Dell notebooks: Boring no more

Darius Chang | Jun 27, 2007

Editors' note :

More details of the latest Inspirons and XPS M1330 is available here.

With rumors abounding long before anyone even had a peek at the unit, the XPS M1330 is Dell's first machine in the 13-inch category. And with a mere thickness of 23.1mm, it claims to be the world's thinnest 13.3-inch portable. Based on the Centrino Duo platform, it comes in a choice of a black, white or red chassis with a slot-loading optical drive and touch-sensitive media buttons.

Though we like the basic features such as the HDMI, mini remote control and integrated Webcam, we were even more impressed with the range of options offered. The M1330 can be configured with an Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS graphics processor, fingerprint biometric sensor, LED-backlit screen with 300nits brightness, 802.11n radio and a nine-cell battery. In some regions like Singapore, these options comes as standard.

Suffice to say that this XPS suits the needs of basic users all the way to power users. The XPS M1330 starts at S$2,699 (US$1,947.75).

The Inspiron range has become even more consumer-focused and undergone a name change to better reflect its screen size. The new lineup includes the Inspiron 1420, 1520 and 1720 with screen sizes of 14-inch, 15-inch and 17-inch, respectively. The most obvious change is with the color palette that these Inspirons now offer. Users have a choice of eight hues, complete with Wi-Fi catcher and optional Blu-ray optical drives.

Based on the Centrino Duo platform, other options include an integrated Webcam, nine-cell battery and 802.11n radio. The Inspiron 1420 starts at S$1,349 (US$973.52), while the 1520 and 1720 begin at the S$1,699 (US$1,226.10) and S$1,999 (US$1,442.59) price points, respectively.

According to Dell, the XPS M1330 is expected to be available in early July while the new Inspiron series will be on shelves by the end of the week. The XPS unit will, however, be available for preorder now.