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

whats your current config and what is the specs of laptops they offered you?

 

Hey guys,

For the same throttling reasons of studioXPS 1640, writing a mail to [email protected], I got a call from executive customer support of India.
He offered me xps 15z and xps 17 to choose from.

But later he sends me basic quotation of xps 15(not xps 15z or xps 17). I know I shouldn't be falling for this but what should be my response. He also told about some upgrades in case I choose xps 15z.

my studio xps is bought for around $1320. The two laptops which he offered are obviously costlier even in their basic configurations. My question is, does price matter for them while offering a replacement?

Wanted to discuss topic on this forum, but I wrote it on some other forum as well, so plse pardon me of you find the same question somewhere else also.

 

Prices pay no factor in the specs. My 1640 ( 2.4 ghz Core 2 duo , RGB led display, ATI 3670 4gb ram ) cost 2400$ with 3 year in home warranty back in 2009. My replacement ( in sig ) Cost roughly 1500$ when i received it. Technology prices vary so much from year to year.

So the way dell bases it is by spec. It has to be on par or be better depending on there stock at the time. Base Spec of the Xps 15 could very well be on par with your 1640 but you haven't posted your specs

 

I don't disagree with you on this, coz the quotation he sent me of xps 15 actually upgrades my processor to i5 from core 2 duo, and a lil upgrade of hdd from 320 to 500 GB.

But on telephone, he actually offered me to choose between xps 15z and xps 17. I have also sent him a mail asking why a sudden drop from 15 z and xps 17 to xps 15.

My config
C2D 2.53 GHZ processor
4GB DDR3 RAM
320 GB 7200 RPM HDD
1GB ATI 4670
1920*1080 WLED screen

 

ON PHONE: he also told me to browse in dell's website the xps 15z and xps 17 laptops and then he told me that if I choose to have xps 15z , he would be providing couple of upgrades as well.

IN EMAIL: nothing as per our phone conversation, just a quotation of xps 15 basic

 

I tried pushing for the 15z but it didnt work. They also told me that they have stopped manufacturing the XPS 15; therefore, gave me a refurb. But they did offer me a new XPS 17.

 

And wut abt their replacement policy where they say, In case of replacement, an "equivalent or higher" version will be provided. But I hope that he doesn't back out from his offer he made me on phone for 15z or 17.

 

if they offered a 15z, go for it! Dell told me that the for replacement computers the configurations change everyday, so they come and go. So if you think its an downgrade, just wait till they get equal or higher for your configuration, but sometimes you might have to sacrifice one thing for another. Lets us know what they say!

 

It's hell of a downgrade. Have a look below.

LAPTOPS OFFERED ON PHONE:
He did'nt talk about configuration specifics so I assume basic and upgraded both

xps 15z basic
2nd generation Intel® Core™ i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2GB)
Video Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 1GB graphics
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
3-year XPS Premier Service with 3-year CompleteCover

xps 15z upgraded
2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2620M processor 2.70
GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz
8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM(2x4GB)
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 2GB graphics
750GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
3-year XPS Premier Service with 3-year CompleteCover
15.6" (39.6cm) FHD Widescreen, 300-nit (typical) (1920x1080) 1080p

XPS 17 one and only configuration available
2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
3D 17.3" (43.94cm) FHD WLED TL (1920x1080)
with 3D glasses
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (1 x 4GB)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
3GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 555M with 3D enabled for India
1-year XPS Premier Service with 1-year CompleteCover



Next Day in mail: XPS 15
2nd generation Intel® Core? i5-2410M processor 2.30 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
15.6" (39.6cm) FHD (1920x1080) B+RGLED display with TrueLife(TM)
4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (1 x 4GB)
500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive
1GB NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M graphics with Optimus

The point here I put is, I have never been able to use my laptop for heavy tasks and games because of thottling and heating. The amount of replacements in 1 year would exceed 25.
And after all the trouble I went through to educate the India technical support about basics of throttling, coz they didn't even know the term "throttling". So I think for the trouble they caused me, and me being a loyal & regular customer to DELL, I think I deserve having something more than basic xps 15.

I haven't received a word from him since I got his mail, and it has been 2 days. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

Please don't take this in a wrong way but Dell owes you nothing. Your just another digit on paycheck. Dell legally doesn't have to replace your computer they could keep replacing parts as they have not openly admitted to a throttling problem.

Now even the most basic 15z is a step up from your current system it is by no way a downgrade. Them giving you options like that is one luxury i never received. I was told they would call me the next day to configure my replacement but 2 days went by i called them and an order for a 1645 was placed which was better then mine in every way except the screen. I got the system in 2 weeks they came out and gave me a RGBLED screen and now i wouldn't replace this computer for anything.

If you are unhappy with the 15z they quoted you ( IDK you could be it's great ) then complain but i think it's more then fair considering your previous system

 

I would get this replacement laptop. Its a upgrade and you get 3 years of warranty, which is amazing and must needed!!

 

I think you misunderstood my whole point

After offering xps 15z and xps 17(I was overwhelmed at that time, coz it was their very first call and I didn't even have to negotiate for anything) over the phone, he sent me the final quotation of xps 15 basic(not xps 15z basic).

The final offer(on email), xps 15(again not 15z) was very basic and just gave me a slight upgrade on processor and nothing else. If he would have stuck to his previous offer ( xps 15z or xps 17) there was nothing to be disappointed.

And as far as the throttling issue is concerned, I believe Dell had admitted this issue oficially by Mr.Todd from the Dell community way back in 2009 and 10, and considering that, they realeased the A14 BIOS update, which didn't work. And even DELL escalated this issue after admitting OFFICIALLY that it was very unlikely that they will find any solution of throttling in near future, and because of that my replacement was sanctioned.

 

When email Dell should I just tell him my issue or should i just straight up ask for a replacement?

 

Explain your issue to them

 

I got a call from him some time back. He is ready to offer me an xps 17 whose retail price would be around $1900. But he advised me against xps 15z ($1800) as he thinks that it's a very new model and they don't have any reviews (good or bad) for 15z.

I am not opting for a replacement procedure now as I am migrating and will take time to settle.

So whr can I find reliable user reviews for xps 15z? I just want it coz it looks very comfy and easy to handle than the bulky xps 17 (I am not much fond of the 3d vision tech in xps 17).

 

So i contacted dell via the email adress posted and sent them a formal complaint. In it i complained about the throttling, heat dissipation, vibration/audio distortion, and USB issues. I got a return email within 4 hours and talked to them today. However the offer he gave me was VERY dissappointing and he really showed his lack in knowledge.

SXPS 1645:My Current PC
Processor: 720QM
Video Card: ATI 4670
Audio: "HD Audio" w/ SRS
WIFI Card: Intel Link 5300
Display: RBGLED 1080P
Card Reader
Bluetooth

XPS L702x: Offer he gave me
Processor: 2630QM
Video Card: Nvidia 550m 1GB
Audio: Unspecified
Wifi: Intel Centrino 1000
Display: 900P WLED
No card Reader (at least not listed)
No Bluetooth


The rep tried to tell me that RBGLED was an older technology, and that WLED produced brighter colors and deeper contrast. He even said that 900P was an upgrade compared to 1080P! What a joke.
And I read earlier in this forum that if you have a 720QM your entitled to the 2720QM? not the 2630QM. Can someone give me a logical argument for this? I was sure that the processor was a downgrade, but wasnt sure how to argue it.
Also, im not positive but im sure that the wifi card is also i downgrade from what i currently got. Anyone confirm this with a little explanation?
The only thing he upgraded was the videocard (probably cause the current video card is incompatible with the XPS 17. At any rate, he simply matched any other specs not listed such as the 9 cell battery, HardDrive, Memory

How should i re approach this offer? Im considering re-sending Micheal dell an email with the original complaint along with my frustrations from the offer i received and the lack of knowledge the the support guy had. And asking if they can make a better offer and work with me.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

First, If screen is your preference than you would have to go for XPS 15 with B+RG LED screen as it is better than any of the XPS 17 screens.

Second, About processor you can argue that you have 720QM can only be replaced by 2720QM. ie X20 can only be replaced by 2X20 processor as its an upgrade from intel. The intel prices point to that aswell.

Also tell them to provide you 1030 Wifi + bluetooth card


I guess you would get the SD card reader but lose the Express card reader.

 

Dell tech support is horrible...I have fought for months with techs and reps that are clueless,then all of a sudden you get some one who's not a complete moron,and like magic,all is fixed,,,After wasti9ng your time, work,aggrivation,etc.It all depends who you get to handle your problem,and while Dell may not owe you thaey sure as s--t should satisfy a customer.Period!Good luck and do not give up,I turned down or sent back 3 bad replacements then finaly got the proper replacement.And by the way,They know all about the throttling and heat issues...That's why it's called Dell Hell.

 

I don't care what anyone says nothing i've seen beats the RGBLED screen. And there is no way a WLED is anywhere close as the wled i saw on an xps 16 was way below par of other lcd's i've seen and even th B+rg display of the Xps 15 is still not as good as the RGBled screen.

The RGB screen was a 300$ upgrade and a well worth it upgrade. Don't take anything less then B+rg display

 

no xps 15? what are the specs for the 17 and 15z?

 

Did everyone get offered new replacements? The lady I spoke to said she will find me a replacement refurbished one. Refurbished :-/. Anyway as the new L502x are weaker than my XPS16(I don't think they think their L502x is weaker though) they are offering me a XPS 17. Idk if it is the 2nd gen or not, but it has a 550, definitely better than the 5730 but its no 555!
I was really hoping I could tell them what I wanted as a replacement. I did request for a 1080p screen as I have that and 900p on a 17" is of course no where as nice as a 1080p 15".
Am I able to demand a specific build? I would like something 15" or smaller with as much power and the only thing that matches that is the Alienware m14x and I dont think they will allow that :-(

 

I got a refub, but I did get a good upgrade from my current 1640. It took me a few calls for them to get me the 1080p and bluray. The XPS 17 they offered you is the 2nd gen! They should give you a XPS 15 if youre coming from a SXPS, unless they are out of them

 

Nice. Well I hope I will enjoy it more than my XPS 16 which is a very stylish computer. It will have a 550m. Idk if that will be any better than my current 5730. I hope so. I don't want any sort of downgrade.

 

What's config did they offer you for the xps 17?

 

Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM
1080p display
8GB(Jesus, all that ram for nothing)
Geforce 550m
I think that is all that really matters
I feel like the 550m isnt as powerful if you check the benchmarks. Thats embarrassing because it is a larger and newer high end laptop.
I don't know if it is coming with a 9-cell or not either! Should I care about getting a 9-cell? My current 1645 has a 9-cell.
I want to reject the offer but i would be pushing my luck. I know the 555m is definitely better. I really wanted that since I am unsure if the 550m performs any better or not than the 5730

 

I requested a 9 cell battery before receiving my replacement laptop and a dell rep from corporate office called me today and told me it has shipped today at no charge.. weird

 

I'm not sure how GPU swapping works on a laptop, but can I drop in a 555m later in life when its cheap? I got my 550m today and it shouldnt be getting too hot. HWMonitor doesnt sense the GPU so I can't tell the temp.
I called them about the 9-cell and they are shipping it free too. Too bad I can't keep the 6-cell just in case haha.

 

Realizing that my warranty is about to end soon, I finally took the time to contact [email protected] regarding the state of the SXPS1645 that I own. Like many others, I stated that the design of this laptop was flawed, which includes problems such as: Throttling, Overheating, Speaker rattling, etc.

I got a call a couple hours later and Michael told me to send in the apparatus after I receive a box in which he'll send, and that he would have their tech look at it at least once(assuring me they have a fix) before replacing the whole system itself.

My concern from here is, should I acknowledge his request or push for a replacement altogether?

 

Wait so what is wrong with your system? Do you actually experience any of those things you stated or are you just saying it because others have been saying it? If there is nothing wrong with your system please stop trying to get a replacement. No one here will help you with that. People can't just be trying to get a replacement just because their "warranty is about to end soon." It takes away from those who actually have problems and can't even get a fix. Now I'm not Dell police, but people should stop trying to abuse the policy.

If you do actually have a problem, then Dell should at least try to fix your system a couple times (usually 3 times) before they even consider giving you a replacement.

 

Thanks for the reply. And yes, these problems actually exist. When running on battery power, I am unable to run any games on even the lowest of settings, or in other words- it throttles.

 

I would have a dell tech come fix my laptop rather than shipping it to the depot. too much time without laptop

 

Hey everybody. I've been reading this thread and peoples' experiences with tech support seem to be very inconsistent. Recently, I noticed my laptop suffers from many of the problems everybody is complaining about here. I thought they were just "negatives" to the laptop and not defects, but it seems some people are having luck with getting replacements. It's definitely eye-opening to see so many other people having the exact same issues with their 16 series that I thought were unique or rare. I have a 1645 with the i7 720 and HD 5730.

My issues:
-Throttling when trying to play games. I haven't logged the issue and was wondering if it's possible to get proof of this in case they deny the problem. I have the larger, higher wattage AC adapter.
-Two large specs of dust, or maybe something else, on the top right corner of the LCD behind the "glass"
-Left hinge's plastic covering separating from the chassis of the laptop. I could probably glue it back into place but I have treated this laptop great and don't think it's something I should have to fix at the risk of voiding the warranty.
-The BIOS settings change erratically. I'm not sure when exactly, but it seems certain things that I disable (to save power since I don't use them) get re-enabled. I don't know when or how it happens, but I first noticed this with the WWAN and other wireless technology settings in BIOS.

Here is my question- I was wondering what the best way to contact Dell about this was. I'm still under warranty and I've seen that some people say they call them, some email, some do the tech chat thing... I was wondering which way people have seemed to have the best success in getting satisfaction. Is there a specific tech that you've found to be intelligent and understanding that I can email directly, for example?

Thank you in advance, and I'm glad to have found such a great forum with people willing to share their experiences!

 

Assuming that I send my SXPS 1645 to the Depot, does Dell even have a legitimate fix to the throttling? I'm sure they have fixes for minor problems but I'm wondering if anyone has had their throttling issue fixed completely.


Thanks!

 

no a new system is the legitimate fix.

 

No. It doesn't matter if you send it into the depot or have them come out. They have a huge design problem in their entire Studio line that they are refusing to fix and ignoring.

My suggestion is to contact Lieff Cabraser at Contact Us - LieffCabraser.com and reference this case: Dell Inspiron 1100, 1150, 5100 and 5160 Defective Notebook Class Action Lawsuit - LieffCabraser.com. I mentioned this at http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...45-47-replacement-thread-138.html#post7625844.

Dell needs another class action lawsuit against them to motivate them to stop ignoring this.

 

Hi.
I've been reading a lot of the posts here, with regards to my own experience with my Studio XPS 1645, throttling, overheating, audio issues, I've had them all. I had contacted Dell earlier, and they had replaced the motherboard and a few other things, but soon enough it was winter and the weather suddenly got a lot cooler (I'm in Vermont) and my house temperature was pretty low. Needless to say, the problem was not as pronounced, and Dell became convinced that it was the motherboard which solved the problem.

Of course, it's summer again, and so it's hot again. Since the problem has been intensifying with frightening frequency, I decided to contact Dell again. I emailed them and recieved no response after 6 days, so I decided to do the online chat. Vikram_200961 decided he wanted to remotely access my computer, but and he did. He decided that the problem was legitimate and told me he would replace the motherboard, heatsink, bottom plastics, and screen (?), but I responded that I already had the motherboard replaced and that did nothing. He then claimed that Dell had completely re-engineered the heatsink, the motherboard, the bottom plastics, (and perhaps the screen?) to specifically prevent both the throttling and overheating problems. He said they put a bunch of new vents to try to fix the problem, and that they had just done this (despite the fact the computer's been discontinued for quite a while now). He promised me that replacing those parts would fix it.

What is he talking about? Do they always say that they re-engineered the parts? If they have told you that, after they replace the parts, do they end up replacing the whole computer? Is he just trying to get me off the phone? Could he be talking about the HD 5730? Should I email [email protected] or am I getting way ahead of myself?

 

It's the same 'ol script, and it's pure BS. I can't tell you how many times I've been told that. My suggestion is email Michael Dell (although that email just seems to go to a purportedly special group to handle executive communications that's based in India) and fill-out the contact form at that website I posted.

 

FrustratedDellOwner is right, it's really complete BS. He was essentially trying to get you off his back. The "re-engineering" that they performed was adding one more slit to the already stupidly-placed vent, something that did little to nothing at all in fixing the CPU/GPU throttling problems and overheating. If you genuinely have a problem, don't let them give you the pointless runaround by replacing parts that won't help anything in the long run. Sending an e-mail to that michael dell email address has helped a lot of people on the way to more permanent fixes (ie. Replacements). I recommend you do that or ask to speak to/chat with a supervisor and tell them you're tired of all the problems and want a system that works (I won't recommend asking for a replacement directly, they don't like that ). Tell them you want a system that works as advertised, is that too much to ask? Definitely not.

My 1645 was a replacement from the defective M1530 after 3-4 failed repairs. I'm pretty lucky as I'm currently running on BIOS A09, 130w adapter, RGB-LED+4670+ i7-720 and still don't CPU throttle (though I still do very very minimally under high load). On the other hand, my temperatures get pretty high, but it would be worse if I hadn't applied thermal paste and bought a cooler. Even with those tweaks, my max GPU temps under load is on average 81C, which is still relatively high. The cooling is handled poorly by the system (period) Regardless, just don't let them give you the pointless runaround and waste your time. Good Luck.

 

Hi Guys,
I was wondering if my 1645 is having HW issues. Since the FIRST day I got it, I've been having problems with it, from all angles that is. Random reboot fuzzy screen then BSOD, audio driver problem, 90w adapter throttling, GPU throttling. The lot. Now that most of these issues have been rectified, the few major ones are still there. Below are posts I posted on another thread. Just thought if you guys could find out the problem for me. I've tried everything. My warranty has expired because everytime my PC crashed I call Dell up and after 45 mins they'll just call me to do a fresh format.

 

Thanks for the help. I just emailed [email protected], anxiously awaiting his (their) response.

 

Sorry to hear all that orenzai, your situation is intriguing. Sad you're not under warranty anymore otherwise I would have just recommended you call Dell and let them fix the faulty system. I'm going to presume you have a 4670 and not a 5730 because I don't usually hear of the 5730s giving these problems. If you do have a 4670, we have basically the same system. If not, what I'm going to say more or less applies to both cards. I'm not an expert by any means but let's try to reason this out. Ok so for the most part, you've ruled out power-dependent CPU throttling as you've monitored the CPU multipliers and you have a 130w adapter and a BIOS above A09. Though I do wonder a little about the CPU:

1) When you monitored the multiplier (with Throttlestop I presume) was there any clock/chip modulation going on (either CMOD% or Chip% below 100%)? Check under load and off load.

2) This might be an obvious question but have you updated your CPU-related drivers? Use this THREAD to update your chipset drivers, in addtition to other ones. You can also run Intel Driver Update Utility so it can scan your system and find which Intel-related updates you need.

Those are really the only questions I had for the CPU, but I don't suspect that to be the problem. I suspect it might be a GPU-related problem, something to do with its hardware. I say this especially because you have been getting those random "fuzzy screen and different colors" crashes since day 1. Those are symptomatic of GPU problems. Sad to say, but you should have called Dell immediately after the first 2-3 crashes of that sort (when you had a warranty), because those were likely linked to the GPU. It's possible your system had a defective/dying GPU from the get-go and it has only been hanging in there since then. And now that you're out of warranty Dell won't replace the GPU without you either paying them some large some of money to repair it one-time or renewing your warranty, still paying them a large some of money for the renewal .

I don't think the crashes are related to an overheating GPU as well because as you said the system crashes happen even when you aren't doing anything graphics intensive. The shutdown temperate for the system due to GPU overheating is somewhere in the 100-115C range and even before then GPU clocks down to cool off (<--GPU throttling). I recommend BIOS A09 for 4670 and A13 for 5730. With BIOS A09, the GPU throttle temp is at like 95C or doesn't exist. With A13, it's around 84C as you said, but since your temps don't get that high (with thermal paste), that can't be the problem. And FYI, with a good thermal application your GPU/CPU idle temps for this system should hover around 50C on average for both. Either way here are a few GPU-related questions for you:

1) Is your GPU driver up to date? Again go to that thread or go to AMD and update it to the latest one. Last I checked latest was 11.6. Try to do a clean install (Download Driver Sweeper & CCleaner first). Completely express uninstall your old driver from "Add/Remove Programs"--> Go to Device Manager and "Display Adapters" and uninstall what's there--> Restart your computer in SAFE MODE (press F8 as system starts up)--> In Safe Mode, go to Device Manager/Display Adapters and uninstall what's there--> In SM, use Driver Sweeper (open program, check "ATI - Display", Click "Analyze", Then click "Clean", DON'T REBOOT) --> In SM, Use CCleaner Registry Cleaner ("Scan for Issues" and "Fix Selected Issues")-->Then Reboot to normal mode and your system should automatically install some basic/old Video Driver, let it do that and reboot your system again --> Finally after reboot, download and install the latest AMD driver (11.6). And you should be done...whew .

2) Now I don't know much about how NFS should be running on the 1645 with 4670 +i7-720, but I do know how Black Ops should be running, becaue I play it often. At res 1280x720 and with my graphics settings maxed (except for shadows off and AA at 4x), you should be averaging somewhere in the 45-50 fps range. If that's not the case, then there is a problem of course. Can you try those settings and tell what fps you get? I run at those settings smoothly with no lag (except connection lag ) and the gfx quality is still great. Running at full HD res with any of the other extras on is too demanding for the 4670.

3) Also monitor your GPU clocks (with GPUz log feature) under load and see if they're below normal, and if so at what times? At stock clocks and under load (playing a game - NFS or Blops), the GPU core clock should be stuck at 675.0 and the GPU memory clock at 796.5. Is that the case for you?

4) Lastly and more simply, are you playing these games with your power plan on high performance? With 130w AC Adapter plugged in? Answer should be "yes" for both questions .

Now from a software standpoint, I don't think that's even the problem as you seem to have fresh installed several times. On that note, that's all I've got for questions. Again I believe your crashes and low FPS problems (and most to all your problems in general) are due to a defective/dying GPU that you had from day 1. It's worth answering and trying out all the stuff I suggested though to be sure. Gosh I write too much, but I hope any of this helps. Good luck man .

 

OMG I'm sending a flying kiss all the way from Malaysia to you. Hahah Thanks very much for taking the time to write ALL of that. It shows that someone knows/understands what situation I'm in.

Yes, I'm using the 4670. I just checked my throttlestop log and can safely say that the CMOD% or Chip% are both 100% throughout.

The current firmware for my GC is the latest, .861 from the thread provided.

I did a test on Black Ops as per suggested with a 1280x720 res with NO other details on. I got an average of 30FPs. When I turned on AAx4 alone, it went further down to 26FPS.

So far, about 1 week into my fresh install, I have yet to experience the crashing problem. Great news actually. The previous time I did a fresh install, it crashed on the 2nd day. That was why it led me to believe that it is not a h/w issue.

Now that I've explained my problem, I shall share with you a bit of my experience with Dell Malaysia.

First off, my laptop came after 1.5months of ordering. So yes, that meant that it took a big chunk of warranty off me. It started crashing. I called them up and they'd suggest I do this test, yadayada and usually after all the troubleshooting which is about 30 minutes, they'd tell me to do a fresh install. Of course, I needed my data and said nvm maybe other day.

I beared with the crash throughout the year of owning my laptop. It has since DIED 2 times on me. What I mean is, I shut it down, and it wont boot up anymore. The system attempts to repair and repair and fail. I couldnt even get into safe mode. So I had to forgo my data. These was also the 2 times I HAD to reformat my computer without prior notice.

There was this once, I was busy writing a blog post using live writer. Crashed 1st time. I boot up and thank god there was autosave. Before I could start writing, it crashed again. And then again for the 3rd f***ing time. After 3 crashes, my autosave file of my blog post VANISHED.

I got so pissed I called up Dell at 12.30AM in the morning. Some foreigner speaking agent served me, which led me to believe that my call got diverted to overseas. Main point, the same routine. They did the tests and stuff and I got fed up. I told them to just send a technician over to check and see if its a hw issue. He said, "We could not send a technician over until we have identified that it's a hardware issue." This was the reason why I didnt manage to get the problem fixed within the warranty period. I could not identify the problem. It crashed randomly, and they couldnt send a technician over.

I LOATHE Dell. I pay RM5000 for this piece of trash and Dell couldnt do anything about it. I was younger 1 year ago(17). I didnt insist on Dell to fix the problem as I was scared it might have just been some software issue on my side and they could save the trouble of coming to me. Now I regret.

 

So, a member of the Executive Support Team contacted me, and suggested this:


XPS L502X
Intel Core i7-2620M processor (2.70 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.40 GHz)
8 GB Dual Channel 750 GB SATA Hard Drive
Blu-ray Disc Combo
NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M 1GB
15.6 in HD WLED TL (1366x768)
6 Cell Primary Battery
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit

Dual-core processor (as opposed to my current i7-820QM Quad-Core)
6-Cell Battery (I currently have a 9-Cell)
768p Screen (I currently have a 1080p)

So, that's just him joking around with me, right? If I say that's unacceptable he'll give me something reasonable...?

 

yes they tried to do that with me and i asked for the quad and he kindly changed it. i basically got everything that was not better than what i had upgraded. 900p--> 1080p 720qm--->2720qm -----9 cell 5730----540m

 

DO NOT accept the 1366x768 display, especially coming from a SXPS16 RGBLED. You will not like it one bit.

 

decline the offer and wait until a new offer is put on the table

 

He's now offering me this:

XPS 15 XPS 15
Processor 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2630QM processor 2.00 GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 2.90 GHz
Memory 6GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 Memory
Keyboard Backlit Keyboard - English
LCD 15.6 FHD B+RGLED TL (1920x1080) and Skype-Certified 2.0MP HD Webcam & Facial Recognition
Video Card NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 525M 1GB graphics with Optimus
Hard Drive 500GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
Color Elemental Silver Aluminum
CD ROM/DVD ROM 8X Tray Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
Sound JBL 2.1 Speakers with Waves Maxx Audio 3
Wireless Intel© Centrino© Advanced-N 6230 & Bluetooth 3.0
Battery 90 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery

Which is certainly much better than the last deal, and incredibly close to what I have now. However, I'm feeling like the only logical way to replace the 820QM would be with a 2820QM. And I'm also not entirely convinced on the graphics card (it seems to have a few specs which are lower than my 4670, though they are both from different generations and even different manufacturers, so its hard to compare). Thanks again for your help.

 

Looks like a decent config, but I thought dell was supposed to match the processor at least

 

Lol @ flying kiss. Your welcome. I hear you on the "LOATHE Dell." That sounds like a troublesome experience and it sounds like Dell and their reps were reluctant to help. It's so strange because I feel like their customer service is more lenient about sending over a technician to repair/exchange parts, especially if you're under warranty. They usually are with me, but then again I wonder whether the tech support is different in the US than in Malaysia. As for your system, it's a good thing it hasn't crashed again since the last fresh install, but all those crashes were definitely something. I mean you reformatted several times and it still crashed so it can't be all software. Were all those crashes the same multicolored/fuzzy crash?

Either way your GPU is still under-performing because those are low fps for Black Ops at 1280x720 with no other details on. You didn't answer question's 3 and 4 from my last post, lol. It's probably because I wrote too much . Honestly, I still feel like it's a GPU HW issue, but then again I'm not an expert. Hopefully no more crashes of the multicolored fashion happen. I suggest that next time you install a new GPU driver you just try to do it the way I detailed above. In my experience with GPU drivers, I've noticed that how I installed them affected my fps.

Otherwise if you still feel unsatisfied, just call Dell and try your luck. As a last resort you can e-mail [email protected] and see if that could lead to anything good for you. It can't hurt. Regardless though good luck and don't let the experience anger you so much because I KNOW it would anger me...lol .

 

The SB i7-2630QM is a better CPU than the i7-820QM.