Please fogive me for the slap:smilestar: buying a 17 inch laptop is stupid but having said that compare apples with apples XPS1730(1710) are 17 inch laptops compare them with 17 inch laptops of sony .
Also XPS offer much superior hardware integration that ANY other brand
but do not get a 17 inch laptop get a desk top 
My xps1210 is great and I take it every where with me:biggthumb