Entered CNET Catalog: 08/23/2006
SKU: M1710R2_1
Manufacturer: Dell, Inc.
Content [Hide]
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
User Rating: 
9/10
Best laptop I've used yet
Pros: Plays games as well as my desktop,
Cons: heavy, unweildy
Review:
Truly the best laptop I've used. I play several games from flight sims to RPG's and this baby cranks them out as well as any desktop. When I'm ready to work, it can also rip through all my excel and word docs with ease.
Unfortunately, all this power comes with a price, it is much too large and bulky to travel with easily
Unfortunately, all this power comes with a price, it is much too large and bulky to travel with easily
User Rating: 
1/10
nice idea, bad execution for the price
Pros: I got rid of it
Cons: Too expensive for what it offers.
Review:
Dell has come a long way. Gone are the days of great customer service. Now all we have are reps barely able to speak english. One thing they sure pronounce well is "We are sorry for the inconvienience"
On to the details.
While the actual parts are top of the line the lap top it self as a whole feels flimsy. Almost as if its about to break.
The keyboard is nice, but small for this size of a laptop.
Sound is decent, but youd think the speakers at this price would sound just a tad better.
The screen is amazing if you get the top line option which is just too expensive. All other cheaper dell screen options just dont cut it.
If money isnt an problem, there are better quality gamming laptops than this. If money is an issue Id go with an hp 9000 series. Yes they arent as fast, but they are about half the price! unless you are hardcore, and have the money avoid this. If you are hardcore, theres better option in the Alienware laptops by far. Alienware not only perfom better, they actualy look built solid.
The problem I had with mine was the power brick made a bad noise, and got too hot. i went thru 3 new bricks , after spending 45 mins on hold with dell reps each time. The 4th brick continued to have the same problem, so I just returned this stupid dell, and spent a tad more on a fully rigged alienware. my wife killed me, she was goin for an HP 9000 series with HD drive.. Oh well.
On to the details.
While the actual parts are top of the line the lap top it self as a whole feels flimsy. Almost as if its about to break.
The keyboard is nice, but small for this size of a laptop.
Sound is decent, but youd think the speakers at this price would sound just a tad better.
The screen is amazing if you get the top line option which is just too expensive. All other cheaper dell screen options just dont cut it.
If money isnt an problem, there are better quality gamming laptops than this. If money is an issue Id go with an hp 9000 series. Yes they arent as fast, but they are about half the price! unless you are hardcore, and have the money avoid this. If you are hardcore, theres better option in the Alienware laptops by far. Alienware not only perfom better, they actualy look built solid.
The problem I had with mine was the power brick made a bad noise, and got too hot. i went thru 3 new bricks , after spending 45 mins on hold with dell reps each time. The 4th brick continued to have the same problem, so I just returned this stupid dell, and spent a tad more on a fully rigged alienware. my wife killed me, she was goin for an HP 9000 series with HD drive.. Oh well.
User Rating: 9/10
Fantastic Computer!
Pros: Speed, looks, display, connectivity
Cons: Keyboard design / wasted space
Review:
This computer is amazingly fast, and is beautiful to look at. I am a high school teacher, and when I bring this computer in to school the kids go crazy. It is truly a beautiful computer, and the lighted XPS logo on the cover is the icing on the cake. The C-Net review mentions that the screen is not quite bright enough, and I disagree. I have absolutely no complaint about the brightness of the display, in fact I find the display to be beautiful and I have had many of my students and fellow teachers comment on how bright and beautiful the display is. My only complaints with this computer are that there is no USB port on the right hand side of the machine, which is unfortunate because there are six between the back and left hand side of the machine. Another USB port on the right would have made a nice addition. Also, the keyboard could have been made considerably better if they had used more of the wasted space around the keyboard. Everyone will notice all of the wasted space between the front of the computer and the keyboard, which is set well back. There is also wasted space to the left and right of the keyboard.
User Rating: 
10/10
This is a computer god
Pros: Big Screen, Sound, lights, Graphics, Never ever had a problem with me at all.
Cons: I dont think there are any.
Review:
This is by far the greatest computer I have laid my hands on, the way it can multitask and do so many operations at once without making a sound is simply amazing. I use to work for best buy and we get lots of computers in and out and being in th geek squad I had to repair a lot of computers, but never have I seen one like this. The shinyness of the screen brings out an HD effect that you feel like you just dont want to leave the computer, the sound is also amazing in this and it's media direct is a hell of a success. Keyboard is really comfortable, would have been nice if there was a built in camera, but with all the stuff in this computer who needs that? Considering it can be overclocked to 3.16ghz this takes every other laptop and throws it in the played out section, The speed of this gaming warehouse is simply amazing and its 7950 GTX 512MB Nvidia graphic card sums it all up, I have played the most intense games, Fear, Oblivion, Battlefield 2142 and it does not even feel like its getting tired at all. It is not too big either it is a perfect size for all ocations, It might be a little expensive but it is worth your money deffinately, this laptop is ahead of all in technology and is the perfect desktop replacement. You wont go wrong with an XPS M1710, I got two words for you, BUY IT.
User Rating: 
7/10
Missing PCMCIA ports!
Pros: good speed and nice screen
Cons: NO PCCARD PORTS!
Review:
Nice laptop for gaming and photoshoping but because it's missing any PCMCIA ports and only has a new but currently useless due to the lack of available devices ExpressCard port it renders all nice PC Card additions obsolete. If your are using Wireless Phone card for the internet wait until ExpressCard version of the Phone card will come out a year from now. Dell jumped the gun and produced laptop that is useless for the travelling crowd.
User Rating: 9/10
works better then anything else i've tried
Pros: It is superb in everything i've done on it. The gaming on this thing is about ten times as good as that of my current Home Desktop. And the black version is down right gorgeous.
Cons: I think the only thing wrong with this laptop is that the audio recorder isn't as good as everything else on the machine
Review:
User Rating: 9/10
A- freakin'-Mazing
Pros: fast processor, exellent vidio card, super battery life, fast delivery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!
Cons: none so far
Review:
recieved on september 14th, it is my third and best computer. Cost just under 2900, the base model is already exellent. My specs are as follows:- core 2 duo CPU 2GHZ
- nvidia geforce 7900GS
- 80 GB 7200 RPM HD
- 1 GB RAM
- WUXGA display
1900x1200 pixels
- 2 year warranty
- 24x combo drive
- sound blaster audigy
high definition
audio
All this including shipping for $2897
exellent, I can play everything on the highest settings smoothly without maxing out the processor, and vidio card. I love it. It has very cool neon lights, mine are red and supposedly changeable. Black version looks much better. Also bought red saitek eclipse keyboard and logitech G5 mouse through dell, id give the red saitek eclipse a 10, matches the neon.
- nvidia geforce 7900GS
- 80 GB 7200 RPM HD
- 1 GB RAM
- WUXGA display
1900x1200 pixels
- 2 year warranty
- 24x combo drive
- sound blaster audigy
high definition
audio
All this including shipping for $2897
exellent, I can play everything on the highest settings smoothly without maxing out the processor, and vidio card. I love it. It has very cool neon lights, mine are red and supposedly changeable. Black version looks much better. Also bought red saitek eclipse keyboard and logitech G5 mouse through dell, id give the red saitek eclipse a 10, matches the neon.
User Rating: 10/10
Fast enough to make its own weather.
Pros: Huge display, frighteningly quick.
Cons: Only one HDD, 3 hours of power, mere mortals may have trouble lifting it.
Review:
I work in satellite imagery and this laptop easily keeps up with and often out classes custom built desktops of a similar cost. In fact, I haven't yet found an application where this beast doesn't out perform the competition.
Although lacking some basic features such as an inbuilt mic found in other units (the small XPS) it more than compensates by being devestatingly quick. Users of 3D software like Maya or Lightwave will especialy appriciate the mamoth graphics capability.
When you are on the go, the graphics card is throttled back to save battery life, the mobile aurora streaming from every oraface can be turned down or off and the screen brightness reduced (big saver).
The huge initial outlay is justified by its desktop replacement and future proofing qualities (it is Vista certified).
Truth be told, the only limitation to my mind is windows itself. But linux breaks the market by overcoming some compatibility issues, that applies to all PCs.
Although lacking some basic features such as an inbuilt mic found in other units (the small XPS) it more than compensates by being devestatingly quick. Users of 3D software like Maya or Lightwave will especialy appriciate the mamoth graphics capability.
When you are on the go, the graphics card is throttled back to save battery life, the mobile aurora streaming from every oraface can be turned down or off and the screen brightness reduced (big saver).
The huge initial outlay is justified by its desktop replacement and future proofing qualities (it is Vista certified).
Truth be told, the only limitation to my mind is windows itself. But linux breaks the market by overcoming some compatibility issues, that applies to all PCs.
User Rating: 
5/10
Incomplete as a computer.
Pros: Screen, keyboard, speed
Cons: Audio sucks, customer support, PC Express card slot only
Review:
I purchased the M1710 to use for content creation. It?s a good computer, but one and part of me loves it and a bigger part of me hates it. Dell, with a complete lack of wisdom, has created a computer that will not record decent sound and will not record any streaming audio. You cannot record What You Hear is What You Get sound. I have worked with their "conflict resolution" people to get this issue figured out one way or another. It seems that Dell and a few other manufacturers have decided to use a SigmaTel audio chip that has a horrible S/N (signal to noise ratio), so that when you try to record anything, the background noise level is almost equal to the input level. And the only thing you can input into the computer is a microphone. And that?s not even good enough for using Vonage. The signal is that bad.
Dell, what have you done???? And reviewers, what have you done as well??? No reviews I have read ever mention audio and audio quality. Maybe reviewers should look at a whole computer and not just run a benchmark of games or Photoshop. Check the whole of a system and not just the frame rate running Doom. I would have considered an M90 as an exchange, but found out it uses the same SigmaTel chip and has the same limitations. The reviews are a disservice to end users and Dell has created a headache that many will discover long after their ?grace? period to exchange their computer has come and gone.
There is a workaround for this problem and it's an external sound card. If Dell had thought about engineering, you could have bought a Creative ZX PCMCIA sound card, but there's only a PC Express slot only and NOBODY makes PC Express sound cards for anything. Early adopter is fine, but too early leaves you hanging by a thread.
The M1710 only rates a 5 and it got that because the rest of it is fine. Multimedia means SOUND and video. Pay attention, Dell. Your problems are just beginning, if you continue like this. Engineer systems that take everything into account, including sound.
Dell, what have you done???? And reviewers, what have you done as well??? No reviews I have read ever mention audio and audio quality. Maybe reviewers should look at a whole computer and not just run a benchmark of games or Photoshop. Check the whole of a system and not just the frame rate running Doom. I would have considered an M90 as an exchange, but found out it uses the same SigmaTel chip and has the same limitations. The reviews are a disservice to end users and Dell has created a headache that many will discover long after their ?grace? period to exchange their computer has come and gone.
There is a workaround for this problem and it's an external sound card. If Dell had thought about engineering, you could have bought a Creative ZX PCMCIA sound card, but there's only a PC Express slot only and NOBODY makes PC Express sound cards for anything. Early adopter is fine, but too early leaves you hanging by a thread.
The M1710 only rates a 5 and it got that because the rest of it is fine. Multimedia means SOUND and video. Pay attention, Dell. Your problems are just beginning, if you continue like this. Engineer systems that take everything into account, including sound.
User Rating: 7/10
qa jl is testing here
Pros: qa testing pros
Cons: qa testing cons
Review:
no comment
User Rating: 9/10
Merom/Core2 has the Same Performance as the Dual Core??
Pros: It's a Precision M90 with frills (The M1710 chassis is NOT an upgraded E1705). For the weight and size overall this is a killer machine.
Cons: Core2 Duo runs no better than the standard Dual Core.
Review:
I have the Dual Core XPS M1710. It appears that the addition of the Core2 Duo CPU has provided virtually no performance benefit. My XPS M1710 Dual Core is already a hardcore performer, but why hasn't the Merom improved it? The difference should have been significant. Everything else about the Core2 M1710 is identical to the Dual Core M1710, other than the new Pre-n wireless card.
I disagree with the reviewer statement that the screen is dim. I have the LG/Philips screen in my M1710 and it equals and sometimes beats the best Vaios and Macbooks I've compared directly to side by side. Beware that DELL uses multiple screen manufacturers. People in the UK have a lot of negative issues with that.
I disagree with the reviewer statement that the screen is dim. I have the LG/Philips screen in my M1710 and it equals and sometimes beats the best Vaios and Macbooks I've compared directly to side by side. Beware that DELL uses multiple screen manufacturers. People in the UK have a lot of negative issues with that.
Updated
If you check out my products in profile you can find my actual review of the M1710, which is the same computer so the review still holds to the Core2 version.
Or use this link, if it doesn't expire:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/4864-3121_7-31789682.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080&tag=uolst
If you check out my products in profile you can find my actual review of the M1710, which is the same computer so the review still holds to the Core2 version.
Or use this link, if it doesn't expire:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/4864-3121_7-31789682.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080&tag=uolst
Updated
oh and I screwed up voting for that one, it was supposed to be a 9. Also I see that stupid link runs off the page, so try selecting the start of the link and pulling down a bit on the mouse to make the entire line select without selecting the entire page..
Otherwise it is as follows (broken up)
<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/
4864-3121_7-31789682.html?
ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7
&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080
&tag=uolst"/a>
oh and I screwed up voting for that one, it was supposed to be a 9. Also I see that stupid link runs off the page, so try selecting the start of the link and pulling down a bit on the mouse to make the entire line select without selecting the entire page..
Otherwise it is as follows (broken up)
<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/
4864-3121_7-31789682.html?
ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7
&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080
&tag=uolst"/a>
Updated
I screwed up in the voting process on the other review, I intended to vote 9 but the little line jumped on me.
Also that link runs right off the page. Since the CNET system can't properly preview an "update" there's no way to know if things are going to work. So here it is again broken into parts and then possibly correctly hyperlinked. Either that or here are two more useless piles of linky garbage.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/
4864-3121_7-31789682.html?
ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7
&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080
&tag=uolst
<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/4864-3121_7-31789682.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080&tag=uolst">XPS M1710</a>
I screwed up in the voting process on the other review, I intended to vote 9 but the little line jumped on me.
Also that link runs right off the page. Since the CNET system can't properly preview an "update" there's no way to know if things are going to work. So here it is again broken into parts and then possibly correctly hyperlinked. Either that or here are two more useless piles of linky garbage.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/
4864-3121_7-31789682.html?
ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7
&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080
&tag=uolst
<a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_XPS_M1710/4864-3121_7-31789682.html?ctype=msgid&messageSiteID=7&messageID=2183080&cval=2183080&tag=uolst">XPS M1710</a>
User Rating: 9/10
Man, What a Gaming Machine!
Pros: Game Machine at it's Best
Cons: Should Have asked for MORE.....................
Review:
This is my first notebook and I went all out! This gaming machine plays anything on the market, just make sure you add the Geforce 9800 gtx. And most important, put your system together on the Internet and then print it out. Call the reps and you can work out a Deal! Save on Upgrades! I went from XP Home to XP pro. Also Hard Drive upgrade for just requesting it...Haggle, Haggle.
User Rating: 
8/10
High-end gaming laptop that pwns cometition!
Pros: best card on the market, best pros on the market
Cons: Still low battery life, and non ultra-bright display.
Review:
For a gaming laptop, this one takes the cake. It get benchmarks that can only be destroyed by bigtime falcon and voodoo boxes, and rivals the alienware benchmarks. But, the thing that makes this better then those is its superb multitasking skills and program usability. Unlike most gaming laptops, who use single-core prossessors (I call em pros) and focus on graphics and benchmarks, this one is faster at everything now, except native fps. This baby is a tad warmer then the core duo, but still you can't tell anyway. The mediadirect feature is cool and the design is awesome, although not as cool as alienware and falcons.
Unfortunately, the "Dedicated XPS Service" still dissapoints me, and you almost never get the help you need for BIG problems. For small little things, they have level 1 tech that can figure it out. Phone call wait-times are long, and you can get a jerk or a really nice and helpful person, depeding on luck. The other big problem was battery life (no it won't explode on you..) Generally, gaming laptops have an hour or two MAX, but this almost hit 3, which was good, but I was hoping for a dual-card system like some alienware and sony ultraportables that allowed to switch to a integrated card to give an hour, sometimes two, of battery life. The display remains bright, just not ultra-bright like some rare laptops give you.
In conslusion, I think this should get 7/10 for pc build, 6/10 for service, and 9/10 for performance. Overall (not average) it is a 8/10. If you can afford it (3k-4k) which is pretty affordable, go for it. As for anyone else, wait 2-4 for a 114-17 inch model that performs the same. Once merom chips get perfected, Youll be abl to get a 15 inch that gives higher benchmarks, higher performance, and possibly 4-6 hours of battery life.
Unfortunately, the "Dedicated XPS Service" still dissapoints me, and you almost never get the help you need for BIG problems. For small little things, they have level 1 tech that can figure it out. Phone call wait-times are long, and you can get a jerk or a really nice and helpful person, depeding on luck. The other big problem was battery life (no it won't explode on you..) Generally, gaming laptops have an hour or two MAX, but this almost hit 3, which was good, but I was hoping for a dual-card system like some alienware and sony ultraportables that allowed to switch to a integrated card to give an hour, sometimes two, of battery life. The display remains bright, just not ultra-bright like some rare laptops give you.
In conslusion, I think this should get 7/10 for pc build, 6/10 for service, and 9/10 for performance. Overall (not average) it is a 8/10. If you can afford it (3k-4k) which is pretty affordable, go for it. As for anyone else, wait 2-4 for a 114-17 inch model that performs the same. Once merom chips get perfected, Youll be abl to get a 15 inch that gives higher benchmarks, higher performance, and possibly 4-6 hours of battery life.
Updated
Dell fills your HD will "DellWare" which pops up and asks you t buy stuff from diff companies... they make a lot of money off of it. Make sure to uninstall all f them and search your HD files and go into "Add or Remove programs" in control panel, OR clear your HD and reinstall windows (it might mess a little with MediaDirect, so the first option is best)
Dell fills your HD will "DellWare" which pops up and asks you t buy stuff from diff companies... they make a lot of money off of it. Make sure to uninstall all f them and search your HD files and go into "Add or Remove programs" in control panel, OR clear your HD and reinstall windows (it might mess a little with MediaDirect, so the first option is best)
%20-%20Laptops%20-%20CNET%20Archive&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/dell-xps-m1710-special/1707-3121_7-32036695.html){kind=small}