Dell Precision M4400 Review - After 3 Months of Usage

Hi everyone! Here's a review of my Precision M4400 that I've had for 3 months now. I hope this review will help you figure out if the M4400 is right for you, if early-model kinks are now sorted out, as well as how it holds up after a few months of usage.


Dell Precision M4400 Review
Author: Nicels

Introduction

The Precision M4400 is Dell's latest 15" workstation notebook. Designed to compete with HP's EliteBook 8530w and Lenovo's W500, it boasts a revamped design and a much-requested mid-range graphics card. But can the Precision M4400 hold its own after 3 months of actual usage? Let's find out.

Configuration (as tested):

• Intel Core 2 Duo "Penryn" P8600 Processor (2.4GHz, 3MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• nVidia Quadro FX 770M Graphics Card
• 15.4-inch UltraSharp WLED 1400x900 (WXGA+) Anti-Glare Display
• 4GB DDR2 800MHz RAM
• 500GB 5400RPM Western Digital HDD
• DVD+/-RW Optical Drive
• Intel WiFi 5300 802.11a/b/g/n 3x3
• 130W power supply
• 6-cell battery, 56Wh
• Weight: 6.1 lbs
• System: Windows XP Pro SP3 (Downgrade from Windows Vista Business)

Build and design

The Precision M4400 is easy to describe: it's square and it's mostly black. The square corners is Dell wanting you to know that this notebook means business. The black-on-black design is a bit too dramatically monochromatic, though; ThinkPad aficionados will instantly adore it, but in my opinion the HP EliteBook and its two-tone design has more flair.


The Precision M4400 - Picture by Dell

Still, the M4400 looks pretty good, and since it's a business notebook, reflective surfaces have been barred, except for the Dell logo that can conveniently double as a mirror. The dramatic, oversized speaker grills surrounding the keyboard are a nice design touch. The wavy, grayish magnesium alloy lid is pretty beautiful, and upon seeing it most people will generally want to touch it.


The lid is sturdy

Build quality is excellent; the notebook feels really solid and sturdy. The massive screen hinges are a definite improvement over previous Dell workstations. The magnesium alloy chassis feels strong and the casing is well made; no bending or squeaking.


Shiny Dell logo

The keyboard doesn't flex no matter how hard you try, and the touchpad and volume buttons are as solid as they should be. The 6-cell battery is well secured and doesn't wiggle. It's a shame the palmrest attracts smudges so easily, though; it's certainly not glossy, but it's not the rough matte ThinkPad plastic, either -- somewhere in between. Quite truthfully, even though it has no glossy surfaces, the whole notebook except the lid is somewhat smudge-prone.

Only one detail sticks out: the display's padding rubbers. Instead of being on the display bezel, they are on the side of each speaker, so they leave a mark on the display bezel. This is a baffling design decision. Just looking at them terrifies me: their location leaves them exposed to bruises and prone to premature wear and tear. If something terrible happens to them, as pointed out by John (E6400 owner), you could buy aftermarket rubbers and glue them to the screen bezel.


The screen rubbers are vulnerable

The display bezel itself has been much maligned for being flimsy and poorly adjusted. I find this concern to be greatly exaggerated, as it appears to be pretty solid.

The notebook's weight, a little over 6.1 lbs, is reasonable. It is a little heavier than its counterparts, almost reassuredly so, but stays within reasonable limits. If anything it's a sign of quality.

One potential issue: Dell decided to mount the hard disk directly on the chassis with no padding or shock protection whatsoever, unlike its competitors. Aside from the fact that it increases palmrest vibrations, it seems to me that it does not adequately protect the hard disk. Note that I've had no hard disk problems because of it, but it bears mentioning.

The keyboard does not appear to be spill-resistant, either, unlike the EliteBook 8530w, the Lenovo W500 or even the Precision's predecessor, the M4300.

Devices

The 500 GB 5400RPM hard drive is a WD; it is speedy and silent (although it does vibrate a little, and the vibration is slightly noticeable when touching the palmrest), and doesn't "click" occasionally like some of the Samsung drives.

Notebook DVD-RW drives are generally so boring they don't even get a cameo in most reviews. But this DVD-RW's craptasticness is so immense it cannot be overlooked. It refused to read a mildly scratched DVD that works without a hitch with other notebook DVD readers. It caused weird problems with the system when burning. At least it is not too noisy. A firmware update has been released, promising to fix absolutely nothing, and indeed it does little more than increment the firmware's version number.

Hopefully the new Blu-ray drive, available since May 2009 and yours for a reasonable five hundred and fifty dollars, is an improvement over the regular DVD-RW drive.

The hot-swappable modular bay is well designed. Simply press the release lever and pull it to release the drive. In addition to an optical drive, the modular bay can unofficially house a secondary 2.5" SATA hard drive, but you'll need a custom-made third-party module tailored for the M4400. Check out the forum topic covering that here.

Screen

The best thing about the M4400 is the screen. The matte 16:10 WXGA+ LED screen (LG model LPL0AA8) is excellent. It is not perfect, but you will be hard-pressed to find anything better. It exhibits no graininess (repeat -- it's not grainy); text looks pleasantly sharp; there is absolutely no backlight bleeding at all; and the backlight itself is quite even.

The only small criticisms that could be made is that whites are a little on the yellow side on lower brightness levels, and that the screen has a slight green hue.

The screen is quite colorful once calibrated and has very decent viewing angles (especially horizontally).

Here are pictures to illustrate. Please note that a) the pictures of the screen are noticeably more washed out, less vivid and more off-color than in reality, and b) since most of the on-screen pictures are 4:3, you can easily notice the lack of backlight bleeding on both sides of the pictures.



Good viewing angles - Pic source

At maximum brightness, the screen is very bright -- working outdoors on a bright, sunny day is not only feasible, but practical. There is a good range of brightness levels, sixteen to be exact, so you won't be blinded indoors, even though an additional lower brightness level would not have been overkill. The WXGA+ resolution is just right for the 15.4" screen size.


Colors stand out - Pic source


Sharp and vivid - Pic source

The notebook has an ambient light sensor that, if activated, adjusts the screen's brightness automatically. It is utterly useless, and can thankfully be disabled with a single keystroke.

Oh, and one more thing: the M4400's screen is slightly off-center, though it's not as bad as on the T500/W500.

Keyboard, Touchpad and Status lights

The backlit keyboard is a joy to behold, and exhibits no flex whatsoever. The keyboard has a somewhat satin texture that you will enjoy touching and is slightly mushier than Lenovo or HP business keyboards (plus, the keys are quite bouncy), but it is very comfortable once you get used to it. Touch typists will have no complaints here.


Backlit keyboard

Keyboard layout is excellent, with one exception: there is no context menu key (it usually sits between the right Alt and Ctrl keys). Laptop keyboards without this key are few and far between, so it is a mystery why Dell decided to remove it, especially since other new Dell models, like the Studio XPS 1640, have it.

The keyboard backlighting can be set to Automatic, Always On and Off with a single key combo. If Automatic is chosen, the ambient light sensor activates the backlighting under dim conditions. The backlighting is fairly even and can be adjusted with a slider using Dell's ControlPoint utility (there is no Fn key combo). Also, the backlight fades out after a few minutes of inactivity. Nice touch.

Is the keyboard backlighting a useless gimmick? I don't think it is. Even touch typists will find it to be an added comfort; plus, it looks kind of pretty. And in the M4400's case, the non-backlit keyboard is noticeably worse (noisier, less pleasant key materials).

Also of interest are the tapered case edges that can make typing uncomfortable sometimes, an issue I hear the 8530w has as well.


Alps touchpad

As is typical for Dell workstations, the touchpad is an Alps and is therefore terrible compared to Synaptics touchpads. Being an Alps, it has disappointing sensitivity and response, but that's to be expected. The real problem is that it's very moody: it sometimes skips or stops responding for no reason, and then sometimes it starts tracking again all of a sudden, but very slowly. It truly has a mind of its own, and I find myself fighting urges to take it out with a shotgun. And don't get your hopes up; no amount of configuration via Dell's frustratingly limited control panel will help.

The only plus is that the touchpad comes with a middle button. (The Latitude E6500 does not have a middle button.) For some people, that would be a minus, but after a while the middle button grows on you. For those who really don't want it, no worries -- it can be reprogrammed to act as a Left button.

The trackpoint, too, is average and would probably send ThinkPad regulars fleeing and screaming in horror.

Above the keyboard, only three additional buttons are to be found: the volume control buttons. They are not backlit, are too small and have no tactile differentiation. But at least they're real buttons, and not annoying trendy touch-sensitive "buttons" (I'm looking at you, HP EliteBook).


Status lights

The status lights, located directly above the keyboard, are deep blue; don't let the pictures fool you, the real color is darker and less turquoise. They might be less distracting than the all-too-common jarringly bright blue LEDs that are everywhere these days, but they are still a tad too bright. The bright blue power light is especially distracting but the upside is that, if needed, it can easily double as a stadium light.


Bright power light

Speaking of status lights, prepare for a cornucopia of delightfully mismatched colors: blue status lights, slightly-different-blue AC adapter status light, green DVD-RW activity light, and white keyboard backlight. Petty nit-picking? Maybe. But since the keyboard backlight is white, might I suggest white status lights?


Left - how the status lights are - Right - how they could be.

Performance

My Precision M4400 comes with an Intel P8600 processor and a Quadro FX 770M graphics card (workstation equivalent of the 9600M GT). Please do not get the 1700M card, unless you require an overpriced, overclocked, and overheating version of the 770M.

Power-wise, the Precision M4400 does not disappoint. The Intel Penryn processor and the decent workstation graphics card deliver excellent performance. The computer is very responsive, it doesn't lag and feels like there's always more power available if required.

The hard disk is a surprisingly good performer. Here's the HDTune test in AHCI mode:



Wireless works as expected, with satisfying range and speed. No issues were experienced when wireless was enabled.

Extensive benchmarking has already been performed in numerous reviews, so I will spare you the assortment of 3DMark, PCMark and WhateverMark scores. But because a good review is all about thoroughness, I felt it necessary to complement benchmarks by testing real-life gaming performance, in the name of thoroughness.

Such real-life testing required a short stint, or more accurately, five straight hours of intense Command and Conquer 3 and Red Alert 3 gaming. The Precision M4400 handled it with ease: in native res, with all settings on High, the computer often reached the games' FPS limit, and loading times were appropriately short.

So, in addition to being suited for workstation tasks, the Precision M4400 even makes a capable gaming machine; you will be able to play recent 3D games pretty well -- even demanding games can be played in native resolution quite smoothly.

The graphics card is definitely the main difference between the Latitude E6500 and the Precision M4400. If you need the power to game or render, you want the M4400.

Port layout

The M4400 has an excellent selection of ports, cleverly laid out; you have your standard Ethernet port, a 56K modem port (optional), 3 USB ports, one mini FireWire, a DisplayPort and a VGA port, and a hybrid USB/powered eSATA port; I tried plugging a USB device in it and it worked without a hitch.

There's also a PC Card and an ExpressCard slot, and an assortment of business-related card readers you will probably never use (a SmartCard reader and a contactless card reader). You also get an SD card reader, and according to Apple, that's a big deal.

The hardware wireless on/off switch is easy to operate and well located. Next to it, you'll find the WiFi Catcher button that tells you if there are any available wireless networks when the computer is off.

Component accessibility is totally awesome; all you have to do is unscrew one screw, slide off one big panel and you have access to virtually everything. The big panel is perfectly solid and doesn't wiggle once it's screwed back on. The hard disk is equally easy to access (two screws instead of one).

Audio and Speakers

One of Dell's design goals when they refresh their Precision line is to make the audio system a little worse than before. The M4400 is an exception to that rule, because the audio system is, in fact, a lot worse.

Now I didn't have the sound stuttering problem that seems to be so prevalent with the M4400, but still, this notebook's sound system doesn't cut the mustard.

First off, the audio drivers are very buggy. For instance, under XP, right after the computer starts, Windows sounds & beeps are muffled and, for the lack of a better term, seem to echo. But after an audio file is played, the problem goes away. (This weirdness does not occur under Windows Vista or Windows 7). To be fair, the audio works better under Windows 7 RC, though the improvement is merely incremental.

And then, the speakers are awful. Yes, laptop speakers are generally weak and tinny -- it's like a rule -- but Dell's really outdone itself by building into the M4400 truly terrible speakers. Forget about weak bass: these speakers are weak at everything. As a matter of fact, they are so terrible a case could be made that they are unworthy of playing anything at all, even the simplest of alert sounds.

Finally, while external speakers sound somewhat decent, when using headphones the dreaded Intel CPU "whine" noise is transmitted through them. Audio-in quality is equally disappointing, since the microphone jack is strictly mono. At least stereo mix recording is enabled and fully functional.

Software

The notebook comes with a rather clean image of Windows XP SP3, courtesy of Microsoft's "XP downgrade" program. The included assortment of Dell software is unsurprisingly terrible, and uninstalling it is a surefire way to make your computer run better.

I did experience numerous software quirks, most of which can be attributed to Dell's included drivers. Out of the box, nVidia's driver is buggy and unstable (my advice: if you have an M4400, stop whatever you're doing, rush to nVidia's website and upgrade to 185.85 immediately -- go ahead, I'll wait). The sound driver is glitchy. The DVD-RW drive acts all wonky. And so on.

To their credit Dell has been steadily releasing updates since the M4400 has been released. Case in point: the BIOS has already been updated kind of 14 times, confirming that, more than ever, early adopters automatically and unknowingly enroll in Dell's hardware beta-testing program.

The trick to solving most of your problems is to make sure you update everything to the latest available version. Forum users reported a myriad of worrying stability problems with the Precision M4400, ranging from hard freezes to severe underclocking when the computer is under load. They're all solved. No, really; I've used the Precision M4400 quite heavily for months and I have not experienced any stability issues.

Noise & Heat

When the CPU and GPU are under no stress, the fan is off and the computer is silent.

Under moderate usage, such as surfing or watching videos, the CPU fan will kick in after an hour at the lowest speed (3000 RPM). The fan is not noisy but it is noticeable because it is rather high-pitched.

When the CPU is under load, the fan revs up one notch, but the computer stays cool to the touch.

When gaming, the fan revs up another notch. If you run a demanding game, after a while the fan can ramp up and become very noisy; at full speed, the fan sounds like a CD spinning at full speed. When gaming for extended periods, the max temperature stabilizes at 80°C. At this point, the computer is hot to the touch pretty much everywhere.

Dell's latest A14 BIOS update (as of this review) is a godsend because it reduces noise by causing the fan to come up less often. I still think it comes up a little too early, so, while it is a step in the right direction, Dell users are still in need of a fan control program, as i8kfan is most definitely not compatible with the M4400.

Noise & Heat - Notebook Cooler Edition

So, the Precision M4400's fan will turn on even when web surfing, and since the lowest fan speed (3000 RPM) isn't exactly silent, it can cause mild annoyance. If you are sensitive to noise, there is a solution, or rather a workaround: a notebook cooler.

Notebook coolers are hit and miss because they are dependent on the computer's intake design to perform correctly. It so happens that Zalman's ZM-NC2000 cooler is a perfect match for the M4400. The Precision fits perfectly on the Zalman without overhanging.


The Precision and the Zalman

Indeed, the Zalman ZM-NC2000 works wonders. While it is not inaudible even at the lowest speed (1100 RPM), it is far less noisy than the notebook's internal fan.

When using the Zalman, the notebook's fan never kicks in anymore, except when gaming.

When gaming, the computer's fan comes on but generally stays at a low level, even during long sessions, and what's more, the computer is no longer hot and is just warm to the touch. The temperature and noise drop is really impressive, whether on idle or under load.

Battery and Power

The 6-cell battery sits flush with the casing and lasts for an average of 2 to 3 hours. That's pretty unimpressive. The battery supports Dell's ExpressCharge, which is a fancy way of saying the battery has a fast charge mode; you can also turn off battery charging altogether with a simple Fn-F2 key combo.

If the screen brightness isn't turned all the way down, and you're playing video, then you will get a maximum of 2 hours.

If you need more juice, you can get a 9-cell battery, but it will stick out and therefore be annoying, or a heavy 12-cell battery that you stick under the notebook.


The 130W AC adapter

Wide as it may be, the 130W AC adapter is not overly thick, and doesn't heat up much. You can use the slimmer 90W PSU that comes with the Latitude E6500 if you really need a smaller power brick.


The power activity light is on the cord

Long term ownership comments

As of this review, I've used this notebook for nearly 3 months, lugging it around quite a lot. I have no qualms with its build; the Precision M4400 really is as solid as it looks. In particular, after 3 months the screen hinges are still very tight, and the screen doesn't wobble when it's opened.

But how will it age cosmetically? In short, pretty well. One area of dissatisfaction is that the paint seems less durable than it should be on the speaker grills. It's merely a cosmetic issue, but it's still deeply disappointing seeing how its predecessor, the Precision M4300, didn't have this issue (still looks brand-new after prolonged usage).

Looks are important, but a notebook's most important aspect is its reliability and in that area, the Precision M4400 delivers. No blue screens, no overheating, no graphics card underclocking even after hours of gaming, no standby or hibernation issues: the Precision M4400 is rock-solid, as a mobile workstation should be.

Conclusion

Is the Precision M4400 a worthy contender in the 15" workstation category? Absolutely. It is often said that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and in the Precision's case, it definitely rings true. The Precision M4400 is a very balanced machine that is certain to satisfy demanding users for a wide range of uses.

Pros

• Best in class matte WXGA+ LCD display
• Excellent performance
• Top notch build
• Very reliable: no blue screens, no overheating
• Nice backlit keyboard
• Very good port selection and smart layout
• Attractive lid design

Cons

• Not rugged enough: no shock-mounted HD, no spill-resistant keyboard
• Poor audio: awful speakers and disappointing audio-in and audio-out quality
• Fan can be a little loud, but a notebook cooler silences it
• Possible cosmetic wear-and-tear issues
• Mediocre DVD+/-RW drive
• Subpar touchpad

 

nice i like the ac adapter that lights up when its plugged in the pc.

 

Nice review. One thing that you may want to change is when you talk about the 12 cell battery. It's not called "Coolslice". It's just a slice battery - a slab that covers the entire bottom of the computer. The Coolslice is a probably useless accessory that plugs into the bottom of the notebook that raises it so the fan (theoretically) has better air intake so the notebook stays cooler. I haven't as of yet heard anything about it.

 

Thanks, fixed.

 

I have a Coolslice and it actually works pretty well - it's good for helping to keep the temps down while using the notebook as a "lap" top (sitting on the couch). It also keeps the hotter areas away from the "jewels". One nice feature is that the Coolslice actually attaches to the bottom of the M4400 using the docking tabs, so it stays in place as you move around.

 

I agree,it work's well for lap/bed use...really like mine.

 

See this and go to "customer reviews": http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...hs&cs=19&sku=311-9051&~lt=popup&~ck=XYRelated.

I didn't know that it works that well...

 

You mentioned that the screen was off center a bit. I know in the T400 it's designed to be like that, did you mean your unit has a manufacturing issue there? And, there's only one review on the dell site...you can't judge from that.

 

That would be a pretty huge manufacturing issue

Yes, the screen is by design slightly off-center, probably to allow easier routing of all the wireless cables (wi-fi 802.11n and cellular). It is very slight, so slight that for some reason it is unnoticeable on most pictures. Even after I received the computer I didn't notice it myself for a few days.

I've slightly updated the review to clarify.

 

Thanks for the detailed review. It REALLY helps