I'll have an M1330, hold the Guinness!

And the good news is, my M1330, which I ordered Sep. 19th, is already with UPS and scheduled to arrive Fri (Sep 28th)...

The other good news, at least I think it's good news, well I hope it's good news, it is good news, isn't it...

...is that my M1330 was apparently built in Limerick... ! Seems that IE's headquarters for all of EU (as well as Africa & Middle East).

On one hand, that's great news, seeing as several of MeM8s are Irish and very respectable chaps, but the bad news is, they all love their Guinness a bit too much...

So, aside from my already long list of possible M1330 issues, I'm gonna freak if I see any Guinness stains on my new Notebook... (roflmao!!!)
... ...

[edit]
"Raw materials are delivered just in time through forty dock doors on one side of the building, manufactured in cells by teams and rigorously tested*. The finished computers are then dispatched via another forty doors on the other side of the building, destined for direct delivery to customers' offices and homes throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa."

*Yeah, well, I think they need to enhance the test process to include the it wobbles, enclose bottle cap test, the "HDD don't quite fit, hand me that hammer, m8" test, the ... lol

 

and the good news is my M1330 did arrive Fri!

The forum's already filled with private reviews and even more issues posts, so I won't re-invent the wheel but I will quickly say that I'm not sure if we all define "build quality" the same or who's to blame for said build quality.

I believe the assembly process is ok (not great, not terrible) - but more accurately stated, the parts may not fit correctly when assembled and thus, it's all really a manufacturing issue. The manufacturing tolerences are clearly not in line with, say, NASA standards and it's up to each owner to decide if said tolerances are within their own personal expectations, particularly when factoring the price he/she paid for their M1330.

I've pictorially documented* the good, the bad & downright fugly I have so far noted with my particular unit, but in the end, I can say that I am quite happy with the outcome and I [currently] see no reason to repair / refit or replace it!

In terms of my own Hype vs. anti-hype post, I'm pleased to say that the hype wins

*What is not apparent in my pictorial is:

• no wobble
• no notably-audible** CPU whine
• no battery-charging whine
• Panel could be characterized as grainy***
• But... NO DEAD PIXELS
• 95% of the keys don't flex (the other 5% are @Middle-right)
• Mic. Array is sensitive enough, if not noise-free enough...
• Headphone jacks are fine****
• No apparent creaking (discovered yet...)
• Fan properly throttles down a few mins after cpu-load removed
• Panasonic seems to eject discs upon demand (via OS & touch-sensitive key)

**I'm guessing I've attened a whole lot more rock concerts in my lifetime than the average M1330 owner - i.e., I saw the Rolloing Stones before they had grey hair...
***but it's my first gloss-based panel and the Sony SZ I demoed recently had the same "look" to it. In any case, quite acceptible imho!
****Well, the left-most port does seem to have a high-pitched noise that is barely-noticable when NOT playing anything.

 

Great Piks...best Ive seen yet!

Worth all my reps.

 

Thx & Thx

Fyi, I used a Canon 350D (Rebel XT) with Canon's 60mm EF-S / Macro lens, all in natural lighting (using a tripod). The XPS M1330 was the excuse I needed to try some "still photography". Model cars & potted plants just ain't my thing... rofl

 

Hot pics. Love this laptop.

 

Thx, I hope to add a few more to te set this weekend!

 

Will you be returning yours, or requesting a replacement? After seeing those pictures...well they screwed you. Thats terrible build quality! This thing costs 2k+ (with taxes) and its absolutely incredible that they do such a crappy job of assembling it.

Mine will most likely arrive in the next days, but after reading sooooo many build-quality issues, I'm pretty sure I'll be returning it, unless it is perfect in every single aspect of build quality, and those chances are probably in the 5-10% range at best.

 

Funny thing is the replacement won't necessarily mean it would be better. They all have some minor faults.

 

Exactly, so I've heard. Thats why I said that if mine has faults I will demand my money back. For 2100$ there should be NO faults.

 

No, as I already noted in my post below, I won't be returning/replacing it. If you consider the list of problems it doesn't have (see my bullet-list) then I would say I did pretty good...

Again, it's not so much assembly as manufacturing problems. Ever bought something from Ikea? Sometimes the parts just don't fit properly because of manufacturing tolerences (or defects). This is the real problem with the XPS M1330.

Last but not least, you're right, for the $$$ (€€€, etc.) one would hope for better quality, but... when all is said & done & you're actually using it in normal working conditions (& in normal lighting)*, the XPS M1330 is really such a nice mix of design & power in a compact frame that I bet you won't be returning it...

*Those close-up shots are just that, macro shots & from half a meter away, the faults are not nearly as bad

 

Well, I added one more (15th from the top) for the time being because I wanted to distinguish between a possibly "curvy" panel and a factual separation between bezel & panel - in one specific area, just right of the right-most mic.

Secondly, I have made a correction concerning my improperly-fitting battery: The battery fits fine, but is slightly loose... . So when I push the battery up against the chasis, you can no longer see the seam (or barcode) but then again, it means I have a loose battery... (but I do prefer the latter, if you can believe that )

 

Don't be worried about asking for a replacement if you want one. I was sent one out and it was perfect but it was just the wrong colour. If they send you out a replacement and you are not happy with it you can keep onto your original notebook.

You don't have to settle for imperfections if you don't want to. If you wanted to as well you could ask for a discount for the item if it is not perfect and you decide to keep it i think that people should be entitled to a discount.
If you called up a rep and told them about this i am sure that they would be able to do something for you. They may ask you to mail some pictures over to them for evidence.

I am glad that you are pleased in other respects with it. I have seen the black XPS M1330 and it is matt it attracts finger prints quite a lot. I think that they could have done with adding a bit more of a sheen to it but it still looks good if black is your thing.

 

I finally got my replacement...and i have to say yeah even with all the initial build issues..the replacement was actually so much better. After reading about all the replacement issues as well here in the forums, i was almost sure i'd be asking for a full refund. but to my surprise the replacement came and it's a keeper.

flat keyboard,
very very little whine, noticeable only in a dead silent room.
red is just pretty, the paint could be cleaner between the red and silver..but eh..
no wobbles, great battery life (6 cell)
btw I requested the Toshiba screen, it's clear and not grainy, the cmo that was in the first unit, in my opinion was bright and grainy.

and finally a $100 off for my troubles. not bad so puts my machine at 1900.
t7500, backlit led, 2g ram 160 (7200 rpm) hd,

anyhow just thought i'd let others know, the second builds seem to be much better.

good luck on the replacement if you decide on one.

 

I think I have a TMD panel too (at least device/vendor id is LCD2306...). Either way, I'm not sure if it's grainly or not, but I just looked at Sony's top SZ6 model today and it's LED panel has the same exact look & brightness.

Wow, that's a great deal! Did you incl. taxes in that figure? Anyways, I paid about $2,200 (incl taxes) for mine & have a cheaper hdd (see sig). I think the 7600rpm ver. would have run me at least another $50.

Btw, does your HDD "tray" (both on original & replacement units) stick out a bit? What about the Express Card? What about yours, rachuk?

Anyways, thanks to both of you for your suggestions & feedback! Aside from the various anomalies, I'm sure you'll both agree with me that the 1330 is none the less one cool-looking Notebook...

 

On some post in some forum I read about someone unhappy with the build quality of their macbook. On another post, someone was unhappy with their Sony's battery (being loose). An so on. So I thought that before I dog out Dell any further, I'd run on down to the local mega-electronics-mart and check out a few Notebooks in the same class (eg. compact, upper-price range, etc.)

There were only two that fit the profile, a Fujitsu-Siemens Amilio and Sony's new SZ6 line (VGN-SZ 6 AWN/C). The Amilio was (build-wise) good: not perfect, but close enough. Unfortunately I didn't note the price of tha Amilio, but it certainly was not less than €1700 ($2400) and the Sony was at €2300 ($3200) - both incl. 20% taxes. Of course, these are list prices for new products but keep in mind that in many EU Countries, it's a take-it-or-leave-it price. In such mega-electronics stores, the best case is a 5% discount if you pay cash... .

So anyways, the SZ model I looked at had pretty much the same specs as my 1330: T7500, 8400M GS, 2GB DDR2, 160GB HDD@5400, etc. It lacks an HDMI port, but it has a PCMCIA card for legacy devices. Furtheremore, Sony has a native docking port which I would say is a definate plus, even if you don't have plans on using it, you never know... ! I would also say that Sony's SW package is a touch better than Dells, having the usual CD burining and Webcam SW but also Pshop Elements 5 and WinDVD 8.0. Last but not least, Sony provides a built-in WWAN card, so you can figure €100 of the price tag's for that WWAN.

So stripping off the wWAN card & our 20% taxes, let's say the Sony's "base" price is €1800 ($2500). I paid €1300 ($1800) for my 1330. Thus, the Sony would cost me €500 ($700) more. That's a bit too much to pay for a docking port, PCMCIA & Pshop elements 5, imo.

But, I forget, throw in the dual-GPU switch, which selects either the 8400M GS or the on-board Intel soultion. Power or battery life, the choice is yours... Now Sony's price is looking less ugly... .

Now here comes the killer, I couldn't find one build issue with the Sony, not one single issue! And believe you me, I looked at all six sides. As a matter of fact, I probably made the store clerks a bit uneasy, lol! Every seam fit snug, there was no protruding HDD tray (in all fairness, Sony hides their HDDs inside of the chasis, so they couldn't have such a problem). The Bezel around the panel is designed in such a way that there are no visible seams (i.e., "dust collectors") to be seen. Last but not least, if you think the 1330's LED lid is thin... Sony's is half as thick... As a matter of fact, I just can't figure out how the heck they manage to make that lid... .

I personally couldn't afford the extra €500/$700, but believe me, if I could, I don't think I would hesitate to trade my 1330 for that SZ... if only Dell had managed to get the build quality under control, then there would be less to envy...

 

I never had any build issues the issue i had with my notebook was slight cosmetic scratches on the lid. Like i said if you are not satisfied with the build it is your right to return it for a replacement.

I prefer my notebook to the Sony looks wise i ordered a pearl white XPS M1330 through Dell which i like the look of. I have also seen an SZ as well. That is just my preference though.

A Sony the same price as mine you are talking £1,699 and that does not include any extra warranty if i added that on it is about £2,000 but mind you can sometimes swing free warranty with Sony and that is about it. Only the premium models have the led screen. I paid less than £1,200 to Dell when i ordered.

Dual graphics is good and maybe Dell could put that into a future model. I am though pleased with battery life and when i get an SSD drive that i am expecting soon i expect that it will improve my battery life even further. The SSD drive i basically bought with some compensation money that i got back from Dell.


The Dell also has a 128MB dedicated graphics card.

I also would not want the XPS M1330 lid to be any thinner than it is as i am already concerned about damaging it.

The non premium SZ Sony's are quite good value but they don't have the LED screen.

 

Our M1330's 8400M card does have dedicated memory, but it doesn't mean GPU itself is a plug and play part.

From what I've read, the GPU inside our machine is soldered on to the motherboard, which means, if it needs to be replaced, Dell will have to replace the motherboard.

 

Really...??? Oh, that's bad news... So much for upgrading...

I published a few pics of the cpu area & I thought the biggest flip-chip was the GPU, but maybe I forgot to count the south bridge (since there are only three chips being actively cooled... . Have a look please and tell me what you think.

 

Yah I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the mobo. Even the service manual doesn't have anything about replacing GPU.

 

Well, like I mentioned to McG!ver below, aside from the mentioned cosmetic issues, my unit is perfect (so far) and I don't want to take a chance on a replacement, even though I've understood you can keep both (...but for how long?) But this issue is now a moot point (see my next post )

Fair enough, I have to agree with you that overall look of the XPS M1330 is more eye-catching than the rather dry, business-oriented SZ. There is however no question that Sony's design naturally leads to a better build quality though... . Have a look at it the next time your in the store.

In any case, thanks for your input and yeah, it's nice to know that Dell will do what they can to satisfy there customers

 

True, plus there is only one ZIF socket visible. In that case, the gpu must be the middle chip, because it must be actively cooled. It's certainly big enough, right! I can't imagine that it's the North bridge, which must be the right-most cooled chip.

Like I said, bad news, no upgrade path there... !

 

Well, I stand partially corrected!

I mentioned above that the bezel over the panel was bowed near the right mic and I assumed it was a badly-routed cable. I managed to pry the bezel open (following service manual instructions) and found half of a small plastic cable retainer that had broken off. This piece of plastic was the reason why the bezel was bowed. Foreign body removed, et voila, no more bowed bezel As for the broken cable retainer... no sign of any other problem so I'm not going to worry about it.

The next thing is that I removed the HDD, re-seated the cover and managed to get the cover to almost sit flush up against the chasis! In any case, you can no longer see the cover protruding when viewed from the top! If I wanted to really make it a 100% fit, I'd get out my Dremel and do a little adjusting to the screw holes in the cover, but I'm not that picky (maybe on one of those days when I'm bored stiff, but those are far and few between, lol).

So I would rate the former issue as a definate assembly problem and the latter as a manufacturing issue.


Oh, and btw, Im now in a damn good mood :wink:

 

Hi Traveller,

I'd send it back because of that wonky Intel sticker if I were you .

Nice photos. I have a black M1330 coming hopefully by early next week and I'll be happy if it has relatively few problems like yours. I had a battle with Dell over the backlight bleeding on my original XPS 2. Don't want to go through that again!

Cheers,

jahboo

 

lol, I've seriously contemplated removing them... (just been too lazy so far )
Best of luck with your own unit & don't worry, it's still one of the best NBs in it's class on the market and you'll certainly be happy with your choice

 

Cheers. Fingers crossed.

Saw a good review in What Laptop? today so I'm pretty sure it's going to be perfect for me.

Cheers,

jahboo

 

Hey guys, I have my fingers crossed too...
my 1330 will arrive sometime within the next week..I really don't want to have to go through the pain of getting a replacement and then another replacement and so on..

 

cool pics! do u hear any really low static? not a big deal at all? just wondering. I get it from time to time on my new 1330. i'm trying to
see if it is something in the environment.

thx.

 

No, at least not that I noticed. When the Hardrive is actively "seeking" for a long time (eg. HDD benchmark), the drive sounds a bit like static, but other than that, just the fan noise and maybe just a touch of whine... .

Since I only hear the above sounds when I have my ear say, 2.54cm (1") away from the puppy, I can hardly put it down on "the" list...