Dell XPS M1330 better quality than Macbook?

[tibi08]

Have been thinking of buying a Macbook for some time. Like a lot of people, I have also been looking at the Dell XPS M1330 too, which is the PC-equivalent.

Clearly I'm going to buy the Macbook since the Dell doesn't run Mac OS.

BUT, why is it that the build quality of the Dell looks better? The screen looks more contrast rich, it feels slimmer in hand (although this can be attributed to the wedge shape - it's mostly thicker) and generally feels better built. Plus it has HDMI out and a remote control that actually slots into the base. It's pretty nifty.

Makes me a little disappointed in the Macbook

Anyone had any similar thoughts?

 

[xUKHCx]

Well it isn't the same price as the macbook. The bottom one only has a core solo. Then you have to up the price but you do get a decent amount of kit to make the price quite attractive.

 

[tibi08]

Well it isn't the same price as the macbook. The bottom one only has a core solo. Then you have to up the price but you do get a decent amount of kit to make the price quite attractive.

That's not true. The bottom of the range at £700 (same as base Macbook) has a 1.5Ghz Core 2 Duo processor. Okay not as fast as the Macbook, but it also has a DVD writer!

 

[island]

M1330 doesn't come in Core Solo.

They are nice laptops but a little over priced compared to the Macbooks. I would wait a month and see what new stuff comes from Apple if you have the patience. I hate the current Macbook plastic feel but I am guessing they are changing that soon...

 

[cogsinister]

Oh Tim.....the Dell is a horrid wedge shape.....its clunky and it wont run Leopard !!!!!

And i think it's made by Lenovo, so you may as well buy a Thinkpad !!!

 

[xUKHCx]

That's not true. The bottom of the range at £700 (same as base Macbook) has a 1.5Ghz Core 2 Duo processor. Okay not as fast as the Macbook, but it also has a DVD writer!

Sorry my mistake, got too many tabs open

 

[Consultant]

Dell most likely has fan(s) on the bottom, noisy and annoying.

Dell's battery life is NOT listed. Cheapest Dell comes with a low capacity battery. Combined that with Windoze which does not manage battery efficiently, result: Dell has much less battery run time than MacBook.

Dells and Windoze laptops do not goes to sleep / hibernate 100% of the time when the lid is closed. It happen often enough that most windoze users shut down their computer even for a 30 minute drive.

Dell has a larger power brick comes with an ugly rubber tie. Does not compare to the MacBook's small power supply and elegant cord management.

No productivity app for the low end. MacBook comes with iLife, etc.

Needs anti-virus which slows down CPU by as much as 10%.

Dell costs more than comparable MacBook.

 

[flopticalcube]

I have seen one in a store display and I was well impressed. A nice piece of equipment for the price. If this is Dell's direction for the future it bodes well for them indeed. Compared to the MacBook which, technology wise, is 18 months old now it's really no comparison. The new MacBook should give it a run for its money.

 

[tibi08]

Probably has fan(s) on the bottom, noisy and annoying.

True - good spot. How stupid.

Battery life is NOT listed. Cheapest Dell comes with a low capacity battery.

True - Macbook battery lasts nearly 1/3rd longer. I think you can upgrade the Dell battery but the larger one is impractical for a portable.

Dells do not goes to sleep / hibernate 100% of the time when the lid is closed. It happen often enough that most windoze users shut down their computer even for a 30 minute drive.

Interesting, never heard this before.

Dell has a larger power brick comes with an ugly rubber tie. Does not compare to the MacBook's small power supply and elegant cord management.

Not relevant - who cares how the charger looks?

No productivity app for the low end. MacBook comes with iLife, etc.

Not relevant - Picassa is as good as iPhoto and free. The rest of the apps most people don't use.

Needs anti-virus which slows down CPU by as much as 10%.

Interesting point but is the quoted 10% figure really right? Are Mac viruses around the corner in any case?

Dell costs more than MacBook.

Not sure I agree based on the current prices. Depends what your priorities are I suppose.

Some very valid points and helps me feel better about the Macbook!

 

[Dybbuk]

Not relevant - who cares how the charger looks?

I was seriously impressed by the charger, actually. Every aspect matters, even the ones not on the MacBook's favour.

 

[TheStu]

I like the look of the XPS1330, but the base cost, and how much it would cost to bring it up to roughly comparable to the mid level Macbook is a little steep... the LED backlight is a nice option, but I think I will wait and see what the next revision of the MacBook is to pass final judgement.

 

[tibi08]

I like the look of the XPS1330, but the base cost, and how much it would cost to bring it up to roughly comparable to the mid level Macbook is a little steep... the LED backlight is a nice option, but I think I will wait and see what the next revision of the MacBook is to pass final judgement.

Is this a US thing?

A white Macbook in the UK with a 2.16Ghz processor, 2Ghz RAM, 120Gb hard disk is £919.

A M1330 in the UK with a 2.2Ghz processor, 2Ghz RAM, 120Gb hard disk is £925.

 

[Roba]

Why is the 9 cell for the XPS M1330 impractical when the OP is looking at a heavier MacBook? The XPS with a 9 cell is still lighter than the MacBook. It weighs 4.7lbs with the 9 cell battery.

Battery life with a 6 cell has about 3 hours and half hours with the dedicated GPU card in power saving mode with bluetooth disabled and wifi enabled. It goes up to 4 hours plus if you disable wifi. If you opt for the x3100 graphics card then your battery life will be around 4 hours web surfing on power save mode etc.

The XPS is very quiet i know i own one.

The power cord is not an issue.

The Dell was reviewed here and Trusted Reviews said that it was the best 13.3 inch laptop now its class.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2007/10/11/Dell-XPS-M1330/p1

If Apple released something similar with a dedicated GPU then i would probably be interested in that but they have nothing like that so i bought the Dell. I also don't mind Vista Home Premium either. Vista Home Premium comes with Windows Media Centre, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker and Windows Mail. There is also Dell Media direct installed onto all of these models. All it does not have for the average user is iWeb. The warranty service is also at home warranty service which is a plus.

It is also not that hard to get a lower price for whatever Dell states by calling in and trying to haggle.

 

[siurpeeman]

Dells and Windoze laptops do not goes to sleep / hibernate 100% of the time when the lid is closed. It happen often enough that most windoze users shut down their computer even for a 30 minute drive.

some people have issues with their laptops not staying asleep when they close the lid.

regarding the op, how is the looks of the laptop related to build quality? i've seen the xps m1330; it's nice, but i didn't think the build quality was much better, if at all, than the macbook's. the keyboard on the dell feels flimsy in comparison, and the dell screen i saw didn't have an even surface (you could see ripples). i'm not saying the xps m1330 is a bad computer, but i don't think the build quality is something to call home about.

 

[tibi08]

The Dell was reviewed here and Trusted Reviews said that it was the best 13.3 inch laptop now its class.

That is NOT what the review said. It said this:

However, the difference wasn't enough to stop us concluding that the Dell M1330 is the best Windows based notebook in its class. Of all 13.3in notebooks available, none can match the combination of quality features, performance and design savvy that the XPS M1330 achieves. Thus, if you want a Windows machine of this size, you can't do much better.

The references to Windows machines makes it appear that they specifically opted not to compare it to a Macbook!

 

[mkrishnan]

I don't understand how you can call screen contrast and apparent thinness build quality issues... I mean not to quibble, but I think the distinction between what is a design issue and what is a build quality issue is really a meaningful one.

 

[Roba]

I don't really like the MB's keyboard.
I have though owned a MacBook Pro and i like the keyboard just the same as i did on my MBP.

I have an LED screen on my XPS and i am really pleased with it.

some people have issues with their laptops not staying asleep when they close the lid.

regarding the op, how is the looks of the laptop related to build quality? i've seen the xps m1330; it's nice, but i didn't think the build quality was much better, if at all, than the macbook's. the keyboard on the dell feels flimsy in comparison, and the dell screen i saw didn't have an even surface (you could see ripples). i'm not saying the xps m1330 is a bad computer, but i don't think the build quality is something to call home about.

 

[siurpeeman]

I don't really like the MB's keyboard.
I have though owned a MacBook Pro and i like the keyboard just the same as i did on my MBP.

forgive my english, i'm a native speaker. say what now?

 

[Roba]

I think you know what i meant.
I liked the keyboard on my MBP and i also like the keyboard on the XPS M1330 just as much.

forgive my english, i'm a native speaker. say what now?

 

[tibi08]

I liked the keyboard on my MBP and i also like the keyboard on the XPS M1330 just as much.

It's interesting that having a normal keyboard is a "pro" feature. Hey, I want a pro keyboard on my Macbook.

 

[mosx]

I just want to give a little more "fair" view of the "Mac vs. PC" argument. Seeing as how I have both a MacBook (2.16GHz, white) and a "PC" (HP dv6500t, Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa", 2GB of RAM, GeForce 8400M).

True - good spot. How stupid.

The fans on the bottom are actually quite helpful. On every recent PC notebook I have seen, the fans on the bottom are in-take fans and they actually push the hot air out of the back. They also have the benefit of drawing the heat AWAY from your lap. Both of my MacBooks so far and my friend's MacBooks and MacBook Pros have all gotten ridiculously hot on the bottom even doing simple things like browsing websites with flash ads. Having the fan on the bottom that draws heat up and away from your legs is a huge benefit compared to having a system that roasts your legs and makes you sterile.


Interesting, never heard this before.

Because its not true. Windows gives you the option of putting the computer to sleep, shutting it down, hibernating it, or not doing anything when shutting the lid. If a PC doesn't go to sleep when the lid is closed, there is a 99% chance that it was configured to STAY "Awake". Of the 4 Windows notebooks I have had, every single one was configured, by default (by Windows) to go to sleep when the lid was closed.


Interesting point but is the quoted 10% figure really right? Are Mac viruses around the corner in any case?

No, the 10% figure is NOT true either. Unfortunately, the poster you are replying to made up the general FUD about Windows that is almost always incorrect. If you don't visit any shady sites or do anything "questionable", as well as keeping Windows updated (and using Firefox, a requirement on OS X as well... sorry, Safari just doesn't cut it), you'll never come across a virus or spyware.

And even if you are using real-time anti-virus and spyware protection, those scan in real-time. Meaning each new file created or downloaded, etc. will be scanned. In a real world situation, the performance hit is no worse than using FileVault on OS X with its real-time decrypting and encrypting of files.

I can't stress enough how important a DEDICATED GPU is. I like my Mac and OS X, my iPhone, my iPods, etc.. but I still think the fact that the "midrange" $1299 MacBook (mine was $1408 after taxes) does not come with a dedicated GPU is ridiculous. I was happy at first. Until I realized I just spend $1408 on a notebook without a dedicated graphics processor.

Even if you don't play games, it makes a world of difference. If you plan on watching any kind of video on your system, you NEED a dedicated GPU. My HP has a GeForce 8400M GS in it, and comparing DVD playback on the two systems is complete night and day. DVDs on the GeForce look even better than my Onkyo upscaling DVD player I have connected to my HDTV (yes I connected my HP to the TV via HDMI and compared). In comparison, DVDs on the MacBook look dull, washed out, compression artifacting is every where. Ironically, video purchases from iTunes look better on my Windows PC than my Mac thanks to the hardware H.264 decoding and video cleanup features of the GeForce.

Again, I like my Mac. I love my iPhone and all of my iPods. But honestly, Apple needs to get its act together and put a respectable GPU in the MacBook. The last iBook had a Radeon 9550, which had video deblocking for DVDs, WMV, divx/xvid. Why does the MacBook have to suffer with a GPU that makes DVDs look terrible? There are integrated solutions out there that have respectable video processing.. such as the ATI X200m, X1100, X1250, nVidia GeForce Go 6150, 7150.. why does Apple use the worst of all?

Maybe I'm a little disgruntled.. after receiving this system from HP, I look at my MacBook and wish it had a dedicated GPU and realize the only option for getting an Apple notebook with a respectable GPU is to spend $1,999 for a 128MB GPU. Honestly, if Apple doesn't get a respectable GPU (no, the Intel X3100 is NOT respectable.. its more of the same old junk, but it finally has hardware T&L!), then this MacBook I have will be the only MacBook I ever have. I like OS X, but I like watching DVDs and video more. I'd rather have my video look good and be able to play games than have OS X.

 

[tibi08]

I just want to give a little more "fair" view of the "Mac vs. PC" argument. Seeing as how I have both a MacBook (2.16GHz, white) and a "PC" (HP dv6500t, Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa", 2GB of RAM, GeForce 8400M).



No, the 10% figure is NOT true either. Unfortunately, the poster you are replying to made up the general FUD about Windows that is almost always incorrect. If you don't visit any shady sites or do anything "questionable", as well as keeping Windows updated (and using Firefox, a requirement on OS X as well... sorry, Safari just doesn't cut it), you'll never come across a virus or spyware.

And even if you are using real-time anti-virus and spyware protection, those scan in real-time. Meaning each new file created or downloaded, etc. will be scanned. In a real world situation, the performance hit is no worse than using FileVault on OS X with its real-time decrypting and encrypting of files.

I can't stress enough how important a DEDICATED GPU is. I like my Mac and OS X, my iPhone, my iPods, etc.. but I still think the fact that the "midrange" $1299 MacBook (mine was $1408 after taxes) does not come with a dedicated GPU is ridiculous. I was happy at first. Until I realized I just spend $1408 on a notebook without a dedicated graphics processor.

Even if you don't play games, it makes a world of difference. If you plan on watching any kind of video on your system, you NEED a dedicated GPU. My HP has a GeForce 8400M GS in it, and comparing DVD playback on the two systems is complete night and day. DVDs on the GeForce look even better than my Onkyo upscaling DVD player I have connected to my HDTV (yes I connected my HP to the TV via HDMI and compared). In comparison, DVDs on the MacBook look dull, washed out, compression artifacting is every where. Ironically, video purchases from iTunes look better on my Windows PC than my Mac thanks to the hardware H.264 decoding and video cleanup features of the GeForce.

Again, I like my Mac. I love my iPhone and all of my iPods. But honestly, Apple needs to get its act together and put a respectable GPU in the MacBook. The last iBook had a Radeon 9550, which had video deblocking for DVDs, WMV, divx/xvid. Why does the MacBook have to suffer with a GPU that makes DVDs look terrible? There are integrated solutions out there that have respectable video processing.. such as the ATI X200m, X1100, X1250, nVidia GeForce Go 6150, 7150.. why does Apple use the worst of all?

Maybe I'm a little disgruntled.. after receiving this system from HP, I look at my MacBook and wish it had a dedicated GPU and realize the only option for getting an Apple notebook with a respectable GPU is to spend $1,999 for a 128MB GPU. Honestly, if Apple doesn't get a respectable GPU (no, the Intel X3100 is NOT respectable.. its more of the same old junk, but it finally has hardware T&L!), then this MacBook I have will be the only MacBook I ever have. I like OS X, but I like watching DVDs and video more. I'd rather have my video look good and be able to play games than have OS X.

You set out to give a more "fair" review, but I'm not sure you achieved it.

It is completely unacceptable to run Windows without virus software installed with real time protection. That much goes without saying. Presumably there is a hit to the CPU, but unless you run something silly like Norton, I suppose it's unlikely to use 10% of the CPU.

Your comments on a dedicated GPU are also misleading. I have been running a Powerbook G4 with an onboard GPU for over 2 years, and have never noticed the difference. I don't play games but I do play videos. However, I don't reply on my Mac for good video quality.

You dwell on this area for most of your post, but ultimately it depends what you use your laptop for. If you are going to play games or regularly watch videos on your laptop, then something like the M1330 might be more down your street. If you don't (I just use my Xbox 360 for that), then maybe the Macbook with its ability to run Mac OS X is more attractive.

 

[thies]

same old question: should a consumer product fulfil consumer needs? I would say yes. And in todays world that means being able to as an example play at least aging games like World of Warcraft with its 9 million subscribers. A GMA 950 is struggling with that task.
I would say as a consumer I can demand more than this shoddy hardware from last year for 1000$. More so looking at the competitors who do offer more for less money.
a GMA x3100 is the least they should offer, a dedicated GPU would be appropriate.

 

[Roba]

Tibi08 what PowerBook G4 do you own? I thought that the PB's came with a dedicated graphics card and not an integrated card.

 

[Capt Underpants]

The M1330 is what the 13" MBP could've been.

I'm thinking about buying one to replace my 12" Powerbook. I sent an email to Apple about my predicament, and they simply replied, "You should check out the dell in person before you buy... you might be surprised".

I don't think Apple likes its customers anymore.