the M1330 HDMI port to DVI. The resolution on the monitor is 1280 x 1024 pixels in ?priority mode? with the XPS cover closed and programmed to do nothing when it?s lowered.
The only improvements that I would make to the XPS M1330 are more video RAM (ala? XPS M1530), another USB port and gigabyte Ethernet. But, for now, I?m satisfied?. at least for the next 4 years (maybe).
User Rating: 3/10
poor workmanship and after sales support
Pros: good configuration
Cons: poor workmanship
User Rating: 1/10
I thinj this machine is not what it promises to be. I had a terrible experience with it so far
Pros: looks good and Dell support staff are very helpful
Cons: Everything else- very poor functioning computer
1- my sound system did not work
2- then my computer completely crashed
3- then after we restored it, my wireless didn't work
4- then after the wireless was fixed, now the DVD player doesn't work
I spent hours and days on the phone with Dell support staff who are excellent (by the way) but I wasted so much time trying to get this machine to work and still....
I think it is a piece of junk and I do not recommend it to anyone---- buy an Apple instead,, it seems to be MUCH better quality
User Rating: 4/10
Dell Quality is Very Poor
Pros: Decent Price
Cons: Unstable quality. Video card and graphics are very poor. Cust
User Rating: 8/10
Stylish and Powerful
Pros: Nice look, great performance, phenomenal travel machine
Cons: VISTA!!, Only 2 USB ports
Why oh why did Dell ship this with Vista? Vista is probably going to be a nice OS someday, but for a power user its security features (read NAGS) can drive one batty. Luckily I was able to work around these annoyances and unlock the power of the M1330. On style alone, this is one of the best products Dell has ever produced. The performance has been awesome with good power, great storage and fantastic wireless connectivity (WiFi and Bluetooth).
Drawbacks -- only two USB ports. That can be rectified by a USB hub, but come on 4 should be a standard. Audio out jacks are on the front of the machine, which is fine for headphones but awkward for external speakers. The 6 cell battery is adequate, but not great for long airplane rides.
Vista and stated drawbacks kept me from rating the M1330 a 9 or 10.
As someone who travels over 100K miles/year, I would recommend this laptop for style, performance and portability
User Rating: 8/10
SPECTACULAR
Pros: great perfomance
Cons: construction
User Rating: 9/10
An excellent Macbook alternative!
Pros: Speedy, superb design, wonderful features set, very reliable and usable.
Cons: Expensive. Keyboard, which takes a little getting used to and requires a firm press of some individual keys to register.
User Rating: 3/10
This is why Dell is going down
Pros: Promising machine...
Cons: Let down by clueless planning and customer support
Ordered the laptop in August and was one of the lucky (!) ones to have received it within 2 weeks in September. After about 40 days of using it the screen malfunctioned ? garbled lines and then just an uneven grid pattern on the screen. The Dell CSR asked me to send it to the service depot here in Canada. I get the laptop after more than a week and as soon as a boot up I get the same problem! I have already lost about two weeks. I get on the phone with the Dell CSR and this time they agree that they screwed up and did not fix the part that would have solved the problem. This is the second screw up ? the first being the faulty machine that was shipped and the second being the bizarre state of affairs at the service depot. Anyhow, I convinced them to send a replacement machine while I shipped the faulty machine back. Today I get the new machine and guess what they switched the order to build a machine with standard LCD rather than the LED I had paid for and had received in my earlier machine.
I am just amazed at the state of affairs at Dell. I have spoken to supervisors at the call centre and they seem to have a hands off approach to my final request of canceling my order and giving me a refund. Please be careful while buying this machine and your overall dealings with Dell. The company is showing all the symptoms of a corporation going down?
User Rating: 1/10
ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC
Pros: Don't know - it's shiny?
Cons: IT DOESN'T WORK
User Rating: 9/10
Fantastic Computer!!!
Pros: Beautiful, light, fast, did I mention beautiful and fast?
Cons: Small touch pad, and that is it.
User Rating: 3/10
bad LED screen
Pros: design, SSD disk option
Cons: heavy, LED screen has poor quality
User Rating: 2/10
good looking but poor quality, big disappointment
Pros: very nice design and good looking machine, at first I fell in love with it.
Cons: seems to be slow, very noisy hard drive and poor quality switches for wireless and express cards.
When I started laptop it starts with very loud metalic noise coming from hard drive, also during browsing often works loudly. On the side of laptop two buttons for switching wireless on and I think for express card are very loose and wabbly. For the price I was dissatisfied and instead trying to have it repaired I chose to call Dell and returned it to them. I do not thing that such product strught out from the box should have any quality problems. when I called dell I received also poor service and rep wanted to convince me to keep laptop and give me discount or exchange it for another one. I did some research on internet and apparently many people complained about noisy hard drive so I chose to return it and buy something else instead. Probably I will go for Apple or Lenovo this time.
User Rating: 1/10
Broken out of the box
Pros: Nothing so far...
Cons: Never worked, still waiting for on-site tech service to contact me
I am still waiting for the on-site service to contact me.
My secretary had bought the same model, it also broke after a couple of days. She was on the phone with Dell support for hours and hours...
Also, it is much heavier and bulkier than I thought it would be.
Overall, a very disappointing experience so far. ...
User Rating: 10/10
Dell 1330 is HOT
Pros: It is a Dell, dude!
Cons: Nonthing yet
Dell XPS m1330, this is by far the best of the group. The ultimate combination of computing power and mobility.
I received my Dell XPS m1330 2 days ago (one week after I built it!) SWEET! 13.3 widescreen
To be honest, I was very nervous about ordering this in red. I was afraid that it would be too bright and bring too much attention to itself. Upon opening the box, I was amazed at the color. I LOVED IT! It wasn't too bright of a red, more of a brick color red which would appeal to both males and females, though the hue changes under different lighting conditions and still looks great in each one.
I have already taken it out with me and had no problems what so ever with having to carry it around. Even feels lighter than my briefcase and no problems with getting on the internet, it finds a connection even before I put in my password and I love the finger print?. SWEET! 13.3 widescreen
Dell has a few up?s and downs with service the last few years, but there now up to par at 110%, great costumer service. ? Billy Amato NYC
12/16/07
User Rating: 2/10
Our worst IT purchase in 17 years - Stave yourself, stay away
Pros: Nice looking
Cons: Defective, Onsite Dell Technician botched the repair. Unit is now unusable.
Dell refuses to replace the unit, insisting they will only repair it since we had it 28 days (they replace only in first 21 days). Sadly I wasted 20 of the days trying to get it to work, no luck.
Summary: Nice looking unit. If yours is defective, be prepared for incompetent techs and to spend numerous hours with tech support trying to get something done.
What are the odds you'll get a defective unit? While one in six isn't a staticstically valid sample, I've seen indications pointing to widespread problems with the Dell and this machine:
1. Many reported problems on the net. Check around before you do a header in the XPS pool.
2. Dell's been in financial straights lately. Although they reported improved financial results Q3 2007, it seems they'll be short lived.
3. Dell's willing to sacrifice our company's busines (5 to 10 units per year) over the cost to replace this unit. Maybe they have buckets of bad M1330s. So many they can't replace them all.
HP should be smiling. Guess that's where I'll head next. No wonder HP is soaring and Dell is tanking.
User Rating: 10/10
Great Laptop, Great built quality,
Pros: size,look,performace,9 cell battery, screen, touch screen
Cons: nothing else but price.
This is great laptop for anyone ( student, prof, learner). This laptop has all the features that someone need like look, weight, screen, support, performance.
I was looking for laptop from last so long. I sold my sony CR123e/b after using 1 month.
I am computer geek and i try to do more research before i purchase it. (i dont know what was i thinking when i purchase sony
) i was looking for laptop which is light weight and pack with features.(mostly all new laptop are) AND laptop that doesn't get warm or HOT. I think that is most annoying to me using laptop which is very warm.
I went to dell location few times to see specially how laptop feel from bottom and i was not so sure about dell m1330 until i purchase it.
second thing battery life and third graphics performance and speed.
I have spent enough time on this laptop and I am loving it.
I have not called customer care yet so i cant say anything about customer care.
All what I wanted in laptop i got in this dell m1330.
I think dell came long way when they release this one.
Go ahead and purchase this one hands down.
User Rating: 8/10
I've had 4 dells, this is only OK
Pros: Styling, Performance, Heat, Noise
Cons: Battery, Vista
User Rating: 9/10
great awesome little powerhouse!
Pros: great features!! Like the touchy extras,
Cons: had few glitches in sound and some trouble with finger swipe
User Rating: 8/10
Cnet ignores the Sony SZ line
Pros: almost bought it
Cons: when you actually conf it at dell.com gets pricey
User Rating: 2/10
Hate it, has many issues, Dell cant fix
Pros: It is skinny
Cons: Many issues, released new bios, still has issues.
User Rating: 8/10
Nice Laptop Overall
Pros: Slim, good looking Design, nice touch sensitive buttons, beautiful screen resolution, slot loader DVD RW, good overall workmanship, great 2.0 pixel webcam, Media Direct feature, nice keyboard feel, HD
Cons: No Blu-Ray option, Windows Vista instability, No white option available at Dell, LED backlit feature is an expensive add-on. Laptop cover leaves fingerprints.
Black Tuxedo
2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
2.5 GB RAM
120 GB HD
2.0 Mega-pixel Camera
Nvidia 8400 128MB Video Card
Slot Loading Drive
Remote Control Express card
Total Price: $1950 after Employee Discount - $1366.00!
Screen:
I am pretty impressed with the speed and Screen resolution. I opted to get the Cathode LCD screen due to the expensive price of the LED backlit. This screen is still awesome! It is probably due to the Nvidia Geforce 8400 which is Direct 10X compliant. This is a must have. I wanted a laptop that could do everything including playing the latest games which it can. Warning: Intels Accelerated Video Card will not play all the new games!
Speed:
The speed of the machine is also incredible and totally blew away any previous PC I have owned. I recommend anything 2.0 GHz and above with the Core 2 Duo.
Media Direct Button:
Some cool features are the Dell Media Direct within which you can boot your media files up without having to boot up the OS. Nice feature.
The Slot Loader:
A lot of people claim that this is noisy. I was surprised that it really isn?t THAT noisy, maybe compared to other machines with slot loaders but I have never experienced other machines. Minor noise.
Keypad: My only gripe was one of the keys fell off as I was typing. I clipped it back it. Probably a quality issue at the plant. Someone didn?t push it in enough. Keyboard has a nice feeling. Wish it was aluminum which seem more rugged but most keyboards are plastic. No big deal.
Dell Bloatware:
This is my Number One Gripe. Too much Bloatware was installed on this PC. I did a reinstall of the OS and like magic my performance increase incredibly.
Compared to other PCs:
I rate this PC at a pretty high rating compared to other PCs out there on the market. I feel Dell is finally getting the picture that they need to improve their design. They have always been good with performance but now they hit the spot with the outer design.
Compared to MAC: Workmanship (My family owns MACs) I feel this PC is equal but the MAC OS is more stable then Vista. When Microsoft releases their Service Packs then maybe we will see an improvement with Vista.
Overall: I recommend this PC. It is nice to look at, performs well, is better than any other Dell I have ever layed my hands and eyes on.
Ok, so I do like this notebook alot but I would say coming from an Engineers standpoint that a few things could be changed to improve this notebook. This is very minor but cosmetically the top bezel (where the webcam is) does show marring from the touchpad when closed. There are no pads or rubber cushions on the top bezel lid to rest on when you close this laptop so after some time (even 3 weeks after owning this machine) some marring shows. I have looked at most laptops and there is some sort of rubber cushion on all of them. So what did I do? I called Dell to have a tech come out and replace the bezel. First of all, I will never have a tech come out again. I will replace the parts myself. Here is why. I made an appointment with the outsourcing company that works in the area for Dell.There was a no call and no show the day he supposed to come. So, I called this outsourcing company and rescheduled. The tech could never give me a definite time. It is like he thinks I have all day to wait for him for whenever he feels like he wants to come. So, I told him we need be pro and schedule a time. So, he came the next day too early! Ok, whatever I thought. He goes to replace the bezel and I watched as he put in the new part. When the final snap came into place he pushed so dam hard that he broke the piece! I could have done this with more patience and care. So, I called Dell and they said they would send me a new part and I told them I would do it myself. Within a 1 1/2 days the part was on my doorstep. I know alot of people who have had problem with Dell delivery but my stuff has always come early.
Overall, I think this is still a good unit, but I would redesign the bezel with rubber cushions. BTW, Dell XPS service is better than any of there other system services.
User Rating: 4/10
LED is awesome- quality is terrible
Pros: LED, thin screen, full key board, lightweight
Cons: poor quality, dell service,
Also, post the repair, it is so loud when it powers up that people turn around in my classes and wonder what is going on. Something is rattling inside.
Dell offered to send me a replacement system...and I wanted to ask if they could send me a different brand!
Hopefully the replacement will have some of these kinks worked out.
There are a few pros, though. The thin LCD is amazing. It has LED backlighting and super bright. That is really great.
Also, the 9-cell battery is very heavy, but it really lasts a long time.
I think there are also some design flaws. The switch for turning off the bluetooth and wireless is on the right edge, so when you lift the laptop it is very easy to inadvertantly switch it off. Additionally, the SD card slot is in the front and really tough to get in and out just because it's awkward to pull it out, turning your hand like that. On my old 300m, it was on the left side and really easy to deal with. And if I'm sitting with the laptop on my lap on the couch or something, I sometimes bump the card in or out.
On balance, the few positive features were in no way worth the cost...and I even got a good deal on this machine.
User Rating: 9/10
Beast in disguise. A performance packed ultra portable
Pros: Rocking performance, great display, full size keyboard, good connectivity options, sleek, sexy
Cons: Gets heated when charging
My config is a 2 GHz, 4 MB cache (the 7300 processor), 2 GB RAM, nVidia card, std display (not LED one).
This machine rocks. Apart from the piece getting heated when you use it while charging, there is absolutely no complaint. Be it multimedia, encoding, burning, or plain viewing, its a pleasure to do it on this start performaer. There were two things that really made me its fan. One: Encoding digital video from my camcorder over firewire. It was a snap. Quality was as good as original. My naked eye couldn't differentiate. Second thing was the display quality. I have numerous photographs, wallpspers, etc. They never appeared as good as they do on this masterpiece. Even an ok photo looks awsome on this laptop. Its actually deceving as even the prints are not that sharp / accurate as the display.
I have read people abusing this piece for it not being that great a gaming machine. Well, I feel this is not a gaming machine. Its a performance packed executive ultra portable. For gaming, 1710 should be great.
For the segment that this laptop is targeted, I feel this is a great machine. Had this laptop kept its cool while charging, it would have scored a perfect 10, at least from me.
User Rating: 2/10
Quality Controll Sucks!!!!
Pros: Small and loaded
Cons: Doesn't work!
User Rating: 10/10
dell delivers what it promises
Pros: exclusive and elegant design, very good performances, lighter and thiner than the macbook, very silent, fully loaded
Cons: avarage battery life (3.5 hours in power saving mode)
User Rating: 1/10
Microphone does not work
Pros: Nice if you don't want to speak!!!
Cons: Microphone does not work
Dell you need to fix this. It's a seriously expensive machine and there are a lot of angry people out here.
CNET readers should look hereand make up their own minds: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=149351
At the price involved an SZ4 might be better!! You don't expect things to actually not work right on premium systems like the XPS.
And no, my microphone array doesn't work either. I looks like almost all the LED systems.
I give this a 1 abysmal not because the mike doesn't work but because this is a very expensive premium system and the mike doesn't work. That's unforgivable.
User Rating: 9/10
Oh wow....I'm in love!
Pros: Everything
Cons: black lid collects fingerprints.
The processor I purchased was the T7500, not the 7200. Also, the Timbuk Tu bag (a $149 giveaway with purchase of XPS m1330) arrives separately from the rest of the order. The Rev A broadband is FAST.
User Rating: 10/10
This thing is sexy!
Pros: Fast; light; beautiful
Cons: Dell's hard disk partitions
I configured my 1330 as follows: T7300, 2GB RAM, crimson red cover, LED screen with webcam, 9-cell battery, 200GB 7200rpm HDD, DL DVD+/-RW, Vista Home Premium. It is extremely fast and surprisingly quiet. The wrist rest area gets a little warm after prolonged use (mainly the left side, right above the HDD), but it is BY NO MEANS uncomfortable. My biggest disappointment is with the way Dell partitions the hard drive: a partition for Dell Recovery; one for Dell Media Center; I think there's another hidden partition for something else; and then the main partition for Vista/programs etc. With the other partitions, I was left with about 157GB out of my 200 original. Still, I do like the features the other partitions provide, so I guess it's a trade-off. If you get the 32GB SDD, however, you'll probably want the extra stuff off.
The screen is gorgeous; very bright with vivid colors. The .3 megapixel webcam makes Sightspeed video chats a breeze, and the video is bright and clean. The media controls above the keyboard are slick. The speakers are loud but tinny; using the included Creative headphones makes a HUGE difference. You won't want to use the built-in speakers for any serious multi-media, but they're fine for most normal computing (system sounds, Youtube videos, etc). The keyboard feels great, and the touchpad is very responsive.
Fit-and-finish are near-flawless. Everything fits as it should, and in spite of its light weight, the 1330 feels solid. The 9-cell looks a bit awkward, but I'm able to get 5+ hours of use with it. The other advantage to it is that it raises the rear of the laptop for better air circulation and easier typing. Of course, it's also the heaviest of the batteries, but the laptop still checks in at just under 4.75lbs with it. I knew the trade-offs I was accepting with the 9-cell, but if you're going for the sleekest, lightest configuration possible, stick with the 6-cell.
You may have read about production delays and poor build quality. Dell WAS experiencing both early in the production cycle. The good news? Those issues have largely been addressed (except for some of the earliest order-placers, some of which are inexplicably still waiting for their 1330s long after people who ordered weeks after them). And early build-quality complaints mean Dell's been able to fix those issues. I was one of the many lucky ones who ordered a couple of months after the 1330's introduction, so I didn't have to play guinea pig
If you order now, you can be pretty confident you're going to get what you paid for (except for the occasional lemon that plagues EVERY and ANY production line, of course). One caveat: I can't comment on anyone ordering from outside the US. Truth be told, I don't think customers in other parts of the world are getting the same quality/service as US customers.So that's it. In a nutshell: I couldn't be happier. The 1330 exceeded my expectations, and everyone who sees it compliments it. If you want more info, or you buy one and have any issues, check out www.notebookreview.com. They have a Dell forum, and a comprehensive user review on this unit.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Travel Partner
Pros: Size, Quality, Solid Build, LED backlight screen
Cons: keyboard feels cheap, loud optical drive during start-up, Windows XP not optional OS
User Rating: 1/10
Worst System
Pros: Good Sales Team
Cons: Bad Customer Service, Bad System, No Customer Values
PLEASE DONT BUY DELL
Yusuf Dohadwala
User Rating: 9/10
I LOVE MY CRIMSON RED M1330
Pros: battery life, lid color, small and lightweight, screen
Cons: wobbles a bit, slot drive tiny bit loud in my opinion
It's very lightweight compared to my 15.4 inch Toshiba. I have already taken it out with me to the library and had no problems what so ever with having to carry it around. Even feels lighter than my anatomy textbook.
The screen is thin, very bright and shows rich colors. This screen at 6/7 brightness is the same as my Toshiba at 7/7, so the brightness was very noticable to me. I was also apprehensive about the touchpad being too small, but have found it to be quite responsive and can use it just fine. I also like having the scroll areas along the sides of the touchpad. The keyboard is nice and large which for me is the one thing I have to get adjusted to because my Toshiba's keyboard is little smaller, though I thought it was full size being that it was on a 15.4 in laptop. At first glance, comparing it side by side with my laptop, I thought the keys were huge and found myself having to stretch my fingers farther to reach certain keys, but I am now getting used to it and having no problems typing with it.
The touch sensitive multimedia buttons work great in my opinion and have a nice square blue glow around each of them that slowly fades away once they are touched. I bought mine with the fingerprint reader and had no problems setting it up, took me around 3-4 to register my fingerprints and has since worked everytime that I use it. The slot loading drive is nice as well, though it is a tiny bit on the loud side. I'm not sure that I would want to load a CD while in a quiet room because it is a little noisy, but it is certainly not a deal breaker for me. Also the battery life is very good. I used it off and on typing a paper for 3 hours with wifi off, power saver mode with full brightness, with it sleeping for a total of probably 30 minutes (not all at once), and came back and it said I had 68% left with a little over 2 1/4 hours left. Very nice considering I couldn't get may last laptop to get over 1 1/2 hours.
The build quality is nice, though mine does wobble a bit when I lay my hand on the left palmrest, but it is nothing major, just find something to put under that side to even it out since it's only 3-4 mm off the table. I would like to say that it does hold up pretty well. I was actually in a car wreck yesterday (the day after I received the laptop) on my way home from the library in which my car was totalled. The laptop was in the included case in my totebag on the passenger seat when the accident happened. When I got home, I noticed no external cosmetic damage which was amazing considering. I pressed the power button and to my astonishment it started up just fine and there wasn't any damage to the screen. It was when I started to type my password that I noticed that the wobble was VERY noticable, like 5x worse. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the base was sort of twisted, meaning the left side was slightly higher than the right. Apparently when my car was hit, the bag must have hit the glove compartment or something and bent the base of the system, so now the left side sits a little higher than the right, and you can kind of see in the right lighting where it is bent in the aluminum palm rest on the left side. It really isn't that noticable unless you are looking for it. No one else knew it was until I showed them. But other than that, the system works perfectly, and looks brand new with no cosmetic damage, the same way it did when I opened the box. To me, that's a good sign of how it will hold up in the long run to very minor drops, etc. And since it happened during the first 21 days of owning it, I am getting a replacement for free, even though it would have been covered under the 3yrs. of accidental coverage I purchased. The process of getting a replacement was relatively easy because of the XPS technical support being very helpful in setting up a replacement and they are allowing me to keep this one until the replacement comes, then I have about a week to send one back in which they pay for the shipping and supplies to send it back.
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase of this beautiful system that has garnered many compliments in my few days of owning it. The only downside was the ordering process and having to wait an unusually long time, especially since Dell usually ships systems alot sooner. Would I recommend it? Definitely, since it seems that Dell is catching up on their backlog of systems because people that ordered during the middle to end of August are already starting to receive theirs.
User Rating: 9/10
Nice machine
Pros: good form factor, powerful
Cons: a touch expensive, keyboard just average
The other minor flaw is no battery indicator light on the machine, you have to hit a soft key to view is also a minor drawback. But a very nice machine.
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome notebook
Pros: lightweight, portable, bright screen
Cons: wait time from Dell
About the only bummer is I have to use the sony duo stick adapter for the memory card from my camera. But I haven't found anything that doesn't require that adapter yet.
If you don't want to wait, look at ebay.
User Rating: 10/10
I LOVE my xps. its awesome light and sleek. way better than any laptop out there!!
Pros: light thin and poratble. it evn has wifi!!
Cons: the xps logo on the front has a chance of peeling off. if so just super glue ut back ob.
User Rating: 10/10
Highly Recommended A+++
Pros: Size, Weight, Options, & Design.
Cons: None at this time.
User Rating: 9/10
A Great Step Forward From Dell
Pros: Light, Thin, Sexy, Feature Packed
Cons: Some issues with audio/video over HDMI
First of all, this machine oozes sex appeal. The remote in the express slot for media features combined with the touch sensitive media buttons on the laptop itself just put this thing at a whole new level of aesthetic appeal (compared to its predecessors). All of the external controls and extra jacks at the front of the device make it very accessible and easy to use from that standpoint.
Typing with the keyboard is nice. Good response, comfortable layout, a good amount of space. The 13.3" wide screen is great for providing extra keyboard real estate.
The screen itself is bright, thin, durable, and good quality. It is definitely WIDE screen in that it seems almost stubby (short) and fat (wide), but it works great with wide screen films. I'd personally like it if it were a little taller and less wide, but that's just me.
The slot load DVD player is hot and works great. Integration with the remote and Windows Media Center on Vista is solid.
HDMI output is awesome. I plugged it into my 42" Westinghouse and got it to output at 1080p with only a little toying around to figure out how to get it to acknowledge the TV as a second screen like it does with VGA.
The only problem I encountered was that when I would play a DVD in the laptop and output it to the TV only the video was being sent. The audio wasn't working. However, if I played a video or mp3 on the laptop itself, then audio and video would transfer over fine. I don't know where the separation is with the DVD player and why that didn't work with HDMI for audio, but that was my only gripe. I know there is an HDMI audio jack at the front, but it doesn't make sense why that would be needed if audio will work for local files on the machine, but not DVDs.
This is a solid machine, though pricey, feature packed, hot (oh, and it runs very cool underneath which is amazing compared to every other laptop I've ever used, so you won't have scorched thighs), has a good battery life (screen brightness down, WiFi and Bluetooth off when not in use helps. It's no Sony or Lenovo battery life, but it's better than standard Dell life), and I recommend it to everyone. I plan to swap in some 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM to make full use of the Santa Rosa Intel chipset, but the performance is great with 1 GB and a 7200 RPM HDD. I like this new laptop a lot.
User Rating: 1/10
Wretched ergonomics
Pros: Returnable (after it stunk up my office)
Cons: Ergonomically wretched; pathetic screen; foolish appearance
User Rating: 9/10
after a month its here
Pros: beautiful, clean, fast, lovely display
Cons: weights more then i would have thought
User Rating: 9/10
It's AMAZING
Pros: stylish, fast
Cons: I haven't found any yet
User Rating: 10/10
Ultimate combination of computing power and mobility
Pros: Fast CPU, GPU, Media-friendly design, Ultra-portable, eye-catching frame
Cons: Battery life could be better (minor complaint considering design and GPU), Slight noise, Heat
User Rating: 9/10
Stylish, powerful, a no-brainer
Pros: Excellent processor, big hard drive, great service
Cons: still a little early for vista, trouble with integrated microphone
I had convinced myself to "change over" to a macbook for my graduate studies after having some trouble with the integrated microphone on this machine. I called dell about it, and they are taking care of me like you wouldn't believe. They have convinced me to keep my business with them for at least the next 3-4 years at a minimum. Their service has been extraordinary (something you can't get with a mac).
Yeah, the software and OS would have been "cooler" on a mac, but for the configurations I have and the price I got on this machine, I would have been foolish to try and replace it. You can configure this with better, more advanced specs than a macbook for the more advanced users (though if I were in the desktop market I would certainly go with the new imac).
Overall for the configurations you can get and the service you get with Dell, buying this laptop should be a no-brainer. The HP dv2500t is also excellent and possibly a little cheaper, but the software included and service for xps machines is second to none.
Apple had almost convinced me do to the dual-boot system (I have to have windows sometimes), but their machines will keep getting cooler and sleeker, maybe in 3-4 years I will go with one. However, dell has been genius in dealing with me and I will be loyal to them for the near future. You cannot go wrong with this machine, no matter if you're a student, gamer, businessman, teacher, multimedia user, photo/video designer, or home user. Bravo dell!
User Rating: 9/10
Superb Machine
Pros: Sleek, slim and light weight great for business trip and with Verizon broadband I'm connected 24/7
Cons: Haven't found any yet!
User Rating: 10/10
My 10 days with XPS
Pros: Coolest design for a professional, gammer and college. Runs vista at a breeze. FEAR rocks on m1330
Cons: A bit noisy. Battery life can be better
User Rating: 9/10
One nice laptop
Pros: Light weight and great screen
Cons: None at this time
User Rating: 10/10
A cheaper, lighter Sony VIAO SZ - exactly what I needed
Pros: Good side and weight, excellent preformance
Cons: Stainless steel scratches easily
User Rating: 10/10
Worth the wait
Pros: Sleek look, fast, strong
Cons: none that I see
trust me it is the Bentley of laptops
User Rating: 10/10
EXTREMELY Well Worth The Wait
Pros: Fantastic design with all successful features of Dell's previous laptops in one lightweight product.
Cons: Very long wait time. About a month and a half. Longest for red and white.
Here is some advice for you: wait in the long line. I waited for a month and this laptop met my growing expectations. I've had the Dell XPS M1330 for about a week now and I have absolutely no complaints about it. Dell has really hit a home run with this one. Deserves a 10.
User Rating: 8/10
great system, OS should be XP
Pros: powerful system, many options, LED
Cons: poor delivery time, Vista
User Rating: 9/10
Exceptional
Pros: good looks and even better performance
Cons: touch pad gets warm
User Rating: 1/10
where? oh where is my computer??????
Pros: nice pics...you can order it...
Cons: it just dissapears... where is the computer I paid 3500$ for?
Updated on Jan 24, 2009sooo. I finally got this thing and it was worth the wait...as for Pookie: gfy.. I'll review what I want... am likely going to get another with more power when W7 comes along in 64 bit. Can't find anything better.. Dell still eats it though... gotten better with the old man back in charge..
User Rating: 9/10
Love my Dell
Pros: light, good looking
Cons: can't think of any
User Rating: 2/10
2 Month+ Shipment Delays - Think before you order
Pros: Dont' know of any - Can't get Dell to ship the unit.
Cons: Unbelievable Dell shipment delays with no explanation.
User Rating: 1/10
How can anyone review this when YOU CAN'T GET THEM
Pros: Nice machine if you can get one
Cons: Horrible Wait time
User Rating: 8/10
This is just a test
Pros: Please gnore what I'm saying
Cons: I have no actual opinion
User Rating: 8/10
A great departure from previous dell product
Pros: Everything you need in a note book is available in this product!!
Cons: Delivery Time too long!
User Rating: 7/10
Good looks, good performance, but not perfect.
Pros: A good performer with good looks!
Cons: Expensive! No DVI output, and back end is too thick!
1. The touchpad is too small.
2. I personally don't like laptops that use a tappered design. The front of the laptop is less than an inch thick (.91") but the rear is a relatively large (1.33"). Don't get me wrong, this laptop is far superior to the M1210, but Dell claims it's "the world's thinnest 13.3" notebook". I totally disagree. It may be thinner than the Mac Book at the front (for about 1/3 of the way), but the Mac Book is 1.08" from front to back. The M1330 is actually thicker than the Mac Book for about two thirds of it's depth. So to call this laptop the worlds thinnest is deceptive to say the least.
All in all, it's good to see Dell pay more attention to design, unfortunately it comes at a significant cost to the consumer. Configure this laptop with the same specs as a Mac Book and you'll be paying a over $500 more for the Dell. That's a steep premium to pay.
User Rating: 8/10
Video Card Question
Pros: awesome design
Cons: no HD DVD/Lightscribe Drive
The M1330 comes with a "128MB NVIDIA® GeForce? Go 8400M GS"
Does anyone know if I will be able to run my Audio/Video/Graphics program on this laptop?
User Rating: 3/10
9+ weeks delivery time!
Pros: Good looking, good size
Cons: Somewhat on the heavy side
What a disappointment! After I completed the order I was given the delivery date of July 30, which was bad enough. Three days later I got the e-mail order confirmation e-mail setting August 22 as the delivery date!
A call to customer support revealed that the XPSM1330 line is on back order. Not good, Dell! Back to Sony for me...
User Rating: 9/10
Review Error (SSD is an option)
Pros: Size, Weight... the LED display is really thin
Cons: $$$ the options add up (LED, SSD)
The keyboard is much better than the 1210's too, which was uncomfortably small.
User Rating: 4/10
A waste of money
Pros: its an xps and actually has a graphics card. getting vista is either a waste of money or is just a useless, pretty thing that has no purpose to even be made. you can dual boot to linux however.
Cons: The graphics card is 128 mb...seriously, what are you going to be playing, tetris?!? for money and functionality you should consider getting an apple.
but for the price and what your going to do with the laptop, i would either buy apple, or just dual boot it with linux because linux will be a better os than vista. the anti-virus software that it comes with is a pain to get rid of too. it seems like you can't get rid of it even if you blew it up with dynamite. this laptop will only get a bad review from me because it seems to me like its trying to follow apple.
User Rating: 7/10
Great components, but I don't like Glossy Screens
Pros: Nice design, Discrete Graphics, Santa Rosa
Cons: It doubles as a mirror for you and the room you're in! Yay! ...
Yes, I know, some people really enjoy these screens because of the "sharper" images and deeper blacks.
That's all well and fine, but I prefer to have my not-so-sharp images and not-so-black blacks in exchange for being able to see it in lighting conditions that don't require me to be in a dark room.
See the following CNET Crave article...
http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9734889-1.html
I totally agree with that guy.
Still, if you like these screens, then go for it. As far as I can tell, everything else will be wonderful.
User Rating: 9/10
Beautiful dell, always had good support for me
Pros: Strong GPU for class, thin, great design
Cons: no inspiron price:P
User Rating: 8/10
Finally an alternative to the Sony Vaio SZ series
Pros: light, fast, nice graphics card
Cons: expensive, I'd still like a three button touchpad.
User Rating: 8/10
a Portable New High end Laptop for dell. The best desing Dell has ever made in one laptop
Pros: Relly Great desing for a dell Laptop, 13 inch exelent size, Specs, Black color
Cons: The Red color is really ugly
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