Happy SXPS 16 users?

Hi guys,

My UK Outlet Dell Studio XPS 16 is due to be with me this week hopefully. Here's what I managed to 'snipe' off the Outlet website:

P8600 2.4Ghz
4GB RAM
320GB HDD
1080p screen
BD
Intel 5300 Wifi Link
TV Tuner

£805

I made the same system on Dell's main website and it came to ~ £1250 with a smaller HDD, so I'm pretty happy with the price. I just hope she doesn't have scratches/dings. I was given the impression by the sales guy that the systems sold on the Outlet store are usually systems that people have cancelled. Hopefully mine is one of those.

What bothers me is this: I have been reading this forum for a few days and seem to be reading nothing but problems. Hopefully this is the usual case where the people who are happy don't bother to post

Is anyone actually happy?!

 

My brother has had his for a week and he loves it.

 

I've had mine for 3 months and love it. I agree with you, pretty much only people with problems post. I know that's how I started was when my HDD failed in my original 1640. It's hands down the best computer I've ever owned, laptop or desktop.

 

I love it.

 

my brother has it and its cool..

 

Have had mine for 2 months.. best laptop ive owned. No problems at all.

 

Im a happy SXPS 13 user if that counts....

 

I got one as an exchange and am a huge fan!

 

The XPS 16 is awesome..and it's going to get even better with the updated version coming along (will have an HD 4670 graphics card).

 

When is the new updated version coming out? I want to get a SXPS16 within the next month or so...how long do you think until the new one comes out? I would LOVE an HD 4670, and maybe they would have worked out some kind of solution to the heating problem by then

 

What heating problem?

I've been sitting on my bed with my kids watching a movie and the temps are 40 and 43 for the cores, 50 for the GPU and 45 for the HDD. No heating problems here.

 

I love my 1640!! Its been a little bit less than a month and no problems so far.

My temps are pretty much the same as N20D5OH's. There is no heat problem, just a perception that there is one.

Some people are super sensitive to heat and feel its too much and complain on forums about it. And all of a sudden it has heat problems. And just like the rumor game the more its repeated the "worse" the problem is. So people want the latest hardware in the smallest formfactor that runs ice cold....no wonder people are getting dissapointed.

I know.. I know, apple laptops can chill your martini and play farcry 2 on high settings at 100fps.

I would have returned this laptop if it had a heat problem. I leave for Iraq in a few days and a laptop with heat problems wouldn't last long where I will be working.

At first I was bummed about the GPU upgrade until I did some research. The new GPU uses 5 watts more power which means even less battery life. No thanks. Thats the one weak area of the 1640 if I had to list one.

 

I think very soon (as in by the beginning of June) and here's why I think this:

1. Today they released an updated bios for the XPS 16 that specifically mentions support for the HD 4670.
2. The crimson red version of the laptop will probably be released as an option for the revised XPS 16: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/17/crimson-red-dell-xps-16-in-the-wild/

 

Yes 10 mins less or so thats not much so instead of 3:10 on power saver you get 3 big woop. But yea there is no heat problems my computer has the same temps as them but my gpu is usually at 42-45

 

Yep, 5 watts difference makes a very small difference in overall power consumption. Not bad for going from 378m transistors to 514m and getting 2x the graphics power.

 

Exactly i would rather have more graphics power

 

After many many problems, I finally love mine

 

I couldn't stop laughing at this haha...excellent summary of Apple fanboi's feelings towards their products!

I love my XPS16 no heat issues at all either. Low 30's on the CPUs and mid 40's on the GPU when not in my lap and just browsing/watching movies.

Not much hotter than my old MBP(C2D 2.2Ghz, 8600GT).

 

How likely is this? I know we can only speculate, but if I buy a studio xps at the end of this month (may) and a week later a whole new line appears, I will be angry.

 

I just called to arrange a return for my 1640. The only thing that made me think twice about ordering it was the (relatively) sub-par performance of the GPU. Now that the 4670 should be an option I am going to wait for a good deal on a 1640 with that GPU.

 

mind sharing your experience ? Did you already have the laptop and for how long?

mine is on the way and am still considering my options.

 

Well then save yourself any potential frustration and wait. It's definitely coming, they wouldn't have added support for the 4670 to the bios if it weren't. So based on that the release can't be further off then the end of this month or beginning of June most likely.

 

I just called this morning to arrange a return.

I've had the laptop for 21 days now. My laptop was problem-free for the most part, except for a slight wobble when on a desk (uneven feet?) and a few specks of dust that snuck in between the LCD and the outer plastic screen. Heat wasn't a big issue with me, even with it on my lap. I used RMClock to undervolt the CPU and it dropped temps a good 5-7 degC during normal use. The only thing I wasn't happy with - before and after the purchase - was the relatively sub-par gaming performance of the ATI 3670 GPU. Sure, the 3670 played half-life 2 at great framerates at the native 1080P resolution, but everything else (such as Crysis at even at the lower 1280x800 res) was like watching a slide show.

For everything else (photo editing, MILD gaming, web browsing, etc) it was sufficient. IMO, for the $1400 I spent for it I think it should have had a better GPU - and it looks like that is going to happen. I'll prolly be ordering another 1640 when the 4670 is available, most likely with slightly higher spec'd components for the same price

My customer service experience was pretty pleasant. Tok me 5-7 min total to speak to the customer service rep and arrange everything.

 

How did it fare running, say, a winamp visualisation at 800x600 full screen?

 

Well, seeing as how I never ran a Winamp visualization I cannot comment on that. Sorry!

 

nice. are they going to charge you a restocking fee? was it kind of a no questions asked return?

i'll probably do this too.

 

I was within the 21 day return period (day 21 actually!) so there was no restocking fee. I am being given a full refund and they sent me a prepaid UPS return label.

The customer service rep asked why I was returning it. I told her that the laptop IMO got too hot to use on my lap and that there was dust collecting between the LCD and the outer screen. She asked me if I wanted to talk to tech support to attempt to solve the issues. I told her that the 'heat' issue is actually normal due to the metal casing conducting the heat generated by the system, and that the LCD dust problem is common and that I was not satisfied with the prospect of having the laptop torn apart and the screen being replaced. She again apologized for everything and promptly processed my return. I got the RMA number while I was on the phone with her, and a couple of emails a few minutes later containing the return info and UPS shipping label. Couldn't have been easier.

 

Thanks for the info man. This makes me feel better that i can at least try out the laptop once it gets here and see if I should really consider sending it back.

 

i had 3 replacements, all broken and there was nothing amazeing about it except the screen.

build quality was ok, speed was ok, style was a bit crap.

got my macbook pro now, couldnt be happier.

i got mine for £1020 with a 3 year warranty which is £100 then my dell and its well worth it with a 5 hour battery instead of 2 hours and its got a 9600m gt

 

No problem! Honestly, I think you'll be happy with it performance-wise for most everything as long as you don't expect great gaming performance from the ATI 3670. It does everything else I needed it to do pretty well (photo editing, office apps, internet, DVD/blu-ray playback, music, etc), but I was expecting more gaming performance considering the price I paid (~$1400 USD). I ideally wanted a higher-end graphics option, and I got lucky enough to find out that there will be an upgraded GPU available before I was past the return period. As soon as they become available i'll most likely order another one!

 

Is it safe to assume that the newer, updated models will cost slightly more? You'd have thought so IMO.

 

APPLE FTW. The dell xps 16 has one hour more battery than the mac which tends to get a little hot on vista but on os x, it's rock solid!!