Review Date : 26th Oct' 2007

The Dell XPS M1730 is truly a gamers laptop and for a true gamer only. Our review can actually end here, but it won't.

If you have all the money in this world, you can perhaps buy Dell XPS M1730. For a hefty price tag, Dell has genuinely filled this model to the top with fabulous features.

Starting with the Dual SLI graphics, NVIDIA's exclusive system for multi-GPU solutions resulting in faster rendering of graphics, with this machine you are able to take any of the latest games by their horns. The strong gaming score that Dell XPS M1730 has achieved, on Quake and F.E.A.R for example, as verified by majority of the online review websites, speaks for itself.

Gaming experience is also enhanced with a built-in 10-key pad allowing you to use your normal in-game configuration. Dell has also taken the first step to integrate Logitech's GamePanel LCD in a notebook. It's positioned just above the keyboard and presents essential information for the gamer.

The LCD screen it comes with is meant for games. It's a 17" UltraSharp Widescreen UXGA offering lower refresh rates for less ghosting, and bright vivid colors with a high resolution. If you take this laptop to LAN parties, it certainly will stand out amongst the other computers with its backlit keyboard.

However, the most striking feature of XPS M1730 is the PhysX Accelerator. Designed to take 3D motion to the next level, AGEIA's PhysX really makes the M 1730 stand out from the crowd. It's something that even Alienware doesn't enjoy as of yet. What PhysX does is awesome, it takes values such as speed, power, weight etc and translate them into an effect that is closer to real in show. So all walls will not break equally but depend on how much of power was actually applied. If gaming experience continues moving in this direction of almost-real reality, gaming notebooks will soon come with a label of "Don't try this at home".

As for traditional hardware components, there's nothing Dell should be shy of, or except for the amount of pre-installed RAM, even that stands at 2GB. The processor is top-notch, Core Duo 2 ranging from 2.2GHz to 2.8GHz, Windows Vista Operating System, plenty of storage options etc.

Surprisingly there are some inferior features on this laptop. For some reason, despite its great technology, similar configured laptops are faster on some of the graphics tests, especially those relating to multimedia. But then if you are planning for multimedia and not gaming, go back to the start of this review. As well, the lid as you lift it makes odd noises. It is almost as if they used hinges that are hundred years old with its creaking.

As well, this laptop is far from light. It's bulky starting at 11 pounds without the full-size power adapter. For a laptop, it is like you are carrying a brick. The good side is that this brick has quite a bit of power inside and then it's a desktop replacement after all.

Another downside is the price. You could build a close to equivalent regular desktop for about half as much as you would this laptop. But then how are you going to enjoy those LAN parties? Dell XPS M1730 is the best friend of a gamer who is mobile.