Who's Better? Apple vs. Dell

Pros:

Relatively lightweight, sleek design.
Widescreen display.
Quick and easy to upgrade the RAM and hard drive.
Quite fast when running "Universal" applications, as fast as some MacBook Pro models in some situations.
Gigabit Ethernet standard.
Built-in iSight camera for easy video conferencing.
Clever "MagSafe" connector helps protect the system from damage.
Relatively inexpensive.

Cons:

Heavier than the replaced PowerBook G4 12" models and some competitive Windows notebooks.
Glossy display casts a glare in direct lighting.
Processor cannot be upgraded.
MacOS X applications forced to run via "Rosetta" sometimes are no faster, and sometimes are slower, on some MacBook models than the same applications running on late model PowerPC-based Macs.
No support of MacOS 9/Classic applications.
Integrated graphics "borrow" system RAM and are substantially slower than dedicated graphics.
No internal modem.
No expansion slot (ExpressCard/34 or PC Card).
Built-in iSight may prevent use in high-security environments.
Prior to the introduction of the "Early 2009" MacBook, the entry-level MacBook consistenly had been more expensive than the entry-level iBook models.

A 13.3-inch glossy widescreen.
The moment you open your new MacBook, its glossy LED-backlit display greets you with glorious, full-screen brightness and brings your photos, movies, and presentations alive with luminous color. The widescreen resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels gives you plenty of room to multitask, yet it's compact enough to take anywhere. And the display is greener than ever: power efficient, free of harmful toxins such as mercury, and made of arsenic-free glass.

Up to 7 hours per charge, up to 1000 recharges.

Now take MacBook with you everywhere without worrying about plugging in or even carrying your power adapter. Its built-in lithium-polymer battery lasts up to 7 hours on a single charge,1 which makes it perfect for long flights, all-day workshops, and marathon study sessions. Thanks to its advanced battery chemistry and charging technology, the MacBook battery can be recharged up to 1000 times - good for about five years of typical usage - and lasts nearly three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries.2 That makes for less waste. And that, in turn, makes for one environmentally friendly battery.

More room to navigate,
more ways to interact.
The first thing you might notice - or not notice - about the new MacBook Multi-Touch trackpad is the button. The entire trackpad is the button, so you can click anywhere on the touch-friendly glass surface. Not having a separate button also makes for a larger trackpad surface, giving your fingers more room to move, click, and gesture. And because the trackpad supports Multi-Touch gestures, you can use one or more fingers to interact with your documents, images, and applications with gestures such as two-finger scroll, pinch, swipe, and rotate. If you come from a right-click world, you can configure a right-click area on the trackpad or simply press with two fingers.

Action hero.
With MacBook, you get an amazing consumer-level graphics experience that's great for popular 3D games like Spore, Call of Duty, and Sims 3. The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor provides an outstanding everyday graphics experience with up to a 5x performance boost.3 Based on an advanced architecture, NVIDIA graphics deliver smooth, responsive gameplay, so you can immerse yourself in game worlds that come to life with rich color, fine detail, and fluid motion - all without sacrificing battery life.

Productivity expert.
With a fast 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, MacBook breezes through everyday tasks such as emailing, web browsing, and working with documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in iWork or Microsoft Office for Mac (sold separately). It also provides plenty of horsepower for more processor-intensive activities such as retouching a photo in iPhoto, editing an iMovie project, and composing a new song using GarageBand, so you can make the most of the included iLife suite of applications. It even runs Microsoft Windows at native speeds. Better still, MacBook comes standard with 2GB of memory (with support for up to 4GB), so you can run multiple applications smoothly and efficiently.

Personal librarian.
Music, photos, and movies - not to mention your documents and other files - start adding up. That's why MacBook offers plenty of storage space. It includes a large 250GB hard drive with options up to a voluminous 500GB, so you can take it all with you.4

Even the power cord is an innovation.
The MagSafe Power Adapter has a magnetic connection instead of a physical one. So if someone happens to trip over the power cord while you're working, they won't send your new MacBook flying off a table or desk. Instead, the cord breaks cleanly away, without damage to either the cord or the system. As a bonus, you can tell if your MacBook is fully charged when the LED on the connector changes from amber to green.

Wireless that works.
Connect to the Internet at fast speeds anywhere thanks to the built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi.5 Like everything else about a Mac, joining Wi-Fi networks couldn't be simpler. If you've previously connected to a network, your Mac automatically logs you in so you can immediately email, surf the web, or video chat.6 Have a phone, headset, keyboard, or mouse with Bluetooth wireless technology? They can all connect to your MacBook courtesy of built-in Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology - and it remembers all your devices, too.

Burn CDs and DVDs.
MacBook comes standard with a built-in SuperDrive. What makes it super? You can enjoy your favorite DVD movies and music CDs. You can burn your own CDs or DVDs to back up data or create your own music mixes. Or you can use the included iDVD software to burn Hollywood-style iMovie creations then watch them on a DVD player.

Ports with possibilities.
With MacBook, you get easy plug-and-play support for your digital devices including your digital camera, printer, external hard drive, mouse, and keyboard - not to mention your iPhone and iPod. Just connect them to one of the handy ports. Want to expand your workspace? Use the new Mini DisplayPort to connect an Apple LED Cinema Display to extend your MacBook desktop. Or connect a projector to show your work on the big screen. MacBook also includes a Gigabit Ethernet port, a headphone jack that doubles as an audio-in port, and a convenient lock slot so you can keep your MacBook secure.

Built-in iSight camera.
Cleverly integrated - almost hidden - at the top of the MacBook display is an iSight camera that takes photos and shoots video. Use it with the built-in microphone and the included iChat software, so you can be anywhere without actually being there. Video chat with up to three of your friends, share a video with your mom, or give a presentation to a client.5 Use your iSight with Photo Booth to take quick pictures and add fun photo effects. Or use it with QuickTime X to record a video and share it to iTunes, MobileMe, or YouTube with just a click. Best of all, there's no need to waste valuable primping time installing software or configuring the camera. Like everything Mac, iSight just works, right out of the box.

Pros:

Unmatched 3D performance, fantastic for gaming or high-end 3D tasks
Cool and quiet, even when gaming for hours
Very cool looking, especially the lights -- could be mistaken as UFO from a distance
Great keyboard
Nice screen, very bright and good colors

Cons:

Wireless problems, for this pre-production unit at least
Area below LCD and top of keyboard has some flex
No PCMCIA card slot for any accessories you had for older notebooks
Want it? Show Dell the money! Premium notebooks command a premium $$ price.

For Describing Features I Am Going To Take Dell XPS Laptop M1710

The Dell XPS M1710 design is, in a word, brazen. In daylight the striking red or metallic black lid will catch the eyes of just about anyone nearby. In the dark, if you stand far enough away this thing looks more like a UFO as the lights glow in a somewhat eery yet cool manner. I'll let the pictures of the light display the M1710 emits tell the story, the light colors are configurable with up to 16 color options for each light via a Dell included QuickSet program. Outside of the lid and lights, the rest of the look is silver. I'm used to seeing a black keyboard on Dell machines, but this one sports a more sleek looking silver keyed look, which is nice and fits the design well.

You'll notice the XPS M1710 has somewhat of an industrial look and this is true to the actual build of the notebook. The M1710 is very sturdy; it uses an all magnesium-alloy case on the top and bottom. The keyboard and palm rest area is made of a thick rugged plastic. This results in strong overall physical protection of the notebook, worry-free of case cracks appearing or problems with excessive flexing. The hinges are constructed of steel, Dell claims they have been tested for up to 20,000 cycles (openings and closings) to assure freedom from loosening and wobble. Honestly, the lid on this notebook is possibly the strongest I've tested on any notebook, it does not flex at all and is stronger protection than even the renknowned ThinkPad notebook line. The hard drive has a StrikeZone shock absorber for small drops and bumps for protection in small drops.

There is one part of the build that's lacking, the plastic on the bottom of the LCD is easy to bend and flex. It's not likely that you would be touching this area often, but still worth noting to keep the review honest. The area above the keyboard where the status lights are is also somewhat flexible.

The weight of this notebook isn't as bad as you might think. I've run across seventeen inch screen notebooks that make you groan just picking them up to move from one surface to the next. The XPS M1710 is quoted as being 8.8 lbs by Dell, I weighed both the M1710 and its power adapter together and the total came it at just over 10 lbs.

The XPS M1710 has a 17" widescreen WUXGA (1920 x 1200 resolution) LCD with the Dell TrueLife (glossy screen) treatment. The TrueLife is a standard feature on the M1710 and a good option for an entertainment machine as it really does provide greater contrast and bolder colors. The display on the XPS M1710 is 30% brighter than the M170 it is replacing. The XPS M1710 has 250 nits of brightness while the M170 was about 200 nits.

I found the screen to be excellent for all tasks, from surfing the web to gaming and watching movies. It is very sharp with excellent contrast and brightness. There is no noticeable ghosting during games or any image tearing/smearing. White looks like white, and black looks like black. However, there are some imperfections in the display. It is not evenly lit -- there is noticeable light leakage coming from the bottom of the display. When the display is showing a completely dark scene, there are bright spots in the middle and to the right. I am pleased to report that none of the light leakage is noticeable during general use, so I don't view it as an issue for most people.

It's rare to find a notebook that has decent speakers, but with the Dell M1710 being a premium level entertainment package, Dell went out of their way to provide for some decent built-in sound. The integrated sub-woofer provides for some decent bass that's always missing from the average notebook. It also provides for extra oomph with sound volume, at top volume the sound is definitely too loud.

It was actually a pleasure to listen to music via the speakers on this notebook. Same goes for movie audio.

Processor, Performance, Benchmarks and Gaming:

The reason to buy the XPS M1710 is for gaming performance. In that area, this notebook will deliver the most power of any notebook short of a high-end SLI dual graphics card setup.

Nvidia's new GeForce Go7900GTX is the most powerful graphics card. It replaced the Go7800GTX. Gaming is phenomenal; there's not a notebook on the market that is as fast as this one at the moment.

Now, onto the benchmarks!

* Note: All benchmarks were performed with the stock clocks of 500/600MHz, all latest Windows updates, and LaptopVideo2Go drivers version 84.26. Minimal background processes were running, internal Bluetooth and wireless cards were disabled, and anti-virus protection was switched off. *

We use Super Pi to calculate overall processor number crunching speed, our favorite is to calculate Pi to 2 million digits of accuracy. The XPS M1710 calculates Pi to 2-million digits of accuracy faster than any other notebook we've used. Those mathematically inclined will be proud of this student.

The Dell XPS M1710 has a very efficient and quiet cooling system. Not only is it quiet, but it also is has a very smart design. Dell has split up two of the most heat-producing components in the notebook, and placed them on opposite sides of the computer. The processor is on one, and the video card on the other, both using separate fans and heatsinks. This is very effective at cooling the M1710, because heat is spread out and has more room to escape.

Even after hours of gaming, the surface of the notebook only gets mildly warm, nothing to worry about in the least. The palm rests remain cool at all times. No part on the surface gets hot to the touch. The bottom, however, does. Directly in the center is the RAM compartment. It is perforated to get ventilation, but still remains very warm. It is somewhat uncomfortable to touch. The bottom right side also gets very hot. It's not unexpected to have the bottom of the notebook heat up, given how powerful the internal components are.

This is the quietest notebook I have used to date. Even at full tilt, it is hard to tell the fans are running. At idle, it has to be completely silent to hear the soft trickle of warm air coming out. Very, very impressive!

The keyboard on the XPS M1710 actually looks and feels quite a bit different to all other Dell notebooks I've used. The keyboard keys are not black, as they so typically are, but rather a silver color that blends with the rest of the case color. The keys are also more springy and have more travel than is typical with a Dell notebook, which is to my liking. The keyboard actually turns out to be extremely usable and has a nice feel, and while the M1710 is not meant as a productivity tool for Office Applications, I'd be quite happy doing a lot of typing on this notebook. There is no flex to the keyboard, it is built very sturdily. In addition, the palm rests are extremely solid. Since the battery lies underneath the palm rest area, this would explain the sheer solidness of the area (a good thing).

At the top of the keyboard there resides two functional buttons, the Media Direct button allows you to quickly boot to a Linux OS that allows you to play media (see OS section for more) and then there's the rounded power button located at top center.

The touchpad is very cool with the XPS lighting, but more importantly it's actually a decent size and works well with scroll zones on the right side for vertical scroll and on the bottom for horizontal scroll. Again though, if you're using this notebook more for gaming and entertainment then the touchpad won't cut it for accurate input control, you'll need a game controller or high precision mouse.

The port selection on the XPS M1710 is about as good as you can ask for, 6 USB 2.0 ports is better than many desktop machines and you have all the video connectors you could want with the VGA out, DVI and S-Video out connector. You could gripe about not having a PCMCIA slot if you have old accessories you'd like to use with this, but the ExpressCard is fast becoming the default expansion slot for notebooks -- hopefully accessory makers will catch up soon by making more cards that fit this slot, right now the selection is a bit limited (see a list of Express Card accessories here http://www.expresscard.org/web/do/pub/resourcedirectory).

The XPS M1710 comes with an Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 card, supporting A, B, and G bands. It is one of the newer cards in the mini PCI-express format, versus the older mini-PCI format. It is much smaller and consumes less power.

I had some major wireless-related problems early on with the XPS. I could connect to my Netgear 802.11g router fine, but I had fluctuating speed issues. Gaming was nearly impossible over wireless. After about twenty minutes of being connected, I had additional problems -- I would lose my connection, and the small WiFi light would begin to flicker. This was odd, because I set the wireless card to not turn off and to stay at maximum power. It flickered for about one minute, then went off. From then on in, I could not access anything to do with the wireless connection or the settings of the wireless card -- as soon as I did, the system would freeze. The only way I could restore the wireless was to do a full restart, and then I would have the same problems.

I attempted to uninstall the wireless card drivers and software and reinstall them, updaing the drivers, changing network keys, and so on. How I eventually fixed it was by completely uninstalling the wireless adapter, and letting Windows install the wireless card. It now works great using the generic Windows wireless software. On a system of this caliber, I should not have to fool around with the wireless to make it work -- it should perform flawlessly right out of the box. Hopefully, this will only be an issue on the review unit and not on future systems, we conferred with Dell on this issue and they had not heard such reports and emphasized this is a pre-production unit.

The battery is a 9-cell located at the front area of the notebook, which is a little different to the normally far back positioned location. The battery has a nice feature in which you can push in on it to light up 5 green LEDs to display how much charge is left, this works whether the notebook is on or off.

Now, if you're buying the XPS M1710, there's probably a good chance that you won't be spending a lot of time on battery as it's more of a desktop replacement gaming style machine. But if you do, the battery life is respectable for a computer with this much power. With the screen brightness at 6/7 (near maximum, keep in mind), wireless at full power, and while surfing the Internet, I clocked the battery power to be two hours and five minutes. That's not bad at all. You could certainly add more time if you turned down the brightness.

The power adapter that comes with this notebook is rather huge, to say the least. It weighs about 1.6lbs and is only slightly smaller in length to a DVD (see picture below).

You have three choices of an OS: XP Home, XP Professional and XP Media Center Edition. The operating system I got is Windows Media Center Edition 2005. This is basically Windows XP Home with media center software on top. I didn't get a TV tuner with this unit, but is an option for configuration with the XPS M1710 (external USB solution, not integrated).

Unfortunately the XPS M1710 comes with the typical amount of garbage software that I'd imagine gamer types will cringe at. Then again, techno savvy gamers would be the first to wipe a system and reinstall the OS to their liking, so maybe it's not such a big deal. Software such as Yahoo Music, McAfee, AOL, Corel trial image software are on there to name a few and will pop up and try and get you to subscribe/buy the software.

One nice thing you get with the XPS M1710 is the Media Direct functionality that allows you to quickly load up the machine to play music, view pictures or watch a DVD. You do this by clicking the "Media Direct" button on the front of the laptop. The first time you do this it takes a minute to boot and configure, but after that it's a quick 15-seconds to getting to an application that allows you to play music and other media. I was impressed by the interface and ease of use, all of the media buttons on the front work just as they do in the actual Windows bootup.

That were the features. Now it's your turn to write comments below and help people know which is better and do not forget to complete the survey.