** The Official Studio XPS 1640/45/47 replacement thread **

Hi @jmkiang
Do you think there would be any chance of betterment on ur specs ??? I have a similar config. with 3GB RAM on the low side. and 250 GB hard disk. My rep might call up this week. So, i would like to hear what u were 1st promised and wat u bargained for easily.. so that i may possibly pitch a lil up if viable.
A 6GB RAM with 500GB HD as add ons wud be gr8 above ur specs.. any chances of being accepted ???
wat was d processing time.. right frm d 1st call of contact ???


@ all
Initially, quoted it wud be btwn 1640/45. which would be better ??? seems like 40 has been giving a few serious troubles. does 45 also suffer similar kinda troubles ????
And wats the major quality difference btwn Refurbished and Fresh Factory piece ???
wich one wud be a good choice.. low config fresh/ high config refurb ???



OLD SYSTEM CONFIG.
Quantity Parts # Part Description

1 GP457 Processor, T7500, 2.2, 4MB Core Merom, G0
1 GX808 Assembly, Adapter, Alternating Current, 90W, Flextronics, 2P World Wide
1 NK750 Keyboard, 86, United States English, Single, Pointing Barents
0 01323 INFORMATION..., NO ITEM
1 DF771 CORD..., Power, 125, 1M, C7, 2P Dual, United States
1 RU345 PLACEMAT..., GETTING STARTED..., EXTREME PERFORMANCE SYSTEM..., M1530, DAO/EMEA
2 FW331 Kit, Remote Control, Notebook Mobile 2008, Philips
1 XR215 Assembly, Palmrest, Aluminum W/FPRDR, M1530
1 DP157 Assembly, Camera, 2M, Integrated Manufactured In China, Latin America, M085
1 RU671 Bezel, Liquid Crystal Display Plastic, W/CMRA, M1530
1 CM500 Kit, Software, Trend Micro, 14.7 English
1 GN866 Kit, Software, Dell Media Direct3.5, Digital Video Disk Drive Extreme Performance System
1 Y9530 Dual In-line Memory Module 1GB, 667, 128X64, 8K, 200
1 Y9540 Dual In Line Memory Module 2GB, 667, 256X64, 8K, 200
1 HT141 Assembly, DVD+/-RW..., 8, Slot, 1530 Teac
1 XR812 Hard Drive, 250GB, Serial ATA 9.5, 5.4K, W125
2 FW331 Kit, Remote Control, Notebook Mobile 2008, Philips
1 R109C Kit, Software, Turbine, Lord Of The Rings, Extreme Performance System, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION...
1 CW725 Card, Wireless, Internal Bluetooth, 355, Windows Vista Os
1 TK362 Battery, Primary, 56WHR, 6C Lithium, SIMPLO
1 HX425 Kit, Software, Overpack, VHP32 A01, Digital Video Disk Drive England
4 2864D Screw, M3X3, K SCREW HEAD..., MICROSOFT..., BLACK OXIDE...
1 XR148 ASSEMBLY..., BASE (ASSEMBLY OR GROUP)..., DISCRETE..., 256M, M1530
1 RP636 Liquid Crystal Display 15.4WXGA, Video Elec. Stds. Assoc., True Life, Samsung
1 XR855 Bracket, Support, Metal, 15.4 Liquid Crystal Display, L, M1530
1 XR856 Bracket, Support, Metal, 15.4 Liquid Crystal Display, R, M1530
1 XR857 Assembly, Cable, Liquid Crystal Display, M1530
1 MK933 Card, Wireless, Minicard, 4965 Most Of World 1
1 TY011 Assembly, Cover, Liquid Crystal Display, Black Magnesium-Alloy, M1530
1 XR216 Assembly, Heatsink, Notebook MEROM, M1530
1 XR217 Assembly, Cover, DASHBOARD Plastic, M1530

 

Equal or better at their discretion. They are not obligated to give upgrades. You will likely get 4gb mem and 250gb or 320gb HD.

1645 is the newer model between the two. It's their choice to give you either model depends on the availability.

Again, it's their choice to give you a refurb machine or new. The standard procedure is they send refurbs to replace. Most refurbished laptops were like new from my experience.

 

I actually had 3 gigs on my original 1640 and my brand new replacement 1645 was going to have 3 as well. I contacted them about it and asked if they could upgrade it to 4 gigs. The rep said sure and supposedly upgraded it to 4 gigs but when I checked the new order number, it said 6 gigs!

 

IIRC, your replacement did not have the RGB screen originally, hence they upgraded to 6gb.

 

I didn't need to ask for anything special. That was the system they said they were going to give me and it matched what members had said in this thread.

I will be getting a LCD upgrade to the 1080p WLED (vs my current 900p WLED). This wasn't a negotiated upgrade... they just sent me the wrong one.

I'd say 2-3 weeks?

 

my original system configuration: which was a 1640

And this is my new config: 1647 at first, but then a rep called and informed me that they don't build it anymore so...they give me a 1645 instead, and I said yes lol.

I will be receiving it hopefully next week and I wish it wont have any throttling/overheating problems. Anyways, it was funny how I thought the 1647 was newer than the 1645, so I fought really hard to get it over the 45. Then, after reading a few posts from the folks in this forum I realize that 45 is newer and it has quadcore and changed my mind lol

 

I'd fight them regarding the screen. Yeah, I understand that they don't offer the RGBLED anymore, but they still have the 1080p WLED screen that they could have given you. The 900p screen, while still good, is insulting based on what you had originally.

 

seeker_moc: I was about to do that but then I don't want to go through the painful "Processing" again. Also, I think I will be calling dell after I receive it and get the WLED 1080 replaced. Unfortunately, it will be a refurbished version, Should I still go for it? The dell tech told me that the refurbished screen is practically a NEW part...but it was taken out of the box...so its called refurbished. Should I trust him on that? Thank you for your help.

 

Well, got my replacement laptop; everything is the same sans the 4670 > 5730 upgrade. However, I still notice no difference in vent system...I think that was a complete lie on Dell's end; this laptop was supposedly built just 2 weeks ago...so it's not like it's been sitting on the shelf.

 

Yeah, if that's the case don't worry about it. As long as it works you'll be fine.

 

So the service tech stopped by tonight with the 130W, 9 cell and the 1080p WLED. He puts everything back together and after booting up, I'm still only seeing 900p!!! I reinstalled the ATI drivers and still 900p. I'm guessing they sent me the wrong one... ugh, talking to XPS tech support AGAIN.

 

Likely you got the wrong screen, but post the screen info anyway so I can tell you if it's really 900p. Run pc wizzard and copy/paste the info here.

 

Noob here. Elaborate?

Nvm. Googled it.



Edit. It occurred to me that this is probably what you wanted to see.

 

So Its Confirmed. In india the 1645/47 is not available anymore.
The XPS 15/17 will be out by first week of November.

I had an replacement order placed for the xps 1645 but sales guy said me that I will be getting the new model due to End of Life of 1645.

 

jmkiang, 900p it is. Make sure you get the right one this time. GL to you and post some info when you get it.

 

man, my 1645 replacement sounds like nothing now when XPS15 and 17 are coming out.

BTW, mine is still being built, its not shipped yet. Original request date = 09.21.10
ummmmmm......wondering what's taking them so long.

 

Thank you. I hope they get it right as well! Got the dispatch email today so I'll be expecting a call from a tech tomorrow.

 

Rejoice!



It even came with the "leather accent" on the lid.

 

Not just that. That is an LG display which I consider SUPERIOR to the AUO B156HW01. Now double the impact!

 

Good for me??

Dell shipped an entirely separate lid/LCD. When they did the first replacement with the wrong 900p LCD, Dell only shipped the LCD.

 

Good stuff. Enjoy your new FHD man.

 

Same case here. But the different thing is, I changed the screen by myself.

 

greetings,

Need a little help here. my configuration below:

Studio XPS 1640 ( T9550 @ 2.66)
ATI MObility Radeon HD 4670
4Gigs of ram
RGB 1080P screen
256 SSD
Blu Ray burner
BIOS: A14
Windows 7
Dell 3 year warranty

two days ago Dell Just replaced my mother board,Heat sink, and Fan because of Excessive heating and throttling. also got my RGB 1080p panel replaced because the hinges were loose and the hard plastic screen was popping out on the side. ( note - i read people were receiving WLED screens because Dell said RGB were no longer being made - Bunch of BS mines just got replaced and its spanking new!)

I started using "speedfan" and "PC Wizard 2010" to monitor my cpu/gpu speeds and notice that both cores are running at 42 C which is 112 F! this can't be normal is it?
In the "pc Wizard" app i can see my ATI Mobility HD 4670 temperature at 47 C

any help is much appreciated. should I contact dell again? or are these readings normal?

 

Those temps are actually VERY LOW. The chips are spec'd to run up to 100C. Idle at 50C and load at 80C is normal. Don't start worrying until your temps start exceeding 85-90C.

 

So I just noticed that my new lid + 1080p screen is bowed. The top plastic portion bows outward and the clear part over the actual screen is also bowed outward. When I tilt the screen and look at it at a downward angle, I can see a reflection of my desktop.

I didn't notice this with the shipped 900p screen/lid. Unless everyone else is experiencing this poor build quality, I'm going to give Dell a call this week.

 

any thoughts on this replacement?

Current system XPS 1647
1 PR4K2 Processor, I5-430M, 2.26, 3MB, Arrandale, C2
1 P916C Dual In-line Memory Module, 4GB, 1066MHZ, DDR3, 2X2G
1 PHJG8 Assembly, Liquid Crystal Display, 15.6HDF+, Low Cost, 1645/47
1 D111N Hard Drive, 500GB, Free Fall Sensor, 7.2K, 2.5, SGT-HOLL
1 J995M Assembly, DVD+/-RW..., Serial ATA 1640, PLDS
1 KVCX1 Card, Wireless, Half Mini-Card, DW1520

proposed replacement

XPS 1645
1 TMJ06 BASE,NOTEBOOK,XPS,1645,CLARKSFIELD,CONFIGURE TO ORDER
1 14VXC MODULE,PROCESSOR,CLARKSFIELD,XXXXX,1.6,6MB,1645
1 3JT7X MODULE,LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY,15.6,FULL HIGH DEFINITION,BLACK,1645/1647
1 8J1GH Module,Dvd+/-rw,Hitachi Lg Data Storage,Extreme Performance System,1640
1 D113N Module,Hard Drive,500GB,Free Fall Sensor,7.2K,SGT-HOLL
1 P916C Module,Dual In-line Memory Module,4GB,1066MHZ,DDR3,2X2G
1 PPY3H Module,Card,Network,5300,Inspiron
1 X445C MODULE,BATTERY,PRIMARY,85WHR,9C,SAMSUNG POWER DIVISION


went from
XPS 1647 to 1645
HD+ to LHD
ATI 4670 to 5730
I5-430M to i7 720QM
Dell 1520 to Intel 5300

only thing i see missing is the leather, should i accept it?

 

Just about everything is upgraded and you're asking for another mile?

 

I didn't have any luck getting a replacement.. still experiencing throttling while watching online videos and excessive fan spinning while basic web surfing. as I previously stated about 5 post back ( #1073) I originally got my mother board,heat sink,and fan replaced about 5 days ago. Problem still exist so i contacted dell again and they are sending someone out AGAIN to replace the same parts as well as my SSD and RAM - don't really know why replacing the ram might help but my SSD could be corrupt ( im stuck on blue screen endless reboot) computer turns on goes to login screen and then intimidate blue screen error which reboots and continues to do the same. tried to run Pre boot Dell diagnostic and no errors found. Haven't installed anything new. curious about the latest Bios A14 - anyone experience any problems with it? My new motherboard came with A12 and i updated immediately.

I love this laptop but honestly encountering to many problems. Originally paid $2,100 for it and disappointed with the performance so far.

 

having my SSD card replaced tomorrow..best way to properly wipe all data from the drive?

any help much appreciated.

 

Any input on this? Am I just being anal?

 

i use Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") link

since you're wiping an SSD id recommend Secure Erase link
a guide on how to use secure erase can be found here link

 

So here's one for the books. We've had at least 5 tech visits in the past few months... basically the whole computer has been replaced slowly piece by piece and finally it's now worse than ever for performance and screen issues (throttles like a mofo and the screen flickering is so bad, we are forced to use an external monitor)

Here are the basic Specs of the Lappy we currently have:
Studio XPS 1645
Processor, I7-820QM
ATI MObility Radeon HD 4670
8Gigs of ram
RGBELD 1920x1080P screen
500GB HDD
Blu Ray burner
BIOS: A12
Windows 7 Professional
HD Audio
9-cell battery


So far they've replace the following parts:
3x Motherboard
1x Ram
1x Speakers
1x RGBLED Screen
1x Speaker Assembly
2x Power Supply
1x Battery
1x Heatsink + Thermal Paste
1x CPU

So, finally after convincing them that they are just wasting money they finally agreed to replace it.

Here is the first offer:
The current "1645" replacement
- i5 - 520m 3m cache
- windows 7 pro 64bit
- macafee 15 months
- 8g ddr3
- 500g HDD
- ATI Mobility Radeon hd5730 1g
- cd/dvd burner (no blu-ray capabilities)
- 6 cell battery
- hd audio 2.0
- wled lcd 15.6 1600x900

Basically, this is a huge downgrade seeing as what we bought this laptop for in the first place was the screen, the processor and playing Blu-Rays was also a factor. We paid a big premium for the screen actually...what a disappointment

The only "upgrade" they offered as compensation was 15months of mcafee which I would uninstall anyways.

They said this is all they were authorized to offer at the time, but their manager will call us back tomorrow...I highly doubt it, since that's what they said last time we called and they never called.

So, if this ends up being the final offer, what would you all suggest? What would be a comparable system?


ALSO -- for those of you that have received replacements, does the warranty carry over, or what happens with warranty?

 

Deny it. If i were you id ask for the new XPS or straight out ask for a refund. At this point any sxps 16 they will offer you will be w/e is in the outlet as they don't sell new ones anymore. And yes warranty does carry over

 

So, they called back tonight again with a new offer...this time it was like a slap in the face. The offer was:

A Studio (non-XPS) 14
with an i7
640gb 5400rpm drive
1600x900 screen
6-cell battery.

What the?!?! that's like a laptop I could go to Future Shop to buy, exactly the opposite of what I was after when buying the 1645, hence the huge price tag...what a joke. Now someone, an apparent "specialist" is going to call back tomorrow night.

What makes it even harder is the fact that the Indian service rep doesn't grasp that the 1645 is "top of the line" and what they are offering is not even close...

What have you guys been doing in the past? Have you been offering suggestions as to what an acceptable replacement would be? I really wish I wasn't in Canada right now, sounds like the US support is much better.

 

when does this come out?

 

The Studio 14 I listed above? It's out on Dell.ca, it's been out for a while it's the 1458.

 

Wow thats frustrating, try and talk to a CSR manager, they usually are a little more competent. If all else fails i would just keep demanding a refund, no use in accepting a low-ball deal.

 

The manager is the one that offered us this latest one Has anyone here had any luck getting a refund yet? We've had this laptop for nearly a year and have been on the phone with Dell for most of that year it feels like.

 

Try contact Executive Customer Support Team Phone +1 800 624 9897(schedule is 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CST Monday to Friday.). I was helped by Mamatha Eswar Rao Extn: 72-83898 and her Manager Julie email: [email protected]. Please let me know if it help!

 

well after 4 Dell tech visits they offered to replace my system but with the SAME exact specs! ? I brought mines about a year n half ago. pretty much everyone else in here have been upgraded to a 1645 or 1670.

they told me 2-4 days so i know for a fact it is refurbish. but it better have a blu-ray burner and a 256 ssd which is what i originally had. also RGB screen with / ATI 4670

 

U're calling to the Indian support center from Canada ..huh ???
keep pressing u'll surely get an upgrade on ur current config..
may be u can push for a Dell XPS 17 with 3D.


for one reason u r lucky dat u r at least being contacted by dell !
I filled up the declaration letters a fortnight back, but no calls from the recovery team as of yet. Feed up, been pressing the Dell Support team threatening to go to Grievances Cell for the delay being caused. Dunno, how fruitful it would be.

 

Well we just got offered an XPS 15.

The specs on the XPS 15 are basically all the top of line specs, but only the i7-740QM and the 640gb HDD, which is the equivalent of what my Studio XPS 16 was. I wouldn't call it an upgrade exactly, but I'm satisfied with the specs. I'm actually just glad they didn't try to replace it with another 1645, I'm just hoping this one isn't plagued by the same problems...

The only thing that bothers me somewhat is when you spec it out on the Dell site, it's only worth about 1/2 of what we paid for the 1645, guess you can chaulk it up as depreciation.

I meant Indian, as they are based in India. I just meant they must not have understood that the product being supported was much higher-end than a Studio 14.

 

I am not able to view my replacement on dell website - i don't think they are building a new one they might just be doing an exchange with another 1640 from outlet or something.

 

what specs?

 

I'm in that boat too - happy with my replacement - but worth less, I figure I cant expect same value as what I paid almost a year ago... I think and hope the new XPS solves the problems I had!

The replacement team don't really know 'computers' IMO, I had to explain the info from the intel website regarding the intel 5300 wifi card in my XPS 1645 to get a intel 6300 wifi card instead of a 6200 in the new XPS 15! In their mind a '6200' was a higher number than a '5300' and therefore better!!

But hey, I can't complain - as the saying goes, 'you pay peanuts, you get monkeys' - and sure as hell, Dell could not afford all the tech minded people on this forum... well maybe they could but then noone would buy Dell cos if their overpriced lappies!

 

Hey, Dell rep. keeps bugging me for the Invoice. Its about the purchase price issues. Why do they they need the price tag ? Would the replacement be given as per the cost of the old one ?

Its like mine cost me around $1500, 3 years back.
so what depreciation rate would be applied over it n the $-Rupee exchange prices to be considered ?

 

So after waiting 2 months for the corporate office to call me back, they did today and offered me a new Xps 15 to replace my replacement Studio Xps 1645 since I insisted that I wanted my original RGB screen.

Have any of you guys who have taken up the offer for the Xps 15 gotten you specs?

I am just not particularly thrilled about the design of the Xps 15 though it does have good specs, I would honestly be happy with a refurb m15x or m17x with RGB, just make the throttling and airplane turbine in my current notebook go away.

 

*Sigh* I just looked at my online order invoice for the replacement and it has been cancelled without so much as a peep from Dell. In it's place an order popped up for an XPS with non 1080p screen as well as Windows 7 Home, rather than the Windows 7 Pro that we paid for.

This is getting ridiculous.

To top it off, the service rep has stopped responding to my emails.

 

Dell called home today while I was at work to let me know they they are out of SXPS's and that I will be getting an XPS15 He said it would be new and not refurbished since I was going from a 16" screen to a 15" downgrade.....hmmmm I can think of 2 things wrong with that statement. Will get specs in a few days and update then

 

Obviously u'll get a new piece 'cuz XPS 15 has only been launched in October. And sales in the international market start in November, if I ain't wrong.
What spec did they offer on XPS 15 ???

I am still expecting an answer for this lads !!! What do they look for? Specs or Price tag ???