Dell sending me a replacment xps16, some opinions please

Hello,

After having three motherboards replaced Dell decided to send me a new laptop instead of fixing it. I don't know how I feel about not being able to get the RGB screen that I payed extra for on my original laptop. How do you think the new system stacks to the old, am I getting a fair deal? I deleted the fluff marketing stuff from the inventory.

OLD SYSTEM

1 224-5207 XPS 1640, Intel Core 2 Duo P8700(2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3M L2 Cache) $1592.75
1 320-8178 Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish XPS 1640 $0.00
1 311-9487 4GB, DDR3, 1067 MHz 2 Dimm forXPS 1640 $0.00
1 320-7329 16.0 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p FullHD RGBLED LCD W/2.0 MP, XPS 1640 $0.00
1 330-4424 ATI Mobility RADEON M96XT - 1GB $0.00
1 341-8989 500GB 7200RPM Free Fall SensorSeagate Hard Drive $0.00
1 420-9319 Microsoft Windows Vista with SP1 Home Premium Edition 64-bit Edition English $0.00
1 430-2600 Integrated 10/100 Network Card $0.00
1 313-7056 BluRay Combo Drive $0.00
1 313-4783 Integrated High Definition Audio 2.2 $0.00
1 430-2955 Intel WiFi Link 5300 802.11AGN Half Mini Card $0.00
1 312-0811 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion P Primary Battery, for XPS 1640 $0.00
1 430-3206 Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate) $20.00
1 320-0997 Premium FHD WLED Display Obsidian Black, 2.0 MP Webcam $0.00

NEW SYSTEM

1 224-7380 Studio XPS 16 Notebook $0.00
1 312-0811 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion P Primary Battery, for XPS 1640 $0.00
1 313-7056 BluRay Combo Drive $150.00
1 313-8545 High Definition Audio 2.0 with SRS Premium Sound $0.00
1 317-2365 6GB, DDR3, 1333MHz 2 Dimm $150.00
1 317-2825 Intel CoreTM i5 540M processor (2C/4T, 2.53-3.06 GHz, 3M L3) $935.99
1 320-1308 ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 - 1GB $0.00
1 320-8330 15.6 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p Full HD WLED LCD, W/2.0 MP, XPS 1645 $75.00
1 320-8351 Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish $0.00
1 341-8989 500GB 7200RPM Free Fall SensorSeagate Hard Drive $40.00
1 430-0700 Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1+EDR) $20.00
1 430-0762 Intel 6200 Wireless-N (2x2) HM,CNB $30.00
1 430-3605 Integrated 10/100 Network Card $0.00
1 464-7384 Exchange

Thanks in advance!

 

You're getting a pretty close replacement, but personally I think they should have given you an upgrade somewhere to offset the significant loss of the RGBLED. I dunno what you would have wanted, processor or some type of SSD upgrade perhaps - the system you're getting also has a lesser WiFi card, supporting only 2x2 MIMO/300Mbps connect rate whereas the 5300 supported 3x3 MIMO/450Mbps connect rate and was an overall more performance card. They are giving you a minor upgrade to RAM and processor (should only perform better in single-theaded apps when Turbo-Boost is enabled) and you'll have DirectX 11 support, but all these are pretty insignificant because hardly anything will take advantage of them or show a real improvement even when they do.

 

That is what I thought. I think when they call me back I am going to ask for a faster processor since I lost the RGB screen. Any opinions on which to ask for? I use it for school and do a lot of gaming.

Thanks!

 

Sum up
You got 2GB more RAM
You went from RGBLED to WLED
A better GPU
Intel 5300 to 6200
Core 2 Duo to i5-540

And I am hoping a renewed warranty considering they gave you a new laptop.

It would have been nice if Dell gave you back the nicer screen plus the newer specc'd laptop for your troubles.

For gaming, perhaps you are better off with the dual core (perhaps the i7-620M).

 

They can't. The RGB is no longer manufactured and that's why they are giving him free upgrades,

 

I was in a similar situation and pushed for the Core i7 620 processor over the i5 540. I also managed to get a 9 cell battery on the grounds that it lifts the laptop up and runs a lot cooler which will help reduce throttling.

If they push back, mention the Wifi downgrade too. Be friendly but firm, and be very aware of what you want before talking to them. If you are vague they will think you are just trying to scam upgrades (even if you are). As gaah said, an SSD would be a great addition, I personally didn't bother because I already owned an Intel G2 SSD so didn't have a need for theirs.

You'll get many different opinions about the CPU Dual core 620m vs Quad core 740m or 840m. I settled on the 620 as they use less power, which means better battery and less chance of throttling due to too much power usage (RGBLED still being available in AUS).

Good luck, and make sure you check the revised machine everytime. Each time they sent me new specs, they stuffed up something else. I'd ask for new CPU, and they would do that, but drop me back DVD drive instead of BluRay. I couldnt work out if it was incompetance or them being sneaky. It took 8 quotes for them to get it right.

 

You should ask to keep the old screen so that you can replace the one on the new computer when it comes.

 

i kept complaining to them about various issues with my laptop, and they are sending me a replacement. although, they have made no mention of me sending the old one back.

 

Don't worry, you will have to return the old laptop in the box the new one was sent in. It will come with a return slip. If you don't send it back, they will call you/email you and eventually charge you handsomely.

 

This reminds me that I have my own sxps 16 to return... it's been sitting neatly gathering dust on my desk for two weeks.... gonna get up and do that right now.

 

I think the upgrades they're giving you are quite generous, but you could definitely ask for them to swap the screens for you, or maybe try it yourself before sending it back!

 

I don't think your warranty can transfer until you actually return your old system. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yes, it takes a while to get it transferred to a new system, even after the old system had been returned.

I got my M17x in mid aug, returned the old system right after I got the replacement.

I had to keep bug them about the status and it finally got transferred yesterday. I had to use "unresolved issues" to get it done after wasting loads of time w/ regular phone techs keep insisting they were working on it, and nothing got done in weeks. The tech in unresolved issues got it done in a day. Pathetic, considering average wait time with AW is about 40 minutes just to get to the first operator.

 

I got XPS M1530 replaced by my 1640 in August of last year and I sent back my old laptop in the same week I received my replacement. I didn't need any tech support on it until last august. (That's right, I went a whole year without having to contact Dell). Well, my wireless card died so I contacted Dell and they said my service tag is on hold because I never sent back my replacement. Luckily, I scanned and emailed myself the receipts/tracking numbers just in case and emailed them to a rep and it took about 2 days for my service tag hold to be removed.

So when you send your replacement back, be sure to scan and keep all your tracking info just in case the same thing happens to you.

 

After an hour marathon session of being put on hold for the tech to talk to his supervisor all they could do was upgrade the ram to 8gb. Personally I think that much memory is mostly useless, but at least it is something. They said that they can not change out the screen because it is not compatible, which doesn't make sense to me since they are the same size.

What really bugs me is that my current system completely died and they are saying it could be up to a month to get the replacment. I'm in nursing school and need my laptop for school, which was the whole reason for buying the 3 year complete care warranty.

 

After thinking about it some more. Would I be better off asking for something like an m11x built to the same price? All I read here is people having problems with the xps 16. I only went up to a 16 inch for the RGB screen for doing photography, without it I could go to a smaller monitor on the laptop and just use an external. I like the xps16, but im tired of all the problems and don't want to keep having them.

Thanks for everyone's input thus far.

 

Tell them to stop BS'ing you and to change the screen, the screens are perfectly compatible, they're just trying to get out of something they'd rather not do.

 

Oh sweet, I'm going to give this a try when I get my new replacement.