When computer maker Dell introduced its XPS M2010, many observers felt the system strained the definition of "notebook" computer. Sure, it offers an integrated keyboard, and it folds up into a transportable (or at least luggable) package when you want to move from place to place. And there was no denying the system packed some horsepower, with Core 2 Duo processors, ATI Mobility Radeon X1800 graphics, support for up to 4 GB of RAM, and up to 240 GB of storage on two hard drives, even serious PC enthusiasts could get behind the idea.
But with a massive 20.1-inch widescreen LCD display cantilevered upright on an industrial-strength hinge and and an 18.3 pound heft, the word "notebook" just didn’t seem to apply.
Now, Dell seems to have strained the definition a little further, amplifying XPS’s M2010 users tendency to park the unit in once place for long periods of time by adding an optional slot-loading Blu-ray disc drive. The drive only reads data at 2× (meaning, expect to spend an hour and a half reading a 50 GB Blu-ray disc) but the addition of the drive does convert the XPS M2010 into a 20.1-inch high-definition movie-watching machine. And if the built-in 1,680 by 1,050 pixel display isn’t good enough, you can pipe video out through DVI, S-Video, or component outputs and connect the system to a 7.1 or 5.1 surround system using S/PDIF digital and analog audio outputs. (Except, by that point, the system will be almost entirely integrated into your entertainment center, and not something you’re likely to tote around with you. But how much were you planning to tote it anyway?)
If you’re thinking the Blu-ray option on the XPS M2010 might save you some money on a separate Blu-ray player, think again: XPS M2010 configurations with the Blu-ray reader start at $4,388.
[Update: 19-Apr-07: Dell says the Blu-ray drive can both read and write BD media, although the company never mentions Blu-ray burning in the M2010 product specifications.]
