New Ultra-High-End Laptop from Dell

Today Dell launched the Dell XPS M1710, the new top-of-the-line portable machine from the world's biggest computer company.

Aside from the obvious upgrade to the looks, with black or red shell options, the system features the latest in graphics, with the Nvidia GeForce Go 7900 GTX processor, up to 4GB of RAM, and your choice of Intel Core Duo processors. Another cool new feature: The touchpad is illuminated, so you can still find your way to the pad during those midnight fragging sessions.

While touted primarily as a gaming notebook, the M1710 is also a standout business machine (though perhaps you should go for the black model instead of the red if your office is especially buttoned-down). A 17-inch widescreen model, the system weighs only 8.75 pounds and is reasonably ruggedized to protect against spills, drops, and jostles.