Latitude E6500, what's to know? Prospective buyer.

Hey guys,

I have been keeping my eyes out on the Dell Latitude e6500 for the longest time. Normally with any major purchase I usually hold out to let them work out the bugs(ie: bios, small bugs, or small design falls, quality control issues,etc.), I once learned the hard way when I purchased one of my laptops on release month.

Just so we're on the same page, I'm pretty aware of the Latitude e6500's features(re-engineered keyboard feedback, backlit keyboard, magnesium allow frame, ports, lcd options, etc.), so that's not really what I'm looking for. I've also read countless reviews on it, including the ones here.


However, what I am looking for is for current-up-to-date feedback on the e6500, for example:

-durability(has it been holding up?)
-reliability (are there still annoying driver, bios, bugs, or any quirks that haven't been addressed yet?)
-Build Quality+ Quality Control issues (have they fixed/addressed some of the shoddy build issues as of late?)


I've read of several issues that really concerned me that relate to the above questions. Some of them include:

-feedback/distortion noise in the headphone plug/jack
-lose assembly/poorly fitted parts around the notebook (IE: one user complained that he could drop a credit card into the framing of the lcd screen because the gap was that big! Also others noted some lose panels due to poor fitting)

My question is, as of the current(up to date) has Dell fixed these "issues"? Would you, could you rebuy/recommend the e6500 if you were given the chance? (again, try to see it within criteria, a decently powered 15''-business class-notebook...I'm pretty firm with sticking with such a machine)


P.S. I'm from the U.S.(East Coast) and will be ordering from here, I mention this because I noticed of at least two factories that the e6500 has come from, one from Ireland and one from China, and I've seen/heard of different build quality issues from both. From what I understand, as an American, I will most likely receive a notebook from the China factory.

I welcome any one to chime in, and I appreciate your input.


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Side note if you're curious: Why the Latitude e6500?

I'm coming from an IBM Thinkpad T41, structually/aesthetically speaking, I love it, and believe that the e6500 might be a good replacement for it. Key features that attracted me:

-Magnesium allow frame(this is why I can't buy a new Thinkpad, they're made of plastic now, and no matter how durable plastic is, it'll eventually develop fractures/fissures and cracks from me travelling all around with it...at least from my past experiences)
-15'' Screen with high resolution (up to 1920x1200...I'm considering that, maybe I might opt out for the 1400x900 though, we'll see)
-keyboard(supposedly it's very tactile now, much like a signature Thinkpad keyboard, plus I can get it with backlight)
-Overall good size+weight, not too thick, not too heavy(or at least I believe I won't be bothered by the 5lbs)
*All in all, I see it as a good blend of durability and performance(pretty standard options of cpu's and a discrete graphics card available) in a decent package..correct me if I'm wrong,

 

I currently own a Dell E6500, and here is what I could say about the laptop.

-Durability

It's only been about 5 months, but the durability is good to great. I wouldn't say excellent because there's a few chips here and there, but that's because of me moving the laptop too much.

-Reliability

None that I could think of that will effect performance. I'm currently running Windows 7 and it's fast! Just a few things however

- Bluetooth and Windows 7 don't like each other on the laptop. Maybe it's just me not exploring Windows 7 enough to find it's Bluetooth Control Panel, but Windows 7 doesn't pick up my Bluetooth device, but still communicates with it???

- You have to install their Control Security Suite (or whatever they call it) for one of the drivers. You don't have too, if you don't want to however.

-Build Quality

The quality overall is good. It's an oil magnate however.

The left-side speaker's grill, since it's located directly on top of the vent, will heat up and the paint will start to peel off. I've emailed and talked with Dell support and they said that it's cosmetic. It's very unprofessional of them to have such a high-class business laptop to have a simple defect. I've finally gotten to a supervisor and now getting the thing currently replaced.

The frame around my LED LCD is tight! Nothing can get into it. Maybe it's the different frame from a CCFL to a LED? But I can't get a credit card in between them.

I'm writing quickly since I'm at work. The E6500 is good, but I wouldn't recommend the laptop. Go with the E6400, it's smaller and seems to have better reviews of it.

 

Thanks for your reply tyh. Appreciate the informative feedback

Could you elaborate on this part:

Chips?? On the paint or little cracks on the frame?

I'm also surprised about the left-side speaker grill paint peeling off. You're right, that's quite unprofessional for a business laptop that should/would be used for years to come.

Good to hear that your framing is tight, the reviewer that mentioned he had a wide gap, had it on the bottom, and he had the 1920x1200 CCFL screen(I was trying to find a link to his blog, but couldn't), also he might've been European as well, so perhaps his came out of a different factory.

I see that you wouldn't recommend it. I thought about the e6400, but then I figured it was basically a 14'' version of the e6500 for the most part, just scaled dimensions mainly(with minor differences). Personally, I'm trying to go for a 15'', I'm currently typing this on an IBM Thinkpad T41 14''...it's been pretty good to me overall, but I want to go back to 15''(I have an old inspiron that's 15'').

Is the e6400 and e6500 really that different(aesthetically/structually/cosmetically wise) ? Or is it mostly a slightly scaled down version of it?

 

Well I'm always on the move, so it being in a backpack, it gets banged up quite a bit. But I'm sure you'll do better than me in taking care of you laptop.

The frame is strong, there's no cracks. But bump it a few times and it'll dent.

The E6400/E6500 are basically the same, like you said, but scaled down. I don't see what the difference is in the two, except the weight.

 

Got cha'. Yeah, I put my laptops in a backpack as well, sometimes a laptop bag, usually filled with books, etc. And I'll walk around for a good part of the day with the laptop in there. My old inspiron had fractures and fissures in the plastic casing over the years. That's why I'm a big fan of magnesium alloy casing.

 

yea same thing happend to my inspiron. i have an m4400 which is the same chassis as the e6500, had it since it first came out. no problems with speaker paint peeling etc.

for the business notebooks, they are made either in malaysia or ireland, not china.

my notebook has been on virtually 24/7 for a year now, and it gets bumped around a lot, as i keep it in a backpack .

 

If you are going to be carrying the computer around a lot then you might want to give more thought to the E6400 which is significantly lighter than the E6500. the WXGA+ display provides a good compromise between portability and real estate. My E6400 has clocked up 13 months of hard use without any durability issues appearing.

BTW, during the past year Dell have moved their European production centre from Ireland to Poland. I have just received an E4300 which says "Made in Poland" on the bottom.

John

 

Thanks for the correction about the manufacturing locations. I had mistaken where the U.S. notebooks were made.

Do you have one from Malaysia or Ireland?

 

Thanks for the update on the European production, I had read in the news that they were switching over to Poland but I wasn't aware that it had already begun.

Unfortunately/Fortunately I probably won't be getting one made in either plant because I'm in the U.S.

As for the e6400, I acknowledge that it is lighter, but if I'm not mistaken, it is only by 1lbs/.35kg compared to the e6500. For now, I'm willing to sacrifice the weight for more real estate (1920x1200). I carry about 20lbs(give or take) on a daily basis in my backpack, so I don't think I'll be bothered by it(although I may regret it when I'm using my laptop bag...I used to carry a 10lbs laptop in there with a massive power brick...never again...messes with my posture and it's annoying to walk around all day).


On a side note, is anyone else having distortion/feedback noise when using the headphone jacks? I used to see quite a few complaints about it on the U.S. Dell forums.

 

Will you be using this with a docking station or external monitors?