Reviewing Dell XPS M1210 (Vista Ultimate), CNET gives it 7.5 out of 10 rating (very good) and writes, “High-end components and performance are generally restricted to midsize and larger laptops, so it’s always nice to see a smaller system aimed at power users. The $2,329 Dell XPS M1210 (configurations start at $1,299) makes the move to Windows Vista, combining power and portability in a package that lives on the outskirts of the ultraportable category. While it’s not for hard-core gamers, those who need above-average performance in a compact system won’t mind paying a premium for this unique road-worthy hybrid.

Typical for Dell systems, the XPS M1210 is highly configurable to suit a wide range of budgets and needs. Our review unit arrived fairly tricked out, including a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 120GB hard drive running at 5,400rpm, a Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 GPU, and Windows Vista Ultimate Edition. Compared to the XP version of the M1210 we looked back in June 2006, this model costs about the same trades up to a Core 2 Duo CPU from a Core Dup and doubles the RAM.

To cut the $3,000 price by more than half, you could go with the default configuration, which trades down to a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 CPU, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, integrated graphics, and Windows Vista Home Premium. That’s still a decent set of specs, if you’re more interested in the M1210’s size and features than in pure performance.

With the upgrades on our review unit, the Dell XPS M1210 is one of the fastest Windows Vista laptops we’ve seen so far, easily beating two laptops with 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 CPUs, the Toshiba Satellite U205-S5057 and the Asus W7J (a Windows XP system we upgraded to Vista) in CNET Labs’ Multitasking test. It was also slightly faster than another T7200-based Dell, the Inspiron E1505. The M1210’s gaming prowess, however, was disappointing, even with the graphics upgrade. In Quake IV, at 1,024×768 resolution, we only got 16.2 frames per second (fps), although not-yet-perfected Windows Vista drivers may be partly to blame. Turning off some high-end geometry and physics options, we were able to get more than 60fps at the same resolution out of FEAR, another popular first-person shooter.”

The good: High-end components in a compact chassis; long battery life; comfortable keyboard.

The bad: Heavy and a bit bulky for a 12-inch laptop; disappointing gaming scores; high-end configurations options are expensive.

The bottom line: Upgraded to Windows Vista, the Dell XPS M1210 is a pricey but powerful system for those who want a smaller laptop with few compromises.

Reviewed unit quick specs:

Dell XPS M1210 Windows Vista Ultimate Edition: 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200; 2,048MB DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz; 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7400; 120GB Hitachi 5,400rpm SATA/150

This entry was posted on February 25, 2007 and is filed under Dell XPS line.