===> The Official Studio XPS 1640 + ATi 4670 GPU Owner's Thread<===

I figured we're due for a new SXPS 16 thread with the 4670 configuration. That way it doesn't get muddled with the 3670 which is a completely different motherboard and video card. Hopefully this is ok with the forum mods. I'll continue to update this first post with relevant benchmarks, issues/solutions etc that crop up with the 4670 configuration.

Date of last FAQ update: 09/27/09

------------------------------------------------------
Studio XPS 16 + ATi 4670 GPU FAQ:

Are there any gameplay videos of the SXPS 16 + ATi 4670?

• YES, I've made two of them that you can watch on YouTube:
  1. First video is of the Street Fighter 4 benchmark. It's the Dell SXPS 16 (4670) vs. HP DV7 (4650 overclocked): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjFiZCeRRq8
  2. This second video features Crysis Warhead gameplay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oS2Lr5NhfE
  3. The following video was made using FRAPs (performance is degraded by FRAPs during video recording) by Skraeling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gyYBFnCqXE

Are there benchmarks of the SXPS 16 with the ATi 4670?

• SEE POST #3 FOR USER POSTED BENCHMARKS

How can I undervolt my CPU to attain cooler temperatures?

• Undervolting, when properly done, can reduce load temperatures from 5-10C as well as idle temperatures. It reduces total heat output therefore extending the life of your laptops components. A thorough guide explaining how to do this can be found here using a program called RMClock. Remember, if you are running Vista 64, download the 64 bit driver so that RMClock works properly.

How do I install the newest ATi Catalyst drivers?

• You can get the newest ATi drivers from AMD's website and then use Mobility Modder to patch the drivers to run on your laptop.
• A free driver cleaner program called Driver Sweeper is available from Guru3D Credit: Dayton.

Besides the Catalyst drivers, what other driver software can I update on the SXPS 16?

• IDT 92HD73C1 Audio v6.10.0.6217, A15
• Dell QuickSet v9.6.8, A01
• Synaptics Synaptics TouchPad v 13.2.2.2, A06
• Broadcom BCM5784M LAN v12.2.1.0, A02
  Credit: IaTa

How do I check which monitor I have?

• To determine if yours is the RGB LED, use the following steps:
• Device manager>monitors>generic pnp monitor>details>hardware ids. It should read: MONITOR/SEC5448

Can I change the color profile for the RGB display?

• There are a few profiles and methods floating around:
• For Windows 7, you can opt to use the method detailed in this post
• For Vista, you can download the xrite LUT loader
• The following color profiles are available: 1. cedm's 6500k profile 2. Limstift's color profile
• For further reading on color profiles, see this thread for more information.
• UPDATE 08/28/09:
  Instructions to enable calibrated RGBLED colour management
  
  Vista
  
  1) Download, extract and double click on cedm's ICC
  
  2) Go to Control Panel - Color Management - Click Add - Select "StudioXPS16_Native_Portable_lum40%_06-07-2009" and set it as default
  
  3) Download and install this LUT Loader and reboot
  
  4) Disable Firefox colour management
  
  Windows 7
  
  1) Download, extract and double click on cedm's ICC
  
  2) Go to Control Panel - Color Management - Click Add - Select "StudioXPS16_Native_Portable_lum40%_06-07-2009" and set it as default
  
  3) Click Advanced tab - Click Change system defaults - Click Advanced tab - Tick Use windows display calibration
  
  4) Disable Firefox colour management
  
  Credit: IaTa

My service tag is not showing up. Is something wrong?

• 10 days after a system ships, it should be activated. If it hasn't, call Dell and they will get it activated.

Credit: Ikjadoon


How to enable LoJack:

• Go to the Dock and under security, activate LoJack. There's an option in the BIOS (which I turned on), but I don't know what it does. WARNING: Turning this option in the BIOS on is permanent, no going back. It's on the far right tab, under CompuTrace.

Credit: Ikjadoon


The page on Dell's website lists the lan as 10/100, is this true?

• While the builder on Dell's site says 10/100, the port is in fact 10/100/1000Mbps = 1Gbps = Gigabit.

Credit: Ikjadoon


What notebook cooler can I use with the Studio XPS 16?

• The consensus seems to be that the Zalman NC2000 is a very good choice. Click here to read a review of the Zalman NC2000 by forum user TexasEx7.

Can I call Dell if a part mysteriously breaks in my current SXPS 16 and ask them to upgrade me to a 4670?

• First of all, this constitutes fraud. Secondly, Dell never upgrades laptops under repair as long as they are still in production. In the case of the 3670, it is very much still in production and so you shouldn't count on it. Sell your existing SXPS 16 and buy another with the 4670.

Can I upgrade my current 3670 to 4670?

• No you cannot. The video card is soldered to the mainboard. The only possible way may be to swap motherboards but that's yet to be seen if they are 100% compatible.
• *UPDATE 7/10/09* For those of you with ATi 3670 systems that want a 4670, you MAY be able to upgrade your motherboard though I don't know what the cost would be. Here is the part information given for the 4670 based motherboard from my service tag:
  
  
  A phone call to Dell may yield some information regarding purchase of the new motherboard.
  

What performance upgrades can I expect from the 4670 vs 3670

• Now that people are receiving their 4670 based SXPS 16, benchmark comparisons between the 3670 and 4670 will be available in the near future. Keep checking back for updates.

If I'm not a gamer, do I still need the 4670 GPU?

• Most likely you do not. Unless you do a lot of video editing/photoshop/CAD work, then the 1 GB 4670 may be beneficial.

Does this new 4670 run hotter than the 3670?

• So far all we know is that the 4670 consumes 5 watts more than the 3670. Until someone receives the new system, we won't know.
• UPDATE: I've received my system and after a lot of heavy use have concluded that the system in fact does not run hotter than the 3670 configuration. Rather I feel it is more stable and does not throttle like the 3670 configuration tends to do. There is no propping up of the 4670 configuration needed thus far to prevent throttling.

I've got dust underneath the edge to edge plastic cover on my screen, what do I do!?!

• Unfortunately this seems to be a problem with the edge to edge cover. Some people call Dell and have it cleaned or the entire screen replaced. What I chose to do is follow brazillianguy's method on youtube to carefully loosen the cover and remove the dust myself. Be aware that the cover is epoxied to the screen so you will be loosening that bond. What I did after doing this is use a hair dryer to reseal the glue. I take no responsibility should you damage your laptop doing any of the aforementioned. Also note that this can potentially void your warranty..

Is it necessary to reformat the system to get better performance?

• This is absolutely not necessary. While some people may prefer to start with a clean install of Vista and to perhaps remove the recovery partition (to gain storage space), the performance gain would be minimal to none. All existing "bloatware" that comes with the laptop can simply be uninstalled using the add/remove feature in Windows.

Can I hook up my laptop to my HDTV via HDMI out?

• If your TV has an HDMI port, then yes you can and it's plug and play. If you do not have an HDMI port on your TV but rather a DVI or VGA, you will need to use an HDMI-->DVI converter and use a separate connection for audio.

What is the number and instructions for checking the status of my order?

• 1)Call 800-283-2210
  
  2)Press #3
  
  3)Then press #2
  
  4)Ordering tracking option #1
  
  5)Repeat tracking option #1
  
  
  Credit: sleey0

 

Is this a refresh of the 1640? Or has the vid card been the only thing that's changed? I mean, has dell changed some of the internal circuitry or chasis design to solve the alleged heat problems? If not, wouldn't the 4670 only bring more heat into the system?

 

Studio XPS 16 + 4670 User Benchmarks:

• Now that systems are shipping to end users, these should become available. If you wish to submit your scores to be posted here, please follow this format:
• System configuration
  [*]Catalyst version and settings (AA settings, AF settings, Catalyst AI, MipMap settings, Adaptive AA settings).
  [*]Game or benchmark settings
  [*]Game or benchmark results

Once I start getting submissions in the above format, I'll add them here.

• Entry 1: Dreslin
  
  Catalyst Version: 8.603
  
  Catalyst Settings:
  AA setting: Use application settings
  AF settings: Use application settings
  Catalyst AI: Enabled: Standard setting
  Mipmap: Quality
  Adaptive AA: Quality
  
  Configuration:
  Intel Core 2 Duo T9550(2.66GHz/1066Mhz FSB/6M L2 Cache)
  4GB DDR3, 1067 MHz
  16:9 1080p Full HD RGBLED LCD
  ATI Mobility RADEON 4670 - 1GB
  256GB Solid State Hard Drive
  
  Benchmark: 3DMARK06
  
  3DMark Score: 6362 3DMarks
  SM 2.0 Score 2336
  SM 3.0 Score 2973
  CPU Score 2061
  
  HD Tune: SAMSUNG SSD PM800 Series Benchmark
  
  Transfer Rate Minimum : 139.8 MB/sec
  Transfer Rate Maximum : 163.7 MB/sec
  Transfer Rate Average : 154.7 MB/sec
  Access Time : 0.2 ms
  Burst Rate : 126.0 MB/sec
  CPU Usage : 40.8%

• 
  [*]Entry 2: Skraeling
  
  Catalyst Version: 8.603.01.888
  
  Catalyst Settings: Default
  
  Configuration: Intel T9550, 4GB DDR3, 7200rpm 500GB
  
  Benchmark: 3DMARK06
  
  Benchmark Score:
  6671 3DMarks
  sm2.0 2456
  sm3.0 3039
  cpu score 2293
  
  HD Tune: ST9500420ASG Benchmark
  
  Transfer Rate Minimum : 42.7 MB/sec
  Transfer Rate Maximum : 94.6 MB/sec
  Transfer Rate Average : 75.7 MB/sec
  Access Time : 17.2 ms
  Burst Rate : 57.4 MB/sec
  CPU Usage : 18.2%

 

Space reserved.

 

I’m tempted to send back my system but I just can’t make up my mind:
Current System:
Studio XPS 16 (1640) Laptop: Intel Core 2 Duo T9800 (6MB cache/2.93GHz/1066Mhz FSB) w/2.0MP Integrated Webcam $400 Upgrade
8X DVD+/- RW(DVD/CD read/write) Slot Load Drive
256 GB Solid State Drive Ultra Performance $375.00 Upgrade
512MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670
Intel® 5300 WLAN Wireless-N (3X3 ) Mini Card
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)
16 inch Edge-to-Edge FullHD Widescreen RGBLED LCD (1920x1080))
4 yr In-home Service after remote diagnosis
Price $

System I’m looking at:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9550 (6MB cache/2.66GHz/1066Mhz FSB)
4X Slot Load Blu-ray Disc (BD) Burner (Writes to DVD/CD/BD
500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
ATI Mobility RADEON™ HD 4670 – 1GB
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)
16 inch Edge-to-Edge FullHD Widescreen RGBLED LCD (1920x1080))
Intel® 5100 WLAN Wireless-N (1x2) Half Mini Card
3 yr In-home Service after remote diagnosis + Complete Care

Price:
Just can’t make up my mind…. What would you do?

 

Wow. What a pretty big performance boost 4670 is from 3670.

 

The system with the 4670 will hold it's value better and will last you longer since the 4670 is significantly more powerful than the 3670. So if I was in your position, I'd go for system #2.

 

The price of your current system is very good. Did you buy it with some special coupon?

 

Joker! its finally here xD . i still have to wait till the option for the new gpu is out in dell PR, but it is exciting. cant wait till you get yours and let us know. and cant wait to have this baby back!

 

Indeed, it took long enough! Mine's in production right now and I'm hoping I get it by July 7-10. I'll of course post up all the info I can once it arrives. Anyone else here order it?

 

I'll order it tomorrow from dell epp, , Joker I was wondering why you did upgrade your processor to a T9550 and the blu-ray drive to the 4x blu-ray drive.

 

I didn't want to spend the extra money. I plan to upgrade the CPU to a quad core so it was pointless getting anything better than the P8700. I don't really need the blu ray burner since the medium for that is so outrageously expensive that it's not even worth it. Once SSD prices go down, I plan to ditch the 320 GB drive in favor of that.

 

I used a coupon for the system when I purchase it, called and had dell upgrade my warranty for 3 years, includes a $75 promo gift card which I should get in 10-15 days. I'll used the $75 card for a 9cell battery. I think it's a good deal, I'll put in on ebay for sale or if I get a good price for it i'll sell it instead of sending it back. I got the system last Friday. The screen is really nice.

 

I'll take the 9 cell battery off your hands if you can offer a decent price. It was recently going for $60 + tax and shipping on Dell's website.

 

Yes, There was a 25% coupon on Dell Small Biz's site that applied to the batt's..it may be expired now.
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/...etail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=312-0815
Here is the coupon code: GFDW8472JG1HW3

Cin

 

Also linked directly above this OP's post.

 

Any indication as to if they will bump the processor? I know the T9550 has started to be replaced by Intel in favor of the T9600...

 

Thanks to both of you. I used the above link and the 20% off was listed right on their site so I got a decent deal on it. Thanks.

 

For those that ordered yesterday and want to call to modify the order to include the Windows 7 upgrade: Online order cancellation or changes: ATG Online 1-877-248-3731, Opt 2, Opt 1

 

so i chatted with a dell rep from the Puerto Rico site, and he said he didn't think in the near future they would offer the new configuration because otherwise they'd know. However, he went on to try and get me to buy a precision m6400 .

anyway, not too worried, im sure theyll offer it pretty soon. but im very impatient!

 

Ordered; RGBLED, T9550, and 256GB SSD. Estimated delivery 7/16, can't wait.

 

Nice, should be a beast. How much did you pay?

 

Tried to get the Windows 7 upgrade. The guy didn't understand what I wanted. He kept saying I had to register online. I told him I placed my order yesterday but he insisted I register online and have the CD sent to me. I told him I didn't qualify but he didn't understand.

Oh well. I figure I've gotten enough good deals out of Dell, I might as well just pay up for the Windows 7 upgrade myself when it comes out. Be a consumer instead of a freeloader.

Good luck to everyone else though!

 

You can cancel the order and then re-order. That's what I did after being transferred 3 times between reps. No point in paying for something everyone else is going to get free.

 

Haha..typical Dell reps! I'm sure it will show up at Dell PR and other sites in a week or two. They're probably phasing in the various sites so that way they don't get overwhelmed with back orders. You could always have someone from mainland US order one for you though I'm not sure if the warranty would transfer to PR or not.

 

Meh. I already did that yesterday to get the better ATI card. I feel like I'm starting this horrible trend where I won't ever get my SXPS 16 because I keep changing and modifying and re-ordering the thing just to tweak it a little.

Windows 7 doesn't seem like that big of deal anyway. I will probably be able to pick up the full installation for $89 through my school anyway like Vista. Maybe less...

 

Well up to you man, it was pretty easy once I just told the guy to cancel it. They remove the authorization from the CC right away so you can place the order again. So what configuration did you get?

 

Pretty basic configuration, I think.

Item Number Quantity Item Description
224-5207 1 XPS 1640, Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3M L2 Cache)
320-7330 1 Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish with Leather XPS 1640
311-9487 1 4GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz 2 Dimm forXPS 1640
320-7329 1 16.0 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p FullHD RGBLED LCD W/2.0 MP, XPS 1640
330-4424 1 ATI Mobility RADEON M96XT - 1GB
341-7912 1 320GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
420-9319 1 Microsoft Windows Vista with SP1 Home Premium Edition 64-bit Edition English
330-1917 1 DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP XPS 1640
420-6576 1 DELL WELCOME,Software Dimension/Inspiron
420-9100 1 Dell Dock Consumer
463-2282 1 Dell Owners Manual installed on your system,click on icon after system set-up to access
420-6436 1 Vista, PC-Restore, Dim/Insp
420-7938 1 Dell Connect 2.1
421-0092 1 DELL-DOWNLOAD-FLAG
421-0323 1 Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface
421-0187 1 Dell Support Center Software 64 Bit 2.0
420-9691 1 DataSafe Local BackUp 2.0 Basic
430-2600 1 Integrated 10/100 Network Card
410-1883 1 ADOBE READER 9.0 MULTI- LANGUAGE
313-7056 1 BluRay Combo Drive
420-9850 1 Roxio 10.2 DE
420-9681 1 PowerDVD DX 8.1 Bluray Playback, True Theatre High Definition
313-4783 1 Integrated High Definition Audio 2.2
430-2955 1 Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11AGN Half Mini Card
410-2090 1 McAfee Sapphire MUI, 15-Month
312-0811 1 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion P Primary Battery, for XPS 1640
421-0304 1 Microsoft Works 9.0, English For Inspiron
993-3498 1 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Extended Year(s)
993-3497 1 Dell Hardware Warranty PlusOnsite Service, Initial Year
992-1212 1 Third Party At Home Service with Nights and Week ends, 24x7 Technical Support, 2 Year Extended
992-4460 1 Third Party At HomeService with Nights and Weekends, 24x7 Technical Support,Initial Year
950-3339 1 3 Year Limited Warranty
980-5877 1 CompleteCare Accidental DamageProtection, Inspiron, 3 Year
412-0358 1 Soft Contracts - Consumer Complete Care
420-8878 1 Software, Soft Contracts Dell In-Home
960-3652 1 Warranty Support,2 Year Extended
960-8710 1 Warranty Support,Initial Year
988-7707 1 2GB DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 FOR SDO/DIM/INS/XPS
988-0099 1 To activate your online backupaccount, go to Start, Programs, DataSafe Online
420-9518 1 DATASAFE ONLINE 1.1 2GB FOR DIM/INS/XPS
430-3206 1 Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate)
320-7618 1 Premium HD WLED Display Obsidian Black, Leather 2.0 MP Webcam
420-8223 1 Dell Video Chat
420-9699 1 Facial Recognition Sensible Vision
421-0464 1 Dell Webcam,1.2
310-8628 1 You have chosen a Windows Vista Premium System
330-1757 1 Intel Centrino 2 Label
420-9800 1 Dell Remote Access free basic to access your PCs from outside your home
993-1919 1 Dell Remote Access, free basic service - access your PCs and files from outside your home
* -DISCOUNT/COUPON APPLIED
Subtotal: $1,482.42

Sorry for the specs spam but I wasn't sure if I should cut out some things or not.

 

Heh, wasn't cheap but it is to replace an Inspiron 8600 so I hang on to my laptops. The only thing I backed off of really was the BD burner, and of course memory as I could do that later and for a much better price.

 

Joker How much did you pay for the xps studio 16 you ordered yesterday?

 

$1615 after tax + shipping.

 

I just Strong Arm the Dell Rep. Just Kidding

XPS 1640, Intel Core 2 Duo T9550(2.66GHz/1066Mhz FSB/6M L2 Cache)
4GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz 2 Dimm forXPS 1640
16.0 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p FullHD RGBLED LCD W/2.0 MP, XPS 1640
ATI Mobility RADEON 4670- 1GB
500GB 7200RPM Free Fall SensorSeagate Hard Drive
4X Slot Load Bluray (BDRW) Rewritable Drive (BD Read and and Write)
Intel 5100 Wireless-N (1x2) Half Mini-Card
3 Year Limited Warranty CompleteCare Accidental DamageProtection
$1770 after tax + shipping.

 

Does it usually takes a lot of time before the upgrades are available in Canada ? I can see the Windows 7 Upgrade but the 4670 is not available.
I talked to a Dell rep yesterday about the gpu upgrade and he had no idea what i was talking about.

 

Nice deal..did you use any coupons?

 

No I just told the Dell Rep that's the price I will pay for it. He try to make me pay more but I told him no, Then he went and got approval for my price.

 

lol nice..maybe I should've used a rep too. Oh well I'm happy with the deal I got.

 

Oh Hell!

I was thinking that they would make the update so costly that it would be out of the question for people to upgrade but its just 100$!!!!!!!!!!!! This sucks..I have to come to terms with the fact that I HAD the fastest machine...

 

Hey Everybody! I just signed up for the site because of this thread. I just upgraded my in-production 1640 today when I saw the new 4670 became available as an option. My early June order was Dell-ayed another 2 weeks today anyways, so they didn't put up much of a fight about switching me out. Thing thing is going to be SICK!

 

Any of you know what the difference is between the 5300 Ultimate-N and 5300 WLAN Wireless N?

 

I have yeah, though my "recieve date" is saying 16th.

 

Well the laptop sleeve shipped. At least that tells me that the charge went through and the 1640 is paid for (or will be), now the wait. I suppose I could have paid for shipping to speed things up, oh well.

 

Well they authorize the charge right away, at least they did when I ordered. They won't charge you until it ships though, that's their standard policy. This wait sucks, I'm anxious to have that sweet RGBLED screen again. The 4670 is just icing on the cake...

 

Right, so I have a minor (catastrophic IRL ) dilemma, should i get the RGBLED screen or the 4670? I don't play many games, the most graphics-intensive of which is DoW2. suggestions?

 

Plan on watching any Blu-ray on it?, do you want a hi-res screen and the desktop space to go with it? Those factor more than gaming when it comes to picking the RGBLED screen. For pure gaming the WLED LCD (1366x768) would be the better match but it would be a low-res solution for just about everthing else when you consider the screen size.

 

$1,688.30 after tax and shipping for me.

 

no, no blu ray, but my current res is 1280x800 and i'd like a significant upgrade. Considering how I don't mind a lack of visual quality in games (this in terms of the grafx card), i'll probably end up getting the RGB.

 

Any extra warranty/complete care?

 

Save up some more money and get both.

 

Na what ever the standard warranty is.

 

a good plan!