Dell XPS M1210 has a excellent entertainment-oriented ultraportable uses Intel’s latest Core 2 Duo processor.

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.

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.

is fantastic even with vista! I really didn’t know what to expect with this portable from Dell using Windows Vista Home version. But, it seems alright, a few interesting help screens. Fairly easy to manage. A few programs still are not Vista compatable such as the JiWire Hotspot Helper. Overall so far, I like its weight, size and so far its performance. Connected a monitor to test its dual display capability, and it seems this could be handy, in my case during Fantasy Football season. For a lightweight portable and my needs, it’s a great investment.

Dell’s entry-level multimedia laptop, the XPS M1210 has some excellent show-biz genes, such as media buttons and a TV tuner option. But it’s also a strong, well-designed, and highly mobile performer. The Windows Vista refresh only enhances the earlier XP version’s strong points.

The 4.9-pound M1210 is not the lightest laptop in its class, but it’s still quite travel friendly. Pricing is flexible, starting at $1299, and the design is excellent. The M1210 has four USB ports, among other connections, ports, and card slots. Its 12.1-inch WXGA screen is extraordinarily bright and inviting, and the well-laid-out keyboard requires no ramp-up time. And with the unit turned off, one press of the keyboard’s MediaDirect button launches a movie, music file, video clip, or photos slide show located anywhere on the notebook. Though the M1210 is a small notebook with small-sounding speakers, it comes with two headphone ports on the front so two people can plug in and listen at the same time.

Last year Dell added an ‘Instant office’ option to the MediaDirect menu; after selecting it, you can flip through your PowerPoint slides, contacts, and calendar entries, without waiting for Windows to load.

The Mobile Media Guru configuration, included on our $2150 (as of April 11, 2007) review unit) further broadens your entertainment and communications horizons. An external USB TV tuner and a remote control enable you to watch and record live TV on the M1210′s small screen. Dell also includes an excellent Webcam and an integrated broadband antenna at this price level. (An integrated Cingular or Verizon cellular broadband card and Bluetooth cost extra, however.) The notebook’s ‘WiFi Catcher’ switch makes it easy to scan for any type of wireless signal–Wi-Fi, broadband, or Bluetooth.

Configured with Windows Vista Home Premium, a 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 processor, and 2GB of RAM, our review unit earned a WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 76, the highest mark among the eight ultraportables reviewed in our June issue’s laptop roundup. Our XPS M1210′s 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics controller supported basic 3D gaming; the notebook could run both Doom 3 and Far Cry with antialiasing switched off.

Our test unit also came with a dual-layer DVD writer and a 7200-rpm, 120GB hard drive; you can increase the storage to a maximum of 160GB.

When work takes you away from electrical outlets, the M1210′s 5.3-hour battery life (our unit came with the $50 nine-cell battery upgrade in place) saves the day.

A thick, illustrated printed user manual accompanies the laptop.

With its plethora of media-oriented features, the M1210 is probably the best sub-5-pound entertainment notebook on the market. But it also has just every laptop feature that a consumer or small-business shopper could want, plus power, ease of use, and a road-friendly weight. If you’re looking for top comfort and full features in an ultraportable, you’ll find them in the M1210.