Dell XPS M1710: A Few Comparisons

This article is a transcript of a video that you can watch by clicking the thumbnail below. Hence, certain statements may not make sense in this text form, and watching the video instead is recommended.

Intro

With the Dell XPS M1710 all restored and set up in working order, I could travel back in time and feel like I was 19 again! Now it was time to do that one thing I had been waiting for all this while, and that was to put it next to a few machines I love and see how it compared to them.

Comparison with the M1210

Let’s start with putting this next to the XPS M1210, or rather putting the M1210 next to this one because picking up the M1710 is too much effort. Both of these machines are from the same generation and the contrast between these two is even higher than that between the ThinkPad T15g Gen 2 and the ThinkPad X1 Nano. I mean from 12” to 17” is much larger a gap than 13” to 15”, and that’s only the screen size we’re talking about here. There is practically nothing common between these two totally different creatures, maybe except for a few Dell things, specifically the design elements for a Dell XPS from 2006. There’s a faster CPU, a better GPU, way better cooling, a higher resolution screen, a better audio system with a dedicated sub-woofer, and more. Not to mention the M1710 is way easier to maintain. In short, these two machines from two opposite ends of the mobile computing spectrum shouldn’t even be compared as they’re built to cater to two very different use cases and target two different kinds of consumers.

Comparison with T15g Gen 2

Enough, you seventeen-inch dinosaur, why don't you try picking on someone your size?

Actually, with my W530 gone, the closest I have to this size is the ThinkPad T15g Gen 2. We know how huge this machine is, don’t we? But then when you bring it next to the M1710, it suddenly starts to look like a portable notebook.

This big one is flashy, and full of colors and lights, while the “little” one is boring, and bland, with hardly any personality in terms of colors or design. While this ancient gaming computer is barely even usable for moderate tasks today, this cute little elephant from a little over three years ago is way above average in terms of its computing power, still packing a punch with its 11th Gen Intel Core-i7 processor and the Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, which is way more than what I need.

But as we moved forward in time, we’ve lost a lot, and that goes across manufacturers. We lost many of these ports, a DVD drive, removable batteries, and several things here and there.

Comparison with X1 Nano Gen 1

Alright, so hang on with me on this one for a minute or two, but the only reason I’m putting the X1 Nano against this monster is to realize how far we’ve come with computer technology. We live in a day and age where this premium and expensive gaming machine from 2006 doesn’t stand a chance compared to even one of the thinnest and lightest notebooks from a couple of years ago that was built with portability as the design focus. I do not understand how the non-techie ones among us can ignore this, but as an electronics engineer, and more so a technology enthusiast, I find this too heavy, I’m not talking about the physical weight.

My Choice Has Evolved

My choice has clearly evolved drastically over the last two decades, I mean with all the ThinkPads you may have heard about from me or seen me with, a normie wouldn’t even be able to make out the difference between any two of them, or maybe they will if they’d compare the T15g Gen 2 and the X61s. But this is great, as my wife can never tell how many I have on my fleet at once, as they all look just the same, at least to a non-enthusiast. With non ThinkPads though, it is a different story, every single time.

Conclusion

I hope I did not overdo myself about this machine. But given how special this one is for me, I wanted to give it enough coverage and spend enough time to really get a feel. This one will stay with me for a while until I decide to pass it on to someone who can make good use of it, as I’m thankfully covered for my computing needs with my ThinkPads.

Let me know in the comments what other machines you’d suggest I take a closer look at and talk about on this channel. Meanwhile, I have three of them to get back in working order, so I can finally introduce them to you.

Outro

That's all I have for this video, and thanks for watching it to the end. May the maker watch over you. See you in the next video! And yes, "Free Palestine!".