Dell XPS

The Dell XPS is a high-end line of gaming computers sold by Dell. The "Xtreme Performance System", or XPS, dates back to 1993.

Generations

Since Dell revamped the XPS series in 2005, there have been six generations of systems. Each new generation brings significant upgrades to system components, but rarely chassis design updates.

Current XPS desktops

XPS 210 - A small-form-factor case that is 67% smaller than the XPS 410. It does not use full-size PCI slots. The XPS 200 is aimed at being a low-impact machine, meaning it blends in better with the room's features. It is more of a multimedia computer than an actual gaming machine, despite the XPS name. The main difference between the XPS 210 and its predecessor, the XPS 200, is the upgrade to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor line. This makes the XPS 210 faster than the XPS 200.

XPS 420 - It features similar components to the XPS 410, but it now has a different case design and new features. This is Dell's media based computer featuring the Dell Xcelerator (a simple and effective Video Recorder), and an LCD screen in the case, running Windows Vista SideShow. As usual with the 4XX Line of XPS's it does not allow for SLI Graphics.

XPS 630 - This desktop fills the gap between the media-oriented XPS 420 and the high-end XPS 730. It is also known as the XPS 630i. There is no difference between the 630 and the 630i. It features a Dell-modified NVIDIA nForce 650i chipset that supports both SLI and CrossFire configurations, but lacks ESA certification (the only ESA-certified component in the 630i is Dell's I/O control PCB). The XPS 630 comes standard with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU and one NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT graphics card. The 600 was once the top XPS desktop. Currently, there are several issues with the XPS 630 including problems with the chassis fan control, LED lights, LightFX 2.0 lightshow control software being advertised but never shipped, irreversibly limited PCIe slot configuration (8,8,1,1 unlike genuine Nvidia 650i SLI motherboards which also offer the 16,1,1,1 configuration), constant HDD activity light, and lack of SLI memory support. Dell has indicated that they are working on solutions to several of these issues. The problems and issues are currently being examined on the Dell Customer Forums and by a group of XPS 630 owners at my630i.com, but no working fixes for the problems have been released by Dell. The problems have also resulted in PC PRO revoking their Recommended award for the system. Several 630 owners claim to have fixed some of the above problems by utilizing an unmodified and ESA-certified board such as the nForce 790i SLI, or 680i SLI; however, this fix has not been confirmed by Dell. Dell now offers a single 9800 GT graphics card or two in an SLI configuration. It is important to note that the PCI-e slots on the XPS 630 run at 8x, even in a single card configuration. Dell does NOT include an SLI bridge if you purchase the system with only one card.

XPS 730 H2C - This is Dell's latest high- performance gaming computer. It has H2C(A high performance cooling system) as standard, which will be ideal for gaming. Its motherboard , the nVidia nForce 790i Ultra, is capable of overclocking its quad core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 up to 3.64 GHz. Dual channel DDR3 SDRAM system memory is available in US and the UK.. There is a choice of colors also at some outlets. The basic model specs of the PC are: Intel Core 2 Extreme Processor QX9650 (3.46 GHz Overclocked), DUAL 1GB ATI® Radeon® 3870 X2 Crossfire X Graphics Card, 2GB Memory, 1TB 7200Rpm Dual HDD. The base price in the UK is £2,499. The system also comes with an improved H2C cooling device, seen on ultra high gaming computers.

XPS One - Released on November 19, 2007, is the latest addition to the XPS line. With only a single cord, a wireless keyboard and mouse and internal wireless card built right in, the XPS One is designed for minimal fuss and maximum cordless connectivity, similar to Apple's iMac all-in-one PC. Specs of the machine include a 20-inch 1,680 x 1050 display, up to a 2.66 GHz E6550 Core 2 Duo processor, integrated or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400 graphics, up to 4 GB (4 GiB) of RAM, four-flavor WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n) plus Bluetooth, 2 DIMM slots (667/800 MHz), a slot-load DVD-R or Bluray, a TV tuner card, a 2 MP integrated camera, lighted proximity touch buttons on the monitor, and a 200 W power supply.

Previous XPS desktops

XPS 1000B - A gaming system that came out in 2000. It usually contained an Intel Pentium 3, 128 MB of RAM, and a 64 MB Graphics Card. Later models included a DVD drive.

XPS Gen 2 - Included Pentium 4 Processor (Codename Northwood; Brand ID 9) with HyperThreaded (HT) Technology that causes CPU to act like 2 CPUs (3.4 GHz, 800 MHz Bus, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, 400 MHz dual-channel DDR SDRAM (400Mhz), Supports SATA and IDE hard drives, 1 AGP Slot, 4 PCI slots, Sound Blaster Audigy², and Dell Wireless Keyboard and Mouse. Video Card included was ATI Radeon 9800 Pro (AGP x8). [1]

XPS Gen 3 - Circa August 2004 - Included Pentium 4 Processor 550 with HT Technology (3.40 GHz, 800 FSB), Microsoft Windows XP Professional, dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, Sound Blaster Audigy², and Logitech MX500 Optical Mouse. The video card was the then-brand new ATI Radeon X800XT (PCIe x16).

XPS Gen 4

XPS Gen 5

XPS 200 - This model was available from late 2005 to the end of the 3rd quarter of 2006. It was replaced by the XPS 210, which is nearly identical to its predecessor. The main exception in this case is the upgrade to an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and other minor adjustments.

XPS 400 - This model was available during late 2005 and the first half of 2006. It was replaced by the XPS 410, which is nearly identical with the exception of an optional Intel Core 2 Duo processor and slightly different audio and video card options.

XPS 410 - The former intermediate model of the XPS series and bigger brother to the Dimension E510. It features a base configuration of an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Quad is also available as an option. Other base options include the NVIDIA GeForce 7300LE, 7200RPM SATA-300 hard drive, and dual-channel DDR2 RAM. The case is nearly identical to that of the Dimension E510, with an additional 3.5" drive bay being added. The case is physically taller because of this. The power supply is also slightly more powerful than the Dimension E510 (375 W vs 305 W, respectively). The XPS 410 replaced the XPS 400. It was replaced by the XPS 420. XPS 410 units were also sold as the Dimension 9200, allowing dell to continue selling remaining units after the XPS 410 was discontinued.

In an odd twist, the Dimension 9200 was the final desktop in the Dimension line, effectively making an XPS unit the last in the Dimension family.

XPS 600 - The former flagship model of the XPS series that features an Intel dual-core Pentium D 950 processor, dual nVidia GeForce 7900GTX in SLI mode, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, and dual-channel DDR2 RAM. This case has not changed significantly over the past several generations, with the large aluminum plate on the front. Discontinued a few days after XPS 700 launch and succeeded by the XPS 700.

XPS 710 - The formal flagship model of the XPS series that features the new Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors, as well as Core 2 Quad processors. Other features include dual nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2 in Quad SLI mode, 7200RPM SATA hard drive, dual-channel DDR2 RAM and for the first time in an XPS desktop, a unique "leaning" aluminum case. The XPS 710 uses significantly larger power supplies than the other XPS models to accommodate higher-end video cards and overclocked CPUs. It was replaced by the XPS 720.

XPS 720 H2C - The H2C edition computer has included a dual-stage radiator cooling technology, and a motherboard capable of overclocking its quad core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700. The H2C comes standard with dual nVidia GeForce 8800GTX cards running in SLI at a price of $6,780. The XPS 720 H2C uses slightly higher quality parts than the other XPS classes and is currently one of the most powerful and one of the fastest pre-built systems that an individual can purchase by a significant margin. Hampering its overall performance however, are the locations of the PCIe 16x slots. In an ideal SLI configuration, the 16x slots must be close enough to allow the SLI Bridge to connect both video cards. In the case of the XPS 720 motherboard, however, the closest slot to the first 16x (that is closest to the processor) is an 8x; the second 16x is at the far edge of the board. This is now not available in the UK. In the U.S. the XPS 720 H2C is only available through Dell Outlet now, meaning no new computers of this model are being manufactured.

XPS 720 - This is the same as the XPS 720 H2C, except it does not have the "dual-stage radiator cooling technology." It comes in two versions, the Red Special Edition, which is the same as the Black normal one, except it has a 1 kW Power Supply. The Black normal edition has only a 750 W Power Supply. This is now not available in the UK. Like the XPS 720 H2C this is only available in the U.S. through Dell Outlet.

Current XPS laptops

XPS M1730 - The newest version higher-end mobile XPS computer available in grey, white, blue, or red chassis that features a 17" widescreen, Intel Core 2 Duo processors, dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX video cards, two 7200 RPM SATA hard drives available in RAID, and up to 4GB DDR2 SDRAM. The M1730 does offer unique user- and software-changeable LED lighting in the touchpad, fan outlets/inlets, as well as the lid and speaker grills, also including BluRay Disc Drive in some models. The system was marketed to gamers. It was physically redesigned with a completely new chassis. New with this latest version is a built in AGEIA physics card to enable PhysX enhanced titles take advantage of hardware accelerated physics, the option for 64 GB solid state drives, a back lit keyboard including a number pad, and a miniature gaming LCD display above the keyboard. The M1730 has been criticized for its looks, increase in weight and size compared to previous models, and for having only marginal performance gains in select games. The last complaint is likely due to Nvidia only having recently released a mobile version of the 8800M video card. Dell is now offering the M1730 with dual 8800M GTX graphics cards, which are said to have a 174% power increase (as quoted by Dell) over the dual 8700 GTs.

XPS M1530 - This 15.4" laptop, released on November 28, 2007, features the Intel Santa Rosa platform. The XPS M1530 is almost identical in design to the XPS M1330 except that it is a bit thicker and heavier with a 15.4" CCFL or LED screen. It can be configured with Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processors up to T7800 (2.6 GHz)/T9500 (2.6 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache)), up to 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667 MHz, up to 320 GB 5400 rpm hard drive/500 GB 5400 rpm hard drive or an optional 64 GB solid-state drive, and can be configured with a Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS or 8600M GT GPU. Wireless draft-n is also available (802.11n). The XPS M1530 includes a biometric fingerprint reader and a 2 MP webcam. Another option for this laptop is a 1920x1200 display, even though it is 9 inches smaller than Dell's 24 inch monitor. The system weight starts at 2.67 kg (5.9 lbs) and is dependent upon configuration. The laptop contains an internal slot for a Dell mobile broadband card.

XPS M1330 - This 13.3" high end laptop, released on June 26, 2007, features the Intel Centrino Fourth Generation Santa Rosa platform. It features a 13.3" screen either with CCFL or WLED. The WLED version has a 0.3 MP camera, as opposed to the 2 MP camera with the CCFL screen. The XPS 1330 with the WLED screen is thinner and brighter than the previous XPS 1210 version, the thinner WLED screen forcing the optics in the camera to be limited to 0.3 MP. Moreover, XPS 1330 can also feature a biometric fingerprint reader, usually found in business class laptops like the Latitude series. The XPS M1330 also offers the NVIDIA GeForce Go 8400M GS graphics card as an option. Originally, it could only be configured with Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processors up to T7700 (2.4 GHz), but can now be configured with processors up to the Intel Core 2 Duo T9500. The XPS M1330 is also available in the (PRODUCT) RED line along with other Dell computers. There are rumors that the XPS M1330 model will be able to be configured with higher end graphics processing units in the future; however this is unconfirmed. There have been several cases involving M1330 laptops to be cosmetically defective in manufacture, such as loose hinge covers and unusually and uneven gaps between plastic parts, as well as customer complaints concerning "CPU whine". The Dell XPS M1330 has an incredibly light weight. It weighs a mere 1.8kg.

After Dell saw the problem was with the Nvidia chip production G84- and G86-GPU's, they updated the BIOS to A12, the problem is that Nvidia used a chip material that can't stand high temperatures, so the new BIOS update improves cooling.

Previous XPS laptops

XPS M2010 - The top of the line model with 20.1" Widescreen WSXGA with a resolution of 1680x1050+ display with TrueLife with 256MB ATI MobilityTM RADEONTM X1800 Graphics and dual hard drives. The laptop also included a detachable bluetooth keyboard, a bluetooth mouse, and radio-frequency Media Center remote. While the computer could be folded and carried as a laptop with its built-in carrying handle, at about 20lbs, it was widely considered too heavy to be practical. A notable event in the machine's three-year life cycle was its appearance in the movie Iron Man, where it was shown on character Tony Stark's desk.

XPS M1210 - A high performance ultra-portable (12.1" screen) notebook featuring a new case design, Intel Core Duo processor technology, an optional dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 7400 Go video card and an optional integrated web camera (1.3 megapixel). The M1210 also has optional WWAN (wireless wide area networking) features supporting 3G broadband services. Unlike other 12" notebook computers, the M1210 features a built-in optical drive rather than an external. This model was discontinued as of July 31st, 2007. However, it is still sold in Asia.

LED lights on the XPS M1710, set to the color "coral".

XPS M1710 - The higher-end mobile XPS computer available in black or red that features a 17" widescreen, Intel Core 2 Duo processors, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS or 7950GTX video cards, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, and DDR2 SDRAM. The Inspiron E1705/9400 offers similar features, notably the Core Duo or Core 2 Duo processors, 17" screen, and the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900GS for a lesser price (about $1000 less than the M1710). The M1710 does offer unique user- and software-changeable LED lighting in the touchpad and fan outlets/inlets, as well as the lid, also including BluRay Disc Drive in some models. The system was marketed to gamers. It was physically identical to the Inspiron 9400. This computer was later replaced by the current XPS M1730. The dell xps m1710 is still available to order from the dell uk website

Dell XPS M140 Laptop.

XPS M140 - The lower end model XPS computer that has a chassis identical to an Dell Inspiron E1405 laptop. This model features a choice of several Intel mobile processors, 14.1" widescreen and between 512 MB to 2 GB of RAM. This model being more media-oriented than gaming currently does not feature a dedicated graphics card. This model has been replaced by the E1405, a 14.1" laptop physically similar the M140. It features the newer Intel Core Duo processors and Intel's 945 chipset. It is no longer classified as an XPS laptop, however.

Inspiron XPS Gen 2/XPS M170 - This successor to the Inspiron XPS, had replaced the desktop Pentium 4 with a Pentium M processor, which provided almost the same level of performance. It featured a 17" widescreen display at the same resolution as the first generation. Due to the use of a mobile processor, this laptop was thinner and lighter than most other high performance gaming notebooks of its time. It has a design very similar to the XPS M1710. The laptop was rebranded as XPS M170 soon after the GeForce Go 7800 GTX was incorporated.

Inspiron XPS - The first XPS laptop, this computer was a very heavy computer starting at 9.06 pounds without power supply (which added an additional 2.5 pounds). It was offered with either a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 desktop processor, or the Pentium 3.4 Extreme Edition, 1920x1200 15.4" LCD, and subwoofer integrated into the bottom of the case. Earlier models came with an ATI Mobility Radeon 9700, and later models with the Mobility Radeon 9800. Dell promised graphics card upgradability, but only delivered the small 9700->9800 step for 9700 owners (at a $399 price tag, including technician to install it), and never delivered the promised upgrade to the 9800 owners.

Special editions

Over the life of the XPS line, Dell has introduced models which include contemporary cutting-edge features. The first example was the XPS 600 Renegade released in early 2006, which included an Intel Pentium Extreme Edition dual-core 965 processor that was overclocked at the factory from 3.73 GHz to 4.26 GHz. Despite the overclock, Dell honored Intel's warranty for the processor. The case featured an air-brush paint job completed by Mike Lavallee. Most notably, the machine was the first commercially available system to feature a Quad-SLI configuration, with four custom NVIDIA GeForce 7900GTX 512 MB graphics cards. The XPS 600R had a price tag over US$10,000.

The company offered an X-Men special edition XPS gaming desktop. This computer is based on the next generation XPS desktop. No specifications on this model except that it is only available by entering the Dell X-Men contest, and that it sports an X-Men painted case.

In May 2006, the company announced the XPS 700. The XPS 700 chassis is a 56 pound, 24" x 22" x 8.5" aluminum enclosure with bright LED lights in eight selectable colors. The base configuration included high-speed SATA drives and a one-kilowatt power supply.

In November 2006, the company announced the XPS 710.

Also, at CES 2007, Dell announced a few new products, including a specially painted XPS M1710, and an XPS 710 "H2C". This is a special liquid-cooled version of the XPS 710, available with quad-core factory-overclocked processors and comes standard with an NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTX graphics card.

In March 2008, Dell introduced the XPS RED. Some of the profits made on this special edition are being put towards research for a cure for the AIDS virus.

History

Desktop

• 24 November, 2007: XPS 720 currently shipping [2]

Laptop

• 27 November 2007: M1530 announced
• 5 October 2007: M1730 [3]
• 27 September 2007: M1730 announced
• 26 June 2007: M1330 announced
• 31 May 2006: M2010, M1210 announced
• 18 April 2006: M1710 announced

References

• Dell M1730 Drivers/Software unavailable from Dell WHQL and official get the support you need!
• Dell M1730 Service Manual
• Dell M2010 service manual
• Dell M2010 US Business configurator - may expire/change
• Dell UK store configurator; different options available. May expire/change
• Dell XPS 410 product details as of Friday, January 3, 2025
• Dell XPS M1730 product details as of Friday, January 3, 2025
• Dell XPS M1330 product Details as of Friday, January 3, 2025
• Dell XPS 720H2C product Details as of Friday, January 3, 2025
• Dell XPS 600 Renegade Product Details. May expire/change
• Dell XPS Generation 2 FAQ. Subject to change
• Dell XPS M1710 product review by PC Magazine, December 11, 2006
• Dell XPS M1710 on WikiSpecs
• Overview of the Dell XPS One by Engadget
• Dell XPS M1530 product review by Practical PC, Apr 2008

External links

• Dell XPS Notebooks|Dell XPS Laptops
• Dell XPS Desktops
• Dell XPS 210
• Official Dell XPS Website
• Dell XPS at Wikispecs
• Official Dell E3 Product Page (Requires Flash)
• Blog Review of XPS M1330
• The My630i.com Dell XPS 630i/630 Resource Collective