New M6500 Discussion Thread

True...I always go with Nvidia's.

 

Do you think that we can expect Dell to enhance M6500's configuration (i.e. new intel wireless card 6300, GOBI card for EU, usb 3.0, etc) during the notebook's lifetime? Or this configuration will go unchanged until the M6600 comes up to integrate all these new features and technologies?

EDIT: I am wondering whether Dell has done such upgrades on any of the previous production line models in the past.

 

You will see changes in add ons like the the mini Pci-e cards like wireless.
And the cell card/GPS. Those are just snap ins.
USB 3.0 however is chipset bound and I have never seen Dell make board changes on a model.

 

They may have to. It's hard to claim the top spot in mobile workstation when the new Lenovo W series and the HP both support USB 3.0. Given an investment in a 6500 would be expected to last for two or three years and the further expectation of very rapid adoption of USB 3.0 Dell must have a strategy of some kind here.

Does anyone know what NEC chip is in the Covet?

 

I totally agree with you !

 

I can't believe they wouldn't have provided for USB 3.0 in their new flagship notebook....it's not like they didn't know about it....

 

Ok. I did it. It says "MONITOR\SEC5443"

Is this a good thing?

 

it doesn't really make any sense, since they were the very first to offer all the new technology i7, FX 3800M, etc. USB 3.0 was known much time before. I don't know, it's quite odd. Hope they offer some kind of upgrade later on, either as a firmware to existing stock or as a hardware in their production line.

 

Cheers, i'm wasn't intending to dig that deep but it looks like intel's at fault.

Looks like its going back when it arrives tomorrow, on the plus side all the i5's are 1/2 the price.


edit, I am actually pretty angry at intel now, whats the point in releasing a top of the line chip and cipleling some of its functionality so if anyone asks does an i7 support VT-d the answer is only the cheap ones????? How are normal people meant to know this, we are referencing manufacturer tech pages for god sake.

 

OK, today is a MUCH better day in computer land.

I now have my M6500 Covet up and running with a dual boot configuration - Win7 32 and Win7 64. Everything is working GREAT.

Back in my post about the VM issue, it may have worked after all. Joke was on me today when my document management did not work in Win7 32 (and that I KNOW works on other Win 7 32 machines). Turns out I mapped a drive to a subdirectory 1 tier too low. I fixed that and all was good. But I may have made that mistake in the VM setup as well. Whatever. Dual boot it is.

SO, some random thoughts, some good, some bad:

1. I bought that Tumi laptop bag others talked about earlier in this thread. The good: The 6500 fits PERFECT after you take out the optional foam end pieces. This bag is perfect - and really nice I might add. The bad: It was $495.00. But you know what, I needed a new briefcase, and this is their top of the line for the top of the line laptop. And if your going to play big, the machine should have a nice protected bed to travel and sleep. It fits the slim power brick, the 6500, 2 legal pads, a bunch of pens and stickies, my firm brochure, A USB thumb drive for convenience, and still have some room. I like it. I am a road warrior now. All in I must admit it is a bit heavy but whatever (it's not the bag's fault as you know).

2. A new problem. I got the e-dock or whatever its called. It has 2 DVI connectors for my dual monitors at work. And guess what? The Boot up / bios stage will not pass through the DVI to either monitor. The monitors are black until Windows is ready for my log on. Why does this matter? See my comment on dual boot above. If I cant select the boot mode what good is it while docked? Work-around is to run a third monitor cable for VGA to one of the monitors (the dock also has a VGA connector). So, I can select to monitor VGA on one of the monitors when i want to see the boot screen. ***but this is a problem*** and I have researched it and I am not the only one with this problem. Apparently it may be an Nvidia issue. Bottom line is that if you dock and use dual monitors each via DVI, you will not see the BIOS / POST / BOOT screens and the monitors only come alive at Windows Log on. Someone fix this please (I am talking to Nvidia and Dell - not you guys).

3. For those of you that don't know, Office 2010 is available in 64 bit Beta - FOR FREE. This is the first MS office to be in 64 bit. Google it - and make sure if you are running Win 7 64 bit you download the 64 bit Office 2010 Beta (make sure!! - I downloaded the 32 bit beta first by accident). The 64 bit office beta is STUPID fast on my 6500. I got an e-mail with a word document (in Outlook 2010 64 bit beta) and when I clicked on it to open it, it opened in 64 bit Word 2010 beta. The launch time was EQUAL to simply switching windows to an already open document. I mean, without embellishment, with Word not already running, the doc was open in Word in under 1 second. That, my friends, is STUPID fast.

4. Buy a SD card (or if you are like me use one of your old cards sitting around) for that 6500 card reader and throw it in there instead of that Dell plastic dummy piece. Leave it there. You never know when it can come in handy to transfer a file to someone or from someone that also has a card reader.

5.. Finally, since I am already on a shopping spree (and this is it - for real), I bought a Logitech Anywhere Mouse MX and I keep that in the Tumi bag also. It's a wireless mouse but not blue tooth - by a USB little tiny chip you stick in the USB port. It works GREAT and its awesome. HOWEVER - and this is especially for Bokeh - there is a BUG in Logitech Setpoint with Adobe Lightroom when you use the metadata overlay option in Lightroom - - creates screen artifacts. So if you are a Lightroom user, turn off Setpoint when working in Lightroom till they fix it - which will probably be never.

Back to installing new crap. Later!

Adam