BIOS: Technology Means Business

Mobile gamers now can bring the firepower of dual-core processors and 512MB graphics to their next tournament thanks to Dell’s fastest consumer laptop to date - the XPS M1710. While it’s uncertain whether Dell with continue its XPS line of gaming products now that it has acquired Alienware, the XPS products continue to be among the most powerful and stylish gaming systems currently on the market. The XPS M1710 (from £1199) is no exception and is definitely Dell’s coolest laptop to date.

For serious gamers looking for an edge on their next opponent, the XPS M1710 offers blazing performance (at least for a single-GPU system) to match its bold looks. With Intel Core Duo processors, nVidia 512MB GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics technology (by far the most powerful mobile graphics chipset available) and up to 4GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, the XPS M1710 should deliver around 30 per cent better performance than its predecessor - the Inspiron XPS Gen 2.

What this means in real life is that you can play the latest 3D games at even higher settings for added realism and speedier frame rates, while simultaneously performing intensive tasks such as encoding music or running a virus scan without zapping performance. However, we still don’t recommend this if you’re FPS-obsessed. Another really neat feature is that Dell offers unique design choices of Special Edition Formula Red or Metallic Black displays so gamers can play in high style. To further customise the look, each XPS M1710 features an illuminated XPS touchpad, adjustable 16-colour perimeter lighting and white-clad keyboard.

Starting at 3.96kg, the XPS M1710, with its magnesium-alloy reinforced road-ready chassis, is rugged enough to withstand punishment yet light enough to take the game on the road without draining your energy. We reviewed the Metallic Black model and it looked amazing. Virtually identical to the Inspiron XPS Gen 2, the only real giveaway to this new model in terms of looks is the shiny new lid design and illuminated touchpad. Otherwise, the XPS M1710 offers all the same chassis features and connectivity options as its predecessor, although the SD memory card reader has been upgraded to additionally support MS/Pro and xD cards.

Dell has increased the brightness of its TrueLife 17-inch widescreen UXGA (1920x1200 pixels) display by 30 per cent to enhance detail and clarity for games, photos and movies. The laptop also comes with MediaDirect instant-on software and dedicated media controls (alter volume levels and skip tracks etc). MediaDirect boots in seconds and lets you play everything from DVD movies to MP3 files. It also lets you access media files on your HDD, optical drive, or the included 5-in-1 card reader. Unfortunately, there’s still no dedicated Wi-Fi button or built-in camera, or even a TV tuner. You can, however, purchase an external USB tuner separately.

Additional XPS M1710 features include an Intel Duo Core T2600 processor, 2GB DDR2 memory (expandable to 4GB), 120GB (7200rpm) SATA hard disk drive, 8x DVD+/-RW burner, 9-cell battery (lasts around 2.5 hours), built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11a/g), 56K Data Fax Modem, and Dell Rapid Driver program for access to the latest gaming peripheral drivers, minimum-software option with no pre-installed entertainment or productivity suites, and personalised XPS service with dedicated sales, specially trained technicians and designated phone queue.

Connectivity ports are among the best we’ve seen on a laptop and include six USB ports, 4-pin FireWire, analogue VGA, DVI-D for displaying digital content over an HD-ready display, microphone and headphone jacks, Gigabit LAN, S-videoout, and ExpressCard slot (all your legacy PC Cards are useless).

Dell has again delivered one of the most advanced laptops to the gaming community, especially customers who want the performance and freedom to play intensive games such as Oblivion and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter anywhere. And if you want to draw attention at your next gaming soiree, the XPS M1710 is just the ticket. Even with nVidia’s GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics chipset and the fastest Intel Core Duo processor available, it’s still the best gaming laptop deal in town.

[9] - Editors' Choice

[Best Laptop Pricing UK]
[Best Laptop Pricing US]