About to buy a Precision M4600 - please help!

Hi Everyone! I am about to buy a M4600 and I wanted to get some advice. Below is what I have configured. Budget is not unlimited - but this is my main work computer so I don't want to be cheap either. Please let me know what I should change in your opinion - what is worth it or not worth it, etc. I us adobe photoshop and illustrator as well as basic office stuff, surfing, etc.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE!
JP
Item Number Quantity Item Description
225-0382
1 Dell Mobile Precision M4600
317-6075
1 Intel Core i7-2820M Quad Core 2.30GHz 8MB, Dell Mobile Precision M4600/M6600
317-3636
1 8.0GB, DDR3-1333 SDRAM, 2 DIMM for Mobile Precision
331-2809
1 Tech Setup Guide, English, Dell Mobile Precision
331-2169
1 Documentation (English/French), Dell Latitude E-Family/Mobile Precision
331-1249
1 Internal Backlit English Keyboard, Dell Mobile Precision
320-1911
1 NVIDIA Quadro 1000M with 2GB GDDR3, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
342-3142
1 128GB Dell Solid State Minicard, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
331-1391
1 No Fingerprint Reader and No Contactless Smartcard Reader, Dell Precision M4600
320-1972
1 15.6 Full HD (1920x1080)Wide View AG LED w/Prem Panel Guarantee,Dell Mobile Precision M4600
318-0349
1 Full HD LCD Cover, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
421-8099
1 Genuine Windows 7 Professional, 64-bit, No Media, Mobile Precision, English
330-6322
1 Genuine Windows 7 Label, Latitude, Vostro and Mobile Precision Notebooks
430-3979
1 Dell Wireless 375 Bluetooth Module, ROW, Dell Latitude E/Mobile Precision
331-1459
1 180W 3-Pin, AC Adapter, Dell Mobile Precision
331-3864
1 US - 3-FT/Flat Power Cord 3-Pin, Dell Mobile Precision
421-4539
1 Roxio Creator Starter,No Media,Dell OptiPlex, Latitude and Precision Workstation
318-0354
1 8X DVD+/-RW Drive, Dell Mobile Precision
318-0351
1 Optical Bezel, Dell Mobile Precision
421-4370
1 Cyberlink Power DVD 9.5,No Media, Dell OptiPlex, Latitude and Precision Workstation
421-1201
1 Dell Webcam Central Software Dell Latitude/Mobile Precision
318-0345
1 Integrated webcam with single digital microphone, HD/Full HD, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
430-4016
1 Intel Centrino Advanced -N + WiMAX 6250 , Dell Mobile Precision
331-1880
1 Intel vPro Technology Advanced Management Features, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
342-2351
1 500GB Additional Hard Drive, 7200RPM, Dell Mobile Precision
342-2435
1 All Hard Drives Non-RAID, Dell Mobile Precision
312-1173
1 6-cell (60Wh) Primary Battery, Dell Mobile Precision
331-2973
1 No Energy Star Enabled, Dell Mobile Precision M4600/M6600
421-3872
1 No Productivity Software,Dell OptiPlex,Precision and Latitude
935-4808
1 Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus Service Extended Year(s)
929-9667
1 Dell Limited Hardware Warranty Plus Service Initial Year
939-3802
1 ProSupport: Next Business Day Limited Onsite Service After Remote Diagnosis 2 Year Extended
953-5320
1 ProSupport: Next Business Day Limited Onsite Service After Remote Diagnosis Initial Year
989-3449
1 ProSupport : 7x24 Technical Support , 2 Year Extended
984-4800
1 ProSupport : 7x24 Technical Support , Initial
983-8362
1 Accidental Damage Service, 3 Year
988-7689
1 Info, Complete Care
331-1471 1 Resource DVD with Drivers, Dell Mobile Precision M4600
421-5109 1 Cyberlink Power 9.5.1 AND Roxio Creator Starter Media for DVD+/-RW,Dell OptiPlex,Workstation and Latitude
421-5682 1 Media Kit,Win 7 Professional 64bit,MUI,Dell OptiPlex, Precision and Latitude
430-3264 1 E-Port Plus, Advanced Port Replicator for Latitude E-Family/Mobile Precision
331-1639 1 Intel Core i7 vPro Processor

 

Hi, I am a filmmaker and use a lot of the Adobe production applications. If your work use is primarily Photoshop and Illustrator then your spec is fine.. you could later add more memory but off the top its not needed. you could probably add 16GB on your own for the price of 8 through Dell. Other then that enjoy and start cranking out some cool projects. Best of luck!!

 

It very much depends on what you want to use it for. The config looks great but I would be tempted to opt for the Quadro 2000M over your choice of the 1000M.

You would need to look at the performance boost you would get. I am sure there are tests out there, but I read here that on the M6600 there was ariund a 40% boost between the Quadro 3000 and 4000 on video rendering.

Also what is the difference in price between the SSD you have chosen and the SSD 3s?

As already mentioned memory could always be boosted later.

Good luck.

 

Hi!
Thanks so much for the advice! I do flat graphics - no video. For flat graphics - am I going overboard anywhere? I want to spend where I need to spend and save where I don't.

- I have the choice of 2 DIMMS or 4 DIMMS - does this make a difference?

- The Quadro 2000M is around $300 more. With flat graphics - do I need this?

- If I want dual hard drives I have to choose the ss mini.

- Noted on the memory. if it is a simple snap in replacment - I will concider it later. I am not a techie - but can handle a snap out/snap in.

- Also - on the external monitor should I spring about $80 more for an IPS screen? I work with color - should I do this or is it not neccessary? Again - I do flat graphics - embroideries, prints, etc for apparel.

Thanks again - this website is the bomb!!!
JP

 

If you order a 2-DIMM setup you might get a mainboard with only 2 slots. So I'd recommend to either get 4x2GB instead of 2x4GB (should be cheaper besides) or to make checking if all 4 slots are there the first thing after you received the machine.
When I received my M6500 with 2x2GB I looked underneath the keyboard just by chance and found the memory slots that should have been there were missing.

 

They only have the 4 slot memory configuration on the M4600 and M6600 now. All machines have 4 slots. The 2 keyboard slots will NOT work with a Dual core processor - in fact the machine will hang and not even post. If you swap in a Quad core processor, the slots work just fine. The 2720qm is so inexpensive and overclocks so aggressively that I don't see any real benefit to having a dual core processor any more.

 

Get the RGBLED screen . Not getting it would be a sin

 

The people at Dell I spoke to 1,5 years ago thought the same about the M6500 until I sent them photos of my mainboard.

I've been told this for 1,5 years now but nobody could tell me why. I've looked up the specs for dual cores and quad cores back then but found no differences in the design in the sections that are relevant for memory management.
Since nobody could tell me where I made a mistake in interpreting the specs the only remaining explanation I see is that Dell messed up their BIOS and didn't care to fix it until today.

 

I actually did the swap with an M6600 that came with a 2620M. Swapped in a 2720QM and they do work after the swap. I have lots of pics of the process. It is going to be posted as a major section of my M6600 user review.

 

My 720QM also worked fine on the 2-slot board.
I do not doubt that a quad core works fine in a machine that came with a dual core.
I doubt that Dell's excuse of blaming Intel is correct when you do it the other way around.