New M4500 Discussion Thread

How can you tell which version dell uses (gddr3 vs 5)? I can't find anything about it. I'm sure you're right, just wondering. nVidia shouldn't use the same name for this product if the memory is different.

 

Ok, I got off the phone with Dell, and I was able to talk them down the following specs to around $2150:

Intel® Core™ i7-820QM
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
4.0GB, DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS
Internal English Backlit Keyboard
NVIDIA® Quadro FX 880M Graphics with 1GB dedicated memory
250GB 7200rpm Hard Drive
No Fingerprint Reader and No Contactless Smartcard Reader
15.6" Full HD (1920 x 1080) Wide View Anti-Glare LED Display
Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate, 64-bit, no media
No Modem
130W 3P, A/C Adapter
8X DVD+/-RW w/Roxio and Cyberlink Power DVD™, no media
Integrated webcam with microphone
9-cell (90Wh) Lithium Ion Battery
3 Year Basic Limited Warranty and 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Service

I wanted to not include an OS (I already have W7 Ultimate 32 and 64bit), but they told me they had to. I also want to order it with the minimum memory so that I can buy my own, but they told me that the warranty will be void if I add my own memory.

Thinking about it, I forgot to include the modem, precision ON, and fingerprint swipe reader. I hope that scaling back the OS and memory will allow me to add these features for not too much more.

WIth this config, it comes down to a little less than the 8540w with a similar config with discount, but the Precision has no USB3.0, whereas the 8540w and the W510 do. What do you guys think about the absence of that feature?

Also, what is ProSupport, and what happened to CompleteCare?

 

The M4500 also only has two DIMM slots, W510 has four. I don't know what country you live in, but in the USA, that's a line of BS about the RAM killing the warranty.

 

cool, I thought so... What are your thoughts on the config?

 

If you are in the US, they are ignorant or lying. When you replace the RAM, Dell does not void the warranty, they only exclude RAM from their warranty (meaning they won't replace the RAM they didn't sell...which actually makes sense). But a lot of cust serv reps either don't understand the difference or they obfuscate the difference to make you buy the RAM form them.

 

And, you usually get lifetime warranty if you buy the RAM yourself, compared to limited warranty that comes along with the notebook.

 

There are two daughterboards, one for each side. The left side has USB/audio/firewire, and is either USB2 (first several months, black ports) or USB3 (since March 2nd, blue ports). See this post by Bokeh for pictures - he asked for, and received, an evaluation sample.

Now it appears that you may be able to buy the new daughtercard (several possible part numbers) although it is very difficult to install (for a novice).

Hopefully Dell will not see fit to do this with any other precision laptop.

 

Thought there was going to be a 4 DIMM slot option (assumed to be similar to HP/Lenovo, with the selection of the i7 quad cores?)

 

I read somewhere that the touchpad should support multi touch, any one have more information about that?
I guess that is a driver to update to windows 7 to make use of it.
Any clue whether the m4500 will support touchscreens like the vostro?
Are there any other "advantages" with windows 7 compared to XP?

 

I believe in the other thread it was confirmed to use the multi touch Synaptics touchpad. Whether there is a touchscreen, probably not. Which Vostro model supports touchscreen? Also, I find Vista and 7 to be much more stable than XP (plus being developed on a native 64-bit OS, which brings much better support for any 64-bit apps and drivers).