Dell Studio 1555

I faced no such issues with the latest *cough* *cough* version of Win XP SP3.

XP installed just like Win Vista.

 

really! thats interesting to know, they must have integrated AHCI drivers into the new SP3 disk! Going to have to get a *cough* *cough* XP SP3 disk myself

Thanks for the heads up

PS, I have a legit licence key for XP PRO in case any mods are wondering!

 

Notebookcheck.com (german version) posted his review of the Dell Studio 1555 !

I was able to translate/read the most (my german used to be better). In short:
- The building quality is still the same as in the 1537, except they mention the hinges aren't as though as they used to be. Still the overall quality is good, for plastic.
- The keyboard is great. The keys are quiet big for a notebook, which improves the typing comfort.
- Here it comes... As for the 1366*768 (SEC5441) display: average of +/- 200 cd, horizontal angles okay, vertical limited. Definitely a standard screen and a downgrade compared to the 1440*900 on the dell 1537
- The ATI 4570 512 MB GDDR3 with 64-bit bus (according to Dell and AMD they say). 3dMark 06 score of 3735 points, but don't let the score fool you. They did some gaming tests and this video card performes well! Here are there fps results.
- The laptop can get quite hot! On average 40°C on the bottom with max of 52,8°C. Much more than the older 1537 model. Is it because of the heavier ATI... ?
- With the 6-cell battery they get an average of 3,5 hours with WLAN on.

Maybe a native German speaker can confirm my readings?

I was planning buying this Dell this summer, but the high temperatures and mediocre screen tend me to go for the studio 17. Then again, a 17" is a bit heavier.

 

I also read that review. I only received my 1555 today but have been stressing it with 3d apps to test the gfx card. So far the bottom of the laptop has stayed luke warm and the exhaust vent is also cool unlike my old xps m1530. I dont know how they managed to heat it upto 52c!!!

Anyone else noticed this?

 

OK, my order status page tells me that my system is now in the delivery phase!

It looks like WW will be delivering mine, so I clicked on the link provided to check up on tracking status, and all I get is an error message saying:

The Order Number entered did not match the Customer Number

Did anyone else using WW have this problem? If so, anyone have any suggestions about how to get round it?

EDIT: No worries, just saw the disclaimer on Dell's order status page saying it may take a while for WW to have it on their system.

 

I was thinking the same thing. But mind, its bottom case temperature that get's hot not top case.
Still, nobody mentioned this here, except the touchpad that gets warm according to some.

Please help us out, is this heat normal?

 

It is true that the laptop gets heated up. I am unsure to comment on the heat because there is this pedestal fan cooling me and the laptop in my room. Once i see framing while gaming, i switch on this fan and the laptop starts cooling down (because of more air flow beneath the product). Most of the time, i keep this fan switched on hence the temps always range between 32~44 for me (the ambient room temp being 28~31).

 

So does the Studio blow or suck air to cool?

 

It sucks air from beneath and blows out through the left rear end.

 

Right just been testing DOW2 for an hour with different settings to find best playable.
The bottom of my laptop is still luke warm. I am using it on my desk not my lap (but I would never game with it on my lap)

The fan does get quite loud though!

DOW2 Playable @ 1280x720 mixture of medium and high settings.

Team Fortress 2 30-55fps @ 1920x1080 all high settings no AA/AF

 

are dell studios reliable?

thinking of buying this model when the windows 7 upgrade option is out.

 

Dells in general are pretty good overall. Just like all companies, they have lemons. For instance I have a Dell Inspiron 6400 that has had many problems, however my sister has a Latitude D810 that has had pretty much no problems. They are computers so they won't all be perfect.
The Studio line should be reliable. I don't see why they wouldnt. Dell has many warranty options too.. My suggestion... Just stick with the return to depot warranty. The on-site service... well i never used it. Dell always insisted of either i doing the fixing or sending it to the depot.
It should be a good choice though. Seems like they got rid of lots of the issues with the old Studio 15

 

its a software solution and not hardware, you should have a disk for it with the laptop

 

I have a Dell XP Pro SP3 CD

 

whats the three choices get for warrenty, the 1 year, 2 year and 3 year cover

 

Fedex made a delivery attempt this morning while I was gone but I get to pick it up at the local depot after 4pm today. I will post some reviews and pics on here after getting it! I am going to dump vista and install Win7 after getting it though so it will be a little while before any reviews. I may dual boot WinXP and Win7. I have an hr to decide! LOL

 

Has anyone had any issues with installing XP after installing Win7 instead of before it?

 

OMG! Installing a new cpu is not for the feint hearted!

Just switched the t4200 for a P8600. I took me over 2 hours, you have to take the entire laptop apart. Routing the wires and remembering where all the screws went was intersting.

The Heatsink and fan assembly are complete junk. I guess the gfx must have a very low TDP. The fan is tiny hence the high noise under 3d load.

I have taken a few photos so will upload tomorrow. The gfx and gfx memory has a thermal pad rather than thermal paste

 

Holy crap, I just had a look at the 1555 service manual. What a step backwards from the 1535-1537 models! All you have to take off to get to the processor/heatsink on these is the bottom panel! Replacing my processor was a 10 minute job, including the time spent to apply good thermal paste.

 

I know what you mean! My last couple of laptops have been the same. This was the worst laptop I have worked on in quite some time.

I wont be doing it again in a hurry

 

Well i just got my lappy. I booted it once to see it and then am going on to dump vista and install win7 64-bit as i type this. Ill let you guys know how it goes. BTW the screen is amazing (1080p). Extremely bright at full brightness! Ill post pictures later! Let me know if you want to know anything in particular or any special benchmarks u want! Also I got the 9-cell battery and at 90% it says 4hrs 22min left! NOT BAD!

 

I would actually like to see the size and weight off the 9-cell battery. I know there are already some Studio 1555 gaming videos online, but the more the merrier (COD4 at 1080p perhaps?). Please include the full specs of your new found love. Thanks a lot!

 

Any owners of studio 1555 noticing that the touchpad gets pretty hot even when just web browsing?

 

The videos on YouTube are horrible. EVERY video is like..."Oh look... here is a USB port.... Uh... I don't know what this card thing is for.... or this other port... but it's there..." or "The laptop is lifted up by a few at the back by these feet.. I don't really like it, but it makes a good angle..."

Like people don't pay attention to what they are reviewing... Like if you buy a 9 cell battery... expect to know what changes in your system etc.

I also hate when people review the speakers on a video... your video camera mic is junk so the speakers sound like junk. Just because you need to raise your voice to talk over your music, doesn't make them good.
Even if they are good... the speakers on any laptop will never replace a good set of 2.1 speakers...

Once I get mine, I'll try to put together a nice review.

 

If u suspect that the laptop is getting hotter than it should be, google for hwmonitor software and run it. It will list the approximate temps of the processor and HDD along with various other temp diodes.

 

Ok i took the screenshot of it.. but im not sure if it has anything to do with the touchpad temperature:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1733/capturefvj.jpg
tell me what this means.. is it normal?

 

I will see what I can do... I have to take off for a while so the pictures wont be on until later tonight. I dont have COD4 but I do have crysis. I will install it and see how it runs.

 

My Logitech Z-2300's can attest to that.

 

mmm.... nice speakers.... I have a Sony Stereo hooked up.

like this one...

Now those are speakers....

 

THAT is a speaker system. That's the Z-2300 subwoofer, and you can see one of the satellite speakers.

 

Wow, I have a sudden case of speaker envy.

 

Haha. Not the first time I've heard that. The Z-2300 is a very good 2.1 system.

 

The temps are on the normal side. Do not worry. But u can lower the temps by investing on a notebook cooler

 

I wonder why Dell has never partnered with a decent, name-brand speaker manufacturer?

Toshiba uses harmon/kardon speakers (which sound great) and still keep their prices very reasonable. And HP uses Altec Lansing starting on sub-$500 models that sound pretty good.

Then again, Lenovo doesn't use name-brand speakers for their IdeaPad Y-series, but they sound fantastic. The Y530 had four speakers and subwoofer that sounded better than anything under $1500 or so. I'm assuming that it carried over to the new Y450/Y550/Y650 models.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Dell hook up with Logitech for some good audio. Dell and Logitech already have a bit of a relation, from the XPS M1730; the keyboard has a little information LCD, the "GamePanel", made by Logitech, adapted from their G15 gaming keyboard.

 

Random question, but what color is the backlight on the keyboard? I thought it was white, but I saw a photo where it looked blue

 

My 1535's is the whitest of white lights. Judging from reference pics I've seen, the 1555's are the same. I know a guy who did color some of his LED's blue, but I think he only did that for the media panel.

 

It's bright white.

 

I received my 1555. After the first bootup and updating I get dreaded blue screen often and it restarts often.

Base
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.40Ghz, 3MB, 1066MHz)

Memory
4096MB 800MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x2048]

Keyboard
Internal UK/Irish Qwerty Keyboard

Video Card
512MB ATI Mobility RADEON HD 4570

Hard Drive
320GB (7,200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive

Microsoft Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium SP1- English

Optical Devices
Fixed Internal Blu-ray Disc (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM) Slot Drive including SW

Primary Battery
Primary 9-cell 85 WHr Lithium Ion battery

LCD
15.6in Widescreen Full High Definition (1920x1080) WLED with TrueLife

It refuses to reformat and reinstall the factory image file on the HDD.

??????!

 

That's strange..If you just got it... Call them up and tell them... send it back and tell them to fix it.

 

Oh good, I was never a fan of those weirdly colored backlights like Alienwares and Gateways lol

 

If anything... I would like red. Red doesn't screw around with your pupils, so they are easier to read in the dark and wont distract you at night if they are on and such... but as far as looks, white leds are nice.

 

Format the thing and reinstall windows. You should have done that anyway! You want to get rid of all the extra garbage thats on there! Its highly doubtful that there is a hardware issue and you dont want to send it in for a software fix!

 

I think he replied to your suggestion before you even suggested it.

 

can anyone help me?

is it worth the upgrade from wifi link 5100 to 5300?

i see the only difference is that theres 3 antennas in the 5300 but what benefit is this.

 

It can use 450Mbp, where the 5100 tops out at 300Mbps, I believe. Not sure if those are the right numbers, but it's the right concept.

 

the benefit for me is that my other laptop which has a 5100 card and can only get 125Mbps when connect to my d-link router where as my friend's laptop with the 5300 card, gets 270Mbps speed.

 

Thank you for advice. I agree it is a software problem. I managed to reformat it but I never liked VISTA for its instability compared to XP. I am seriously thinking to downgrade to XP.

 

I formated my 1555 and installed Win7 64-bit RC1 upon arrival. I have been running it on my dekstop and other laptop that i have for weeks and its totally stable and has been running without any problems what so ever. So far it has been great on my 1555. You can get the RC1 of Win7 for free from Microsoft's website!

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx?ITPID=mscomsc

 

Its Beta isn't it? I wonder whether I would be eligible for Dell Windows 7 upgrade?