Dell XPS M1330

When it comes to computers, Dell has had a pretty good reputation for "build quality" in their products. But, they also have a reputation for notoriously bad "customer service". One thing that I never… expected from Dell was a laptop that was not only built well, but also a real "head-turner" . But that's exactly the case when it comes to the Dell M1330 laptop. This sleek and sexy 4 pound high-end (XPS line) laptop packs a formidable punch and offers a cool array of features & options. These features include an 13.3" LED backlit screen (LED backlight optional), slot loading optical drive, brushed aluminum casing, biometric finger print reader (optional), Media player with travel remote (optional), integrated camera, HDMI out, Solid state hard drive 'SSHD' (optional), and a good selection of laptop colors to choose from. To finish it off, it features powerful CPU choices ( from 1.66Ghz to 2.5Ghz "Core 2 Duo" Intel Processors) and an optional 128mb NVIDIA GeForce Graphics Card. But along with the good, there are a few things that keep this laptop from being perfect. One thing that I really wished this laptop had was more than just 2 USB ports. Not only that, but the ports are on opposite sides of the computer. Also, there isn't even an option for buying an integrated Blu-ray drive... which doesn't make any sense when you see that there's a beautiful 13.3 wide-screen and HDMI port on this thing. Still, there's a lot to love about the Dell M1330. It's ultra portable/super thin wedge shape design, full-sized keyboard, and built-in memory card slot, integrated web-cam & mic, and 2 headphone jacks, also adds to it's intrinsic value and charm. Few laptops can match both it's 'power per size' ratio. And although it's been available now for a couple years, it can still hold it's own among some of the newer laptops on the market. And when it's all said and done, I think that it makes this Dell a true "classic"... especially now that Dell has discontinued this model. It can still be acquired "new or used" on sites like Ebay, through Dell's online Outlet store, and other online sources. It's also still available at some retail stores. Pros: -Beautiful glossy 13.3" wide screen (also available with LED backlight) -Great super portable, sleek, light, and sexy design. -Powerful (up to 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo and 128mb NVIDIA GeForce Video Card option) -Nice array of colors available including "Blue, Pink, White, Black, and Red" -Slot Loading Optical drive -Wide array of hard drive options including SSHD, easy to DIY hard drive upgrade as well. Cons: -Only 2 USB drives -No Blu-ray Option -Standard 6-cell battery doesn't last too long (about 2 hrs) Don't even bother with 3-cell batt. -9 Cell battery available but it's very expensive and adds much bulk to laptop.(sticks out too) Conclusion: This is a sexy and powerful high-end ultra-portable laptop. I've heard that it was rated the most powerful laptop per it's size (when it was first released) ...But this may not be true anymore. The XPS line of Dell laptop has a higher build quality than most regular consumer laptops on the market. And because the prices for this model has drastically dropped (now that it's been discontinued), it's even more of a bargain. Mine has been very dependable and I'd highly recommend it to others.

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Here's a list of the details, scroll down for overall recommendation. Pros: -Light, perhaps one of the lightest out there -Pretty -Good specs on paper (discrete graphics are nice) Cons: -Slot loading… drive is trendy, but really really noisy (esp b/c it initializes with every bootup. that's great during a quiet moment in a lecture) -With lightness comes extreme fragility. I am a student and this thing couldn't even take regular backpack transport. Little more than jarring it caused the optical drive to fail, while scratches showed up regularly on its pretty surface. -Windows vista is a nightmare. I tried and tried and tried but I couldn't get it to work steadily. I was told by our tech guys that XP wouldn't support the hardware in this laptop, but they could be wrong. -Shoddy, it appears, workmanship. The connection inside for the webcam was loose, or something similar, so that if I adjusted the angle of the screen it might disconnect the webcam. -I don't know if this is a vista thing, but the USB drivers failed frequently, , causing things like USB hubs and external hard drives to fail -Bluetooth is neat, but beware it interferes with some of your wifi connectivity (not, of course, specific to this laptop, but a con none the less) -Dell tech support is an absolute joke. I am now starting to think the "dude, you're getting a dell" ad campaign was supposed to convey pity, not admiration, because if by some chance your warranty IS valid, good luck getting solid service. I've read stories of people returning this laptop 3 times to get the mobo replaced, but I can't confirm, because they literally wouldn't even take my call because my warranty lapsed (not even to answer a question like "how do i open this thing to swap the optical drive myself? -This thing runs HOT, HOT, HOT. I ran a temp monitor and the GPU regularly broke 200 degrees Fahrenheit during normal operations (youtube, browsing, word processing, etc). I had to undervolt the cpu to make it manageable (note none of the problems listed started post-undervolting Perfect for you if: You can afford an extensive warranty and have a lot of patience, in the chance that your dell is garbage like mine was. Not for you if: you don't like tech support on-hold music, or you plan on taking this laptop out of the house in anything but a padded case with shock absorbers (because, believe me, a backpack is insufficient). Look, I get it, the M1330 is pretty and light and comes in fifty colors, but I really, really, really, don't recommend this computer. If I wanted crap in a shiny wrapper, I'd buy a Mac. If you want something ultra light, look at the MSI Xslim line or a Lenovo U Series (I think, one of the Lenovo series is really small), or anything in the "ultra portable" category (if you're in Canada, check out the LG p300/p310, lighter than the m1330 and great specs, but not avail. in the U.S.) Me, I traded my xps m1330 in for a Lenovo T400, and I couldn't be happier--a few pounds heavier, but bigger screen & durable like a tank with switchable graphics for battery consumption and one of the highest rated tech support experiences in the business (according to PC Magazine, I believe).

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I would like to share the terrible experiences that I had to go through with Dell. When I purchased my Dell XPS Notebook couple years ago, I was really excited. They said I'll be getting a $150 coupon for… future purchases and it will be shipped in 4 - 6 weeks. But I never received it. When I called Dell customer service, they said there was no such thing and I am not going to receive the coupon. I wrote several emails to there management team with no response. Few weeks ago, my computer stopped working and I called in to Dell customer service to send it for service. They promised me that it will be fixed and shipped back to me within 10 days. The Dell service rep charged me $500 right away and said they'll refund the rest after they determine the cost of repair. It's been 4 weeks since I shipped my Dell XPS Notebook and everytime I call, I hear a different story. One time they said it has been fixed and will be shipped within the next two days. When I called a week later, they said they are waiting on a part and it will take few more days. My job depends on this Notebook and because of this my daily operations is stalled. I will never ever purchase anything from Dell. The worse part is all service calls goes to India where those people use fake American names. You can clearly identify their accents,but they pose as if they are Americans. They have no clue on how to truly address the customer's issue and keep repeating pre-recorded statements like robots. In a nutshell, when it comes to Dell it's honeymoon period until they take your money! After that, they make you run after them. Please be cautious when buying Dell products or when engaging Dell services.

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While this is an excellent machine on paper it is not worth the money. Dell is knowingly selling these computers with a hardware design flaw that causes them to overheat which can lead to numerous other… problems. When it works, it works great, but take it from me and everyone else who's written a review after the first couple months-you will have a lot of problems and a huge headache dealing with Dell's customer service. If I could return this laptop I would in a heartbeat.

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I'm not sure as to why this laptop is getting such mixed reviews. Mine is great! It's light, very fast, and with the LED back-lit screen, it has a magnificent display--right up there with Sony's best. I… would suggest the longer battery--even with the energy conserving LED back-light. The unit is quiet, and (in red) draws a lot of attention. If there's one complaint it might be that the display--hough bright--does not have the sharpest resolution. This is a minor issue unless you need the high-res for photos. Overall, the appearance is elegant, the keyboard has gone to that 'metallic' feel, and I really have come to love the inserted DVD slot as opposed to the bay tray. The WiFi finder is a nice touch too, and in my humble opinion, this is one of nicest laptops available for the price. Be SURE to get the optional LED back lighting.

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