Dell XPS M1730 Owner's Lounge, *Part 3*

http://www.gpureview.com/show_cards.php?card1=575&card2=544

 

Hankaroon,
A direct link would be appreciated.

I ask for this as I've read quite a few results and the M17x benchmark threads aren't exactly. . . easy to navigate through, and as you know all benchmarks aren't the same.

I know that with things like furmark and some of those benchmarks that overheat cards, the new Clevos and M17xs peak at 80. However, these are extreme benchmarks.

As for that extra hair. . . dude, seriously? It's the same damned thing. Even the 9800m GTX is virtually in the same bracket save for a few extra shaper processors and the texture memory.

 

Kade, I have overclocked my 2.53 ghz processor to 2.97 ghz by overclocking the FSB to 1250 mhz. Orthos stress testing yields max temps of 80 C system and 71/73 C for the CPU's max. Note that that's with the laptop sitting on the couch covering the main fan in the center of the laptop which cools the processor/mobo. As soon as I pull it off the couch, the temps go down to the 60's. The fans are incredibly efficient so far.

BTW, the graphics cards are idling at 34/41 C as I type this - hottest they've gone all day is 43/48 C. Bit of a difference, eh?

 

Kade, our own Batboy of course mustered up these gorgeous numbers

 

I am so sorry, I totally misunderstood what you guys were saying. I thought you meant in-game benchmarks.

Yeah, they're good temps at idle. Although I am not surprised given a few facts:
- New chip.
- 55nm (a.k.a. better chip).
- Clearly the better cooling design and the fact that fans do kick in earlier in these laptops.

By the way:
Mine currently idles at 45, and if I get my fans to run, my temps idle at 38. So I would be surprsied if the M17x was getting hotter than what BatBoy posted. It's common sense, really.

I've already posted in-game temps in the last thread, and so did a few others. COD4 never exceeded 53 degrees for me, when I had the fans running at maximum, and with a massive overclock. I believe another member had similar results using X9000 on maximum.

Lord_Zath,
Those are good temps, but I think my concern and criticism of the M1730 is mainly focussed on GPU temps. CPU thresholds have rarely been broken in these new machines, and like I said earlier, I have yet to see any penryn-post CPU have temperature problems of any sort. I did run that test that Mandrake was asking other Clevo and M17x users to run for 20 minutes, and my peak temp was 74, for GPU. Although, once again, I was using fans on full blast, and on a flat surface; would've been higher, otherwise.

 

I don't believe you lol. What are you using? A bottle cap? Cooler? Are you checking with GPU-z, the most commonly accepted accurate temp reader?

 

^^ It's quite possible actually. It depends if the place is air-conditioned or not, and the surface of the table, some of them reflect cold-air upwards. In my school's library the temperature was 18*C, my 8800s went to a low of 38*C on idling - and If I disable powermizers I think it'll be lower. But of course, I admit to a raised back though. haha.



Just the other day I went into a LAN shop and a I saw a table full of M1730s of all different colours. And at the corner, "the most powerful" sits the M17x.

 

really? whats the name of the lan shop? u live in sg right? id like to pop in and take a look lol

 

It's at Dhoby Ghaut MRT. It's called Cyberdome or something. Saw a whole row of M1730s of different winged colours; red, blue, white and grey. At the corner, a banner with a sarcastic message reads; "Welcome you weaklings!" - And there I saw an M17x, as if like the chief of all machines. Should've brought my DSLR along with me for a quick snapshot of the place filled with M1730s.

 

Dude, I did something risky. But I did it and I got my results. I won't share the information because I don't want people to mess up their machines at this point. No, it was not an extra cooler or anything of the sort.

SomeFormOfHuman nailed the idea right on the head! It was his machine's specs and statements that motivated me to try what I tried, which is why I am eager to get my hands on an X9000, so I can re-execute the idea without putting my machine through any risks. I didn't need to raise my laptop like his though - my flat surface was a good flat surface in a generally dry clean room.

As for reading temps. C'mon, man? Do I look like that much of a n00b, as you guys call 'em, or even thick? There's already enough confusion on the internet, so when I do a test, I don't use one application, or two applications, or even three applications - I use everything that is considered acceptable and legit by mainstream enthusiast standards. I use nothing less than Everest *and* HWmonitor to get my first results, and I then refer and cross refer to other programmes such as GPU-Z, if someone asks for further documentation. Hell, I posted the results in the last lounge thread with an image attachment from HWmonitor. That very attachment got BatBoy and I to have a follow-up talk about how I achieved those figures without the X9000. Did you know, with that fans-at-max-risk/hack, my 'maximum' temps with Crysis running for over an hour-and-a-half, was 71 for both GPUs, and the average was mid-to-low 60s. . . with GPUs overclocked to 666/1038 (core/memory). I was shocked and amazed myself. (I have attached the same image to this post, and that very result was verified on all of the three aforementioned programmes.)

SomeFormOfHuman,
I really dig the customised job you did on the machine. Question: Where did you get those stubs to raise the back? I ask because I bought the BlueLounge 'Cool Feet' kit, but they are a bit large and awkward while your solution seems to look just as effective and aesthetically superior.

 

Very nice to see some talk in this thread other than all the frustrated swap talk.

My 1730 has been flawless after Dell swapped my 8800 with 9800 cards. I must've gotten in before the rush.

I can't get them to recognize that I now have 9800. I think that is relevant in case I need to do the swap that everyone else is involved with (HDMI would be nice.....)

Everyone says that the 9800 is only a sliver of an upgrade above the 8800. I'll tell you this much, I can pretty much install any of the mobile drivers or driverheaven drivers at the 9800. The 8800 was super picky about which driver it would work in SLI mode with without crashing with "the driver has stopped responding" notifications.

 

Really?

That's interesting. I hope you don't mind my doubtful attitude. Although I wouldn't question your experience, because good things do happen. The 9800s that came with my 'replacement system' always failed with drivers and artifacted. I developed a generally bad opinion of the revised BIOS.

With my video card troubles, and the exorbitant amount of time these monkeys are taking, perhaps even I will put in a request for a VGA-card replacement until they finalise the refund. Of course, I'll probably be waiting on those replacement cards for another era, anyway. Lawl.

Good to hear about your experience though, Twinpeaks.

 

Anyone had any updates with the back ordered cards? I'm still awaiting a call from my local tech who is supposedly receiving a replacement card, but I'll be calling early tomorrow to follow up to make sure they didn't mysteriously cancel my dispatch as they've done in the past.

Kade: Where do I order replacement foot stubs for my XPS?

 

Weenus,
Simply inform technical support and they will send you new stubs. They always ask, as a complimentary service, if you require any of these stubs to be replaced.

 

Weenus,

Last I was told was that they were pushed back to the 20th.

Also that some coalition of directors were going to consider my case and that of 14 other people to consider upgrades or what to do with our cases. I am in Canada so I would hope it is considering only the Canadian cases.

On that note I'm 98% they just wanted to buy more time and told me some BS, but I pray otherwise.

The replacement cards that I will be getting are the 9800s tho if they ever show up to replace my 8700s, for me its either new vid cards but then if anything else goes wrong a wall of people who don't want to help me or a new laptop which i will have to fight for equivalent specs or better which is another wall to bash my head against.

Being in my final year of my degree these problems are just making my life 1000x more stressful than it ever should have been. The people on these forums have kept my hopes up tho that perhaps there is a silver lining, maybe not with dell but at least I can come here to try and get a speedy logical fix to minor problems.

 

Take it easy, and stay cool. It's all tansient - you will eventually get a good result; don't let it build-up as pressure.

 

Oh Kade, I sorta meant the extension ones such as the one that are pictured on the previous page. Replacement is a flub, I am looking for the stubs that are enhancements for cooling.

 

Wow, this is weird. One of my 8800M GTX cards just started working again. I left click and there the NVIDIA Control Panel is and everything. After a little over a month and one card just starts working? I wonder how long that'll last...

 

one of the 8700 gt gpu's just hit 206 degrees Fahrenheit... the other one only got to 167... my laptop smells like melted plastic

 

This reminds me - one of the heavily publicized way to get an xbox 360 that died with the red ring of death to work again was to wrap it with a towel and turn it on for 20 minutes. The heat reset everything.

I know that sounds crazy, but, if you don't believe me, google "towel trick rrod".

If you've got a really sick unuseable M1730, do with this information what you may

 

yeah it's because it melted the solder so it re-sealed itself. It didn't work 100% though - and the same principle is what Hankaaron's been doing w/his cards...

 

Oh, right.

Well, I use BlueLounge Cool Feet. Simply search for these in google, and you'll find plenty sellers retailing. You can even get some good deals via amazon for the kit.

However, what SomeFormofHuman is using, is beyond my knowledge, which is why I asked him for more details seeing as his solution looks cooler.

You could always just buy generic stubs - large ones, and then stick them in appropriate locations. I've been looking for a few 1-inch-high stubs on ebay, and have come across a few versions that might get the job done.

Another thing that could be done - simply get another set of M1730 stubs and stick them under the ones that are already there, which sould provide some degree of elevation. I personally like the stubs on the Toshiba X205 and the Qosimo X305.

 

216 and 168 gpu temps now, just scary... i need to turn this pos off before it catches on fire

 

if you turn it off, it might not turn on again.

 

Well it looks like the Ideastorm has ground to a halt. 15 votes for and 2 against. I can't work out why someone would vote against it but when you look at their profile it appears they just go through and vote against anything...

C'mon 1730 owners get voting.

 

Welcome to my world! That's my computer everyDAY.

 

WTH ? who would be so stupid as to vote against a BIOS that would effectively increase the lifespan of the laptop?
Good God. I hope their brain overheats soon.

 

So..... 9800 pushed back to January 11, 2010....

The "senior technical supervisor" says the only replacement they can give me is the xps 1640

the phone call i was supposed to receive today never happened

its been a month, also i found out my tech support is in the Philippines not India.... is it odd that I would rather hope for the Indian tech support over these.... people who are not being helpful at all, being constantly told that alienware is a "different department" and that they cannot give me an alienware as a replacement because of that.

times like these I really wish i lived in the US at least dell is still a little scared of their US customers

 

My thoughts too. Post it in the comments. I would myself but I'm already the last poster.

 

Doing that right now.

 

*** REPOST *** (Ok, let's try that again...)

Does anybody have any recommendations on what settings Red Faction Guerrilla works best on our M1730 beasts?
Currently I am running all settings on max except shadows and particles.
Ambient Occlussion is turned off entirely.
The resolution I run it at is 1680x1080 or whatever it is. 2x FSAA.

Also... I am running the 191 driver from nVidia. But I am not too impressed.
Has anyone played around (as I don't spend too much time trying each new driver that comes out) a bit so I can get a recommendation of what driver I should be running at?
The 191 seems slower then the 186 series driver (which you now can also download from the nVidia website for the 8800m series.)
This is the driver I ran prior to the new 191 WHQL certified ones from laptopvideo2go.

 

Are you serious???? 2010?

 

I honestly wish i was lying about the date but yeah jan 11, 2010....

I'm soo distraught with my situation right now, even though its not as bad as some of you...

For me this is driving me insane, I need to give them a call again tomm to see if they made any real decision about my situation

 

Have you tried the 186.82 or the 186.91 from Windows Update? LV2Go has these posted as well. Might need to copy over the nv_whql.inf which is located in the Additional INFs .zip.

With the 190 and 191 series there is a new drop down in the 3DSettings tab for Power Profile. Might want to see if RFG has its own profile and if not add it manually and then check that power drop down menu. Make sure its set for max performance.

 

11th of January, 2010?

OoOo Rly?

Alrightly, this might change my plans.

 

I was wondering if i could get some information,

1. the e-mail addy's of the higher ups that one should carpet mail about ridiculous situations (this has worked for some in the past)

2. what some of you are going to do now (Kade + any others who now must react to the 2010 delivery date for the 9800sli cards)

3. other contact information for someone in dell that could help me with this situation... altho i doubt that kind of person exists

but who knows maybe the guy was lying to me, it wouldn't be the first time dell has done it.

 

OK, an update on my situation.

Basically, 3 weeks since my graphics went kaput. Dell Unresolved Issues form sent twice with no reply at all. Tech support phoned again a week ago, but couldn't tell me when a new 8800m GTX would be available.

I'm now uping the anti and contacting the frontline support manager, insisting that I am informed of a repair date, and if that is not met they are to resolve the issue to my satisfaction, or I will start pursuing my rights as a UK consumer.

 

Corporate carpet-bombing hasn't exactly worked for me. It's kind of hit or miss with the idea that you'll be restricted to one or two reps, and whether or not they'll be compassionate enough is another gamble.

Lynx, if you want to pursue the matter legally, give me a PM. If my circumstances don't change by that point, I would like to join the effort.

 

Red Faction runs really good at 1920x1200 DX10 with the 180.84 drivers. Just make sure to fix a SLI profile for the game. There is some FPS drops during heavy physics in action but nothing serious considering how much physics the game uses. With a faster CPU than mine it should be less drops.

 

yeah, the carpet bombing didnt work well for me the last 2 times i had tried it. nothing really works so far, the bbb complaint didnt do much either...

 

Magnus,
Speaking of the 180.84 tweakforce drivers. . . mind sharing the vista 32 version, buddy?

Cheers.

 

I'm getting an m17x!

I don't care if this is inappropriate but this is something that could only be properly articulated with Kelly-Brook-goodness:


http://fredvidal.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/kelly_brook.jpg


The bad news: it's going to take at least a month to build the machine. It will in fact be a new machine.

 

Yes sorry I had forgot about the drivers. I will fix a link tomorrow for you.

 

Congrats. Make sure you post more pics when you get the machine. I think you'll be very happy.

 

we allowed to crap up the thread with new M17x stories? I got one too.. but for the record I love the M1730 and would have been very happy with it had the GPU situation been resolved. I'm not expecting a GIANT performance upgrade, just more cosmetic and ports upgrade.

 

Wonder what Dell will tell me this week :/

 

First off congrats to you hank,
and as for the vid card situation like i said you guys might get another answer for a delivery date but i was told jan.11 best to call dell up and see what they say.
And at this point I just want a replacement vid card since the rest of the computer seems to be running fine.

 

eyes hurt just trying to find the temps...

btw how do you get so much info out of hwmonitor? I only get a few lines w/temps and that's it...

 

v1.07 has tons of stuff, but it doesnt see my 500 gig hd?

why did it come out so blurry?

 

That is great news! Congratulations. I'd say you were one of the few that really endured hell, so you deserve nothing less than a reputable replacement. Don't worry about the time-frame - at least you have a solid deal in your hands now.