Dell Studio XPS 1340/1640 now available for purchase on Dell's site !!!

DH Modtool just allows one to use the latest ATI Catalyst drivers instead of waiting on the OEM. OEM's like Dell almost never update their video drivers, so they aren't really a reliable source for keeping one's video card drivers up to date.

Of course Windows Update is another source but those drivers aren't as fleshed out and again aren't as current as what is offered from ATI.

 

Couldn't you just install the latest driver from the ATi/AMD website instead of waiting on Dell?

 

Nope you can't, it will fail the hardware check. DH Modtool takes care of this by modifying the inf's so it gets past the hardware check and the driver installs as it would on a desktop.

 

I dunno about that... for the time period that I had the Dell Studio 1537 with the 3450 video card, I was able to install directly from the ATI website. I know I did this because I installed the Windows 7 beta driver from their site.

 

You mean Lg P310 ? You can buy it from notebook.de. They ship Internationally!

 

Okay guys....

If I order the XPS 16 and find it not adequate for my needs (casual gaming and I'm on the border regarding the low res), will Dell take this back within 21 days and refund my full money?

I have zero interest offer my Dell CC (and I usually pay stuff off within a year) and I'd like go this way instead of dishing out $1500 from my savings...if u know what I mean. If it wasn't for this issue, I'd have gone with the Sager 570u.

Thanks

PS: So has anyone actually ordered this baby yet??

 

I think several people have. The only thing is the ETA is at the end of this month so it could still be two weeks before people start getting them. (Hopefully it will be a bit faster, I think an earlier post said savings were scheduled for the 15th of January (but that's all rumor)).

 

I'm hoping neither's necessary and you can just force install ATi's reference drivers as you can with Nvidia's (I mean back when you needed to).

Is that all it's doing? Just adding identification strings? Can't we just manually add the one for ours? (Assuming you even need to do that?)

Weird. I don't know what to think then. Are the drivers different from the Vista drivers? Do they support Blu Ray? Is it just that ATi's temporarily supporting them since there's no other source for Windows 7 drivers?

 

I don't know if the drivers are different from the Vista drivers. I had to install them because my HDMI out would not work and yes it did support blu ray (I had a bluray in my Studio laptop.

 

Thanks! Well, that's fantastic that Blu Ray still worked! Do you know what was up with HDMI? I'm planning on running it at least half the day connected through HDMI -> DVI to an external monitor.

 

Well, basically, I had not installed any official ATI drivers after installing Windows 7. The default driver by MS was used. So, the HDMI video out was working fine but no sound was coming out.. After the install, the HDMI sound and video worked flawlessly. Watching 1080p files was amazing on my 47" LCD TV.

 

I'm curious as to how well the Facial-Recognition System works. Sounds nice but so did the print scanner and a few people had problems with that.
I do like the idea of my laptop locking if I step away from it though...

" Help protect your files with a smile
Why worry about forgetting your password? Facial recognition security software lets you log onto your laptop with a simple scan of your face. It automatically locks your laptop when you step away, and unlocks it upon your return."

 

I ordered the 1640.

 

What were your specs?

 

This laptop ticks all of my boxes, except for the GPU and that crappy battery life.

It's really between the MacBook Pro in my sig and a fully loaded 1640 for me.

 

P8600 2.4
4GB Ram
1080p RGBLED
320GB Drive
Vista Home Premium
BluRay Drive
Intel 5300
Dell Bluetooth

 

Should be a beautiful screen. :smile:

 

I hope so.

 

This is what I'm eyeing

Dell Studio XPS 1640

Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo Processor T9600 (2.80GHz/ 1066 FSB/ 6MB Cache)
Genuine Windows Vista(R) Ultimate 64 bit SP1 Edition (English)
2-year XPS Premier Service with 1-year CompleteCover
16 " 1080p Full HD WUXGA (1920x1080) Anti-Glare RGBLED Display with 2.0MP webcam
6GB (1x4GB/1x2GB) 1067MHz DDR3 SDRAM
128GB Solid State Hard Drive
Slot Load Fixed Blu-ray BD-ROM / DVD + /-RW Combo Drive
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3670

If only that Battery was better, I would have ordered it already.

 

I suppose I should list the specs I ordered:

2.53GHz/6MB
4GB
default hard drive (I'll replace it when I get it)
'standard' screen (that 'low' resolution is perfect for me I think, and it's still LED backlit!)
cheapest wifi (doubt I'll use it much)
NO bluetooth
standard 1 year warrenty

 

Yep, 21 days and no issues. You can also do this with HP.

The only bad part is if you didn't mind other models with either HP or Dell, you can order from Costco, customize it online, and have _-> 90! <-_ days to return it.

I went through Costco since 3 months is long enough for me to decide if I like it (and JUST in case something great comes out), they extend the warrany to 2 years for free, and you go through Costco for issues rather than trying to get a front-line rep you can understand

But when models are BRAND new, it takes some time (a few weeks to a few months) to make it to Costco...

P.S. The one thing to be VERY CAREFUL about as a few people have been burned by this and posted to the official Dell forums about it...and it saved me or I'd have been dead...is that if you have issues and decide to exchange it...DON'T!!! That is, at least if you are unsure if you want to keep it.

Send it back and order a brand new one. The reason being, and the Dell reps will admit this to you if you question them hard, is that once you get a replacement sent to you, you are still under the 21 day window from the ORIGINAL DATE of purchase/shipping.

You'd think it would reset to your replacement since some issues that cause for a replacement don't really allow you to evaluate the unit until the replacement comes.

One person sued Dell in small-claims and they settled before it went to small claims and he got $500 gift card on top of it

I'm guessing HP's fine print is the same but since I ordered from Costco, I don't have to worry. But if you have issues, just return it and re-order the same one.

Don't take any chances, or I suppose if you can get an email from a supervisor with a name, rep ID, and explicitly saying they are reseting the 21-day period and going beyond their written business policy, you should be ok too.

I almost got nailed by this, read the forums, had to call back because I had to have another XPS 630 desktop sent out as the first one had 21 documented issues of which tech support could fix less than half, etc. I got the second one and refused to accept it, had it send back for a return. Then ordered another.

The second one had even more issues and ever since then we have built our own desktops and are in heaven Laptops are another story of course.

 

I might as well list my specs as well. Est. Ship Date of 01/29

Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3M L2 Cache)
4GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz
16.0 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p FullHD RGBLED LCD W/2.0 MP
ATI Mobility RADEON M86XT - 512MB
320GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Vista SP1 Home Premium Edition 64-bit < will install Win7Beta as soon as I get it
8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load Drive for XPS1640
Integrated High Definition Audio 2.0
Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11AGN Half Mini Card
6-cell Lithium Ion P Primary Battery
Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate)
Plus 1 year accidental damage warranty

Order is in Build stage currently.

 

^ thanks for the info...I didnt know that before!!! Anyway, out of impulse, I added the XPS to my cart (base specs with 13XX screen and a upgraded intel card+bluetooth and 2 YEAR warranty since we are the early adopters and also since I'll be keeping this one for a while.)

Long story short, I did not see the $200 dell GC offer and was disappointed so I called Dell CSR. Spoke to US sales (thank God!) and told them of this. Candace (CSR) told me that the offer was ONLY for the first 2-3 days upon release. I told her straight up that I was going to pass on and she put me on hold. Came back and said she spoke to her CSR manager and the best they could do was give me $100 instant discount and then send me a $100 GC. I pushed even more since when ordering online, I was also getting 3% instant discount on my DPA card so she put me on hold again...came back and she said they were gonna honor the 3% as well.

So after 30 mins of phone tag, I scored the XPS16 for $1289+taxes (2 yr warranty,upgraded Intel card and Bluetooth) WITH a $100 Dell GC.

My persistence paid off finally......

Happy camper here! I just hope that I end up liking this laptop enough to keep it.

Later

PS: Shipping ETA is around Jan30th but I'm in no rush.

 

Wow!! You got a great deal! Congratulations! I am hoping that the laptop ships early but I guess I will have to wait and see.

 

Is the Studio XPS 13 ever going to be available with the Intel 5300 wifi card?

Also, how does the screen compare to the Vaio Z590's?

Sony one is WSXGA+ v.s. WXGA of the Dell?

 

Great job hanging in there, and a nice deal - Grats!

 

We don't know. Probably it will be offered with an Intel card sometimes in the future, especially since 1640 has it. The same is true about a 9-cell battery, it will be offered for 1340 for sure, especially since it's mentioned in the Design section. Unfortunately, Blu-ray drive and some other things (including a wireless Intel card) are not mentioned anywhere, so it's a pure speculation, but let's hope so!

Well, Sony offers 2 resolutions:
1366 x 768 or 1600 x 900

while Dell offers only 1 resolution:
1200 x 800

Personally for me that doesn't matter at all, since i connect it to an external monitor anyways, and on the road 1200x800 works perfectly for me. Also, Sony offers only 0.3 Mpx cam, while Dell has 1.3 and 2.0 Mpx.

 

Interesting info, thanks.

This might be a dumb question but you can't upgrade the wireless card, right?

I mean, you can't buy the Intel wifi agn 5300 card and replace the Dell wireless card in the XPS 13?

I am just wondering because I think the Intel 5300 is the best so far and I think most of the Dell wifi cards are made by Broadcom and I hope to install Linux on whatever laptop I buy. In the past, there wasn't very good support for those cards and I am not sure if the signal strength is very good with Dell wifi cards but I don't want any double whammys if you know what I mean.

I'll probably watch movies/videos on my desktop when I'm at home but when on the road or away from home, I'll watch on the notebook screen so I am wondering which one is best for that or if there is any significant difference. I thought a somewhat high res and LED backlight screen might be the best experience for that?

 

I ordered yesterday (specs already posted) and I am on phase 3 now (NB being assembled) However, it still says ETD Feb 6.

Hope that it does come earlier.

 

Aargghh, i can't decide.. XPS 13 or XPS 16 ?!?!

XPS 16
+ Better(?) graphics card than XPS 13.
+ Nice display and resolution
+ Blueray
- Bigger and heavier

XPS 13
+ Smaller and less weight
+ Hybrid SLI
- Worse(?) graphics card than XPS 16.
- No Blueray
- Headphone ports in front !!
- Screenresolution maybe too small(?)


Today i have an XPS M170 with Geforce 7800 GTX.. If i buy XPS 13 or 16, is that a perfomance downgrade for me in games?

 

Hej!

According to: http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-Go-7800-GTX.2136.0.html I suppose you with the XPS 16 will reach higher preformance in newer games, but perhaps not in the older ones. The XPS 1340 on the other hand will probably lower your preformance overall compared to your XPS M170.

//R

 

XPS 16 reviews shows the thermal design is a failure.

 

Not really considering its 115 fahrenheit max (46 degrees celsius) my old m1530 got hotter than that.

 

Congrat's...you seem to have received a good deal!
There's a good chance it will ship before the 1/30 ESD..as Dell usually over projects on the shipping!

Cin

 

With all the talk of (potential) heat issues, weak gpu on the xps 16 and with the awesome deal i got on the m4400, I've gone ahead and just ordered one of each. Thank god for credit cards, right?

I'm obviously only keeping one, but I've been waiting for so long that i dont wanna feel cheated if i get the "wrong" one.

Offtopic question, anyone had a precision? just wanna know if they are worth it..? Thanks.

Shub

 

Wowsa! Congrat's on both orders! Oh yeah credit cards! They are a great help = if you can pay them off fairly quickly to avoid *interest charges*

Well, whatever one you decide to keep, I'm sure it will be a good choice for you!

The M4400 has gotten great reviews! And, regards to the Precision..I would check out the threads on the Latitude/Precision/Vostro forum
Dell's business line of notebooks are very nice! My bro' has both a Precision and a Latitude for his work/personal use!


Cin

 

I ordered yesterday (and still iffy about the whole thing) and I still can't check my order status. I punch in the info on the support page, and it still just gives me a server error.

The 1640 has a better GPU. At absolute best case scenario the 1340 can't match it, and that's if the game or whatever can take full advantage of SLI.

What reviews? I sure hope this thing can stand up to use, as I'll be Folding on it almost whenever it's on.

 

You can call dell directly, and ask the Customer Care Rep for an update on your Order Status. That is what I did on one of my orders, when info was not received right away.


Cin.

 

I'll wait for some reviews on the 13 before i pull the trigger, but i'm leaning towards the 16. The difference in size and weight isn't that huge..
The weight is the main problem for me.. but as today i'm carrying a xps m170.. and that's a heavy laptop!

 

I forgot to mention that yeah, the GPU in the 1640 isn't much different than that m170. Sort of better, sort of worse probably. The CPU would be faster of course though.

I'm hesitant to call about my system as I'm still wondering if I should just cancel. I mean I'm sorry, but their forums AND order checking system are broken? Not very confidence inspiring

 

Have you tried signing into you Dell account vs. the Order Status page to check your order? I just signed into mine and got the latest and greatest on my Orders, etc.

Cin.

 

Yeah, I've tried signing in and clicking "Click here to view orders associated..." and also filling in the Reference Number fields in the center part. The former just says they have no orders for me, and the latter gives me a server error message :-/

 

Yeah, that's major stinkage on that

You know you can still call and just get an update, if you want... it won't hurt anything, even if you decide to cancel. Which, I hope you don't!

Hopefully, they will have the Order status site fixed, soon!


Cin

 

AFAIK, you CAN upgrade your wireless card. Basically, it's just another component, like memory, etc. that sits on the motherboard. Just buy an Intel card and replace the Dell card with it. I think it's pretty straight-forward.

If all you will do on the road is watch movies, then get a higher resolution screen, you will see slightly more details, just a tiny bit more. However, if working with text, I prefer and would advice a lower resolution. As i said, something like 1200x800 is perfect for me, but you decide for yourself. Probably you don't wanna break your eyes With a smaller text and shaking screen (train, cars, even planes) the strain on your eyes will be huge, as they must re-focus constantly.

Dell offers the LED backlit screen, which is lighter than standard, uses less power, so you get longer battery life. However, since the screen is very thin, you only get a 1.3 Mpx camera with it, instead of 2.0 Mpx on a regular screen. Not a huge difference though, compared to 0.3 Mpx on Sony Z.

 

Interesting, it's exactly the working with text that made me choose the FullHD-resolution... But it may be due to the fact that I work with multiple windows open at the same time.

 

Just a second, I was talking about a 13" screen. On a 16" screen the resolution must be higher of course. Changing the text size is not a big deal, however in general I found that very high resolution on a small screen is counter-productive for me and bad for the eyes.

 

Yeah. 1368x768 is already crazy high resolution for a 16" screen, despite what some people want to claim.

 

Actually.. It's not, despite what some people want to claim.

 

You should have added &lt;sarcasm&gt;&lt;/sarcasm&gt; You must be kidding, right? For a 16" screen that resolution is pretty low, i'd say. I would start with 1440x900.

 

I think Dell is having some glitches in their system with "Orders". I tried to check mine and same thing. Nothing shows up. I have an e-mail from Dell with all the info and there's a link on the order number to check the status. When I click on the link, nothing happens.

I'm at work now so don't have the time to call Dell but I'm pretty sure its a system glitch and will be fixed.