Dell Vostro 3700 - Hot or Not?

[reachbinnie]

Hi All,

I am planning to buy the new Dell Vostro 3700. It's primarily a business laptop, but I am planning to use it mostly for gaming and HD content, strange as it may sound.


Config:

Core i5 430M
GeForce GT 330M - 1GB DDR3
4GB DDR3
17.3" screen - 1600x900
500GB - 7200 rpm

I am wondering if anyone here owns one and has used it for playing the latest games. I know the benchmarks for the processor and the GPU are good enough, so that shouldn't be a problem. Just wanted to have a first-hand review.

BTW, 1600x900 on a 17.3": How would it look like? Good enough for gaming? The dimensions being 16.17"x10.67", would the black bars be inevitable?

 

[reachbinnie]

Anyone?

 

[lostandwandering]

I've never used one, hence no comments. However, as you stated the system will be fine for gaming and apps. As far as the screen goes, it's not a bad resolution. Your icons might be a little larger than on a full HD screen, but certainly not like on a WXGA screen.

As far as gaming goes, a lower resolution is sometimes better when your GPU isn't the most powerful. Lower resolutions are easier for the cards to rending in games, leading to higher frame rates when compare to similar systems with higher res screens. And as long as 1600x900 is the native resolution for the screen, there shouldn't be any black bars so long as you can select that resolution in game.

 

[reachbinnie]

Thanks for the reply.

I have ordered the laptop. But it takes ages for it to be delivered (read a month!). *sigh*. It's gonna be a long wait!

Anyways, I'll post the reviews once I get the laptop.

 

[TomD_1]

Hey there, iv got one already, and so far its been great. Got the exact same spec. as you

My only complaint is that the screen is a bit blue, the viewing angle on it isn't too great, but its nothing you cant change with screen calibration stuff.

As for gaming, I'm currently downloading all my steam games, will let you know how it does later

 

[TomD_1]

Oh and one more thing, if your planing to use it for lots of movies and music you may want to buy some speakers, as the ones that come with it are ok-ish if you only listen quietly and don't mind low quality music. It is a business orientated notebook after all.

 

[Georgia in MS]

Hey there, iv got one already, and so far its been great. Got the exact same spec. as you

My only complaint is that the screen is a bit blue, the viewing angle on it isn't too great, but its nothing you cant change with screen calibration stuff.

As for gaming, I'm currently downloading all my steam games, will let you know how it does later

How hot does the 3700 get? I have a 17" HP 8230 that gets so hot that I have to put something on the right hand rest to type for long periods. Any problems like that?

How loud is the 3700? I like to watch online TV and movies. My 8230 is very loud when it is running video.

I've read the viewing angles are not great with the 3700. If I have a movie running and I want to get on the elliptical, am I going to have to place it just so to watch the movie?

 

[Komomu]

You know I've been looking at the Dell Vostro 3700 but the only res I can get is 720p and I think that 1366 X7xx but I guess it won't matter because the GT330 is good but not the best.

IF you want to check out how good your processor and gpu is for it go to

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-430M-Notebook-Processor.23750.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-330M.22437.0.html