| Dell releases new Ubuntu-powered laptop: XPS 1330n |
Jan. 23, 2008
 Linux laptop users suffering from Apple MacBook Air envy now have a chic, hot laptop to call their own: the Dell XPS 1330n with pre-installed Ubuntu 7.10.
On Jan. 23, Dell quietly announced that it was releasing the Dell XPS 1330n to the European market. In addition, for the first time, Dell is allowing its customers in Spain to order this and other PCs with pre-loaded Ubuntu Linux. The Ubuntu-equipped XPS 1330 will be available to North American customers the first week of the February.
The XPS 1330n weighs in at 4 to 4.8 pounds, depending on which battery you use. With its sleek look and your choice of three colors, Midnight Blue, Crimson Red or Tuxedo Black, this is a laptop with a great look.
The pretty case contains powerful hardware. For a CPU, the XPS 1330n uses an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5450. This runs at a minimum of 1.66GHz and has a 2MB Level 2 cache with a 667MHz FSB (front-side bus). It's not clear, but it seems probable that you'll also be able to get this system with its Windows-side CPU upgrades of up to an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500. This burns along at 2.2GHz and comes with an 800Mhz FSB and 4MB cache.
For storage, the XPS 1330n comes with a wide variety of hard drive choices, ranging from 120GB to 320GB. In addition, if you really want a laptop that will get attention for more than just its surface look, and you can afford it, you can also get this notebook with a 64GB SSD (solid state drive). It is believed that the SSD option will cost a cool $750. On the other hand, with an SSD, the only regularly moving part on the laptop will be the CPU fan.
The screen itself will also garner attention. The default screen is a backlit 13.3-inch WXGA with 1280 by 800 resolution. At the top of the display, there's a 2M-bps Webcam.
You can power this with the standard Integrated Intel Graphic Media Accelerator X3100 or you can upgrade to an Nvidia GeForce Go 8400M GS with 128MB of dedicated graphics memory. You can legally and automatically watch DVD movies on this system with the integrated slot-loaded CD/DVD+/-RW drive.
While a featherweight system, it comes with a FireWire, VGA, Fast Ethernet, HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and two USB ports. The XPS 1330n also includes an 8-in-1 memory card reader, dual headphone jacks and a microphone jack. It also includes an Intel Pro Wireless 3945, which supports 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi networking.
For memory, you can choose from 1GB to 4GB of dual-channel 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (double data rate two synchronous dynamic RAM). If you opt for the Nvidia graphics option, you won't have to sacrifice any of your memory for graphics.
With power, looks and Ubuntu Linux, it seems likely that the XPS 1330n is destined to be the first high-end Linux-powered laptop to reach a large audience. In its Windows incarnation, the XPS 1330 has proven to be very popular with its owners. It seems almost certain that it will do as well as a Linux system.
Other companies are now offering pre-loaded Linux on their systems. These range from serious business laptops like Lenovo's ThinkPad T61 to the inexpensive Everex CloudBook, which is due to be released in February. Still, with this move, Dell, the first top-tier computer vendor to offer pre-installed consumer Linux, has shown that it intends to stay at the top.
According to Dell spokesperson Anne Camden, the company has not settled yet on the final price of this notebook PC in the United States. The Windows-powered XPS 1330n with Windows Vista Home Premium Edition runs from $999 to $1,399.
—Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
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