XPS 12 Owners Lounge

Most ultrabooks with an SD slot have such a shallow slot that you can't leave the card in. Unless you're specifically using the SD medium because you're transferring stuff from another device, its functionality is basically the same as a USB stick. If you end up buying another laptop, make sure the slot is deep enough for your needs, if you plan the card to be a semi-permanent fixture.

I'd still like it to be there, though. For me, personally, it's easier to just pop the SD card out of my camera than to transfer photos with a cable.

I came back hoping for more comments about the new touchpad drivers. Anyone?

 

For me the new touchpad drivers also seem to have improved the responsiveness quite a lot. However, I still notice the cursor being unresponsive once in a while. It just doesn't move when i swipe on the pad for a second or two. But it's occurring much less often now than it was before. I've also never had any phantom clicks. One thing I'm not sure about yet is if the new driver might also have resolved a touchscreen issue that occurred a few times, with the touchscreen just stopping to work until I rebooted.

 

I really like my XPS 12 except for the pathetic battery life. I travel a lot internationally and I don't even make it halfway to Europe before the battery is empty.

Does anybody know of an external battery I could connect. I have a Energizer system, but it does not work with the XPS 12. The laptop does not even recognize the external battery, although it works fine with Sony and Toshiba.

 

Anyone else having an issue with the fans running at full speed after resuming from sleep? This is with latest bios/drivers from dell.

 

I updated two days ago - do not have the issue.

But with the latest Intel WiFi drivers 15.8, the laptop does not connect to my home network anymore - at all. It connects, but does not see the Internet. All other devices at home work fine. Any ideas?

 

Thanks for the feedback. Disappointing that after all this time, they still haven't got it quite right (how hard is it to make a touchpad that just works?), but good to hear that it improved.

The touchpad driver should have no effect on the touchscreen issue -- that's a different driver. Also disappointing to hear that the screen is still doing that after all this time.

 

thought i'd update this since I last posted it...


FOR THOSE WHOSE TOUCHSCREEN INTERMITTENTLY STOPS RESPONDING:

Device Manager --> Human Interface Devices --> USB Input Device (FIRST one; ignore the two after it) --> Power Management tab -->

- uncheck the box "allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"

My touchscreen probably stopped working 5-6 times before doing this; it's worked flawlessly now for about 5 months, and touchscreen is my primary way of interacting with my XPS 12.



FOR THOSE WHOSE WIRELESS CARD HAS TROUBLE CONNECTING AFTER RETURNING FROM SLEEP STATE:

Device Manager --> Network adapters --> Intel(R) Centrino(R) Advanced-N 6235 --> Power Management tab -->

- uncheck the box "allow the computer to turn off this device to save power"


In power settings (battery on taskbar --> More power options --> Change plan settings) --> Change advanced power settings --> Wireless adapter settings --> Power saving mode -->

- set plugged in and battery both to "Maximum performance"


Also, for general connectivity issues, make sure to download the most recent drivers (you can find them at the Intel® Driver Update Utility sooner than at Dell). I have noticed a legitimate improvement in establishing and maintaining a connection since updating to the most recent version; it is still not without fault, however.



FOR THOSE WHOSE TRACKPAD INTERMITTENTLY STOPS RESPONDING:

Cypress Trackpad icon in taskbar --> Palm Rejection -->

- turn it OFF to eliminate problem; reduce sensitivity to decrease frequency of problem, but it WILL still occur

I also turned off gestures as well, since I find the touchscreen easier to use for them. With palm rejection off, I find the cursor jumps around the screen a lot when my hand accidentally touches the touchpad when typing. Thus, I end up leaving palm rejection on but reducing its sensitivity. Most recent drivers at Dell (2.5.1.47) are apparently the best yet, but I personally still find it to be a frustrating touchpad.



FOR THOSE WHO DISLIKE THE AUTOMATIC SCREEN BRIGHTNESS FEATURE:

Charms Bar (right-hand side-swipe menu) --> Settings --> Change PC settings (tiny text at very bottom) --> General --> Screen -->

- toggle "Adjust my screen brightness automatically" off



FOR THOSE WHOM EXPERIENCE HUM FROM KEYBOARD, AKA COIL WHINE:

Microsoft support article: Stop error message on a Windows Server 2008 R2-based computer that has the Hyper-V role installed and that uses one or more Intel CPUs that are code-named Nehalem: "0x00000101 - CLOCK_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT", WORKAROUND heading

Perform ONLY the registry command listed in the WORKAROUND heading, and do so from a command prompt with admin privileges; ignore the rest of the article and the download. I have tried this and have yet to decide if it has made a real difference; for me, certainly the problem has not gone away. For those whom have not heard a whine coming from beneath the keyboard, or are unsure of whether it is a fan or something else, it is also possible to hear it when the laptop is turned off. Plug in various devices into the power-supplied USB port (the port closest to you when facing the computer) and listen closely to the keyboard with the power off; I didn't notice much sound with my iPhone, but heard a constant whine when I inserted a USB key.

The article also has a registry command in the WORKAROUND section to remove the inserted registry entry as well if you'd like to undo those changes.



FOR THOSE WHOM ARE DISSATISIFED WITH THEIR FANS FREQUENTLY RUNNING:

In power settings (battery on taskbar --> More power options --> Change plan settings) --> Change advanced power settings --> Processor power management --> System cooling policy

- change Active to Passive

Basically, using active system cooling policy means that when trying to cool the CPU, first the fan RPM is increased--to maximum if necessary--and if that is still not sufficient, then the CPU speed is throttled. Passive system cooling, on the other hand, still uses the fan, but it will attempt to drop the CPU temperature by throttling CPU speed before it resorts to really increasing the fan RPM. Thus, with passive cooling you'll notice drops in performance, but won't hear the fan as much; it's the default when on battery, but active is default when plugged in. So basically, if you want full performance, leave it at active; if your primary concern is fan noise, set it to passive.



All of this information is buried in this thread, but it's a big thread and this stuff can be easily missed.

 

Tanks a lot ! you save me a lot of time ��

 

now if we could find a way for the trackpad to remember the settings and not forget them everytime i reboot, it would be really nice...

 

Dell currently is having a 25% off sale in the Dell outlet. Is around 900 a good deal for an XPS 12 with an i7 3537u, 8gb and 128gb ssd?

About a week an a half ago, these were just 20% off. I know that the Haswell units aren't long off, so is it worth it to grab it now?
Or should I wait it out and see if prices go lower in the outlet?
Or wait to see what the Haswell refresh actually brings these units. I heard rumors of lower weight, a bigger battery, 512gb ssd option, and obviously longer battery life. Sadly without a release date or any real confirmed specs/reviews I'm getting an itchy trigger finger to replace my dead HP. Going on 3+ weeks now.

EDIT also one thing I noticed, in the normal dell store (not the outlet) the prices of each tier of this unit (brand new) has jumped up almost $200 per tier. Should this be a indication of the new unit pricing?

 

The specs for the Haswell XPS 12 unit were announced weeks ago. Same chassis, same weight. Very tiny battery-size increase, but Haswell will add a couple of hours regardless. NFC added, and 512Gb option available. Due early July.

If you buy a unit now, you'll be getting a great deal on last year's model, but it's only a deal if that money is worth more to you than the improvements in this year's model. I personally would pay the full price just to get the Haswell battery performance, but since battery life will be the only real difference (processing increase is looking to be negligible), you can get a good deal if you're happy with last year's model. I wouldn't worry about jumping on those prices, though -- once the Haswell version is out, last year's will only get cheaper.

 

Just in case anyone else runs into this, it's caused by the Intel Rapid Start Technology software. Uninstalled and the issue disappeared. Not sure what that stuff even did. Haven't noticed any difference other than the fan not running at full speed after waking from sleep.

 

I think there should be a tangible improvement in graphic processing with the Haswell chips.

 

I just chatted with Dell this morning to see when the Haswell processors would be available...I got an answer of "mid-July." Personally, I plan on waiting; given that the price is going to be about the same and that the performance (battery life & speed) is supposed to be much improved, it seems worth it, although my HP Mini keeps deteriorating.

I haven't yet read this entire thread (although I plan to sort through it), but are people happy with the XPS 12 in general? I had been looking at the the Lenovo Yoga 13, but after seeing both models in stores yesterday, I much preferred the XPS 12, including the overall look/feel, size, and especially the keyboard (I'm a touch typist, so this is very important to me).

 

In other laptops, the jump from 4000 to 4400 is being reported as about 10% improvement. That's not terrible, but I doubt that's a factor in any buying decisions -- if gaming is a priority then you'll want a laptop with 5000 graphics anyway.

Yes, but with the specific caveat that the trackpad and wi-fi can be quite problematic for some, even with all of the available fixes and settings tweaks. In terms of design, the thing is rock solid and feels great. If they replaced the third-tier trackpad with something from Synaptics, I'd personally buy the Haswell version the day it landed.

*edit* Yeah, confirmed, 4400 graphics (and not 5000 as suggested below). There's an improvement there, but it's not very much. Battery life remains by far the most noticeable improvement with the new chips.

 

The Haswell I7-4650U will come with HD5000 graphics and is due to come with the Haswell refresh in July for the XPS 12. That is the version that doubles the units of the HD4000, which should fairly easily add 50% to the GPU capabilities of the HD4000.
Remember such add'l benefits as Connected Standby, longer battery life, cooler temperatures, better memory management and one chip vs two for the cpu/chipset combo.
My only wish would be for a 14 or 13.3 version in HD and a full on stylus recognition, but those things are likely to be future wishes, nothing coming for the current update.

 

Replying to myself here...although Dell told me that the XPS 12 with Haswell chip would likely appear on their web site around mid-July, someone on the Dell forums suggested to me that this means the actual computers won't ship to the general public until 2 months later (September). What do you all think about this?

 

I am in the same boat!!! Had a chat with Dell today & they said mid-July; I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is truly no longer than this! Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Reading this thread, I'm finding it a bit discouraging that folks had to wait so long (& had so many delays!) for their original XPS models!

 

The Dell representatives seem like they dont know anything, but many websites say that it should release on July 9.

 

Dell sales have twice told me they should be available to order on July 9. Don't know about delivery though. I see there's a Dell Small Business coupon for 10%, at least in the UK, that doesn't expire until the beginning of August. Supposedly the sales guy will call me next Tuesday morning. I only hope the 512gb version will be available from day 1.

I love the form factor of the XPS 12 which compensates for its omissions, eg no SD slot. I also like the Vaio Duo but having only one position for the screen when using the keyboard kills it for me. The other big thing which I find disappointing on the XPS 12 is the loss of the use of the keyboard if you swing the screen.

8 days to go to find out if I can afford to buy what I want.

 

You'd think they would have learned how angry people got the last time judging from this thread. I'd be pretty upset if filling the orders really took 2 months or more from the launch date. That just sounds like bad business.

 

I would hope there shouldn't be too much delay as presumably they are using the same chassis and just replacing a few parts like processor and SSD. But then what do I know.

 

Hi all,

I've found this thread while Googling problems I've been having with my XPS 12 and was wondering if anyone's successfully managed to get a refund after the 21 day period is over?

I've got the unreliable wifi issue that's been happening with the Centrino N6235 and nothing's helped. I updated to the newest drivers and that made it even worse so I reverted back to older drivers. It's better but I take online classes so I end up having to go back to using my 6 year old laptop in order to do work without having it disconnect.

I've also got the issue with the touch screen randomly not working. Did the same thing and tried a bunch of things to no avail.

I've stuck it out hoping a fix would come but with the Haswell unit so close to coming out, I'm worried it won't get solved. I love my XPS 12, don't get me wrong, but $1600 is a lot to spend on something that I can't rely on.

 

If you go back two pages to page 141, there's a post that collects the fixes and tweaks for the laptop's more common problems. There are also some posts (back randomly in the pile) about replacing the wi-fi chip with one that works better.

I successfully got Dell to refund my money after six weeks, but five of those weeks were caused by production delays on a replacement unit. If no amount of fuss gets you a refund, Dell's response to "unfixable" machines is to give you a new one. So, if you keep having the service guy come to replace defective parts, and it keeps fixing nothing because the new part is just as defective, sooner or later they will just replace the whole machine. If that happens after the Ivy Bridge version is no longer available, you should at least get a Haswell unit for our troubles. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Haswell machine just uses a new wi-fi chip.

 

Thanks for the advice, that post was actually how I found your forum though haha. I was excited to try the touchscreen fix and the touchscreen locked up again literally almost right after I had done it. Same situation with the wi-fi and drivers. I've read about replacing the chip on a thread on Intel's forums but I really don't like having to do that.

I'm glad that you got a refund though. I'm going to contact Dell about it to try to get something started.

 

Is this the touchscreen problem?

 

Just so people know some of the things "coming" there is an Intel 802.11ac (not the Broadcom that they currently sell), that is a model 7260, which combo's dual channel 802.11n, the aforementioned ac and BT 4.0.

Also the 15W Haswell CPU with the best graphics is the I7-4650U, which has the HD5000 graphics.

I can wish for an updated screen (broader color gamut and improved contrast) but that's probably just a pipe dream.

First 2 items are coming and are worth watching for.

 

Question about XPS 12. Sorry if this is a repeat, but I can't find the answer anywhere. In notebook mode, what are the display angles for which the XPS 12 works? Say that 90 degrees means the display and frame are straight up and perpendicular to the keyboard and 180 degrees is with the frame and display folded all the way back. I'm expecting something like 90 degrees to 135 degrees is the answer, but almost all photos show the XPS 12 working as a notebook with the display at about 135 degrees. On an airplane, it seems like it needs to work at about 95-100 degrees.

 

I think the Haswell is worth waiting for too, I just wish I knew when it was going to be! On another thread, someone wrote that it was "confirmed" that it would be available on Dell's web site July 8th (which is Monday!), but when I had a chat with Dell earlier this week, they could NOT confirm this information. Does anyone else know more?

 

Jul 9th to mid July seems to be the range of rumors for Haswell on the XPS 12. It's coming very soon, and likely worth waiting for.

 

My only hesitation in waiting is that my current computer (a 4 year old HP Mini 2140 netbook, still running Windows XP) has been steadily deteriorating in performance, which is a real pain. I can definitely wait a few weeks for the new XP 12, but if I have to wait a few months, that may be problematic.

 

Well one new model has appeared on the Dell website here. Rather disappointing. It only has the i7-45000U with Intel HD 4400. Also, they are supposed to have a 512Gb SSD option but that isn't there yet.

 

Yeah slightly disappointing. Seems to be a different networking card though:
Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 with Intel® Smart Connect Technology12+ Bluetooth 4.0

Still no word if it uses a different trackpad.

Battery gains 3WHr up from 47

Battery
50WHr battery; 6-Cell Lithium Ion (built-in)
Battery is built-in to the laptop and is not replaceable by the customer.

 

Shame - but I'm not buying without the HD5000 graphics. Don't mind if it is the i5 4250 or the i7 4650 - but without the HD5000 graphics it is a non-starter for me.

 

There's a bit more on the website now. If you can buy as a small business user, you can find the 512Gb i7 version here. You can buy this for £1,294.80 including VAT. There is a coupon code expiring today for free shipping, saving about £20, and a 10% coupon code with another month to run, so with both the price comes to £1,165.32 including VAT. The business model also comes with Windows 8 Pro but has no returns policy for non-faulty products.

They are telling me estimated delivery is 13 August, not what the website says.

 

I'm not seeing the upgraded version on the US web site yet--and just YESTERDAY I got an email from DELL saying that there was still no release date! Anyone have info for US?

 

Ewww. If that is how things are gonna play out, I'm kinda glad I bought the high end one in the 25% off outlet sale last week.

 

Good that you got such a good discount on the old model. For me, I am happy to have got the Haswell i7 (should be better graphics although not as good as the 4650U), better battery life and the 512Gb SSD which you cannot even easily buy retail. The closest is 480Gb. And all for a price before 10% discount less than the RRP of the old model with 256Gb SSD.

 

Just recieved mine today. Refurbished model with the i7-3667u, 8gb ram, and 256gb ssd. There is one tiny unnoticeable scratch on the bottom of the unit near the little plate that hides the codes. Aside from that the unit appears to be in excellent condition. The only issue I've had so far is IE randomly crashing while browsing images on Google. When pressing the link to view the original image while previewing it in the black box, IE will just crash and try to recover.

I suspect this is more of a software issue with IE than it is with the OS install. Speaking of which, I was VERY happy to find out this model has 0 bloatware installed on it. It seems to be the OS, Drivers, and a copy of the Cyberlink Media Suite.

 

The Haswell version is on the U.S. website now New XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook and Tablet PC Details | Dell. It is the i7-4500U with HD Graphics 4400 like the UK version described previously.

 

Is it safe to assume that the i7-4650 won't release? I need to buy this asap

 

I'd say it is - at least for now. They've shown the options available and it wouldn't be worth it to introduce another option just with a slightly better processor.

 

Huh, the options have been restricted over last year, Now, if you want 8GB of RAM or a 256GB+ SSD, you must take the more expensive core i7 processor. Those options used to be independent. And the consumer version doesn't even have a 256GB SSD option -- if you want more than 128, you must also get the i7, 8GB of RAM, and the expensive 512 SSD. Well, that solves that -- the model I want (i5, 8, 256) isn't even there, and I'm not paying extra for processing power that means nothing to me.

Such an odd decision. Very few people will actually see meaningful benefit from an i7 processor, and not many will notice 8GB of RAM either, but plenty of folks would want a larger hard drive. Normally I'd think that Dell is just forcing people to spend more money because they can, but the XPS 12 fell off the radar so quickly after the Windows 8 launch (probably because no one could actually get the silly thing, with 6-week wait times), that there's no way Dell thinks it has the leverage here to force desperate buyers into unnecessary upgrades. This product just isn't nearly in-demand enough for them to force extra costs. But, why else would they do it?

I looked, but it wasn't obvious to me -- does anyone see where the new model # is? An easy way to check out the components is to use the model number to see what the drivers are. If it's a Cypress trackpad driver, for example, then we know that the trackpad won't be any better than before.

*edit* Ah, there is a hard drive size option on the consumer version, but it's only there on the i7 middle model. So, you can get a 256GB hard drive like in the business version, but still not with an i5.

 

May I know do XPS 12 have Kensington lock hole?? if not , how to lock the XPS 12?

 

The old model number is 9Q23, and the new one is 9Q33. Looking through the new drivers, I think I have some good news for anyone looking to buy the new dell xps 12. We no longer have the Cypress touchpad driver, it is now a Synaptics touchpad driver! ( Drivers & Downloads | Dell US)

 

I assume it will eventually have the 4650 as that was in the original announcement. Since Apple put that in their new Macbook Airs I am guessing the 4500 was the only one they could get in sufficient volume for the moment.

 

I doubt it. The previous XPS 12 started with the i7-3667 (Q2'12), and later changed to the i7-3537 (Q1'13). I'm guessing they won't change the processor 'til at least 2014, when a new processor is released. Doesn't make sense to temporarily use the 4500.

Edit: Details of the processors, http://ark.intel.com/compare/72054,64898,75460,75114

 

I know they did not add it quickly to the previous version. It is just that they led with the 4650 and the HD 5000 graphics in the original Computex presentation and web site mentions:
New XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook and Tablet PC Details | Dell

I am guessing the numbers that quoted something like a 68% improvement in graphics performance really need the 5000 to get there (even though those are synthetic benchmarks). Dell probably does not have the muscle to guarantee a supply of cutting edge chips unfortunately these days.

 

AHHHH. That means both the wifi and trackpad parts are new. That's the two major problems with this machine fixed, right there. That's HUGE.

And that makes it even more frustrating that a model with 8GB of RAM and a 256 SSD now costs $200 more than it did last year, thanks to the forced upgrade to i7. $1500 was already expensive for a heavy 12.5" ultrabook. Almost a year later, with SSD and RAM prices dropping like a rock, it's hard to justify $200 more. The i7 upgrade just isn't worth it to me (to most people, I'd imagine -- it's overkill for casual computing).

But, ahh, I do love the form-factor.

Well, I'll wait for feedback about the touchpad. It's either this is a Samsung Ativ 9 plus. The XPS will be heavier, with a smaller, worse screen and less battery life, for what looks like roughly the same price on the higher-spec models. But the XPS is still a pretty machine. I just can't help but think that Dell got too greedy with pricing for it to be competitive. Those specs just don't warrant $1700+.

(Tempted to swap out the SSD, since good 512 models can be had for under $300. But, there's still the limited RAM. I wonder if preventing home-upgrading is why you can't get 8GB of RAM on its own.)

 

Do you think if we complain enough about our 6230 wifi they will replace it with the new wifi chip?