Dell XPS 15 (Skylake) 9550 Owner's Lounge

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately, this is what I got: 'An automated media dispatch is not currently available. Please contact technical support for help with replacement media.'

Good ol' Dell....

 

I did live chat. You may also call them


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Hi guys,

I got a faulty XPS9530 ( Haswell) and dell offered me to get this system as a replacement do you thing that most issues are software related or hardware?

I really like the looks and the characteristics of the laptop

 

I do have the "Intel 100/C230 CHIPSET FAMILY lpc controller" under System devices, but it is not marked als legacy. I have driver info: Intel, 28-10-2015, 10.1.1.13.
Same driver info voor the PCI EXPRESS ROOT PORT 2, 13, 1, 9, 15 & PMC & SBBUS.

I also do have a "Intel 100 series/C230 Chipset family SATA AHCI controller" under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.

edit: I see what you mean. Have that also, but their are no drivers installed for this device.

 

Sorry for cross-posting but I'm trying to purchase the WD15 mini dock (USB-C, non-Thunderbolt), and Dell reps are only making random guesses as to what would happen if I went with the 130w instead of 180w adapter.

I want the slimmest/lightest AC adapter possible (the 130w version). The adapter that comes with the actual XPS laptop is 130w.

Dell's best guess on the 130w so far is the XPS will charge at a slower rate. If this is true, how much slower? I have rapid charge disabled in the BIOS anyway (to save battery wear).

So if I load up all the USB ports (HDD, printer, charge my phone etc), would it take all day to fully charge or just an extra hour for example? Or would something worse happen/devices fail to function?

Here are the two docks:

130w
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=450-AFGM

180w
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=450-AEUO

If it comes down to the USB devices just affecting the charge rate, what if I unplug some of them?

 

I used live chat as well but I had to provide a photo of my receipt before they shipped the USB

 

I had the same offer, my 3rd 9550 arrives in the morning as the 1st 2 had screen defects, still better than the 9530

 

I just had to provide my service tag. Why would they want the receipt? Unless your bought yours from a retailer.


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I can't imagine the 130w would charge the XPS any slower during normal use. My guess is that the laptop almost never uses this much power and would only do so in extreme cases. With battery bar, I'm draining at about 15w an hour and 60 while charging. Not to mention the USB-C cable will supply max 100w to the laptop from the WD15.
I can't remember if the WD15 has any output USB-C ports, but those could also supply 100w for future peripherals. The USB-A (old style) supply max 10w (HDD and phone might draw that, printer wont). The dock itself probably uses little power, as do the other output ports (less than 20w total).
So I would say 130w is plenty for the use you described. If you have future plans to really load it up with all accessories that draw power like HDDs and cell phone (the printer and others with an AC plug likely draw very little), or it does have a USB-C output, then you might want to consider the 180w
60w (laptop) + 10w (cell) + 10w (HDD) + 20w (printer, dock, efficiency loss) = 100w < 130w

 

Thanks man, that really helps. You've always been a great asset to this forum.

From accessories.dell.com; no USB-C output on either WD15:

180w version:

• 2 x USB 2.0 - 4 pin USB Type A
• 3 x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 - 9 pin USB Type A
• 1 x display / video - HDMI - 19 pin HDMI Type A
• 1 x display / video - DisplayPort *
• 1 x network - Ethernet 1000 - RJ- 45
• 1 x headset / headphones / microphone - output - mini-phone 3.5 mm
• 1 x audio - output - mini-phone 3.5 mm
• 1 x video - VGA - 15 pin D-Sub (DB-15)

* perhaps I should take their "tech specs" with a grain of salt but the 130w version lists mini DisplayPort (photos show mini on both) . I can't see them putting a full size DP on only one of them, thought it was only a different adapter.. hmm.

 

Yeah it does, f.lux doesn't work if you connect external display with USB (for example by using any dockstations that connect to laptop with USB interface) and not with HDMI/DP directly.

As it seems USB can't control temperatures, or something like that.

Dunno if thunderbolt is affected by this.

 

I have it. It currently has a number of unresolved problems. Mostly with driving external displays but other issues as well. All most likely driver issues. Lots of chatter about the problems over in the Dell laptop support forums. I would wait a few weeks and let them resolve the issues.

 

FYI, in case you wanted to know what that item# means......

 

I bought the 180w version of the wd15 just to be in the safe side, but the brick is huge. Not sure about the 130w brick. But 130 should be more than enough for charging and most peripherals. (The usual adapter is only 45w, do hi have 95 watts leftover got any other connections). The draw of the hardware otherwise is minimal.

As an aside, I can't believe they bumped up the price to $280! It was $200 a couple weeks ago!

 

I guess they are fixing the hardware problems or got it fixed


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It looks like they are on the Canadian website so that would explain the price "difference".

 

My laptop got stolen.

I'm almost sure I was the Xps with uhd
Both i5 960 and uhd

I want some quick advice because it's down to 2

One has a 1 tbhdd and 32 g boot ssd
With 3 cell

One has 256g pcie and 6 cell. Only 50 mor

 

Go with the 256 as the SSD speed will be much greater than the hybrid. You can upgrade to a higher storage capacity years down the road if needed.

 

Ok but with the 6 cell battery I can't use a 2.5 inch drive.

So the first one is ready for a 2.5 inch and nvme m2 drive right away

But the 2nd one will need a 3 cell battery and a cable

Anyone who is familiar with this have better advice? You think it's better to buy it like that to star with or upgrade later?

 

I went for the i5 32GB/1TB model and removed both drives and replaced the 2.5" with a SanDisk Ultra II. I don't get the Read/Write figures quoted by those with the NVME drives but my machine has been rock solid reliable with no issues and after a rebuild where I went from Legacy to UEFI and turned Secure Boot back on it is very responsive and reboots a lot faster.

If the PCIE drives drop in price I can always pop one in and move the OS onto it and use a larger 2.5" SDD in the other drive bay, I'd have liked the i7 processor but the configuration wasn't there for me (UK site) and I'd no need for the 4K screen.

I guess this depends if you want longer battery life/performance/4k screen really - weigh up all before making your choice.

Hope this helps

 

OK, I'll be controversial: don't bother with the 2.5 inch drive, it's yesterday's tech. What you really want is the larger battery and you can upgrade your M.2 PCIe SSD as and when you need to. Or just add removable storage, which is easily done and convenient, but getting extra battery life is not.

 

Can I ask what kinds of defects the machines had to be on the lookout?

 

I took mine out & use it in an enclosure as a backup drive - its far too slow for an operating system these days!

 

I agree ... Don't sacrifice a 84whr battery just to get a 2nd storage bay. I'd much rather have the larger battery and throw in a larger m.2 drive (Sara m2 are about same price and performance of 2.5" sata ssd).

 

I did; it was cheaper at Best Buy as opposed to M$ and Dell. Though it is going for rather crazy low prices on eBay right now.

 

Well you went with the easier to upgrade route.

Is there anyone that chose to buy the 3 cell battery after or is that next to impossible? Without a good answer ibwill have to jump on the model you got for now.

Here it is is 2.5 inch drive>than 6 cell battery?
Yes. Is 256 pci included> than 1 tb hdd yes. But it's way harder to get a 3 cell than a 256 gb pcie or larger

If it's hard to find a 3 cell battery it's a slam dunk

 

Well it may be similar to find a 6 cell battery. I may end up with a machine that can do both.

However I have seen that it could be harder to turn a 6 cell machine into a 3 cell 2.5 inch bay one than the reverse .

That's why I'm here in asking if someone has a source for the batteries and cables to change the machine around.

For me a 2.5 ssd ibwoukd use every single day but a larger battery ibwoukd rarely need. That may be better for external for me

 

I'm running the 32GB/1TB with a 512GB MX200 in the m.2 slot. Go with the hybrid drive setup if you need capacity and can afford to install an SSD right away. Go with the SSD configuration if you want more battery life. In my opinion, m.2 NVMe is the future, but it's not here yet, at least not at the price point I could afford.

 

Good call and I agree with you regarding NVME. If longer battery life is also required there's always the Dell Power Companion pack

http://accessories.ap.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=in&l=en&s=bsd&cs=inbsd1&sku=451-12192

 

Ah, I didn't know that! Good question, as I rely on f.lux to save my retinas from burnout! Can someone with a USB-C type dock try f.lux for us? Most curious about compatibility with the TB15.

Yea, I'm going with the 130w to keep things light. Still not sure how AC adapters distribute power -- like is it one pool, shared across all devices? Maybe an electrical expert can answer that. Curious if one port gets priority to ensure the minimum required power is available to it.

And according to Dell's AC adapter specs, the 130w adapter is only 55g lighter and 1/2cm thinner than the 180w.

Yep, that's the Canadian site. Fortunately my Dell rep was able to get me a better deal. Best to establish a business contact for better pricing.

 

No it means it is an off the shelf spec, not a configurable like some that let you pick the GPU/CPU

 

Someone had to show me where it was. It's visible from the Thunderbolt Software app, Details. See here for screenshot.

 

Thanks for the advice

I ordered a refurb
I5
1tb
3 cell
Uhd
Right now. I may order a 1tb m2 ssd while I'm waiting or a 1 tb 2.5 inch ssd

Does anyone have a good sleeve to recomend

 

One more question for anyone with the TB15 and a 4k monitor:

Does 4k @ 60Hz work using the HDMI port??

Just want to be sure that isn't restricted to the DisplayPort.

Thanks.

 

I have this sleeve. Fits perfectly, nice and snug.

http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Prote...=1455150544&sr=8-1&keywords=inateck+sleeve+14

 

Thanks that looks like it fits the power supply and a mouse too

 

Very surprised it doesn't have an add'l output USB-C port. Doesn't seem very forward thinking since that means attaching the dock consumes all USB-C access to the laptop. Glad I could help

I rarely use the electrical engineering knowledge I have and I do not know the specifics of the WD15 but here is my best assumption based on most electrical circuits and the one I designed last month:
The AC adapter (at the least the one that comes with the XPS15 and I am assuming is the same for the WD15) supplies max 130w watts, which is equivalent to 6.67 amps at 19.5 volts (power in watts = voltage x current in amps). The AC adapter does connect to the circuit as one "pool", and is routed through electrical components and microchips to generate the specific voltage and signals for each port. Each component then "requests" or pulls the needed current to perform its function and these add up in the form of watts. The power adapter only supplies this "requested" total amount, up to the maximum 130w. In the case that the requested power does exceed this capacity, you will have reduction in current at all ports. This will cause some abnormal behaviors from the attached peripherals; the cell phone will charge slower and the HDD will cycle on and off. This likely wouldn't damage anything (except maybe if its an actual HDD and you're in the middle of writing/reading), but nonetheless isn't a good situation. The component most at risk is actually the AC adapter itself, but I have to believe it has the needed components to prevent any overdraw situations. Its an analogous situation to a house when you plug too many things into a single outlet, but instead of a circuit breaker tripping the adapter just limits the output power.
The only exceptions to this is if the excessive current draw is very brief (in the scale of milliseconds), capacitors can buffer and maintain the voltage and current, or if it includes a microchip with the logic to detect and terminate specific ports to lower the overall draw (but I doubt the WD15 has this as it seems to be just a high-function USB hub). I doubt you'll reach this maximum, especially if you already use all these components connected to the laptop and will just switch to using the dock

 

Hi All

I received my XPS 15 UHD i7/1tb hdd+32fb ssd a couple of days ago.

But after updating the bios to version 1.00.19 it no longer runs on battery. It will no boot or even post without the power cable connected, and if i unplug the power cable while its running the it shuts off instantly. It behaves as if there were no battery connected, however both windows and the bios show the battery in good health and 100% fully charged.

I thought it might be firmware related because it was operating on battery power prior to the firmware update. Has anybody else heasrd of such an issue?

Also, I notice a high pitched whine when the cooling fans are fully active (e.g. gaming or stress test). Is this likely to stop when i remove the mechanical drive?

I should hopefully have my torx screwdriver tomorrow so I can open the cover and check the battery connectors. I also noticed some thermal throttling during a prime95 stress test, so a repaste might also be needed.

It's for these types of issues that I had originally avoided dell. But there's nothing really comparable on the market right now (except perhaps the asus ux501vw), and the sharp UHD on this machine is the best PC screen Ive ever used.

 

Did you go into the BIOS and reset to factory settings after updating? I've heard that this solves some problems with the BIOS update.

 

downgrade the bios and see what happens?

v15 http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=8800M

 

I went ahead and got the same model and size you did

It was 152 shipped from jet.com

My last machine I got a Samsung 850 for and I didn't like it much. So I'm going to roll with 500 gb m2 ssd and 1 tb hdd for a while

 

Neither of these helped. I'm now on the 1.00.15 bios now and it still behaves like there's no battery connected, even though it shows the battery status etc.

Looks like I will have to return it

edit:
On closer inspection I have discovered that the bios System Log / Power Events reports this:

Power Off - ASF2 force off

For every time I remove the power cable within Windows. The problem also occurs if I remove the power cable when in the system bios, although in that case the force off is not recorded in the system log.

I googled this quickly and it seems to be a Dell thing but I can't find any other users of the XPS 15 9550 who've had this problem. I was reading on the Dell support forum that it's a generic error code and can be difficult to diagnose. I'll try a Dell diagnosis test, just out of interest, but I will still return the laptop as it's brand new. I seem to have bad luck because machine replaced a Lenovo Y700 that I returned due to heavy backlight bleed (and honestly a crap screen...)

 

Nice, thanks for explaining.. it all makes sense.

edited post: microlino unplugged all USB devices from the TB15 dock and the issues with it went away. Wasn't sure if maybe it was related to power but I don't think it was.

 

Yea, think you're right. Based upon the details provided really sounds like a driver/firmware issue, especially considering how many similar issues have been reported for the USB-C small adapter, which were resolved for me with the firmware update

 

hm.. that's the DA-200 adapter you're referring to, right? No docks?

 

Yes. Sort of an bad comparison but I just meant that seems like a lot of USB-C accessories connected to the XPS15 have several bugs.
Has anyone tried and have reports of any 3rd party USB hubs?

 

Quick question for the community, once the computer is re-imaged, do I need to re-install Intel Thunderbolt 3 Firmware Update? Or is it like Bios where the update is performed on the hardware level?


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Hardware level like the bios.

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Thank you!


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One thing that I noticed with my replacement is that when I am typing on the laptop it's kind of wobbling. Anyone else noticed this with theirs ? It's the left corner closer to you (bottom left)I don't have any other issues except for this one. It's noticeable the most when the screen is open as if the laptop is not flat on the table.


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