Dell XPS15 R2 (L502) Thread

I would think so. The keyboard is standard everywhere. Only backlit options vary between countries.

Yes, it sticks out. How much I don't know. I chose the 6 cell because it didn't stick out. I'd rather buy another 6 cell than have the laptop at that angle.

Changing the HDD is not that hard, nor will it void your warranty. You do have to take a couple of parts off to get to it, but it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes for the novice.

 

This is suggesting bad thermal pasting on the CPU as those figures are hot. The GT540m shows reasonable temps for running 3Dmark and temps should be similar for both CPU and GPU.

Out of interest what was your score?

I just ran 3Dmark06 again to check my temps so you have an idea. These are max figs. Obviously I have a different laptop but you should expect the same.

0...73
1...73
2...72
3...74

GT445...72

 

I am getting this same error

 

Cheers

The Irish Dell shop only has the 9 cell option, and this is pretty worrying.
As is the chiclet thing. Might have to wait for other manufacturers new laptops to be released after all i think

 

First, my sig is misleading. I'm running "as shipped" with no hardware or software modifications besides adding 3dmark06 and cpu-z software. So, ram is Dell's 6GB, HDD is Dell's 640GB, and still running win 7 home premium. Will install hardware and fresh OS install when I receive the vertex 3 (when it comes out).

3dMark06 Score: 8348

 

You can still click OK. It should run just fine.

 

How do we tell which graphics card is being used at the time? Is there some way to check or pop up notification?

 

Anyone going to try and overclock the gt 540m? Should probably be able to hit 9000+ on 3dmark06 with the correct drivers and stable clocks.

 

I think that until we can get some better temps out of the processor overclocking anything is a bad idea.

 

Is everyone getting temps up in the 90's?

Also anyone wanting to know about the Youtube probs/video flickering then people did have the same problem on the 1st gens and there should be info on those threads somewhere or you can just ask.

Would love some more temp readings if poss as I am thinking of getting this for my gf but she will not be happy if heat is an issue as she always has it on her lap when studying.

 

Keep in mind that these are the highest temps while stressing the system to the max. If she's just studying, they won't be that high.

When I hopefully finally get mine, I'll post my temps.

 

The high temps experienced by NoSlow5oh might jus be a one-off thing, i.e. he got a lemon.

Need to see more temp results from other ppl

 

I posted my temps to compare to FPetersonIII's cpu temps that are also reaching 90*C while playing the Crysis 2 demo. We are the only two to post temps that I know of.

I would like to see more readings from other people using some sort of standard benchmark, such as 3dMark06, so we can compare accurately. Playing a game vs. a synthetic benchmark is not a good comparison.

 

Xanatheuz is correct I am hoping it is just a 1 off and that is why I am asking as it's roughly a 20 degree increase compared to what my l701x gets. As for stressing the CPU then I am guessing but more than likely this is only on default 3Dmark06 settings and therefore aint stressing much and these temps are therefore way above what they should be.

I have asked on the L701x thread for anyone that knows to put the problem re. video stuttering on here so hopefully someone will reply shortly.

 

Ok I just did some more Crysis 2 this time with CPUID checking on the GPU. It seems that my temps started to come down a LITTLE. The high for the GPU was 81 but I was alt-tabbing out of the game periodically and checking the temps and the GPU was around 70 most of the time. The CPU on the otherhand was still sticking between 85 and 88 and one of the cores still had a max of 89. But no 90!! lol I still am going to do a repaste. I think that will help a bunch.

Also, just now after I quit crysis and while the machine was cooling down the fan ramps up and down, up and down...I don't like that...

 

Would you be willing to run 3dMark06 to compare temps? Also, what are your specs?

 

I just ran 3dmark06 at 1920X1080 and got the following temps from hwmonitor
core 0:93
core 1:94
core 2:93
core 3:88
mainboard:
TZ00:95
TZ01:95

3dmark score 6625

thats with the 2720, 8 gig ram, 540M

 

chemman could u run 3dmark06 at the default resolution and not at 1920x1080 pls? Would give a more accurate comparison with the results from other ppl. Thanks!

 

mmm they are also high. I guess we wait and see what happens with others.

How does the left side of your computer feel?

 

all the games i tested, Crysis 2, Bioshock 1, on high settings run below 90 C around 190 F , normal use around 40-55 C or 111 F-120F

 

core 0:87
core 1:84
core 2:79
core 3:82
mainboard:
TZ00:85

nvidia : 75

 

Could you also do 3Dmark06 at default, if poss...thx and what specs?

 

That 3dmark score is way way low. I think your temps might be so bad the system is downclocking itself to prevent damage.

 

Its cuz he's not running 3dmark at default settings. He maxed the resolution.

 

In UK, you can have backlit keyboard calling Dell rep. (I read this in some thread)
In Italy you can have the backlit keyboard (but US/international Version) and you can also switch 9-cell battery to 6 cell calling Dell rep.
Maybe it's possible for Irish Dell too.

 

Could someone with a 6 cell please post a picture of the laptop in their hand or somewhere else for size comparison? If you coould do a sideways shot so we can see how the 6 cell looks compared to the 9 cell that would be great.

Also, if someone does a repaste of the CPU please make a video as a sort of guide for the rest of us!

Thanks

 

Dell XPS 15 Laptop Details | Dell

Click on "Gallery". All the pics you want.

 

I returned my L501x after reading the laptopmag review.
As it said L501x was left palmrest was warm while doing normal web browsing and documents.
And L502x runs cool during the whole of their testing.

Now looks like i am in bigger problem. L501X is gone.
Still waiting for L502X. But Looks like L502x is an iron box.

Advise is appreciated.

Is there a way i can ask dell to send back the system i returned.

 

Honestly dont discredit the L502x even before you get it. Those high temps posted might not happen for everyone. And even if you do get them, repasting/undervolting/a decent notebook cooler should solve your problems.

 

I cannot get the machine to boot off of the DVDROM. I am trying to do a clean install of windows. I have went to the boot menu by pressing f12 when the machine is booting up and put the DVD drive on the top of the priority list but its not booting from the disk in the drive....help please.

 

Just played Crysis 2 demo and checked temps. Highest core reached 95*C and GT 540M reached 86*C. This is way too high for an "as shipped" system. The GT 420M in my L501x was oc'd to 720/960 and never got above the 70's. I really hope mine is just a lemon and not what everyone will be seeing with their systems, as there is really no room to oc this card with the temps, unless an updated driver from Nividia comes out and works wonders.

 

ran it with default settings and the max temps were 93,93,92,88 . The laptop doesn't feel hot at all. Top or bottom
3d score 8289

 

Don't worry. Even as hot as mine gets during testing/gaming, the palm rest isn't hot enough to be annoying. It's a little warm but not bad at all.

 

I just read a few thermal paste comparison articles, and there doesn't seem to be a significant difference between any of the compounds (except American cheese). SVC has Arctic Silver 5 for $7, no shipping. they also have the cleaning compounds necessary to get the old crap off of the processors and heatsinks.

The Dell Service Manual has instructions for removing the heat sinks, and the Arctic Silver website has a good guide for applying the paste.

 

Thanks for your reply!!

Feels better now.

 

There are better compounds out there than AS5. I have it and would use it if I needed to, but for a laptop I would go with the absolute best there is. No reason to cheap out on an extra $10 or so for the best considering the time involved in repasting correctly. I'll admit I don't know what the best is, but I've used OCZ freeze after AS5 in my desktop computer and noticed 10*C drops in LinX on the i7 920 when oc'd to 4GHz/core.

 

Thanks for your reply chemman and NSlow50h!!

Feels better now.

 

Has anyone done this successfuly? I can not get the machine to boot from the disk. Am I missing something? You just download the file and copy it to a DVD right? Do I have to do something to the ZIP file before I burn it on the DVD. I thought that it was supposed to be left all packaged up like that.

 

Make sure you "burn as ISO", rather than burning the .ISO as a single file on the DVD.

 

I'm sorry, more specific please. How do I go about doing that??

 

Burn ISO Images Natively in Windows 7

 

The webpage with the link to those downloads also links to instructions for this.

 

Thanks a bunch guys. It is burning now. It was strange though, it didn't have the BURN DISC IMAGE at the top of the right-click menu but under Open With it had DISC IMAGE BURNER UTILITY.

 

Getting my rig tmr. Pretty much the standard build with the 2720QM and FHD screen. Will post results/temps soon

 

Anyone able to try this on their L502?

 

I think this software doesn't indicate if the SATA port is SATA III, but only what is the current transfer mode (current/max), therefore with this program you need a SATA III device to show SATA 600.

 

You're probably right. Maybe someone already has a C300 or Vertex 2 in their machine and can let us know what it says. There might be other SATA III SSDs for sale but those are the only ones I can remember off the top of my head. I'm waiting for the Vertex 3.

 

I need some help with reinstalling all the right drivers please. Should I reinstall all the drivers that were on the Dell drivers and utilites disk? I feel like I got most of them but a couple things don't work. The Waves maxxaudio button doesn't work. When I use the function f keys to adjust the volume or the screen brightness it doesn't bring up the little transparent window that shows the level. Any help with making sure that I got all the proper drivers installed will be greatly appreciated.

 

Ok scratch that. I got the waves maxx and the function keys all doing what they were suppose to do. It was the dell quick set driver. But....whats up with all the different communication drivers for all those different 56k modems? Is one of those for the ethernet port on the back?? I don't remember installing a driver for that port...is there one or does windows pick that one up. Thanks a lot for all the help and great info in this thread everyone.

 

Everyone that have i2720QM have these shocking temp?