XPS 15 (Haswell) Owner's Lounge

The current XPS 15 doesn't have the infinity display so it will be a large change in size and weight. Also, it doesn't work with the power companion as it needs more power than the companion can provide (I think the power companion has a max of 45W; the PSU with the XPS15 is 120W). Also, assuming your XPS13 has an SSD, the proposed XPS 15 (with only an SSD cache) will probably feel slower (even though it has a full voltage CPU). If you're happy with the XPS13 except the issue you have, I would recommend asking them to send you a replacement XPS13, not an XPS15. Separately, I've not had any sleep/wake issues with my XPS 15.

 

Thanks Ashers,

I think i am going to forego the XPS 15.

UPDATE: so they are offering me an XPS 13 with an i7 and QHD, same specs everywhere else. I think im going to take that offer.

 

Dell has just released a new version of Realtek Audio driver for Windows 10.
Has anyone already checked if this time MaxxAudio Pro is included?

http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER03344647M/1/9530_Audio_Driver_Y6K5Y_WN32_6.0.1.7610_A01.EXE

 

AFAIK, the XPS 13 also has a superior touchpad that confirms to Microsoft's Enhanced touchpad HID specifications as opposed to the old PS/2 one in the XPS 15... At least, I read that somewhere.

But it would have also been nice if the XPS 13 (and XPS 15 for that matter) screen could fold back like the Inspiron 13 7000.

 

Yes, just tried it on Windows 10 (x64) to no avail. It employs MaxxAudio 3 again which causes horrible distortion on my XPS 15; only solution is to use the default flat Windows profile.

So I've gone back to L33's very helpful solution on page 760. The MaxxSense configuration on MaxxAudio Pro sounds by far the best (in all scenarios) so I'll be keeping this.

I don't know what Dell did - but they really messed up the audio driver packages.

 

Anyone know the differences in the QHD and 4k model outside the screen? Is there a difference in the CPU or other components that is worth having one over the other if the screens were the same?

 

Yeah I got it it's MaxxAudio 3.

 

And the saga continues!
After waiting for A MONTH AND A HALF for a second motherboard replacement, with a dead laptop, today another technician tried another mobo replacement but it didn't work! He now claims there's a problem with some circuitry or whatsoever, so he took it with him to the lab!! Why didn't they do that from the beginning???
When I asked him about an estimation for the fix, he said "about 5 working days"!

This is truly outrageous. I've been calling Dell during the last few weeks almost daily, but they keep saying that in our country they don't send replacement laptops as long as they think they can fix it. I repeatedly asked them to talk to a manager, but they denied that.

I'm really pissed off right now

 

The odd thing is when I rang dell to get the fans replaced he ended the call with "would you like to be put through to a manager for any reason?"
Did you pay on a credit card as I throw that into the mix when I was going through the route of getting a new laptop that worked as I expected it to, along with small claims court threats I was through to a manger in no time. It reflects on the person taking the call if it has to go to a manager so try phoning when your local supports asleep in the hope of getting another call center.

 

I have a 4K 9530 and I have strange screen issues too. Intermittently, I'll get lines of faint flickering (most noticeable down the very bottom on the task bar). Also, if the screen is certain colours, I can see faint horizontal lines from the left and right of the screen, about 4, evenly spaced up each side of the screen.
It doesn't look like light bleed or anything like that. I'm considering getting the screen replaced, but if you say it doesn't fix it, then I don't know what's up.

 

Get your screen replaced. If you search this forum you will see my posts with a similar problem of faint horizontal lines that dissected the screen into 3 equal parts. Dell eventually sent me an entirely new laptop as they had no displays in stock. You may get lucky and they will send you a new model because there is no more in stock.

Sent from my LG G4 via Tapatalk

 

I've just had the same happen on my screen (4k model also). Lines at approx 1/3rd and 2/3rds of the way up the screen, and one at the very bottom. Called Dell who are sending a replacement screen, though they say stock is very low.

 

Yes it is truly a nightmare of a laptop for reliability issues.

Sent from my LG G4 via Tapatalk

 

Screen was replaced today, no more lines.

 

Luck of the draw, it seems. I got my original one replaced with this one due to motherboard issues. I've had no problems on this one, no coil whine, nothing like that (until the screen). Seems Dell need to up their QC game.
I'm in the UK, I wonder what the replacement screen situation is like there. Wouldn't mind getting this replaced with one of the new model XPS15s, but that would be pushing my luck, I think (since my original one was a 3k screen and was replaced with this 4k).

 

Finally got my coil-whine noisy, second-hand, 4th MoBo replaced with a brand new one

No coil whine so far, just my 5th Windows Installation Code...

 

Had my screen replaced already and the exact same issue is present. I went into the Microsoft store and see if they knew more but there were as bewildered as I was at the condition of the laptop and this specific problem. He said that if you had screen already replaced then it's probably an issue with the connector ribbon or the GPU.

I got a replacement with me that is also defective in addition to the original defective laptop with me right and Dell is just ignoring my emails. It's been 2 weeks. I'm just keeping both laptops until I get a reply,

 

Is anyone having problems with Intel Graphics driver on Windows 10 stop working randomly and resulting in sudden hung up? If not, may I know which driver version do you have? I use Intel Utility to check for the updates and I have the latest one which I don't remember the number. I have the 4k with NVIDIA card.

 

Update on my bricked BIOS update MB replacement:

Finally, after more than month and a half, I have my laptop back and working. After 2 unsuccessful MB replacements at home, the technician took it to the DELL labs. It took them an entire week until they finally checked it (despite my continuous requests and the technician's requests to do it faster!), and finally a lab technician calls me and says that there isn't any problem with the replacement motherboard, he just connected it properly, and he said this could be done at home! So I waited all this time for nothing, and the first replacement was enough! Crazy! I requested a BIOS update to AO9, hoping it will fix the USB issues.

After receiving it back, we tested it again, and the 2 problems I had before are still there:

1) USB ports - when the technician brought it back, we tested the USB ports, and DANG - both my phone and his phone disconnect and connect weirdly after connecting to the USB ports, even using different USB cables. This is truly unacceptable.
Guess what? The technician was also amazed, he said he never heard about this problem. I informed him that this is a very well known bug with the laptop.

2) COIL WHINE - when I received it, the battery wasn't fully charged, and I didn't hear any coil whine. Once it charged to 100%, the coil whine became truly HORRIBLE! In the original motherboard, I could hear some whine sometimes, but I got used to it, and it could be heard only in a silent environment, but now, it is really terrible. There is a constant whine, and when I run any application, even a web browser, it feels like there's a mouse under the keyboard running crazily !

I'm calling DELL once again. I can't think of any solution apart from another MB replacement. I can't believe that it's even worse now than before!

 

At this point, you might as well ask for a refund or a complete new replacement. They may send you the new model if you know how to be persuasive.

 

I've got the M3800 which is a near-clone of the XPS, and same problem Mostly happens playing videos with VLC, and it fails and recovers quickly enough it's merely a little annoying.

Intel driver version is 10.18.15.4281 dated 8/31/2015 -- I think it may have updated to a newer one and this was the one I rolled back to but it's still happening.
NVidia driver is 353.62 (aka 10.18.13.5362) dated 7/22/2015 -- this was definitely rolled back to a Windows update one from what had been the newest a few weeks ago direct from NVidia.

I have an older chassis (3200x1800) with a newer motherboard (i7-4712)

 

It seems that you are using old drivers:

Most recent Windows 10 (64bit) driver for Intel 4600 HD from Intel website is:
Version: 15.40.10.64.4300 (Latest)
Date: 10/26/2015
Windows Device manager says:
Version: 20.19.15.4300
Date: 10/1/2015

Instead the most recent Nvidia driver installed by Nvidia GeForce Experience is:
Version: 358.50
Date: 10/7/2015
Windows Device manager says:
Version: 10.18.13.5850
Date: 10/2/2015

I'm using these drivers on my 3K, i7-4710 without issues.

 

Well, things can't get any worse.... After less than 24 hours of normal, very light use, the laptop DIED AGAIN. While it was on standby on battery, the laptop shut down, and since then I can't turn it on. After pressing the power button, the button turns on for 4-5 seconds, nothing seems to work in the laptop (no fans, no sounds whatsoever), and then it turns off. I tried pressing the right arrow key and then insert the charger, the power button blinks for 4-5 seconds and then dies.
I think it's another dead motherboard. Something must be wrong with the whole circuitry or whatsoever.

I wish I could. Since I bought the laptop in the US, according to the local DELL service they can't give me a replacement, they can only try and fix it.
After talking to DELL, they should send me another motherboard replacement, and this could take a few weeks if they don't have it in stock!

I'm truly helpless right now. Almost 2 Months already without a working laptop, a laptop which should be a "premium" one. I'm even thinking to sending it over to a local PC repair shop with experience in laptops, maybe they can think of something instead of simply replacing the motherboard.

 

Forget local shops, start threats of bringing in a solicitor as they cannot get this working, it is well beyond reasonable. Find a complaints department to bring them in on it so you are not dealing with support. It is a worldwide warranty and they can't fix it.
Once you mention the law is on your side and any intervention by a Solicitor will result in court action with Dell facing all Legal charges they soon back the **** down.

 

Well, that's what I'm trying to do, a few days before I got the 2nd MB replacement, a Dell manager called and tried to explain things to me. I'll wait a few days before escalating things.

UPDATE - I remembered there's a way to try and fix a bricked laptop after BIOS update, I tried this method when the laptop died after the first BIOS update in the original MB, but then it didn't work.
https://blog.jmwhite.co.uk/2015/08/09/dell-xps-9530-uefi-bios-recovery/

Since I had nothing to loose, and even through I didn't touch the BIOS at all this time, not even changing settings, I decided to try this method. I thought the technician that updated to the latest BIOS did something wrong. And guess what - IT WORKED!!!!! The procedure took a few minutes, and the laptop is alive once again!!
I encountered the INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE BSOD, after changing a few settings in the BIOS as explained in the article, I can use the laptop regularly now!
I also have the feeling that the coil whine is much less noticeable. The USB ports are still useless.

I have no idea why this worked, it was pure luck to try and fix it this way. Any idea why this happened? Can a BIOS simply die all of a sudden??

Another problem I'm facing now after this process is that I can't shut it down, instead it restarts, and I have to long press the power button for shutting it down. Any idea what can be done?

At least now I have a working laptop, but I won't stop until I have a fully working laptop, especially working USB ports.

 

Finally upgraded to windows 10. Anything in particular I should do? I'm seeing posts about the audio drivers, but is that the only thing I should take care of?

 

I did a clean Windows 10 install on an XPS 15 9530 and the only Dell driver I really needed to install was the touchpad driver. Later I added the Realtek PCIE Card Reader and Intel Lynx Point Chipset drivers. Having heard of problems with the audio driver I avoided it and sound is fine for my use. I don't use Intel Rapid Storage (not using RAID) but some claim it is beneficial. I didn't bother with Intel's WiFi/Bluetooth drivers since the stock Win10 WiFi support seems fine and I don't use Bluetooth. I'm using Win10's Intel and nVidia drivers for now: you can get newer Intel graphics drivers from Intel directly if you want the latest but I've never seen a difference, and for now I'd avoid nVidia drivers from the nVidia app or website since there are lots of problem reports around this.

 

After I updated the BIOS to A09 through the USB fix mentioned in my last post, the laptops refuses to go to Sleep mode or to shut down entirely. Each time I try to send it into sleep mode or shut it down, the laptop restarts, and the only way to shut it down is to long press the power button.
I guess it has something to do with the default BIOS settings.
Any idea what could be done? I read on some forums that resetting the CMOS by taking out the motherboard battery battery can fix it, but I'm not sure I'm confident to do that.
Thanks

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I don't know if this have been discussed before, but have anyone tried to upgrade the ram to 32B ?
anyone knows if the 9530 would be able to support 32Gb of RAM?

 

I am curious to get feedback from those of you who did the (upgrade) to windows 10.
Specifically, if since the (latest Novermber update), if anything has improved.
The reason I ask is because I upgraded to 10 when it first came out - and had quite a few issues - blue screens, buggy behavior, windows opening and apps closing by themselves, etc - so I reverted back to windows 8.1.
For any of you who have upgraded to 10, and are up to date - are you finding it to be still buggy, or is it stable ?

 

Other than whatever driver update started causing those GPU crashes, Windows 10 has been great for me. The November update has fixed the GPU crashes.

 

Can anyone that is still under warranty&support coverage open a support request to get the latest windows 10 audio drivers with MAXXAUDIO Pro back?

 

Would love to see Dell or Realtek fixing this. I've written a Mail to Realtek some time ago without a response. As most driver packages contain software from various manufacturers, it could be enough to change the allocation of the MAXXAUDIO Pro to the soundcard of the XPS15.

 

My windows 10 has been completely stable and bug free so far. Been using it for the last month or so

 

The latest build is pretty stable. Got like 1 or 2 cases where Intel graphics driver stopped working (and recovered half a second later). Other than that it's been solid. Battery life is okay at around 6 hrs (4k screen)

 

Warning! Maybe due to the update to Windows 10 1511, the Intel video driver is rolled back to original version supplied by Dell, so this is cause of many crashs of video driver on Windows 10.
I have again manually uninstalled Intel video driver and the updating to last Intel video driver supplied by Intel website has solved my issue.

 

The only issue I had with the TH2 update was the old windows folder wouldn't delete because it still contained the STMicroelectronics 2 axis driver, I uninstalled it, removed said folder then reinstalled the driver.

 

YET another update!

So after 3 Motherboard replacement, power plug and power button replacement, Dell took my laptop to their labs and did some drastic changes!
They replaced once again the motherboard, daughterboard, and this time they replaced the whole screen, including the lid, so now it looks practically new.
A few days before the replacement a dell representative called me and informed me that for now they have in stock only a "replacement" or "alternative" motherboard, and if I wanted to have the original one it would time time until it's shipped from the US. Since I was sick of being for over than 2 months without a laptop, I asked him what's the difference between the original and "replacement" one, and he told me it's the same, just without the NFC sensor. Since I don't use it, I accepted to install the replacement one.

I kept the mSata HDD with me, and once I received it and after installing the HDD, Windows started to update lots of drivers. Upon checking the device manager, I was stunned to notice that the GPU now is a NVIDIA QUADRO K1100M, and only the previous GT M750!! This means that they basically used a PRECISION M3800 motherboard instead of an XPS 15 one!!
Indeed, according to the BIOS the laptop is now a DELL PRECISION M3800 !! Obviously no one told me so, so this looks ridiculous to me.

A problem I faced immediately was that the laptop Sleep functioning didn't work. INnstead it would shut down and I'd have to restart. Luckily after a few searches in the Dell forums, the simple solution was enabling USB WAKE in the BIOS, and this solved the issue.

Regarding the other problems I had before:
1) Coil whine - FINALLY I have a motherboard WITHOUT coil whine. Sometimes I can hear some minimal whine, but nothing compared to the previous ones. Could it be the lower frequency QUADRO GPU? No idea...
2) USB PORTS - These are still NOT functioning. None of my Android devices (Samsung Note 4, LG G4) are recognized, and the various USB sticks I tried disconnect randomly after a few minutes. So this issue is still unresolved.

Now for the questions:

1) What should I do about the new motherboard? The great plus is that I finally have a laptop without coil whine, but is the QUADRO K1100M better or worse than the GT750M?
I understand that the Precision M3800 is almost the same as the XPS 15, more business oriented, and with a different GPU. I also read that this QUADRO is better for professional CAD and 3D programs, while the GT 750M is better for gaming. Since I don't play any games, and use Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC, will it perform better with the QUADRO?

2) Should I update all drivers using the Precision M3800 drivers now? The current windows 10 is based on the previous motherboard. Also, Should I use the Precision M3800 drivers from now on?

3) Is there any solution for the non-functioning USB ports? Will a USB 3.0 HUB fix the issue?

Sorry once again the long post, I'll be calling DELL for sure to understand what were they thinking when doing something like this, but I'm unsure whether to ask for another replacement or not.

Thanks!

 

I think my internal speakers are blown, the sound is great when i connect to external speakers. anyone know where i can get replacement speakers?

 

It's unlikely to make enough to notice difference either way unless you use 3rd party Photoshop filters which make heavy use of OpenGL -- the native Adobe ones don't (except possibly some of the 3D ones with the Extended edition; I don't have the license for that) but I've seen some 3rd party ones that do. If they do, they'll perform better on the M3800.

If you were benchmarking, the GT 750M would probably come out ahead for Photoshop because of the higher clock speed, but for non-gaming use it's unlikely to be noticeable.

You'll need to use an M3800 BIOS if you upgrade (and I'd check; they often stock motherboards with outdated BIOSes); other than that (and the option of using the rather esoteric "Precision Optimizer") the drivers are interchangeable, and I'd use whichever is newest, except for the video drivers (which I'd get from NVidia and Intel directly, unless you're on Windows 10; if on Windows 10, don't upgrade the Intel video driver unless it comes from Windows update.)

 

Mac- can you let me know how you were able to remove the Intel HD 4600 drivers and install the Intel drivers ?
Also, please let me know (provide a link) to the drivers that you are using/should be used for the Intel HD4600.
I am getting random crashes (all on the Intel graphics) and would like to try your solution to see if it fixes this or not.

Thanks.

 

Just in case anyone has been out of the loop, a possible security bug has been exposed on a range of Dell models (including the XPS 15). Dell have issued a statement and a fix (see link below). Good luck!
http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN300321

 

Phone up and explain they are taking the piss as they didn't say it was another models mobo. push for a refund or new due to the sheer amount of messing about, I chimed in with small claims court and the £60 per hour I was down meaning I would be claiming that along with the price of the laptop. That should get you through to someone who can order a new one.

are you sure it didn't default the speaker settings with the big update last week? I have to disable everything to make it sound ok.

download the drivers, using winrar (or 7zip for a guess) extract the files from the download to a folder, go into device manager and double click the intel HD under display, update drivers following the let me decide path then point to the extracted folder and go through to x64 and click the ini file it shows. it will then update.

 

yes i been messing around with the speaker settings, nothing makes it any good, sounds great in my headphones. its been like this for a month now, so im pretty sure the speakers are blown or one of them atleast.

 

Just uninstall Intel HD 4600 driver from control panel, so reboot, and install this:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/it/downloads/eula/25489/Driver-di-Grafica-Intel-per-Windows-10-15-40-4-generazione-?httpDown=https://downloadmirror.intel.com/25489/eng/win64_154010.4300.exe

Intel has even released a new beta driver:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/it/downloads/eula/25541/Driver-di-Grafica-versione-Beta-di-Intel-per-Windows-7-8-1-10-15-40-?httpDown=https://downloadmirror.intel.com/25541/eng/win64_154012.exe

 

Thanks.
I am on .4300 now and (so far) no more Intel HD 4600 driver crashes.
Dell should really hurry up and adopt the latest Intel drivers so its general population of users can benefit from the updated - less buggy operation.

 

It is weird, though, that the Intel Driver Update application thinks it should (downgrade) the HD 4600 driver.
I am not going to do that (obviously), but it makes me wonder why it displays this after a scan.

 

Man I hope what you guys said fixes these display driver crashes. This is driving me insane

 

I was getting the display driver crashes constantly.
After changing my intel hd4600 drivers - not one crash.

Interestingly enough, when the old drivers crashed - the message was that they were "windows 8" drivers (not windows 10).
So, maybe that has something to do with why they crashed so much.