Dell XPS 15 (Skylake) 9550 Owner's Lounge

Do you really think 87-90 degrees makes much difference?
So many factors to take into consideration, humidity, ambient temps, ventilation, the game in question (probably the largest factor in all of this), the settings used in the game, the perfcap reason, current throttle setting, CPU load, CPU draw, TDP.

I understand you are new around here but you are asking an impossible question and seem willing to let Dell rip apart what seems to be a perfectly good laptop for no good reason other that a couple of degrees c.

Buy a tube of GC Extreme and ask the Dell engineer to put some on and leave it at that.

Raise the backend up to get more air as well.

Witcher3 or Far Cry 3 will spank any system so of course it will smash face 1st into it's limits.

this is not a gaming laptop. Maybe consider returning it for an alienware as they have better cooling.

 

Of course I don't think 87-90C is much different and gaming is not even close to my primary use. It would be nice however, to be able to play a game occasionally, even if I have to keep it on the lowest settings. To be clear, I'm not trying to achieve a reduction to 87C, I'm wondering if my GPU should be throttling itself into the 70s.

My concern is that many people seem to think 90C is too high and will damage the laptop. Again, I'm just trying to find out if anyone else is able to confirm they are running similar apps/games at lower temps. If not, then I'll conclude my laptop is functioning as designed. Dell certainly couldn't tell me what the max temp should be before I would expect damage. If others are seeing their GPU throttle itself into the 70s when on ac power, then I need to figure out if I need to adjust a software setting or continue with the planned hardware replacement to achieve those lower temps.

For anyone that cares to try, Dell includes a suite of tests under the SupportAssist folder. I would greatly appreciate any feedback from these tests. Program Files\Dell\SupportAssist\pcdlauncher.exe. Select "Checkup...Scan a Specific Device." Choose the 960m GPU and run the Video Stress Test - it will display GPU temps during the test. You can always escape out of it. Mine runs at 90C and the GPU doesn't throttle to a lower temp. If others see similar temps when running the test, then I guess my laptop is functioning as designed - it doesn't need thermal paste or a new motherboard. But as I said, if others are seeing their GPU temps drop into the 70s, then I need to figure out why mine isn't and fix it.

 

hello. sorry for offtopic: max hdd height for xps 15 =7mm?

 

yes

 

I put a 1 TB 7mm Momentus XT drive in one of my 9550's and it barely fits, so I think you might want to test your machine before you buy anything. SSD's which are thinner fit perfectly.

 

Did anybody already bought another 130W power supply?
Are there any cheap ones that work though?

 

I got a genuine OEM one from eBay from a seller that only sells dell AC adapters for about $45 shipped. It was originally last generations XPS15, but its the same charger.

 

I don't own the laptop but throttling is normal to keep the laptop under a cooler temp.

But I believe it also depends on the manufacturer, my clove does not the throttle at all and even going slightly beyond 90s.

Can the components operate at 90degrees? Certainly. But is it ideal? Probably not for an extended period of time.
But how damaging it is? No one can say because it is totally a case by case.

I believe the issue you having is the bios or something is missing on software side because your temp reading is right and fans are working.

 

How loud are the fans when gaming?
I know it's not a gaming laptop but I do want to game, just wondering how loud it gets under load.
Any huge performance hit when gaming i5 vs i7?
Any throttling when gaming?
Thanks

 

I really love XPS 15's Infinity Edge and want to buy it to replace my old Vostro 1450.
but after following threads, I see XPS 15 has too many problems and issues, is it worth to buy or should I choose another as Macbook Pro 15?
I want a laptop for multimedia, editing photos (lightroom/PTS), watching movies, playing game fifa 16. If I go for XPS 15, choosing FHD or UHD?
Thanks for your help.

 

I have had the same hesitation while looking at the threads here

Got my 9550 since 3 days (i7 / 512Go / 16Go / FHD) and it's the best laptop I have had. I've the FHD version because it's mat, and the battery can last 6 / 8 h (1 or 2 hours less for the QHD version).

The screen is pretty amazing, some complains about display latency, but on my side there's no problem, even playing BF4. Maybe the more noticeable problem is with subtle near-black colors, which all appears as black. Nothing problematic, and it's frequent on most screens, even desktop ones.

I use it mostly to work on Visual Studio / SQL Server, and it's a little faster than my i7 2600, and a lot faster than my i7 920 @4GHZ.

So far, the only "issues" I have are :
- SSD performances decrease after going to sleep (it's a software issue, so I hope it will be fixed soon. Some people switch to AHCI to solve it, but I didn't try it yet)
- Bluetooth mouse lags when WIFI is in heavy use (logitech anywhere mx 2. I already have applied some fix and the latest drivers, but issue still persist times by times, so I switched to the unifying receiver)
- Stock thermal paste is far from being perfect, and the fans are loud on heavy use (BF4 or benchmarks). I've ordered some Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut + Grizzly pads to improve CPU/GPU thermal efficiency, I'll report on this next week.
- Fans are active while battery is charging. It's very little audible, but it seems it's by design.
- Keyboard keys are really flat (the key course is maybe 1mm), you have to get used to it. My biggest problem is the lack of PageUp/PageDown & Begin/End keys, which are very useful while coding. Instead you have to use the arrows + Fn key.

But there are a lot of goodness :
- It's really fast, performances are impressive, really. Working on VS 2015 is a pleasure with this machine.
- Screen is beautiful, and I really didn't regret my choice, 4k have no advantages for my usage.
- 6h battery is largely enough for me.
- You can undervolt the CPU by -150mv without problems, and just by doing so, the TDP goes from 45w to 37w to have more battery, and less noise. This also remove throttling.
- You can play BF4 at 130 FPS on medium, 60 FPS on high, 43 FPS on ultra I'll try GTA5 this weekend
- Speakers are pretty good for an ultrabook, IMO better than most I've tried (surface 4 / surfacebook / macbook)
- And the most important : it's really easy to open ! You can change your SSD, you can change your thermal paste without removing the motherboard, you can even put the fans out in order to remove dust. This is really a big advantage compared to all other ultrabooks on the market.
- Last but not least, people are saying 'whouaaaa' when they see it

If you really are an Lightroom / Photoshop expert, I think you should choose the QHD version, which is full sRGB. You will have scaling issues with adobe software, but there are some tricky fixs.
But if you are just editing your vacation photos, I think the FHD version will be largely enough. Instead of putting 200$ more in the QHD, you can put 200$ in a display calibration colorimeter (like the 1 display pro) and improve your FHD color precision, as your others displays, and have some extra battery time. Note that it seems there are some problems on the QHD calibration (because of dell software).

 

Have you updated the latest BIOS yet? Many people report FHD w/ 84WHr has 8-9h runtime, QHD 5-6h. 6h for FHD is too short (
Another problem is the FHD's screen edge :the panel doesn't extend up to the outer edge as QHD, so there are some cases of FHD screen bezel separation (as my old Vostro 1450, really hurt for laptop >1500$)

 

I have seen not only reviews, but various different forums talking about the issues with XPS 15. It's sad because I originally wanted this over the XPS 13. I can't comment on the MBP because I've never used an apple product before. Have you checked out the XPS 13's Infinity Edge version? It will handle those tasks you want to do, though I assume you chose the 15 for bigger screen?

Biggest upside I have heard about the MBP is the touchpad, the Dell ones just cannot compare.

 

Im using the 45 watt xps power supply normally for the xps 12, not the 60 watt for the xps 13.

And it charges the laptop with it on no problem at all.

I got it for charging the 6 cell companion because it requires a dell power supply. it seems to charge it up at the same rate as the 130 watt one


this thing is tiny. I will upload a picture sometime of the 2 power supplys but im sure youve seen the relative size before with a minibook.

theyy are the same design so with the wrap around wire.

The only thing I would say is the 45 watt power supply gets way hotter than the 130 watt one

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Dell-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

 

a test shows that it definitely will use battery when gaming with the 45 watt power supply. but it could be a worthwhile addition to fit in a small sleeve for web browsing.

 

Someone is going to hate me for this but I am looking into upgrading to 16GB. It has been suggested not to upgrade to 32GB unless you need for extensive professional apps. I am not pro but it be nice especially since I want to keep this darn thing till I die. First time i bought a laptop was back 2011 or so. Any links anyone? I am trying to do 2300 from Crucial.com but they are sold out. I don't want to do 2400 because I heard 1. it's more expansive and 2. motherboard will only read 2300. Share some links brothers and sisters, LGBTQI folks! <3 ya'll

 

I agree, I also was afraid with all the hardware issues. On my side, everything is perfect. No bezel gap, no gap at all. No space bar problem, no USB port problem, no fan problem, even the screen flickering problem on low brightness is absent. Everything is perfect. I imagine it have take some time for people working in the XPS factory to improve their precision and quality, sad for the early adopters, but on my side, it's perfect. But since there have been all theses problems for others, I've take an extended 4 year accidental damage warranty. I want my XPS to last
On the battery side, I use my XPS to develop, compiling some big projects 5 or 10 times each hour, and with SQL Server running in background. So it's an heavy use. If you only plan to browse, or use office, your battery will probably last more than 8h. If you plan to game, your battery will maybe last 3 or 4h, maybe less. It all depends your usage. And you have, as with every device, to apply the best practices to improve your time on battery : undervolting, reducing screen brightness, and don't use too many apps at the same time.

DDR4 prices will certainly fall down with time, so waiting to replace it isn't a problem. But does 32Go are really needed? What's your average consumption ?
I use my XPS to develop, several VS instances are open at the same time, as several big databases on local, and 16go are enough for the moment. Think about the added value of adding RAM, your computer will not be faster, it just depends on your usage. Even with big games, I'm not sure 32Go will be required until 2025

 

Maximum Ram speed used will be 2133 no matter what speed you buy, so don't waste money. Also if you have 1 stick of 8gb in it then buy another and save money over a kit.

 

You are so lucky to not have any problems. I had to think hard after my receiving my first replacement. The only thing I can say I have that is a little annoying is the fans going up when I plug in, but it is definitely bearable. I envy you just a tiny bit for reason such a prestine laptop. I don't have to keep it of course but I ended up paying $950 for my i5 version and an additional $55 gift card (which I am using to buy that sweet sleeve everyone is talking about. I am also getting another $3o from tech support but I really don't know what I am going to buy with $30. I got a lot of discounts at the time of purchase plus another $93 for nagging to Dell and another $50 for taking out stupid McAfee. Short story long, I am deciding to keep it. I am really happy for you more than anything. I think 16GB is the way to go. I'll use the money I save on buying a M.2 for storage (non NVME) 850 EVO or something like that. Kudos.

 

Mine came with (2X4) so I would either have to buy 2X8 sticks or just one 1x16. I think I'll be doing the latter in case I ever flush out to get the 32GB just because.

 

I identify as a leather bag. Please address me as leatherkin.

 

A single stick will only run single channel so stump up for a dual kit

 

32gb rules.


I got 16gb one at a time.

 

I have 32gb by pushing Dell for a free laptop upgrade due to the piss poor quality, no need for it as I have nothing to take advantage of it.

 

I upgraded mine to 32G Crucial. I don't think I will ever need/use 32G, but why not

http://www.amazon.com/CRUCIAL-TECHN...=1460121644&sr=8-3&keywords=crucial+2133+ddr4

 

So I'm thinking of purchasing the following XPS:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-xp...memory-1tb-solid-state-drive-silver/4550500.p

How is the laptop overall ? Is it a good machine ? Any major complaints which a lot of users have ?

 

Nope, I got mine and am happy with it. Full reinstall to get rid of the bugs Dell put into the software.

 

I am also very happy with mine. No major problem. I also reinstall Windows 10 from scratch to get rid of Dell junks.

 

I've been getting Blue Screen of Death about once per game when playing League of Legends (a game that is not so intensive). Any help?

 

I can help if you tell me the error code, perhaps. Are you undervolted?

 

Does anyone know if it is possible to connect a 144Hz or 120Hz Monitor via the Thunderbolt port?

XPS 15 -> Thunderbolt -> Thunderbolt-to-Displayport-Adapter -> Displayport -> 144Hz or 120Hz Monitor

Thanks !

 

Which Thunderbolt-to-Displayport-Adapter does support 144Hz?
If there exists one it should work with the XPS.

 

Hi! I recently purchased the XPS 15 (FHD 512gb 16gb ram i7) and my unit unfortunately didn't evade all the common issues.

Is the transition between the bottom in aluminum and the carbon fiber supposed to be as smooth as the transition on the side of the screen? Mine is not, it's nothing bad but the pieces still aren't perfectly aligned. There is also a "hissing" (describing sound isn't easy... but it sounds like something is vibrating at a high frequency) noise coming from the left side of the computer when the speakers are playing certain sounds. The sounds disappears however when i lay my hand on the left side of the keyboard. I'm wondering if this is related to the previously mentioned issue.

Also, the ssd performance after sleep isn't fixed? I have updated the bios to the latest version, but the issue still remains. In a CrystalDiskMark test the ssd got 2447 MB/s read and 1194 MB/s write on the SeqQ32T1 test, is this result expected with a samsung pm951? HWinfo doesn't recognize the ssd.

Other than that the laptop is great, it's just a shame that you can't except to not have any issues with the device.

Edit: And how do I lift the cover over the service information? The cover seems stuck...
Edit2: A broken nail later and I have my service tag In the BIOS the ssd was listed as a Toshiba, even though PM951 was listed in the receipt I got from Dell.

 

Heres a picture of the 130w xps power supply next to the 45 watt xps power supply.

they both charge the laptop fine although at different rates.

 

Hey guys I'm sure this has been asked but, if I get the 256GB XPS15, it says it comes with the smaller battery. Does that leave the hard drive bay open? Basically I want an XPS 15 with 2 bay options where I'm either gonna but a boot ssd and a large hard drive or two large ssds.

Edit: I want 4k touch, 16gb ram, small battery, and 2 drive options, the website makes it seem like its not possible, is that true?

 

Sounds like a bad RAM. Try this : press F12 while booting and select the diagnostic. See if you see any error message during any of the test.
Also you can try Windows Memory Diagnostic Tools (type Memory on the Search Bar).

 

I think small battery is only possible with FHD screen, unless you modify it yourself.

 

If I get the BSOD again I'll tell you the error code. How do I know if I am undervolted? I don't think I touched any major settings other than turning off 2 of my cores so that it would consume less power.

My computer fan runs loud and hot now doing even simple things like watching a twitch stream.

Thanks for the help!

 

Hi,

When using the laptop and plugged in with the 45W power supply, is there enough power being supplied to both charge the battery and actually use the laptop simultaneously? Or is the battery being slowly drained as it charges? I'm interested in a smaller charger and the 45W one would be ideal. Also, has anyone used a USB-C charger with their XPS15? I know the XPS 13 users have had luck with the Google Pixel USB-C charger but I wanted to confirm that the larger 15 would work with it. Thanks!

 

The obvious answer is no as anything over 45w will start eating into the battery.

 

yes it is charging and being used.

But gaming the battery starts to go into the negative

web browsing at full brightness it charges the battery. slower however than the 130w power supply.

 

yes and no. you are also missing a sata cable that will not be there if you didnt get a hdd with the latop

and i have never heard someone say they bought one seperately.

people trade the battery and the cable for the larger battery.

 

I have a 4k touch, 2 ssd mine is i5 however.

just get uhd and hdd then replace the 30 gb ssd that comes with it with a 500 gb crucial mx200 m2 2280
( i just ordered a thumb drive enclosure for it and thinking of a use for it)

eventually replace the hdd with a ssd. but I have what you want thats what i ordered....

I put the hdd in an enclosure also its too slow for me I have all ssd.

I also really recomend the crucial 500 gb ssd mx200 so you can use crucial executive its really nice utility for the boot drive


I also have the 6 cell dell companioin to increase battery life

 

Would that support like a 1TB 850 evo msata?

 

No . only in a 2.5 inch enclosure.


The xps can use


M2 2280 sata ssd
Or m2 nvme pcie ssd

And 2.5 inch ssd if you get the smaller battery

But not msata unless it's in a 2.5 inch adapter.


It can use the SanDisk x400 1 tb m2 ssd

 

The sata cable you need, basically an adapter with a small cable attached that plugs into the MB is Dell part number XDYGX. When I got mine they were selling for $10.00. Don't let them tell you that it is unavailable or that the part number is wrong.

 

HI guys. So i finally got my Xps 15 9550 (16GB, 512GB, 4K Touhc). Everything works ok. I however noticed a crackling noise when i adjust the brightness while there is audio playing. My space bar key is a tiny bit gunked and the keyboard backlit doesn't seem to on permanently. Anyone know how to make the keyboard backlit stay on always?

 

I just tried doing both - none of the tests had any error messages with any of the parts. However, my laptop does feel faster, like how it was when I first got it. Does running these tests do anything to the system parts?

Also, is there any value in upgrading the default 8GB ram to 16gb ram?

 

It depends on your workload and use cases. I had to do this immediately despite the cost because I do a lot of virtualization. Maybe it's necessary for video editing, too. But 8GB is okay for most everyday usage.

 

I forgot to say that the hdd also comes with a rubber encloser you won't get if you don't have one with the system.

Its not vital but it goes on your 2.5 inch ssd