Dell Studio 1555

Well I'm not a computer expert but I have a Dell Inspiron 9200 and there is something serious wrong w/ the hardware thats making my laptop run really hot and fans being really loud. Not sure if its the dedicated graphics (it has a ATI 128MB graphics card) but my computer is really slow. Even Minimizing a window takes a couple of seconds. Watching a youtube HD video makes the system go nuts

I plan on getting the 1555 intergrated graphics cards b/c i want the battery life and dont play games anymore.

 

Those who are having S1555 with PLDS DL-8ATS 12.7mm Slotload 8x DVDRW can update the product with the new firmware listed on Dell Website..

 

i can have mine on my lap while playing games. It gets warm but not hot. SSDs are still to expensive for now, so I opted for the 7200rpm model. Runs smoothly and its quite fast. Its a Toshiba.

 

The studio arrives today , I have a 900p screen and is LGD020C, I expected an Auotropic screen. but the LG screen is absolute fabulous, i love it.

 

I should be getting my 1555 tomorrow! I ordered it on 6/21 and it shipped on 6/30. According to FedEx, it should arrive tomorrow (It's already in New Jersey, which is where I am). Here are the basic specs:

T9550 Processor (2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo)
4 GB of RAM @ 800 MHz
250 GB HDD @ 7200 RPM
ATi MR 4570 w/512 MB
900p screen
Backlit Keyboard
Midnight Blue lid

I'm not a gamer, so I'm actually wondering if I went too heavy on the specs. I'll just be using it for internet/ms office/shows/movies/photos/music and the like. I started a thread comparing it and the 14z in the "what laptop should I buy" section and am still technically undecided. I think I'll be thrilled with the 1555, but if I get it and decide I really want something smaller, I might return it for the 14z. Either way, I'll be sure to post my thoughts here.

 

Well you got exactly my build except you had the better midnight blue lid which I should have gotten in retrospect.

I have to say, it's performance is solid. For normal tasks, it's fast and it has handled every game I've thrown at it at 1280x720 or higher.

 

Nice to hear someone got my same exact config. How's the 900p screen? Battery life? I'm just wondering if it's worth it for me to get such a strong config if I'm not going to be gaming - although, better specs always help in keeping the machine somewhat relevant as technology advances.

 

anyone know when Dell is going to come out w/ really good deals for the Studio 15 like they did during the 10 Deal Days promotion.

Right now they have $138 off for $769 configuration but during the deals week it was $220 off plus a free upgrade to 9 cell battery plus 2 yr warranty. The only reason I didn't pull the trigger is b/c I was waiting the W7 upgrade program.

I'm hoping since its back to school season they come out w/ some really good deals.

 

Hi
I am from Romania, here you don't have possibility to customize 1555 ,
I only have 2 options

T4200 2.0GHz, 2GB, 250GB HDD, 1366 x 768 (720P Display)
or
Core 2 Duo T6400 2.0GHz, 4GB, 250GB HDD, 1366 x 768 (720P Display)

No option for 1080P display , no Back-lit Keyboard
Can someone explain if the first processor is OK(is cheaper) and still don't understand whats wrong with 720P display,
I will play only one game ( Counter Strike Source)

Regards

 

900p screen is great. Feels like the best resolution for this laptop unless you also want to watch Bluray movies or the 900p isn't offered.

Battery life varies between 3-4 hours depending on what you do, but I have not used it unplugged beyond the usual internet or document apps.

 

Wow that's pretty limited..... In reality, either system will play CS Source... But the second one will be noticeably faster and smoother with 4gb of ram and the 1mb extra in cache....

Some people have complained about the 720p screen... I would be surprised to see it be much worse than the average laptop screen.

 

That is really awesome to hear; and I'll only be watching things on my computer already and sometimes DVD discs, but no Blurays. I did some pixels per square inch calculations and I liked the moderately high numbers I got with the 900p (13,754) as opposed to the very high numbers with the 1080p (19,805). In comparison, my brother's Inspiron 1720, which is at 1920x1200 on a 17" screen, is a bit too high of a resolution for me at 16,916 pixels per square inch. I think 900p is the perfect balance between sharp and usable.

As for the battery life, that is very encouraging as well. A few hours should be fine; I also probably won't be using the battery for demanding tasks, either.

 

Hi!
where can I find my screen brand/model?

 

device manager -> monitors-> double click generic pnp monitor -> details -> from property dropdown choose Hardware ids

 

I apologize beforehand if this has already been discussed, but a quick search yielded no results: how do the 900p and the 1080p displays compare in terms of contrast, color saturation, etc.? Would anyone here recommend the 900p over the 1080p disregarding the cost?

Thanks

 

I just got my 1555 and I have a question. When I try to turn the machine off and click on the power button in the start menu, the computer goes into hibernation and I can't wake it up without forcing it to shut down by holding down the power button and then restarting.

Is this normal? I can still shut down the computer if I go to the extended menu next to the power icon, but if I just click on the power button in the start menu the computer doesn't actually shut down.

Maybe I'm just not used to Vista?

 

Thought I'd add my two cents on the screen resolution debate. I just got a Dell Studio 1555 from the outlet. It said refurbished but it looks literally new. There was even protective plastic around the screen and keyboard.

I ordered one with the 1080p LED screen. It has amazing clarity and color. It's the best screen I've ever seen on a laptop or desktop computer. Since I work with digital photos as a hobby that is a very useful feature for me. My laptop doesn't have a discrete video card --they seem to be offered mostly on the higher priced outlet models. I don't think it's going to be much of a problem however.

Although I love the clarity of the screen everything is pretty small. I increased the font size and the size of the icons..those now look roughly regular size. The sidebar on Vista is very small at 1080p resolution..maybe 3 inches long and there is no way to expand it. If you like to read text from there it's nearly impossible.

Web pages have small print although you can simply up the text size. It's not too bad but some text does occasionally overlap other words due to the increase which can be frustrating.

YouTube is a little frustrating also as the video windows are much smaller almost forcing you to play them full size. Hulu was better as they have bigger windows for their videos. I haven't tried a DVD yet.

You can lower the resolution back down to other settings for web surfing or video. I set it to 1280 x 720 and it didn't look too bad--it looked pretty much like my previous laptop. A text bubble pops up to remind you that it's not the most optimal resolution but the laptop seems to function fine at a lower resolution.

So, my verdict after one day is still undecided. I like the high quality of the screen, but the higher resolution does impact some of the things I like to do on the web. I'm not sure yet if I want to send it back or take a few days to get used to it. It's virtually new so I'm not sure I want to take the chance to exchange for a less brand new model from the outlet.

I would like to hear how others tweaked the settings for this resolution screen. Perhaps there are other tweaks that I am not aware of....

 

If you change your power settings, you can control the behavior of the power button, lid closing, and the Start Menu power button. I think the Start Menu button is set to hibernate by default; you can easily change that to shut down fully.

 

I was really hoping this 8 hr Dell.com laptop deals would offer the studio 15 at really great price but its still not close to how good the deal they had a few weeks ago.

Here are my config w/ my EEP discount

STUDIO 15 Studio 15 Notebook
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
Processors Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6500 (2.1GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Memory 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
Keyboard Standard Keyboard
LCD Panel 15.6” High Definition+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
Video Card Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Hard Drive Size: 320GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
System Color Black Chainlink
Combo or DVD+RW Drive 8X Slot Load Super Multi (DL DVD+/-R Drive + RAM support)
Sound High Definition Audio 2.0
Wireless Networking Cards Intel® WiFi Link 5100 802.11agn Half Mini-Card
Office Productivity Software No Microsoft Office
Software - Antivirus McAfee 30 day Trial
Battery 56 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
Hardware Support Services 1Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
Datasafe Dell Online Backup 100GB for 1 year
Bluetooth Option Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.1)

Total $731.50

And the other deal im thinking goes w/ this 25 percent coupon I found

STUDIO 15 Studio 15 Notebook
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
Processors Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache)
Memory 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
Keyboard Standard Keyboard
LCD Panel 15.6” High Definition+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
Video Card Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
Hard Drive Size: 500GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
System Color Black Chainlink
Combo or DVD+RW Drive 8X Slot Load Super Multi (DL DVD+/-R Drive + RAM support)
Sound High Definition Audio 2.0
Wireless Networking Cards Intel® WiFi Link 5100 802.11agn Half Mini-Card
Office Productivity Software No Microsoft Office
Software - Antivirus McAfee 30 day Trial
Battery 85 WHr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
Hardware Support Services Classic Protection: 2yr Ltd Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
Datasafe Dell Online Backup 2GB for 1 year
Bluetooth Option Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.1)

Total $923.59


I know i get a much better value w/ the second deal (2yr warranty, 500 HDD, 2.2GHz, 9 cell battery) but my budget really is 800 max. I would pull the deal on the first config but i really would like a 2 yr warranty.

 

I posted this in a thread I started in the "which laptop should I buy for college" section, and will post it here as well. Here is my take on the 1555 after first opening and using it this evening:


I got my Studio 1555 today, and my reaction is just wow - this computer is awesome! First, it is considerably smaller & lighter than I imagined it would be. While people talk of the 1555 and other similarly-sized laptops as only being moderately portable, this laptop is certainly quite portable. The computer is fast, the 900p screen is brilliant (I just watched an episode of Seinfeld from a DVD, and the picture was amazing!), and it certainly is the multimedia powerhouse that it is advertised as being. It only gets warm - not hot at all - around the palmrest and touchpad at times, even when the DVD was playing. It is also very silent. The backlit keyboard is a great feature that I am taking full advantage of as I type this post. As I said I thought I would be before receiving my 1555, I am thrilled with this machine.

 

Nice to hear. I will also be getting the 900p screen. Just finished College so im not in the same boat as u but i am going to graduate school. What were the specs for you laptop?

 

I just left it as it was 1080p and 96 dpi. I got used to it. Its awesome

 

Which browser are you using?

Do not use text zoom, but full page zoom. Most newer versions of browsers have this by default, but older ones used to zoom text only.

You shouldn't have overlap if you do full page zoom.

 

Where do I go to change the power settings?

 

Basic Specs:

T9550 Processor (2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo)
4 GB RAM
250 GB HDD @ 7200 RPM
ATi MR 4570 w/512 MB
900p screen
6-cell battery

 

I did a clean reinstall of vista and the audio on my headphones doesn't sound as good as it use to. I used the IDT driver off of dell's website. In my device manger I have two high definition audio devices. One is using the IDT driver and the other is using a Microsoft driver. Also when I plug in my headphones a IDT control panel pops up, this didn't happen before. Anyone with any ideals or tips for getting my audio back the way it was from dell?

Or can someone with a 1555 and blueray player tell me what drivers the system came came with from dell?

 

Well I uninstalled the IDT driver and the audio is better now. Now I have Microsoft drivers on both audio devices. I still would like to know what drivers my 1555 came with from the factory. Can anyone with a 1555 and blueray player tell me what drives there system came with form dell?

 

unfortunately, this is well hidden in vista but here's how to change the button in the start menu:

go into control panel. click 'system and maintenence' and then 'power options'. click change plan settings on the power plan you're currently using. then click 'change advanced power settings'. expand the heading which says 'power buttons and lid' and then expand 'start menu power button'. choose 'shut down' from the list then click OK. you should notice the button in the start menu will go red instead of yellow meaning you can shut down now.

i had to do that when i installed vista as sleep mode on my desktop causes a blue screen. hope that helps!

 

Which browser are you using?

Do not use text zoom, but full page zoom. Most newer versions of browsers have this by default, but older ones used to zoom text only.

You shouldn't have overlap if you do full page zoom.

Thanks GentK, I will give that a try..never used zoom.

 

Thanks! It definitely is well hidden!

Another question, is there a way to get the computer out of hibernation without forcing it shut off and then restarting it? Mine doesn't seem to wake up from hibernation...

 

Thanks JK.
So mine is a MONITOR\SEC5441 which is Samsung Electronics WLED model.

 

Booo... my computer is delayed again? I was called earlier and the web told me I would get it July 8th. I complained to Dell then it got changed to the 1st.... Then on the 1st... I got a call again telling me it was delayed. Now it's the 3rd, and no computer.... the Web still says it's "in production" and that my expected date to receive it is the 1st of July


EDIT: BRUTAL! I could be waiting as long as the 24th of July for the computer. I called Customer Services and they said that I won't get it next week, but will wait until a Maximum of the 24th of July. Effffffff Anything I can do?

 

Can all these delays be due to a new major upgrade?

In April, I had a similar issue (2 weeks delayed) because they integrated new drivers for the GPU and a new BIOS.
I checked Dell Support and there's no new 'significant' downloads available these days. The last one was early June (BIOS vA06).

NOTE: There's also the " Dell System Software, v.6.3.2, A03" from July 3rd, not mandatory but it might be the reason you are looking for...

 

Speaking of BIOS, do you know whether it is advised to turn the Intel virtualization technology (VT) option ON? By default, it is not active.

resource: http://www.asisupport.com/intel_vt_nl_12-05.htm
Some says VT doesn't improve performance, others say it's nice to have but actually opens up security holes. Well, since I'm thinking of running a virtual OS, it might be a useful HW feature...

 

If you run VMs, then you should enable it if your processor supports it.

 

I have no idea what the delay is. I just know it's annoying. I'm trying to get a hold of the Dell Rep I've been talking to and see what he can do.

 

Would it be possible for someone with the 1080p and 900p screens to take a screenshot (screen capture, not photograph) with a word document and web browser open side by side and upload with native resolution? Or for those of you who find 1080p's reproduction too tiny, could you screen capture something you find unreadable? I think that would give some of us a better idea of how small the fonts really are, wouldn't it? Thanks!

 

here you go
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/5218/screenylk.jpg

 

Mmmm... High Res Screens..... I think i'm going to miss my WSXGA+.... I'll have the 900p, but still.....
What's that side bar on the right with the Adobe logos?

 

900p for comparison:
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/2594/900p.png

 

Hey guys,

I've just ordered my studio 1555 on canada day (with the $300 off deal). I just have some quick random questions.

I read in the thread somewhere that it's not good to keep the battery attached to the laptop if i'm plugging the laptop to a power source. Is it tedious to take the battery out? (like unscrewing things, etc). Or is it just pulling it off?

Also, I've seen people say that the estimated delivery time is usually more conservative that the actual time. I ordered mine on july 1st, and its ESD is july 22nd, what time should i expect it to come?

the specs of my studio1555 are:

Studio 15 Studio 15 Notebook
Processors Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache)
Memory 4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 800MHz
Keyboard Back-lit Keyboard
LCD Panel 15.6” High Definition (720p) LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
Video Card 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
Hard Drive Size: 500GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
System Color Black Chainlink
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition, 64-bit SP1
Adobe Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 9, English/French/Spanish
Combo or DVD+RW Drive 8X Slot Load Super Multi (DL DVD+/-R Drive + RAM support)
Sound High Definition Audio 2.0
Wireless Dell 1510 Wireless-N Card
Office Productivity Software No Microsoft Office
Software - Antivirus McAfee 30 day Trial
Battery 85 WHr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
Hardware Support Services 1 Year Limited Warranty w/1 Year Return To Depot Service
Processor Labels Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor
Misc 5 No ISP requested
Bluetooth Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Internal (2.1)

Thanks so much! Also, this will be my first laptop, and i'm planning to use it for university. Is there anything I should be wary of? I'm still sort of confused about the battery stuff (as i mentioned earlier)

 

It's not tedious at all, but you need to pull back a small lock/latch thing to pull it out.

EDIT:
You should know that Lithium Ion batteries can get damaged if they do not have some charge in them. Might be best to leave it in.

Unless they are updating software or there are supply issues, expect it one to two weeks earlier as Dell would rather surprise you positively. However, I've seen some people who had theirs delayed weeks to months.

 

Thanks so much for the quick response.

Yeah, well about the battery thing, I'm going off to university this fall, so i'll be pretty much using my laptop like a desktop at rez. I read somewhere that always plugging in to a power source kills the battery REALLY quickly.

Also, I was thinking of getting a cooling dock sort of thing. I don't really have any experience with them, but i should get the ones with the fans right?

As well, I saw that people mentioned to do a clean install of vista to get rid of the bloatware that dell provides. Is it problematic? I had a experience where I clean installed my computer, and without the drivers, i couldn't connect to the internet to get those drivers. (hence, where it became problematic).

Thanks so much once again!

 

Dell actually doesnt have too much bloatware in comparison to others, but I would rather clean install.

I had no problems getting the necessary drivers, but it might be best to plan ahead and download all the drivers off the Dell website before clean installing.

Dell also provides packages its drivers on a disc, so I doubt you should have problems.

 

900p screen is a worth upgrade imo

 

After a few hours, I have finally finished reading the 150+ pages for this thread. I have some more questions!

I actually got the 720p screen...and i'm sort of panicking because i read alot of negative feedback with the samsung monitors. Are the samsung monitors only shipped to India (as mentioned earlier)? I'm from Canada, did anyone else get 720p and get another manufacturer that's from Canada/North America?

Also, for the people who have the 9 cell battery. I noticed from computer stores that the cooling stations have a slanted design; does the already slantedness of the laptop (due to 9 cell battery) WITH the cooling dock make typing really difficult?

Thanks once again.

 

If a notebook doesn't have heat problems, a cooling station wont do much for it. The Studio 1555 doesnt have heat problems from what I've read. I wouldn't worry unless you notice yours getting warm.

But yes, it does slant it up off the surface a little to allow more air underneath, which helps cooling. Most laptops get warm on laps when they can't breathe.

 

hey, thanks for replying so fast.

I haven't gotten the laptop yet, but i'm planning to buy a cooling dock because i'll be using it almost like a desktop at university. That's why I was wondering about the double slantedness typing issue (from 9 cell battery + dock)

 

Thanks much to JaykaySLO and Manofest!

 

Im from India. Got my 1555 delivered on the 1st and it came with the same Samsung 720p screen... I have none of the color problems the others have been mentioning.. So I'd say they've fixed it!