M1330 Worries

Hey,

I am looking for some advice about my XPS M1330

I am on my 2nd M1330 (1st one had to be exchanged due to cosmetic faults), have been using it for about 5 days now and have found a few things kinda wrong. (These have been posted on these forums before)

X LCD Back light leak, have the LCD LED CMO

(image not taken by me, but re-using a image already posted)
http://img181.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00894dc2.jpg - Mine looks exactly like that, now its only on a black background, and within normal use you can not see the light leaking. However reading other users posts, some do not have any leaking.

X Bluetooth / CPU whine, have T7500

Turning off the advanced power option on the bluetooth module, and or (as sometimes its the bluetooth, sometimes the CPU which causes a whine noise) disabled the C4. Doing both stops the whine.

The extent of the whine is very low, for example you need to put your ear about a inch from the laptop, but it is there. I know this is a issue with these CPUs.

On one hand I want to keep it (as I have already waiting month and a half for this, and at the end of the day it works). However on the other hand I payed £1399 ($2932).

People have posted these issues before, however not actually said whether they kept the laptop, or asked for an exchange.

Many Thanks

Ozric

 

You can see the uneven bleeding on the bottom which my toshiba screen doesn't have.

If it bothers you that much, ask for a replacement while you have a chance. It's your call I guess.

I had CMO w/ similar looks on my first system. I could've lived with the bleeding, but couldn't handle the stuck pixels, and horrible CPU whine.

 

I don't have much advice since my m1330 is supposed to arrive on tuesday, I'm hoping that it comes defect free

But I do have a question for you.
Dell says that we can get a new replacement within 30 days of the day that dell ships the laptop right?
So if we get a replacement, does that 30 days get renewed and starts again from the ship date of the replacement or does it not change at all?

Thanks

 

Starts from the day they ship original. So by the time you get it, your already on day 3-5 etc.. Generally you have time for one replacement but after that, its better to cancel all then to chance being stuck with a crap system. So if a replacement is not right, just cancel/return/refund and start over or shop somewhere else.

Also remember there is a critical flaw in the MB design on the m1330. From dells own internal powerpoint doc on this issue:
"Issue Description: Some XPS M1330 customers are reporting that their system emits a high-pitched buzzing noise.


Status/Next Steps: Rev A04 of the motherboard will resolve this problem
Reminder – Do not replace hardware for this problem
the new motherboard is not available in service stock yet"

I don't know if they are using the new rev A04 MB but if they aren't, I sure would not want a M1330 yet. The 1520's are even worse, they have a design flaw in the headphone jack and Dell still has no solution for that.

If its possible, and its probably not, try to verify that your m1330 has the newer A04 MB. If it does not, I strongly discourage buying one. Its sad, but true, that dell has two serious design flaws on their popular 1500/m1330 systems and they choose to intentionally ship out these problems rather then do the right thing which would be to shut down the line, redesign the 1500/1520 MB and to wait for the correct A04 MB for the XPS m1330 system. Instead, they are shipping these systems to increase market share and profits. This company lacks morals when it comes to making sure QC comes first for the customer.

 

Thanks for telling me about the 30 day thing, if I do need a replacement and the replacement turns out to be flawed then I'll know to ask for a refund.

 

Where's the link for the powerpoint? Not that I care about if the story you are providing is true or not, but it's just funny how you are providing quotes without no solid link or proof.

 

year I also hate it when people put up quoted stuff, not calling him a liar, however want to see proof.

Ozric

 

Ok I just PM'd achiilles. If he wants, I will email doc. Look at past posts from dark jeti.. thats the source. And he emailed me the powerpoint doc.. Do you think anybody is going to actually post a proprietary powerpoint doc on a web site? It no doubt would be taken down by dell and rightfully so. I already send the doc to somebody else.. I can send it a few more times.. But I won't post it on the forums and definitely not on a web site.

 

My point was you/we don't know even the file legit or not. Until Dell says so in public, whatever you say, or files you may have are just rumors since we can't even prove if the file is real.

I was saying you shouldn't quote such things since it really doesn't help anyone, and may just misinform people, especially new comers here (we don't want them to go to public and make asses out of themselves caused by wrong informations do we? - not that it will happen, but it just might).

 

I'll just add the document has 25 very detailed slides. It covers globle issues on numerous systems. If this doc is made up then somebody spend one heck of a long time writing it up. Also, the terminology, and the way its drawn up is highly technical. It is full of case numbers, and inventory numbers/ and purges.. allot of manufacturing jargon on this doc. This is was extremely convincing to me and only supports many of the ongoing issues that people keep complaining about on these forums.. like the headphone jack on the 1520... that issue has been here since the launch in June and is still ongoing. It also supports why MB replacement on the 1520 does not solve the issue.. its says it right there that it won't.

 

I think that for 3Gs (USD) they can give you an LED, or, at least, an LG LCD, which I found to be quite bright and nice (though I do prefer my LED).

 

Hey,

Have just received the Dell document from HI DesertNM, and I must say, it does "look" like it could be an official internal Dell update presentation.

Updating hardware based on customers problems are nothing new (just look at the 360 red ring of death and how Microsoft are now doing a new rev of internal components).

However for me (and anyone else in the same boat) it makes it more interesting as I am still within my 30 days, I could live with the buzzing and the LCD, I could get a exchange, and that exchange have a louder buzz. I hate these little stupid annoying problems!

Ozric

 

I am on system exchange #3 and I still have problems. My contact at Dell said I can retrurn it for a full refund if I want, so you can get around the 30 day return policy (my original ship date was over 2 months ago - 9/1/07).

 

Sleey0; what problems are you having with #3?

Ozric

 

Here goes:

First system was pretty bad - dents in palm rest, cpu whine. It had a great screen though (TMD)

Second system - No dents, but still had cpu whine and laptop wiggled a bit due to chassis (I thought it was the battery but they wanted to replcace the bottom plastics). Again, fabulous TMD display.

Third system - SOLID! Build quality is great - the best of the 3 BUT the CMO screen is straight garbage. After a few days, the screen began to artifact. If I press the screen bezel at the bottom (by the DELL logo) it makes wierd static/jaggies running down the middle of the scree.

SO, back to Dell it goes I had set up a system return but then asked if I could get a system exchange when the M1530 comes out. My reasoning was I bought the 1330 for pretty cheap AND have been upgraded big time for my troubles. If I return it I'll lose out on all the upgrades. Getting an exchange with a 1530 will allow me to get upgraded even more. My contact said it wouldn't be a problem.

I think Dell wants you to keep your system at all costs - they have tried to keep me REAL happy, and I am. If I was dealing with Sony or Toshiba with problems like this, it would have been returned 2 months ago. People trash Dell all the time, but at least they try to make things right.

 

I am the first one to admit that dell's customer service is good. I have mentioned that several times on other threads. I also believe Dells build quality and hardware needs attention. My first system from HP seems to be a good one and have zero issues with the hardware thus far. I guess my point is at some point you have to improve the hardware/build quality to match good service. But your point is good, if Dells support was anything less then excellent, they would be in a nose dive with all the various issues hitting them at present.

I did have to use HP's tech support one time for an issue with Norton. When I uninstalled that app it killed my wireless. The support in India was not great. I had some difficulty understanding the tech but we did do a system restore and consequent norton removal using the symantec removal tool program.. which I should have been wise enough to do in the first place. But I will take HP's less then great support for better hardware and nicer screen. I think if Dell could just clean there act up a bit on the build quality and hardware department they could do much better in retaining and increasing their market share in this business. Too many people like myself have sour tastes after receiving more then one bad system then finally throwing in the towel. Having superior support for crummy hardware does not quite cut it.

I never needed a replacement system with HP but I do know they offer a full refund with no questioned asked in the first 21 days. I don't know if I would trust HP as much as dell on system replacements. But you don't hear of people needing to get replacements on the HP forum like it is here.

 

I guess to each his own as far as HP/Dell. I have been a Dell customer for a while (laptops only - I build my own desktops). I have owned numerous Dell laptops and all were fine (no problems). I believe that Dell designed a great product in the 1330 and whomever they contracted with to build the components screwed up (I think it is either Asus, but it could be Wistron, Compal, or Quanta).

Anyway, I have faith that I will get a fully decked out laptop from Dell (eventually) for only $1500. To me, it is well worth the 2 month wait (of course, I am typing this on my M1710 which has been nothing but stable and reliable from day 1 as well as my M170, so I don't mind waiting if it will save me a grand )

 

I stopped using HP back in late 90's when I paid 3k for a desktop(funny thing was it had celeron CPU LOL-banged my head many times), and had to pay per minute charge to their tech support after 90 days of hardware support lol. I'm sure things have changed by now, but it's just hard to get rid of first experience.

 

I hope my 1330 which gets delivered next week is problem free

 

Yes. Dell is not as bad as people have painted it!