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More…Packed with the latest mobile technology and Intel's latest processor, the Core 2 Duo, the XPS M1210 is Dell's latest ultraportable entertainment notebook--and a good choice for anyone who needs to work on the go.
Dell Dell XPS M1210
- Spec Navigator
- Processor
- Memory
- Display
- Storage
- Battery
- Dimensions
- Other Features
- Networking
- Multimedia
- Software
- Interface Connections
- Included Devices
Storage
| Total HD Size | 120 GB |
| Optical Drive Type | DVD±R DL/DVD±RW |
| Optical Drive Speed | 4 |
| Removable Optical Drive | No |
| Slots |
|
| Number of Media Slots | 3 |
Battery
| Number of Included Batteries | 1 |
| Standard Number of Batteries | 1 |
| Type of Batteries | Lithium ion |
| Vendor Rated Battery life | 423 |
Networking
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Included network card | Ethernet (10/100 Mbps) |
| Modem Type | V.92 |
| Wireless LAN Type | 802.11a/g |
Multimedia
| Video chipset | nVidia GeForce Go 7400 |
| Installed video memory | 256 MB |
| Video integration | Discrete |
Software
| Included Software |
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| Operating system | Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition |
- Lab Tested
- How We Test Laptops »
Pros
Includes a Webcam
Ports are conveniently laid out
Cons
Subpar sound
Bottom Line
A decked-out ultraportable, the XPS M1210 packs in the features and offers good battery life.
Dell XPS M1210
Dell XPS M1210 Review, by Carla Thornton September 25, 2006
Our test unit, equipped with a 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 processor and 1GB of DDR2-667 SDRAM, produced a WorldBench 5 score of 102, a result that's 5 percent better than the mark of 97 earned by the average XP Media Center Edition notebook with the same-speed equivalent of the previous-generation Core Duo CPU. And our test machine's solid battery life should give you ample time to spend an afternoon telecommuting at the local coffee shop or watching an in-flight DVD: The M1210 lasted 4 hours, 23 minutes on a nine-cell battery.
Dell calls the top-of-the-line configuration that we tested the "Mobile Media Guru." In addition to a 120GB 5400-rpm hard drive and a double-layer DVD burner, it offer bonus A/V features: an integrated 1.3-megapixel swivel Webcam with dedicated shutter button and directional microphone, one pair of noise-isolation earbuds, Skype VOIP videoconferencing software, and a built-in mobile-broadband antenna. (To make use of the antenna, you'll have to dole out another $179 for an integrated broadband card and, of course, pay a hefty monthly subscription to Cingular or Verizon for service.) Our $1909 price (as of 9/8/06) also included Bluetooth short-range wireless communications and a dedicated nVidia GeForce Go 7400 video card with 256MB of memory.
The M1210's design helps it stand out from other small notebooks. The 5-pound unit has a bright, 12.1-inch wide-aspect screen and a full-size keyboard, plus a touchpad with a scroll zone and big, cushy mouse buttons. The external battery gauge, which lets you see how much power you have left without having to turn on the notebook, is one of many thoughtful conveniences.
Movies and media are just one touch away via the keyboard's MediaDirect button, which launches a menu for playing DVDs, MP3s, and photo slide shows without first starting Windows. To control volume and tracks, you have your choice of using the mouse or seven media buttons located on the front of the notebook. The speakers are nothing to write home about, but dual headphone jacks let two people at once enjoy good stereo sound in private. A $101 USB TV tuner and $29 remote control are optional.
The notebook's full complement of connections includes four USB ports, a FireWire port, and a three-in-one memory card slot tucked beneath the optical drive--an unusual but adequately convenient spot. One of the notebook's coolest features, the Wi-Fi Catcher switch with LED, lets you search for a wireless signal--Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or WWAN--before turning on the unit, saving time and battery life.
Storage and memory are both user upgradable, with the hard drive and one of the DIMM slots located in separate bottom compartments. The second memory slot is harder to reach than most that are located beneath the keyboard; its location requires disconnecting the cable and a few other extra steps, but the process is doable. The only other small design faux pas is the ExpressCard slot's old-fashioned eject stick. Like most, it is maddeningly difficult to store.
As one of Dell's "luxury" consumer notebooks, the M1210 comes with a rare full printed user manual, which is thick with attractive illustrations. Microsoft Works 8 rounds out the offering.
With its bevy of entertainment features and bonuses, the lightweight Dell XPS M1210 will keep you both entertained and productive when on the road.
Carla Thornton
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PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
-
88
-
81
-
81
- See Complete Lab Results »
Performance Comparison with Similar Laptops
88
71
54
82
Performance
| ACD Systems ACDSee | 553 |
| Adobe Photoshop | 293 |
| Adobe Premiere | 417 |
| Ahead Nero | 597 |
| Battery Life (Office Applications) | 4:23 |
| Discreet 3ds Max DirectX | 279 |
| Discreet 3ds Max OpenGL | 294 |
| Doom 3, 1024 by 768, 32-Bit | 35.7 |
| Far Cry, 1024 by 768, 32-Bit | 58.4 |
| Microsoft Office XP | 542 |
| Mozilla | 432 |
| Musicmatch Jukebox | 476 |
| Number of Included Batteries | 1 |
| Roxio VideoWave | 251 |
| Windows Media Encoder | 270 |
| WinZip | 401 |
| World Bench 5 Score | 102 |
| World Bench 5 Word Score | Superior |
WorldBench Tests
| Multitasking | 486 |
User Reviews
Average User Reviews for Dell Dell XPS M1210
7 Reviews Add your own »
- Latest User Reviews 7 reviews
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Reviewed by: interage
Duration of ownership: 2 Months
Strengths: Nice size, nice design, great Dell support.
Weaknesses: Vista OS, software conflicts, corrupted files galore.
Overall: I spent $2800 on a juiced up version of the XPS M1210 and can tell you without exageration that I've spent two months in computer hell. This notebook has had FOUR different catastrophic incidents in two months -- each involved corrupted system files and endless hours on hold with Dell support. I've been a computer owner and online since the early 1990's and never have had headaches like this. C'mon Microsoft and Dell, you still can't make a stable computer? Dell's rep finally admitted that there had been Vista-related problems and they offered me a new one. Geez, just what I need.
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Reviewed by: bigmutt
Duration of ownership: 3 Months
Strengths: Size is just right; attractive but not flashy; excellent tech support and great XPS extras; nice to have 4 USB slots; has good air-flow system to disipate the heat.
Weaknesses: keyboard is a bit cheap & has flimsy feel; location of the media buttons (front edge) is inconvenient when using on lap: buttons always get pushed accidentally. speakers are small but what do you expect in a 12-inch slim notebook! it does get warm in the lap. the 9-cell battery sticks out the back, preventing it from fitting into most of the sub-compact laptop sleeves or cases.
Overall: It's so easy to pack for a trip; it's so nice to carry around the house from bedroom to kitchen to den to terrace. I went from a 15-inch screen (Dell) to this 12-inch and the transition was easier than I expected. (except for the shiny screen: I hate it!) It runs Vista wonderfully, and the only drawback is that the MediaHome button functions don't work with Vista. the ports and general design is very nicely done, and the only thing I could want is a built-in tuner. The camera is nice, but the WiFi finder is somewhat gimmicky, since a seperate, $25 WiFi finder accessory is much better and more convenient. It has good airflow, with fan, but still gets hot in the lap. The reflections off the "Brite" screen are annoying compared to matte screens, but all-in-all I love it. Just wish I'd gotten the biggest hard-drive available instead of the 80GB.
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Reviewed by: romacpher
Duration of ownership: 4 Months
Strengths: Excellent size, weight for travelling. Comfortable keyboard for extended writing.
Weaknesses: Tinny speakers, of course (odd echo-y sound). Could have better styling. And, when using this laptop on one's lap, it is too easy to set off the volume/disc controls on the front edge of the unit.
Overall: Mine was purchased from Dell Outlet as a refurbished model, and there has been absolutely no problems with it. Hardware seems sturdy enough -- my M1210 fell about 18 inches onto a wooden floor today and it's still ticking. Despite quibbles, no regrets.
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Reviewed by: larkin1721
Duration of ownership: 2 Months
Strengths: Durable and stylish. Small footprint but easy to use with adequate keyboard. Fast response and equipped with everything needed for a combination personal and business laptop. Adequate ports and flexibility. Crystal clear screen, adequate size for business documents and spreadsheets.
Weaknesses: Extended battery, while providing great power for extended use, is heavy and if weight is a strong consideration you might be disappointed in the added bulk and weight.
Overall: This laptop meets all of my high expectations. I expected a very stylish and durable unit based on PC World and other reviews, and the M1210 is as good as described. Extended battery performs at least as well as advertised. The M1210 replaces a pretty good laptop that is 30 months old, and I didn't realize what I was missing in size, portability, looks and speed.
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Reviewed by: mrotmd
Duration of ownership: 6 Months
Strengths: Excellent laptop, ergonomic
Weaknesses: Lack of dedicated docking station
Overall: I was dissapointed to see that Dell didn't include a dedicated docking station with this laptop. With college students in mind, a one-step connect to monitor, printer, etc. is important. The Lensignton third party port replicator is adequate, but... doesn't charge the battery. My daughter loved the design and that is why I went along with it. I had 3 other Dell laptops, all with dedicated port replicators. Big boo-boo!
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Reviewed by: ispcapret
Duration of ownership: 2 Months
Strengths: Size and weight are outstanding for travel
Weaknesses: Sound system is sub-par.
Overall: I really like this laptop so far, having taken it on several business trips and using it at home for wireless Internet access. I've ordered a "chill pad' as I noticed that after 6 hours of running a Power Point presentation the machine got very warm. The performance is good but quite frankly I don't care for the plug-in for the LCD projector. There is no place to secure the plug by screws, it simply plugs in. As long as you don't move the laptop you're OK, but if moved it can easily become dislodged.
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Reviewed by: sycolamb
Duration of ownership: 1 Month
Strengths: Very Fast. Looks great. Small.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Overall: This computer is fast. My configuration is the Core 2 Duo 2Ghtz, 2 GB 667 MHz RAM, 100GB 7200RPM drive and NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 Graphics. I have carried it on business and its light. It did come to me with the right speaker not working but Dell sent a tech right to my home and replaced it at no charge. It has handled everything that I have loaded onto it. The graphics are spectacular. I've heard things about the viewing angle of the LCD but mine is flawless and not one dead pixel. There is a little bit of bounce on the right side of the keyboard but it's hardly noticeable. To top it all off, this laptop looks great. It would even look better if Dell would have illuminated the XPS logo but I can live without it. The laptop feels solid. It has a quality feel to it not a flimsy one. This is a great laptop at a great price! I highly recommend it.
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