Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Dell launches a 'gamers' notebook

abhishekit

abhishekit

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Nov 6, 2003
1,297
0
akron , ohio
Dell launched inspiron xps, which is p4 3.2 gig. its targeted at the 'highly profitable' gamers segment. Its base price is around 3000$, and it weighs 9 lb..!!! you can get the whole article here

So I wonder how much would be the price of g5 pb, whenever it comes out...Seeing the price of xps, i guess it would definitely be more than 3000$.
shucks:( i was dreaming of owning one..
 
I have to wonder about the battery life of that machine, especially if it has the Pentium 4 EE inside. The ordinary Pentium 4 has a high power consumption figure; I'd imagine the P4EE's figure to be even higher. I don't understand why a PC maker would put a power-hungry processor like the P4EE in a notebook unless the intent was to have the notebook run on AC power constantly and only have the portability aspect for moving the machine from place to place. Last time I checked, the battery life for a notebook with an ordinary Pentium 4 was about 30 minutes. My expectation for this one: 15 minutes or less (at full power, with no power-saving features enabled).
 
Originally posted by wrldwzrd89
Last time I checked, the battery life for a notebook with an ordinary Pentium 4 was about 30 minutes. My expectation for this one: 15 minutes or less (at full power, with no power-saving features enabled).
Click to expand...

...Really, I get 2+ hours on my laptop (see Signature) with the CPU, GPU, and Memory timings overclocked to their respective limits, WITH Wireless, and the specs are almost identical, sans the M11. I don't see why the Dell wouldn't get the same, if not more battery time should they choose to package it with a more powerful battery.
 
Originally posted by io_burn
...Really, I get 2+ hours on my laptop (see Signature) with the CPU, GPU, and Memory timings overclocked to their respective limits, WITH Wireless, and the specs are almost identical, sans the M11. I don't see why the Dell wouldn't get the same, if not more battery time should they choose to package it with a more powerful battery.
Click to expand...

I would imagine that the battery used in both P4EE notebooks contributes a significant amount to their weight. I wonder if Apple can find a way to improve the performance of their PowerBook line and yet increase the average battery life.
 
Originally posted by wrldwzrd89
I don't understand why a PC maker would put a power-hungry processor like the P4EE in a notebook unless the intent was to have the notebook run on AC power constantly and only have the portability aspect for moving the machine from place to place.
Click to expand...

um, because it's targeted for gamers?

i think the intent is to make it easier to have LAN game parties, where power will be supplied by AC but you want to be able to move the computer.
 
Originally posted by jxyama
um, because it's targeted for gamers?

i think the intent is to make it easier to have LAN game parties, where power will be supplied by AC but you want to be able to move the computer.
Click to expand...

Yes, of course! That's what I was trying to say - I just didn't say it very well. That's exactly why it exists. I just think it might not fare as well on battery power.
 
Originally posted by abhishekit
15 minutes or less!!! man,...that would definitely suck...
Click to expand...

Keep in mind guys that anyone dealing with 9LBS isn't looking for batt life. The old school term is a PC luggable.

conv1.jpg



This is a subset of that concept designed for gamers. You can bet this thing would rock at a LAN party. :D
Heck you can even upgrade the video card in that sucker. Sweet.
You can bet this sucker runs hot though. Look at the form:

xps_left_closed_314.jpg

The thing is standing on legs to provide ventilation I bet.
 
Now it makes sense to me. The computer is meant to be used at events like LAN parties running off AC power most of the time. It has 3 fans because of the high heat levels the P4EE generates. However, having a P4EE gives the computer the kind of performance gamers crave, all while fitting the classic definition of 'PC luggable' (as stated by an earlier poster) by weighing 9 lbs. plus.
 
The problem with huge laptops like these is as follows:

I bought my Sager because I run a LAN party, and go to LANs whenever there's one in the area on a weekend. Lugging all my desktop crap was getting rather old after a while, so I figured I'd buy a desktop replacement gaming laptop. About $4000 later I've got a seemingly awesome little mobile computer that could play any game I throw at it at 1024x768 at max detail settings (anti-stropic, anti-aliasing, etc).

The problem lies in the fact that it's neither really an exceptionable desktop, or an exceptionable laptop, it lies somewhere in between, and is completely un-upgradable. With my old PC desktop, I'd buy the newest graphics cards when they came out, new motherboards, processors... Essentially if you can budget a few hundred bucks a month towards a PC you'll always have the top of the line stuff.

I can't do this with my laptop... 6 months later I'm left thinking "Well, I've got the 9600, wish I had a 9700... ahh well." When in a desktop, I'd have the Radeon 9800 XT in my desktop the day the cards starting shipping.

So I would have to give the new Dell laptop a thumbs down because of the fact that it may be really cool now, but in a year, you'll just have a laptop that's 4 inches thick that isn't cool anymore, and there will be nothing you can do about it. I'm in the process of selling my laptop and getting a small form factor PC. This shoe-box sized PC will easily fit in one of those rubbermid tote boxes with an LCD, keyboard, and everything else I need... all the while being completely upgradable.
 
I guess this was the ATI 9700 annoucement where one major manufacturer was undisclosed for another week or so. So it did turn out to be Dell...
 
Originally posted by io_burn
With my old PC desktop, I'd buy the newest graphics cards when they came out, new motherboards, processors... Essentially if you can budget a few hundred bucks a month towards a PC you'll always have the top of the line stuff.

I can't do this with my laptop... 6 months later I'm left thinking "Well, I've got the 9600, wish I had a 9700... ahh well." When in a desktop, I'd have the Radeon 9800 XT in my desktop the day the cards starting shipping.
Click to expand...
oh you can upgrade the graphics board on this one...quoted from teh article "Because enthusiasts expect more for their PC dollar, Dell will also offer a graphics upgrade program, under which customers will be able to move to higher-performance graphics boards in the future."
 
Originally posted by abhishekit
oh you can upgrade the graphics board on this one...quoted from teh article "Because enthusiasts expect more for their PC dollar, Dell will also offer a graphics upgrade program, under which customers will be able to move to higher-performance graphics boards in the future."
Click to expand...

Yes, but the problem is, you'll have to order it direct from Dell. I paid $100 for a replacement keyboard for my old Latitude, you haven't been raked over the coals until you've been raked by Dell for laptop parts. :)
 
i agree with the SFF pcs, they are pimpingly good.

I am toying with the idea of building one myself, athlon 64, radeon 9800xt....i got to some lan partys her in NL and yeah, laptops obselete too quickly (though not my sweeeet powerbook, nice powerbook, good powerbook) and yeah, as the above guy/girl/tree/rock said, dell will bend you over on the replacement costs....

plus these SFF pcs weigh nothing (not the 4.5kgs this dell is), well, ok, if they do weigh 4.5kgs, you get more....

still, i am waiting for them to start putting "go faster" stripes on these big things
 
Originally posted by virividox
its ugly
Click to expand...

Yes and that's all that matters. :rolleyes:

Someday I will introduce you an idea. Its called function over form.

A friend of mine created a LAN party rig who's case was nothing more then blown styrofoam around the motherboard, RAM, CPU, video card, power supply, etc. He made air holes for the more heat prone components by placing flexible hoses in strategic places before applying the foam or whatever the heck he used. Its one big freaking blob with a bunch of ports and fans hanging out of it. Ugly as heck and easily portable and freaking fast.
 
Originally posted by SiliconAddict
Someday I will introduce you an idea. Its called function over form.
Click to expand...

and target marketing too.

people who's gonna shell out couple grands for gaming laptops probably aren't that concerned or interested in the design of the laptop.

this is not going to be one of those "proudly open up at the starbucks for all to check out" laptops. it's going to be "describe what's inside to your gaming buddies so they can drool over them" laptops.
 
I never understand why people pay some much for things like this, when you can get a console for $100...

Sure it won't have quite as good graphics, but 640x480 looks better on a TV than a monitor, you have zero problems, and you don't have to upgrade to play the latest games. It even encourages good programming and optimisation to try to get the best out of an ageing system. As for portability, well the GameCube has a handle..
 
Ok, well, you write Desert Combat, Counter-Strike, Warcraft 3, or for that matter any popular LAN game sor GameCube and that arguement might make sense.
 
I never understand why people pay some much for things like this, when you can get a console for $100...
Click to expand...

agreed, i got a ps2 to play games... no probs
got the mac to do the rest... also no problems


as i tell everyone, if you want games... get a dedicated game machine... not a computer
 
Yeah, it would be great to just get a hundred dollar game console, but none of the good games that you have access to on the computer are on them. Unless I see Black and White, Age of Empires, Command and Conquer, Sim City, and stuff like that on an Xbox or Gamecube, I can't see just cutting out the gaming market on the computer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back