===> The Official Studio XPS 1640 Owner's Thread<===

I play games as well, CS:Source mainly. I use it as basically a media library for all my music and pictures. It's my Blu-Ray player, I hook it up to my HDTV through the HDMI out and watch movies that way. It's a desktop replacement though, to me it's a bit too bulky to lug around. I'm on a computer a lot during the day, so I don't sit on it all night when I get home.

 

whats the cheapest 256gb SSD i can buy in the UK?

 

so there is no difference between the 250gb 7200rpm HDD and 320gb 7200rpm HDD in speed, only size?
was it worth going for the intel 5300? does it get me a better signaal, as my router is far away.

 

You don't want a cheap one. You get what you pay for in performance.
It's like a Celeron 1.1GHZ or 3.6GHZ Quad Core Duo, which would you rather have?

But with the Dell you don't have to pay $670, which is the cheapest the Samsung 256 can be found for.

 

Depends on the platter size and aerial density, since it's a mechanical drive, if they are both using 125GB platters they should be similar.

Either way nothing noticeable there.
Now if you were to compare one of those to a quality SSD which has less than 1ms seek time compared to 10ms, then you'd see a real difference.

 

iv seen a few people saying dell stock drivers for the SXPS 16 are crap.
i would get the lasest drivers from ATI anyway. but whats the point in modding them when you can just get the lasest drivers from ATI? would it make them even faster?

also which are the best to go for? which will perform best in games?

 

Good question...I'd like to know as well...go with Dell video drivers, or get drivers directly from ATI?

 

So I just noticed this line at an angle in the screen. It's inside of it..i don't know what i'm looking at but it looks like a line and is visible when the comp is off or when there's a black background. anybody wanna tell me what i'm looking at?

 

I think this has been posted for, but I am looking for up to date information with the newest ATI drivers.

What other resolutions for the RBGLED screen are there besides 1920 by 1080 with the newest ATI drivers?

 

Say what you might.. I played this game on my machine at 720p with no issues what so ever
I'd show you snaps/vids but I removed the game and I seriously cba installing it (installation takes a hell of a lot of time iirc )

 

As for laptop coolers...

Were people suggesting the Zalman NC2000 or NC1000?

I picked up the 2000 in preperation of the laptops arrival but I can swap it for a 1000 if that is all I need ($20 less).

 

From what I understand the 1000 won't be big enough to cover the entire bottom of the SXPS16

 

Cool, looking back through threads people seem to say 2000 is newer and better also. So I think I'll stick with that, but it's like 2 times the price of other coolers so it better rock.

 

Let us know what you think! I'm contemplating buying it, too, but will wait til the laptop arrives...someday!

 

When i orderd mine the dell rep said the 65 watt would work but i didint trust them i got the Kensington 90 watt auto-air adapter from there site it's marked at $145.99 but paid $85 with costumer dicount

http://accessories.dell.com/sna/products/Power/productdetail.aspx?c=ca&l=en&s=dhs&cs=cadhs1&sku=A1255504

 

I have a 1080p screen (not sure if its WLED or RGBLED, any way to check?), a P8600 with 4GB RAM.
If I use wifi and simply browse with the monitor at a decent enough brightness to read and have decent contrast, how much estimated battery life should I get?

Windows says I have 1h 35-45m :-/ Don't you think that's really poor?
Could someone check this out and let me know? Thanks

 

I think with a 6 cells battery, you should be able to run about 2 hours. I know the battery life of this machine is really poor. With my 9 cells I get about 3 hours.

BTW, a 1080p screen is always RGBLED

 

I cant get a SSD yet, im going to wait until they are less then £150 for 250gb.

so there is no difference at all between the 250gb 7200rpm and 320gb 7200rpm HDD dell supply for the SXPS?

also dell only has a SATA150 HDD thing, so any SSD that works over 150mb read/write, you wont be able to use.

also does the laptop have a 2.5" HDD slot?

 

The consensus is Intel PM45 + ICH9M is SATA 300. PM45 is a pretty new chipset afterall.

Yep, standard for standard sized laptops.

UK doesn't seem to be offering the 256GB SSD as an addon anyway.

 

Well, I cracked open the Zalman NC2000 cooler. I don't have the SXPS 16 in yet, but I did play with the cooler on my old laptop. I expect to post results on the SXPS later.

Pros:
Overall construction is good, virtually silent even on highest fan setting and you can't hear it, adjustable fan (1100-1500rpm), tuck away compartment for USB cable although I don't know how mobile it really is. It works as advertised. Since the whole thing is a grill it will blow air everywhere so it's bound to hit a vent underneath the SXPS, and I think the SXPS has alot of grill underneath it. Good for stationary use. Lots of aluminum to dissipate heat. The product seems solid and well made.

Cons:
The thing is big, it's rated for up to 20" laptops, so it feels quite large. I guess it's better than too small. Your handling aluminum so I tend to hit my knuckles on the edges. Not sharp edges, but not really dull or rounded either.
It doesn't seem to be as mobile around the house as I would like it to be for reasons I'll mention below. Fans don't look replaceable, besides their blowers so not exactly common.

How I will use it:
I've never owned a laptop cooler before, I never really needed to except for hearing the SXPS can get hot from a lot of people. So keeping it cooler will help extend it's life too so I felt it's worthwhile to get one.

I didn't get this laptop as a desktop replacement, there has never been any laptops that have ever been able to compete with my desktops, so it would make no sense for me. That means it will not be on hard surfaces alot in my house, but predominantly the opposite.
I got this for working on the couch infront the TV, for watching blu ray movies on the couch and maybe in bed at night if struck by the desire before crashing out. It will also be my business laptop as I travel around but I had no plans to travel with the cooler initially. So I will use it on soft surfaces like the couch arm, my lap, maybe even a bed. Afterall, it's on soft surfaces where vents get completely covered on a laptop and that is where you "really" need a cooler. This is where the problem sort of comes in.

I kind of half expected these coolers to be more lap and fabric friendly. As it is, my two knees just about cover the two fans. I imagine this is true of most laptop coolers, they seem to be made for desks or hard surfaces which doesn't make sense to me. On hard surfaces only a broken laptop, poorly designed, won't cool it self sufficiently so I don't understand why they aren't better designed for soft surfaces and laps. I thought the idea was also to keep your lap from burning up to like some laptops I have had in the past. So it really should be more comfortable for the lap, and the fans don't seem to be best suited for soft surfaces (IE no vents on the sides to intake air), instead there are two holes with fans that can be pretty easily obstructed, even by two well placed knees.
While it is bigger than a laptop, it feels big on my lap so on the one hand I can relax my legs more but it feels a bit awkward at times and I just have to make sure I'm not covering up both the fans.
One thing though about these fans is I believe due to their design (blowers) they may not be as impeded as a normal fan would be by partially covering the holes. Too much too explain but I thought it's worth mentioning in the context.

I think I will get accustomed to it because I think the flaws are the same with most of the coolers I looked at out there. They all seem to have similar designs. But I can't help but feel I now need one of those lap pads as well to be a cushion between my lap and the cooler. I won't get a pad, because that would be 3 things on my lap I'd be taking on and off all the time, but having an attachment come with the cooler especially made for laps would be kind of nice for a MFR to do. Something attachable/detachable.

In the end, I'm pretty happy, I think even with partially obstructed fan holes this cooler will likely out cool other designs and it is sturdy, I could probably drop it and not worry about breaking it, so I will keep it. I'm sure I'll likely get more accustomed to the way it feels on my lap later, while it's not as smooth at the bottom as a laptop is, it is bigger and allows me to relax my legs more so that is good and will keep them from getting the brunt of heat from the laptop.

I'll see how well it cools the SXPS 16, someone graphed it pretty well on previous pages so I expect it to work well.
I didn't know this was going to be a mini review, but there you go, if it was a desktop replacement I'd have no cons at all really.

 

Wow, thanks for taking the time to write such a great review! I will definitely consider this cooler once the laptop arrives. Keep us up to date on your experience with the SXPS!

 

you have to mod the desktop drivers because ATI does not release mobility drivers to the public

 

False (partial) . Ati is providing mobility drivers for the 3000 series on their website for Windows 7. I have downloaded and installed v9.4 on my machine. No idea if they are available for Vista.

 

1640 users,

Does your Windows Vista clock lags? After a day with my 1640 turned on, the clock will be about 2 minutes late from the actual time.

 

Hello I am new to these forums but anyway this laptop is ideal for me I am a photographer so the screen is really appealing. The overall impressions I get for this laptop are good but it seems it is not without problems and pretty frequent and major ones at that.

I was nearly going to purchase it but scrolling through countless websites (this included) there seems to be too many problems with the laptop and Dell. For every good review there is two bad ones it seems.

Ranging from screens that scratch when the lid closes, screen pops out of place, dvd drive issues, poor customer service, missing software the list goes on. It happens too much for it to be a rare problem.

The most worrying thread I have found is this one as it seems to have a great deal of problems
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1134595.html

I don't know what I am trying to get at with this post, I suppose just ...is this laptop worth the risk lol or can someone recommend me a reliable laptop.

I have got frustrated at looking at seemingly excellent reviews for laptops and then seeing the user reviews which in no way reflect what the profesional reviews were.

 

Let me just say this, people who are unhappy tend to speak out more than those who are I mean, just think of it this way, those who usually bother to fill out the customer satisfaction slips in stores are usually those who are unhappy or wanna complain about something. If people are happy, they just go on their way merrily lol. This is a place where people discuss laptops so arguably if you have nothing to say but "OMG I"m so happy!", there is less to discuss than if you realize you have a DvD drive issue or something.

Not to try and defend Dell that is. There are always manufacturer defaults and the odd really bad unit. To be honest, I've heard horror stories from every major laptop company concerning both their units and their customer support so it's no surprise you'll stumble across some from time to time. The larger the company's customer base, the larger the amount of bad experiences should be statistically speaking.

Anyways, if you want the most reliable notebooks, they're the business class ones which cost more, but are definitely more ruggedly built and assembled.

 

Thank you for your response, yes you are quite right if people are content with their laptop/desktop then they will tend to not shout it about it. People who have problems will tend to shout their opinions from the rooftops.

It just paints a negative picture for me sometimes when you get complaints popping up all over the internet but this doesn't neccersarily mean they account for a vast majority of people who are happy with their product.


It just paints a bad picture for me and leaves me with the impression that the laptop isn't worth it.... 5,000 people complain about the product (which seems a lot) but 250,000 have no complaints but don't tell you.

I am a cautious consumer by that I mean I will wait an eon lol until I know the product is worthy of a purchase (even though the next model will have been released lol). I know computers can be tempormental at best so I may just bite the bullet and go for it.

Just needed some words of wisdom lol.

 

I was going to say the same thing as above.

Just bite the bullet. I'm even one of the people that had to return my laptop for a new one, but the new one is perfect and I couldn't be happier. It's a great bang for the buck and I don't think you'll be upset once you get it.

 

I have read that there is an apparent problem with the Screen coming in contact with the touchpad whenthe lid is closed causing scratches to the screen over time. Can anyone shed some light on this and if it is an ongoing issue or if it has been resolved in newer releases. Are there any fixes that have been tried if Dell has not resolved this?

 

Ive had may SXPS16 for a bit over a month.. and its PERFECT!.. yes, seriously, its perfect in terms of build and operational. No overheating or BSOD with upgrading Vista. Although, the speaker grills are starting to fill with gunk.

Anyways, its easier to go online and point out a single issue than it is to list everything that has gone right.

 

I havent had any issues after a month. Although, its a desktop replacement for me so it wont be traveling much.

If you are going to throw it in a bag or luggage with other stuff then you might want to put a piece of microfibre cloth on the KB to prevent wear and grease transferring to the LCD. This is what I do with my VAIO TZ since the clearance is so tiny (much smaller than the SXPS16).

 

And what is your configuration? I am about to test the GTA4 on my new M4400 which should be much better. On XPS16 it was really unplayable even with the lowest details.

 

hi all i just purchased an xps 1640.
it is now charging and i noticed that the appromixate charge time stays "3 minutes" under battery meter and it is only at 39%. the battery appears to be charging normally though.
is this behaviour normal?

 

can Anyone help me out and explain Dell Refound procedures? I returned my 1640 on April 14,2009 and i Recieved the following email:


I see that your return has been received by Dell and a credit of $1500.60 has been posted to your original method of payment on 04-17-09. well my original form of payment was debt bank card - and my online bank account isnt reflecting the funds yet. shoul di give it more time or what? i assume if they took the money instantly when i brought it they should credit me instantly as well no?

Please advise.

 

Having worked for Banks before I can tell you that if it was credited to the Bank and it was after 4 p.m., it won't reflect your account until the end of the next working day, which is today. If things went the way they say, I would think you would see it tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks N20.

 

I've recieved my Studio XPS 16 last week and over the weekend I scrubbed it and put Vista 64 on it. I've down loaded the right drivers ect from the Dell web site.
I have 3 questions,
Firstly, is there supposed to be an ariel and lead for the integrated TV tuner?
Secondly Where do i get the Software to use it from?
Thirdly, I have installed the ATI driver but there's no catalyst control panel to tame the cards wild colours.
Any ideas?

 

Good news ordered my SXPS on 4/7 - the orginal ship date was the 23rd - Dell changed it to 4/30 - Today I checked status and it shipped ETA 4/22.

YAAAAAAHUUUUUUUU.

 

I ordered mine the same day, ESD for mine has always been 4/22. I'd really like to see it move out of the "In Production" phase (see sig.). Let me know if yours actually ships on 4/22!

 

obviously the question had nothing to do with Win7 since the OP was in regards to deciding between Dell drivers and ATI direct drivers...so not false

 

No prob heres my specs

T9550 2.66
4gb Ram
512mb ATI
1080p Screen
Blu-ray
256 SSD
6 and 9 Cell Battery
3year Complete Care
Dell 5300
Bluetooth Media Remote
X-FI Audio card
Bluetooth 370

I'm so excited.... Tsger I'll keep you posted.

 

I just looked and my 1640 has moved out of production and delivery is scheduled for this Thursday. My original order date was 4-8.

My question is if someone can step me through the process to reformat and reinstall the drivers. I have never done this and dont want to screw it up!!!
I would appreciate the help, just keep in mind I'm a computer idiot! I really need a step by step tutorial
Thanks in advance!

 

This thread might be a good place to start:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=2345265&postcount=1

The entire thread is here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2345265#post2345265

 

I think I score a pretty good deal on dell outlet xD. what you guys think? I got a few questions, can the wireless card and blue tooth be upgrade? how much performance difference between the 128 ssd and the 256 ssd?

Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista Home PremiumMemory
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz (2 DIMMs)Hard Disk Drive
128 GB Solid State Hard Drive, 2.5Video
512MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3670Software Upgrade
64BIT Operating System DVD
Microsoft Works 9.0Media Bay
Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM)Hardware Upgrade
6 Cell Primary Battery
125V Power Cord
90W AC AdapterCertified Refurbished
Certified RefurbishedBase
Studio XPS 16 (1640) Laptop: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (3MB cache/2.26GHz/1066Mhz FSB) w/2.0MP Integrated WebcamWeb Camera
Integrated 2.0 Mega Pixel Web CameraNetwork Interface Card
Intel WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/g/n Draft Mini CardSystem Color
Obsidian Black with Leather AccentLaptop Screen
16 inch Edge-to-Edge FullHD Widescreen RGBLED LCD (1920x1080))

TOTAL: $1,036.15 before tax

 

Anyone?

>BUMP<

 

Yes a lead with standard Aerial connections should be present along with a portable antena.

Try Dell Support page Driver Download! DOH!

CC is present in ATI drivers, mybe you don't know how to access them, try right clicking on desktop the option will be at top of drop down menu.

Expect this is youre first Dell Laptop Gazzajagman, you came to the right place this forum is excellent for Newbies.

 

After much deliberation and research i've managed to put my mind at rest with the 720p screen choice i went for, it seems the better choice (atleast for me) and my SXPS1640 should be arriving this afternoon.

Just out of interest I thought i'd post my specs here and what I got it for and compare it with you guys for the price.


Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40Ghz, 3MB, 1066MHz)
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1(32 BIT) - English
16" (inch) Truelife 720p HD WLED Edge to Edge Display
4096MB 1067MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [2x2048]
320GB Free Fall Sensor (7200RPM) Hard Drive
512MB ATI® Radeon™ HD 3670 graphics card
Internal Blu-ray Drive Combo (BLU-RAY, DVD AND CD READ, DVD & CD WRITE)
McAfee® Security Centre - 24 Month Protection

Everything else was left standard.

Got it for £900 after several conversations with a Dell rep and a 10% discount code, probably could of been better but i think not to bad of a buy.

 

Pretty good deal.

You can add internal bluetooth chipset, but its easier to just get an external one. I'm not sure about wifi, technically you can get intel 5300, but I'm not sure if there are 3 antenna in your laptop.

Performance wise, there should be no significant difference between 128GB and 256GB SSD, provided they are the same brand.

 

Yes I am a Dell newbie and so far, the Dell experience is everything that I expected...a PITA. Previously I used HP laptops and their driver and software support is much easier and simpler to implement.

The Dell Support ATI driver does include CCC, but it's configured to prevent the user from accesing it. I had to use the Mobility Modder.NET hack to get the MSI to allow me install it. Nice one Dell.

I have already installed the TV tuner card...but there seems to be no software associated with it. Having a driver is one thing, having the software to actually use the device is another.

Hmm I have a Blueray player but no software to play anything with it. There's a serious lack of joined up thinking and QA that's going on with Dell.

I can't help but wonder if a new laptop really should incur this amount of driver searching and configuring. Maybe I should go back to HP land or get a Mac book...they just work!

 

Have you tried Windows Media Centre? This is included with Vista Premium & Ultimate, it is all you need for the integrated TV tuner, also Dell Media experience and Roxio for Bluray player, would of been better to have ordered Vista 64 bit when specing the laptop it is a free option.