Dell XPS 13 2015 Broadwell Infinity Display Owners Thread

Yes those 2 models you quoted are the new Broadwell versions. They are the 13.3" models which have always used i5/i7 core dual-core U processors.

Samsung also just released a 12.2" version called the NP930K2K. That one will be using the core M processor 5Y31. It will be the direct competition of the 2015 MacBook Air Retina 12"..

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/pcs/NP930X2K-K01US

 

Cool thanks for going through the trouble.
Someone else willing to post a picture of their UK keyboard please?

 

It looks like it is a method to cause it to occur in order for people to see the issue. It's not a way to avoid it.

 

May someone of the happy owners of 9343 check for me what kind of a mainboard chipset has Dell put inside this machine?
I can see on a Dell page that they have mentioned "series 9 chipset" (drivers section), but it's still unofficial Intel mobile chipset, so I wonder if this machine really has a Wildcat Point mobile chipset, or rather a Lynx Point-M chipset.
Another question is if anyone has already tried replacing the stock M.2 SATA SSD with a PCIe SSD? I hope it works, as Dell also offers such a configuration (i7/QHD/512 PCIe SSD). I do not like the glossy QHD screen, so I will have to order the i5/FHD machine, and it would be great to have a chance to replace the sluggish Samsung PM851 with XP941 one.
What is exactly the id of Sharp FHD panel used by Dell (device manager)?

 

Problems with 2015 Broadwell i7 XPS 13 M.2 SSD PM851
Generally I really am liking this system. But I have a question/problem potential issue with the SSD. I am noticing inconsistent test results with the SSD. I have the 512 GB, Samsung F/W EXT25D0Q and I believe that is an older firmware that may have problems. Can anyone else confirm? The more research I do on the PM851 the more I am unsure. It seems that the most recent firmware is EXT49D0Q. Which really kind of annoys me that for a top of the line system, I have to update the firmware which was released back in July 2014.

Any ideas or problems or just general thoughts?

 

For those living outside the US, anyone bought the Touch version and added an Anti-Glare film to overcome the glossy screen?

 

ended up rebuying mine and now must return original bc there was something jiggling around inside mine. really happy i did because the touchpad clicking on my new one is much more responsive. my original required more pressure to press down and the left bottom side barely pressed down.

 

"Device DISPLAY\SHP1421\4&33c04770&1&UID68092928 was started."
Edit: that's QHD

And I don't see any straight up Chipset section, things that identify the platform mention both Core and Core M.
"Mobile 5th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) and Intel(R) Core(TM) M Host Bridge -OPI - 1604"

 

Do anyone encounter the issue of failure to update OS via Windows update? My new XPS 13 is no reponseI in the Windows update screen; keep showing "Downloading 0%........."

 

Same thing happened to mine at first but it worked out after a restart or two.

The panel is for the FHD option is Sharp SPH1420.

 

Depending on the updates you selected, it may be running a scan of Windows to determine what's needed. There's an update rollup that can be selected that's about 800MB I think and it will trigger a scan before it starts downloading I believe.

 

So it looks like with the QHD+ the fan kicks in more often as MikeTLB said in his review FHD model review that the fans are off with light usage.
Dell could of course update the fan profiles in BIOS but I have rarely seen any manufacturer doing this in the past. They usually insist the profiles are fine the way they set them up
If you dont mind getting your laptop a little more hot you could try Notebook fan control software. I guess you will have to program the profile yourself (or try to use one from a different model if that works) but it will work the way you want to.
Which ultrabooks are you talking about that are running quiet? I havent seen many yet (probably just Samsungs and some Macbooks in OS X).

I wouldnt even mind if the fans run all the time but at very low speed (around 1500 rpm) that would make it inaudible with light usage but not overheating at the same time (ie temps around 50-55 C). Fans dont eat much battery anyway. I dont care much if it is noisier playing games... (if I want to play games on a thin ultrabook I have to cope with the consequences).
But these days many manufacturers set the minimal fan speed very high - around 3000 rpm and that is simply audible and could be annoying after a few hours work in quiet environment. Ok, the CPU is under 40 C but who cares? I doesnt need to be that "cold". Even steady 50-55 C would be ok. Macbooks have similar approach because Jobs didnt like fan noise as well

 

This guy here reviews a QHD+ model and says:

Fan noise under load is almost non-existent. I loaded this thing down with a Bioshock Infinity benchmark run at high quality. It was audible but totally subdued. Under normal use, it's virtually silent.

Any other oweners of QHD+ models?

 

I find that review very very hard to believe unless he is reviewing the machine in some loud place...

Try light web browsing, fan kicks in. Well of course the fan kicks in.

The issue is how we each define the term "loud." When the fans are audible in the first place? Or well speed kicks in higher?

One thing FOR SURE, Dell needs to address with better settings, because even in light work, I personally find the fan noise quite loud. Yes, I said it "loud." When I am in a lecture hall of 90 students and during lecture, I can hear this thing kick in and feel bad for the dude next to me. It's not a 747, but FOR ULTRABOOKS, it's something loud. But entire XPS gen has been that way!

Temps of 60-70c are still extremely safe and probably doesn't even need fans beyond bare minimum spin that shouldn't be audible in the first place. Are they worrying about the heat transferring to other parts such as RAM, etc? I am not an engineer. But I wouldn't mind having profile that has fan as bare minimum spin until 70c on CPU.

Dell is pretty notorious in getting fans right the first bios. So the latter bios WILL probably address the issue. The only question is.... which version!

With these stupid reviews that barely use the machine for 5 mins claiming the fan noise ain't here, I expect bios update will be much much later.

Sigh...

 

2 comments in the engadget review say that the fan is almost inaudible. The one comment is probably by owner of the QHD+ model.

 

My QHD+ 256gb,Core I7 5600 model arrives tomorrow, I will test if the fans ramp up at all, looking forward to see how it is compared to the Surface Pro 3 I use and Macbook Pro.

 

alkpit: thanks for the link to the discussion. I have read it and found other opinions too:
"EvanJanusziewicz: I have it. Rarely hear the fan. If I do some hardcore tasks or let it get to warm, it can spin up. But it is only noticeable in a dead silent room, even then it's whisper worthy"

Last time when I was buying a laptop I also discussed fan noise with one fresh owner. It was inaudible for him... so I ordered it and found out it was very noisy for me (and many others as well). It is the same with reviews. Majority of them do not comment on the fan noise very much. So I take these comments and reviews always with a grain of salt unless I know the person is also sensitive to noise or actually bothers to test it in silent environment (and not in an open space office). When I work in "normal" environment I dont mind the fans unless they are like the said 747 It is very different in silent room though when I want to focus on my work or read for many hours.


Dellienware: yes, exactly.
I am curious if they do anything with the settings. I would try the NBFC sw tool. Probably the engineers are trying to keep it as cool as possible because of higher risk of hardware failures and thus the need for possible repairs...

 

Ok so after a few days of using the laptop (3600x1800, i5 5200U, 256GB SSD), I'm on the verge of returning it. The auto-contrast issue is unbearable for me, I can't calibrate the panel because of it (it messes up the calibration process pretty bad), and working in Lightroom is a hassle, with the screen always switching brightness. It's a subtle effect, so I can understand why some people see it as a non-issue, but when you want to do some photo work (that's why I wanted the hi-res version), it's a no-go.

On top of that, I find the trackpad to be very annoying : it's working very bad in Chrome (and in Firefox FWIW), with scrolling being not fluid at all (try browsing facebook for a good laugh).
Generally, it's not very reliable, and it's "jumping" quite often when lifting the finger, which is not good when you tap to click. The Macbook ones are still way ahead in terms of fluidity and precision.

These two issues are inacceptable for a laptop of this price. It's a shame really, because the buid quality is really awesome, and I found the battery life to be quite good generally.

What do you think about it? It's the first Dell machine I buy, so what should I expect from Dell regarding updates? Are they known to adress issues regularly wiith BIOS revisions? And for those that have tried Win10, is the trackpad better / more precise (precision touchpad being a new tech, I want to believe that MS can improve it in Win10)?

 

Let it be known what my ID says: deLLIENWARE. I played around with the gaming rigs and Precision workstations, along with various rugged units that run VERY loud.

So I am no wimp complainer when it comes to the fan noise.

Perhaps it is my expectation of what ultrabook should be. I guess in all truest honesty, compared to a regular full sized (nonultrabook) office laptop, the fan noise is absolutely nothing louder. For some reason, I was expecting ultrabooks to run quieter and cooler due to the chips, but at the same time they pack smaller heatsinks so things look to even out.

The difference between fan noise for ultrabooks vs. regular laptops is that due to the construction of thin fans, sound is much higher pitch with higher RPM. I think that is what people are noticing when they complain. regular lappies have fans that kick in for sure, but the sound is rather low pitch due to slower RPM despite bigger fan creating "more noise."

Perhaps this is what I am experiencing, which makes sense.

So compared to a full sized Latitude, as an example, no more fan noise. But for ultrabook, maybe I had higher expectation.

 

I myself have a cheap laptop, 4 years old, so i think the fan noise of the XPS will be good for me. It will be my first ultrabook, if i eventually buy it. Some issues that concern me are:

-The battery: some report better, some worse. 7-8 hours for the touch model and 10 for the non-touch would be great for me. 7-8 hours for the non-touch is not so good. Is there any chance Windows 10 have better battery?

-Touch or non-touch? Full HD matte sounds good, but i doubt it is future-proof. In a couple of years the FHD may be quite obsolete. If the glare is so intense in the QHD, that's an issue. Also, does the touch screen adds essentialy to the user's experience? As for the battery difference, if the trackpad really consumes battery, using the touch may balance the energy consumed by the better display

 

Battery life on QHD on light office task, I say 7 full hours.

With regards to touchscreen, it is something you don't need, but when you go touchscreen, there is no coming back.

It's not like upgrading HDD to SSD, nothing so significant. But if you utilize in specific apps you use, your productivity will greatly increase - i.e. on Excel, dealing with each boxes, touching is sooo much faster than navigating with touchpad.

Get the QHD version man. That's the true innovation Dell put for this model. It's like getting a Mustang with a V6 and basic options. You can, sure, but is it worth it?

 

Thank you. I will wait a little more, anyway. I live in Greece and it isn't available yet, so i can only buy it from UK.

 

Everything you wrote is spot on. I don't understand how people are praising this trackpad. It's the worst trackpad I've ever had on a laptop. Cursor jumps like crazy and the tracking doesn't activate until your finger has traveled about 1/4" on the pad which makes moving the cursor to something like a check box extremely aggravating.

I'm about 50/50 on whether or not to keep it. I don't mind the auto-contrast since I don't do photo work and everything else is fantastic... great build, keyboard, display, speakers... just a horrible trackpad.

BTW has anyone noticed that when using firefox/chrome, two finger scrolling only works when your fingers are in the middle of the trackpad? put two fingers on the left or right part of that pad, and scrolling doesn't work

 

Surely the Trackpad is just a software/driver issue as shown when using it in Chrome/firefox! The driver is the new Microsoft one and is no doubt still in "beta" stage as are the chipset drivers for the motherboard, remember these are more or less the first batch of laptops with Broadwell, expect issues as an early adopter, there will no doubt be plenty of driver updates to look forward to.

 

My FHD model does NOT have the screen adaptive brightness/contrast issue.

For what it's worth, I purchased the previous Dell XPS-13 model back in December and had to return it because the screen auto-brightness was driving me insane! Just sitting there I could see the screen move up and down in brightness! Hated that. I know what you are all talking about.

Even though this is a totally new model revision, I was skeptical about purchasing the 2015 version of the XPS-13 and screen brightness issue was one of the first things I tested (along with coil whine/noise, USB problems, and keypress lags - all of which I had problems with the previous model). The machine I am typing on now does not noticeably change screen brightness - on or off battery - out of the box settings (power saving and adaptive brightness is ON for battery, OFF for power). The brightness changes when switching from a black screen to a white screen, or move from outside to inside dark room, but it does not change while just sitting there idling like my old model did.

Listening to people here makes me think that Dell uses bad/cheap light sensors. Clearly, my old model was so bad that I returned it (actually, the coil whine noise was the biggest problem with that model). Sounds just like some people are saying here for the new model. This model I am typing on now does not have the problem.

I would say that if you continuously see the screen moving up and down in brightness level while just looking at a static image, then return the unit for a new one.

Other issues:
- I do NOT have great battery life, more like 7 hours normal web browsing or word processing usage.
- I DO like the trackpad; not seeing significant issues there (I have a MBA, which is better of course, but I would say this one is 'good').
- Noise levels are great. When fan is on low, I have to hold the laptop up to my ear to hear it. When fan is on Max, it is quieter than my MBA in the same conditions.

 

We're not talking about light sensor controlled auto-brightness. I don't use this. We're talking about the fact that when the screen is displaying a dark picture, the brightness just decresases. It's similar to what has been done with Intel display technologies in the last few years, except that you should be able to disable it. On the new XPS, you just can't. It has nothing to do with the light sensor.

 

I'm honestly not having too many problems with the trackpad so far. It's certainly not perfect, but I haven't been plagued by lag or lack of precision. Two finger scrolling has been working well for me too for the most part. It is disappointing to hear that trackpad use drives up CPU usage. I would think Microsoft would make it a priority to address that for Windows 10.

 

I am the only one that still uses a mouse?

Even when I had a Macbook, I wasn't crazy about using a trackpad. A few years ago I added a Logitech Anywhere MX mouse and never looked back. Sure, I use the trackpad in a pinch, but my mouse USB adapter is permanently installed on my Surface Pro 3, as it was on the Lenovo X1 Carbon before that, and the Lenovo Helix and Surface Pro 2 before that.

I also have the Microsoft's Arc Touch Surface mouse, and I like it less than the trackpad. If you haven't tried the Anywhere MX mouse, try it. It really is brilliant.

 

No you're not. I'm using the Microsoft Sculpt Comfort mouse. Runs off Bluetooth, saving me a USB port.

 

+1 for Anywhere MX
Using my second one now and it is awesome and compact. Dual scroll mode is the best feature.
I wish dell made a built in logitech (dell) U receiver inside Xps13 though.
USB is OK but logitech own receiver is much better connectivity.

 

Are there any things to watch out for when reinstalling 8.1? I would like to upgrade to Pro so I can get Hyper-V, but I'm concerned about any issues.

 

Nope. I wiped the OS partition and installed 8.1 pro. Just get the chipset drivers from dell before installing anything else.

 

Anyone have issues with their right palm tending to rest on the right edge of the touchpad and inadvertently clicking it? The keyboard is off center to the left of the trackpad which causes my right hand to naturally rest further to the left and on the touchpad itself.

 

You probably need to disable the "tap to click" feature or whatever it is called in the settings for the touchpad, this annoys me a lot. I always disable this feature on all my laptops because if I want to click with the touchpad, I'll use the button itself.

 

What you need to do is adjuts the settings. Dell and MSFT did GREAT job this generation to make sure you don't get random clicks. i can standby this part of the touchpad, as the reason why I got rid of past 2 gens of XPS was because of the random click registering while typing.


You don't even need to disable tap to click!

 

Quick question for owner of the new XPS 13. I was looking at the Yoga 2 Pro from Lenovo, actually bought one, then returned it after about 30 min because of a faulty network card and really bad rendering of yellows (known issue with all QuadHD screen running 3200x1800 resolution). Let's just say I'll likely stay away from Lenovo products after reading user reviews about all sorts of connection issues. Anyways, I would like to know if the QuadHD Infinity Touch display from the XPS 13 has any yellows issue like all current other utltrabook (Asus Zenbook, Lenovo Yoga Pro series, Samsung Ativ Book, etc.) that features that particular screen. ?

ThankS!

 

Attention fellow notebookreview.com users! If any of you are interested in learning a few tricks to make Windows 8.1 look and act more like Windows 7, be sure to check out my recently uploaded video!



This video was done on my new 2015 XPS 13. After using it for a few days I can vouch for it's performance. As a newcomer to the SSD world, the blazingly fast performance on this laptop surprised me. I am very happy with it so far!

 

I don't have any issues with yellow from what I can tell. If I remember correctly, the panels that had problems came from Samsung and the XPS's comes from Sharp I think. I do have a problem with the backlighting being very uneven and noticeable on solid colored screens (white, blue, etc.). A tech is coming tonight to replace the display. Hopefully it will be better or I'll probably return it. It's a shame because I love the notebook otherwise.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Do you think your backlighting problem is unique to your particular notebook or it's a know issue with all XPS 13 ?

Thanks !

 

I'm not sure. PCWorld's review mentioned something similar, but I haven't seen many other folks complaining about it. I think someone mentioned it for the 1080p screen and a guy on reddit said his screen looked muddy when white. But that's about it. Mine looks pretty good in places where the backlight is even. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that it will be better after this evening.

 

Finally got my XPS in. Pretty friggin sweet! I'm completely enamored with the keyboard. Coming from a plasticly clackity Surface Pro 3, this keyboard is solid as a rock and has a fantastic feel. Really liking it.

I have the auto-dimming feature, too. I do hope there's a way to eliminate this, or at least reduce it a lot.

What display settings are you using? I have the resolution at full 3200 x 1800 and the text at 150%.
I tried reducing it to 1600 x 900, but that's a little too big. Kinda need something in between. Suggestions?

 

100% and 1600x900 might work without being "too big". Or 3200x1800 at 200% (more crisp but possible troubles with sw scalling)

 

Could you give us some info about battery life, screen quality and fan noise? Thanks!

 

I also use mine at 3200 x 1800 150% scaling, but I have very good near site vision. I'm assuming most people use 175% or 200% scaling.

Keyboard is very good for such a thin laptop. My previous vaio z had more key travel, but the feel is still quite good on this laptop.

Has anyone else with the QHD+ display noticed any dead pixels? I have a couple dead pixels in the top right corner that aren't noticeable unless you're looking for them, but annoying now that I'm aware of them.

 

I have the FullHD display, and it shipped with 2 dead pixels in the top right quadrant. Dell is shipping me a replacement.

 

Incorrect.

The yellow rendering issue was isolated to LG panels only and was discovered with the Yoga 2 Pro. And LG was the main panel supplier to Lenovo for the Yoga 2 Pro and the now current Yoga 3. AUO was another panel supplier to Lenovo for the Yoga 2 Pro and the current Yoga 3. If you read the owners threads for those two machines, you will read about how many owners purchased and then quickly returned their Yoga's if it had an LG panel. They would keep doing this until they got one with an AUO panel.

In addition, Samsung uses its own proprietary Samsung PLS panels (similar to VA panels) but does not sell their panels to any other OEM, including Dell, Lenovo, ASUS, or even Apple. As many know, Samsung use to supply Apple with panels which they used for their MacBook Pro, but after their relations soured after much court litigation, Samsung cut them off with respect to panels.

 

Cool, thanks for the correction. I remembered it was a company other than Sharp. The hires Asus laptops had the same panel and the same issues.

 

I had to call Dell to order a replacement laptop and may consider replacing the SSD at some point in the future. What do I need to know about replacing this SSD?

I tried to find information online, and have gathered that I would need an M.2 drive of some sort, but I'm not sure where to go from there. The drive currently installed in my computer is a Samsung SSD PM851 M.2 2280 256gb.

 

Anyone that is interested in an SD card that fits flush I bought a shortened SD card on ebay that allows you to use a microsd card. It first perfectly flush with the side of the laptop. Just not sure how I will get it out of I ever have to but I think a little screw driver will help to slide it out. Her is what I bought : http://www.ebay.com/itm/301228304178

 

Just a FYI, Dell's support site has new software under the drivers section. Not sure what they are or do.