Dell and Vista/Gaming

Hi I've placed an order for Inspiron 1720

Vista Home Premuim
INTEL CORE 2 DUO T7300 2.00GHz,800,4M
17.0" UltraSharp¿ Widescreen WUXGA (1920x1200) TFT Display with TrueLife¿ (Wide Viewing Angle)
Jet Black Colour with Matte Finish & 2.0mp camera
Memory Dual Channel 4.0GB (2x2048) 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
160GB (5,400 rpm) Sata Hard Drive
NVIDIA® GeForce Go 8600M GT with 256MB DDR2 dedicated graphic memory
Includes Bluetooth and Intel Next Gen Wireless N

I have heard that Vista Home Premuim 32 Bit will not use 4GB Ram but less and to take advantage of the full 4GB Ram you need Vista 64 Bit.

I dont really understand all these "Bits" and different Vista Versions. Will Dell provide the 64 Bit version with the laptop or not and would I be better off with the 32 Bit for now and upgrade later?

Also is it worth considering Vista Ultimate?

I am going to use the Laptop as a desktop replacement so basically during the day for work and evening for gaming and playing online. I plan to play the latest games thats why I opted for the Inspiron over the XPS 1710 simply because of the Directx 9/10 issue. I have read in the forums that with a screen resolution at 1900x1200 the Graphics card will struggle for gaming, is this true. I explained to the sales rep that I want one for gaming and he recommended the XPS and the Inspiron but said that the XPS is directx 9 and the Inspiron is 10 so I opted for the Inspiron. I have maxed out the RAM to 4 GB and will this help when working with a word/excel and internet open at the same time with radio on and gaming open all at once?

 

You were more than likely ripped off for that ram, you should have bought it aftermarket...

 

You're so very helpfull Vostro

Dell will supply the 32bit version, but I <think> you can ask M$ to send you a 64bit.
Ultimate is hardly ever worth the extra money you need to pay, unless you want to use multiple languages for instance, or really need that back-up application.

The 8600M DDR2 will NOT be able to produce enough FPS to game smoothly at 1900x1200 (maybe when you drop to low settings).
For gaming, the XPS1710 would have been a much better option (with the 7950). Though it's DX9 only, it plays DX9 MUCH better than the 8600M. DX10, following general opinion, isn't really required for the next couple of years.

The 4GB, under Vista32, will only be 3,25 (approx.). But yes, when you're going to game (new games) you'll notice the extra RAM. Under Vista64, you'll have the full 4 GB available, but you won't notice a substantial difference between 3,25 and 4 GB.

 

I was given a discount on the Ram so I went for it. I have heard that the 8600 card has 256mb dedicated and can use upto 768mb from Ram. So if I allocate lets say 512mb Ram ould Vista use 3,25GB or will the 8600 take the memory from the 3,25GB?

 

The allocation is automatic, so you can't intervene.
The GFX will decide how much it needs, and it will take this from the 3,25 Vista can use. If the GFX decides it needs 512MB, it'll take 512MB from the 3,25 GB, resulting in 2,75 GB available for Vista. If the GFX decides it needs 256MB, Vista will be left with 3 GB.

If you're just using IE (or FF), or Office (or OpenOffice), ... the GFX won't consume any additional RAM. This feature will only kick in when gaming, or doing heavy graphics Do also keep in mind that, while your GFX does control a certain amount of RAM, it IS slower than your normal VRAM.

 

It'll take the memory it can utilize, so if windows tells the software your using to run the device it's got 3.2GB, it'll take a chunk of that pie. Although I certainly ain't an expert so take my answer with a pinch of salt!

 

So would I better off with 64 Bit?

 

If you think you'll need the full 4 GB: YES (probably won't be the case though)
Do also keep in mind that with Vista64, all the programs you want to use will need a 32bit installer, in order to get them installed on Vista64. This might be a problem with older games/apps.

I think, atm, you're better off with 32bit, and take the loss of the 750MB. In the future, you can always upgrade to 64 bit (when it's more supported) and get use off your full 4 GB

 

Actually yes 3.25 GB or so only will be available totally for the system and if the GPU wants more memory besides its 256 MB dedicated it can take only from that 3.25 GB portion since it is all that is available to the OS.... The only way you efficiently can make use of the full 4 GB is going with a 64-bit OS or by using the /PAE switch (which I dunno how far is effective)...

Also 1920 x 1200 resolution is way too high for the graphics card to handle at high settings (even for the Desktop gfx card - Geforce 8800 Ultra).... Something upto 1440 x 900 is easily possible and more than that I doubt....

 

The /PAE switch isn't really something I'd recommend to the common user. It forces 64bit, but 32bit applications will expect 32bit memory mapping. This could cause some big problems.

 

Na mate, stick to 32bit.

 

Alright so I'll stick to 32 Bit and upgrade in the future. As for the gaming side I dont understand why Dell would offer screen resolution of 1900x1200 if the graphics card is not upto the job. I 've never seen or played any games on pc/laptop this high so I would not know, this is my first time I have opted for the max resolution with glossy screen. I know that the glossy screen reflects alot but man you will have windows around you, is it an annoying experience with glossy screen? As for games if I play you could say meduim settings would that compensate for the high resolution?

 

You can easily game at non-native res. While some say it degrades quality, I really can't tell the difference in quality between native 1900x1200 or any non-native reso when gaming.
The glossy screen will of course reflect light, and act like a mirror. However, since you're in front of it, most light will be blocked by your body (coming from my experience).
If you drop settings, you might be able to game at a higher resolution. Don't expect it to be the same though. The 8600M isn't equipped for gaming at high resolutions (due to its 126bit bus).

 

The 8600M isn't equipped for gaming at high resolutions (due to its 126bit bus).>>> Then why would they stick an 8600 card with 1900x1200 screen?I personally feel that I am caught in the middle. I require a laptop urgently but the "real" graphics card will be out in a few months time and I cant simply wait that long. I have heard of the XPS1730 had a word with Dell Rep but was told its just a rumour (maybe coz they wanted me to opt for the XPS1710) who knows.

 

No it does not foce 64-bit on 32-bit applications... It just makes use of a 36-bit mode for memory mapping alone.... Physical Address Extension is done using extra 4-bits and is available right after the Pentium Pro series of processors or so.... The kernel can at a time see only upto 4 Gb of memory space (including all the mapped registers and stuff).... So the extra memory can be made use of by making use of extra 4-bits and accessing the remaining location when needed.... But still at a time only 4-GB memory space can be accessed....

It may cause certain problems because I could not get any data over the net regarding this and neither have I been able to try it....

If you that badly want a high performance gaming notebook then buy a desktop PC at a cheaper rate than a notebook dude.... You can get a 256-bit GPU in that instead

 

Dells decision I'm afraid. Probably because the 8700 has a long queue for delivery ... and that the Inspiron is NOT the gaming line from Dell (that's XPS and Alienware)

The 8800M will be out some day, though nobody knows when exactly

Dell rep will hardly ever give out dates for new products: they need to sell their old products first

 

I just have checked the Dell website and they are offering 3GB Ram, that was not available when I ordered, only 2GB or 4GB, If I had an option to downgrade from 4gb to 3gb that would save me £199...Oh thats Dell and If I cancel or change the order then it take even longer to the point it wont arrive. I am laughing at myself now thinking why does it happen after I order.

 

I don't get the sense that they were necessarily pairing the 8600 and WUXGA for optimal performance, just offering the most cost-effective (for them) options in each case- the 8600M GT was the best card they could work into the system, and the 1920x1200 was the best screen they could work in. Personally, while I'm still getting used to it, I'm really appreciating the extra screen real-estate that a WUXGA screen offers for the 90+% of the time I'm not gaming. I'll worry about tweaking down the reso for gaming when the time comes. In other words, there are reasons to get the WUXGA besides gaming; in fact, as people have been stating on this thread, getting it ONLY for gaming might not be the best idea.

 

im guessing the 19x12 res is meant to be for HD movies only

 

getting it ONLY for gaming might not be the best idea.>>>> Yeah I know half the screen for work and half for gaming and with 17inch screen I THINK i have lots of space. When I work i dont do seroius gaming, just like to pass time if im bored, only in evenings I'll use the full screen and that too maybe 3/4 a week for long gaming sessions over broadband.

 

Hello Alkqaeda.. Is that some greek name or linked to something else? maybe counter strike ... I dont have a hd drive/blu ray or whatever its called. It wont be for sometime unless they released an external drive then I will consider. I think you can use XBOX 360 hd drive on pc/laptop not sure how it works.

 

The 720p will play fine even with a 1280x800 screen and a 1080i or 1080p will play fine even on a 1680x1050 screen.... (Just 30 pixels less wont make much of a difference )

720p = 1280 x 720
1080i/1080p = 1920 x 1080

 

i have yet to see a 1680x1200 screen

 

Oops made a typo.... It is 1680 x 1050 (Hardly 30 pixels less wont make much of a difference u know )

 

How much ram can the Inspiron Have? The reason Im asking is that in the configure screen it says 3072MB [2x1024+2x512] with I guess means 4 slots for ram and for 4gb ram it says 4096MB [2x2048 ).

The base price for the inspiron was £949 with 1.8ghz processor(t7100) after ordering this the next day the price dropped to £849 with the same processor and I upgraded by paying £58 for 2.0ghz(t7300).

Today the base price is £879 with the 2gz as standered and the t7100 1.8 is dropped. I ve never asked for compensation of any sort but was offred a discound on the ram at half price becuase of the £100 price drop Thats why I upgraded to 4gb. After configring with the same specs today the price diffrence stands at around £50 before it was around £150 when they dropped the price by £100. USA folks seem to get generous compensation with delays and price differnce do you think I have any chance, I wont mind having a free dell remote or something like that.

 

I originally placed order on August 6th and thought it was enough time for early september for uni but was wrong and now the date stands as of today at 20 septmeber

 

And if I downgrade the ram to 3gb I save £200 which could be better spent. But i beleive if dell allow me to make changes then the laptop wont arrive at all

 

I also have 4Gb of ram and vista sees 3582MB. 1535MB of that is shared for more video memory.

 

Hi Thomas 3582mb is more promising than 3025mb

 

err ... you have 1,5 GB shared? are you sure?

 

jep;





in the picture below you can find my total "found" ram:

 

wow
had no idea GFX could take up so much of your system RAM (when needed) ^^

 

me neither, before i found that out

 

As I said earlier, Vista forces turbo cache on all cards... It takes a load of system ram and alocates it to the GFX card dynamically. I've seen it as high as 2GB... Why does MS do that is beyond me...