I9300, impressions after 2 weeks of usage

Hi, just wanna share some impressions I have with my I9300 after using it for 2 weeks.

Well, after a reformat and a complete clean reinstall, everything is working flawlessly. The construction of the laptop is so far so good. No faults of any kind yet.

I never liked the touchpad, prefer to use a mouse where the movement isn't as restrictive. Besides due to the WUXGA resolution, the touch pad is WAY too slow for my liking -- yes you can speed it up, but you lose precision.

The Go6800 is FAST. It is comparable to my desktop's 6800NU, which is quite a pleasant surprise. Within a week or so, I'll probably take apart the graphics board, smear on some arctic silver, and o/c the sucker. When I re-installed everything, I saw that the Go6800 is capable of nearly 50% o/c! Kudos to the low thermal of the PM! There is a *LOT* of headroom for overclockers to tinker here.

Screen: OK I've mentioned that I'm not one for the reflective screens. To me it's a gimmick -- as a productivity machine it doesn't make the system any easier to use, in fact it's more of a distraction. True, the colour seems "brighter", but I suspect is is merely the optical effect of the reflective screen contrasting with the environment.

Anyway after 2 weeks I've becoming a bit annoyed at the screen. I have a low-intensity light source behind me for ambience light, and I can't help NOT to notice it in the screen. I have 2 other LCD panels, the Dell 2001FP and the SGI 1600SW in the same room, both are MUCH more usable imo. My opinion of the glossy screen unfortunately was reinforced rather than being dispelled. I'm sure it's a great screen if all you do is watch an occasional DVD or two or surf the net for fun, but if you want to use it to do some real work, in an environment with ambient light, you'd be much better off with a non-glossy one.

Aside from that, I'm perfectly satisfied with the laptop. Excellent performance, excellent quality.

cheers,

yass

PS: the screen issue probably is amplified by the shear size of the screen itself -- a 17" is a pretty big flat chunk of space -- lots of reflective surface. Compared to some of the laptops with the smaller screens, the glare is probably a lot more noticable.

 

Glad to hear you liked everything else about the 9300. What else can be done to "tone down" that screen, if anything?

* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 512MB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - 40GB HD - CDRW/DVD *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

wyassarian, which screen option did you get and what is your cpu clock speed?

 

Heartofgold, the reason to reformat a brand new computer is too get rid of all the crap that is loaded on that you might not need. They load free isp software, trial software, you name it when you get it. If deleting these programs, they usally leave behind a trace somewhere, the folder is still there, the registry entry is still there. Reformating gives you the peace of mind knowing there is nothing on there, except what you put on. Im going to do that when i get my I9300. Im going to reformat, load all the drivers i need, install all my current programs and games and patch them up and then defrag the hardrive and run scandisk and be good to go. It will just give me the peace of mind and i will know that my computer is running to the best of its abilities.

*Dell Inspiron 9300, P-M 1.86ghz 533mhz FSB, 1GB DDR2 533mhz ram, 17inch UXGA+ screen with TrueLife, 256mb Nvidia GeForce 6800, 60gb 7200rpm drive, XP Pro SP2, WiFi*

*Sony MDR-G74SL Headphones for music and gaming, best 40 dollar pair i have ever bought!*

 

If you are planning on putting 2k Pro on there good luck... I had a hella of a time with it. To save you some heartache here are a couple of hints...

Don't go to nvidia.com for video drivers, these only work on desktop Go ahead and use the XP video card drivers from dell.com/support. They work fine.

Sound Drivers for 2k or xp I couldn't find on dell's site, I had to search google for it, and it linked me to a FTP of dell's that had it, seemed to work fine on 2k but i've heard xp has problems with this driver.

The power management, media controll, and dell software upgrader or whatever I couldn't put on this, said I needed XP or needed a dll or some other problem.

I am so far enjoying this machine, UXGA turns out to be a little much, still impressive however. I'm sending this back due to the fact that they sent it to me after I cancelled because I wanted a different configuration.

Only complaints I have are CDRW/DVD is loud and slow, might be a defect in mine. Power options I couldn't install are nice to have, but thats my own fault for insisting on 2kpro. The quicksnap cover wasn't worth it, doesn't protect anything like I thought it would.

Gaming is fast as hell with 6800, very nice. Was worried since the 6800ultra beat it like 3 times over in benches. Still nice. 512mb of ram works for now, but will probably ditch for more later. 7200rpm drive is noticable, especially in game loading. So far extremely satisfied but only had it for 3 days. Movie watching is fantastic on this, should make for an easier plane trip. Onboard speakers are nice... for laptop speakers, presentation in class with fairly high volume made for a little disapointment, atleast compared to what a regular set of speakers would produce. But for games high enough for me to enjoy it worked fantastically. Hope everyone else who picked this up enjoys it as much as I did.

 

Hey yassarian,
Just wondering,the screen you have is it "glossy" or "Matte" ??

I am thinking of getting this machine for my digital photography business,and the screen and processor speed is the most important aspects of the notebook ???

I was thinking of getting the 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen XGA+ Display (1440x900)
and the Intel® Pentium® M 760 Processor (2GHz/533MHz FSB

ever use it for photoshop or any graphics programs ???

It is between the Inspiron 9300 and the HP Zd8000 ????
Thanks.......shkj

 

I love the reflective screen on the 700m but like you said, it might be because I have less reflective surface to deal with.

Oh and heartofgold, I had the original Dell install image on my laptop for about 10 minutes before it was gone. Just long enough to make sure it worked and to see if there were any dead pixels. (NONE![ ])Then I replaced it with Gentoo Linux.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>
So, You had problems right away??? I'm not 100% clear on what you're expressing . I hear what you are saying (to a point) but more details would help. Or are you saying to reformat a new PC??? I assume you're telling me that the Dell basically was no good from the minute you were up and running. Let me know, Please!

When I ordered my Dell Desktop 3 months ago it came with a defective hard drive. The entire process was an ordeal but My Dell was replaced.

Heartofgold [?][?]

Karma,It'll Get You!
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

No not at all. I am totally happy with it. I just didn't want to spend all the time to replace the operating system if something was defective out of the box. That is why I spent a few minutes to make sure all was well and removed Windows. I even removed the restore partition. I didn't plan on using Windows from the start, but even if I had I would have removed Windows for the same reasons everyone else does. Start with a clean slate, no extra software I don't need. Yes, you can use add remove programs and if you are up to it, remove stuff from the registry by hand. Sometimes it is easier just to start from scratch. Personal preference really.

 

what do you guys use to reformat your notebooks? i use the western digital utility disk for my desktop. this is my first notebook so i dont wanna mess it up lol. i opted for the 60gb hd.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by KrustyKlown

 

Heart of Gold:

Don't worry about this anymore. If you are NOT technically-savvy, you probably won't give a darn what's on the hard drive and whether you're able to reformat it or not. I am somewhere between the beginners and those who can build a computer with nothing but a light bulb and a battery!!! I simply went into ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS in the control panel and removed those things that were obviously junk. If there was something I wasn't sure about (and there are a few items), I will wait until I get to know my computer more intimately before removing.

I have never owned a laptop; this is the first purchase. I wanted the 9300 for the screen size and the graphics capabilities. I love it for everything I got!!! Although I have the WUXGA+ glossy screen, I am not complaining about it. I turned up the brightness a little, and I altered the screen resolution to get bigger font size as much as possible (too big and it's fuzzy). Other than that, I'll probably not do anything else to it.

Order your computer and live with what you like about it. If you don't want to reformat, or don't know how, who cares? It's probably not something you'll really need to do anyway. Enjoy it for what it is: A great graphics editing tool; gaming system; and multi-entertainment piece of technology! You don't need to reformat your hard drive to enjoy gaming or edit a few digital photos!

Good luck and have fun!!!

* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 512MB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - 40GB HD - CDRW/DVD *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by heartofgold
You know I misread your post to begin with. I thought you turned on your Dell and the screen was damaged so it had to be replaced. I didn't read it clearly enough to understand you were making sure it turned on and changed operating systems.

All I want is to really believe the Dell 9300 is working well. Exceptionally well would be nice!

Being terminally ill , computers are my only lifeline. I have to have the option of both my Desktop and a new notebook. Depending on how sick I feel I need the mobility in my home of moving around. My notebook will be bought as a gift to me. I don't have much time left to use the $800 coupon expiring 3/30/05 or after 3000 redeemed. It's now the 28th. I only want to find out as much as possible about the Dell 9300...i'm done with trying to help with the reformat topic!

Heartofgold

Karma,It'll Get You!
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Heartofgold,

hi, the 9300 works exceptionally well for my needs. My complaints were really minor, just wanna voice them if someone else finds them to be important. They are obviously not major issues for me, as I haven't returned my computer yet. lol

In your case thou, you have to decide how much you value mobility. This computer is definitely *NOT* very mobile -- because of it's 17" screen and 8lb of weight. If you really are looking for something very portable, this isn't it -- probably the IBM t-series are better choices.

the main draw of this notebook, imo, is that it's a very nice gaming machine for the price, and that it's a capable multi-media DTR portable. It is not meant to be carried around all the time.

hope that helps,

cheers,

yass

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by shkj

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by heartofgold
Hi,

What a kind soothing personality you have!

I'm grateful for your words and sincerely appreciate the thought put into your post. I also am grateful for the information on your Dell 9300. It is the one for me. I know that.

Thank you so much,

Heartofgold [][][]

Karma,It'll Get You!
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

Another thing... I don't think the computer is too heavy to carry from room to room with you. If you had to walk around a campus all day, I'd say forget it. But, to change rooms from time to time shouldn't be a problem, even if you aren't feeling well. I have all my stuff in the backpack I ordered for it, and I flip it onto one shoulder and go. Not that heavy, really. You could also put it on a small, lightweight rolling cart that you could push from room to room. That would help if you're getting to the point where you're just too weak to carry it.

Well... I guess I've said enough. Take care! []

* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 512MB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - 40GB HD - CDRW/DVD *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

for those wanting to reformat and not to sure how.

first what you wanna do is while the computer is booting up push f7 in the menus there your going to want to set the boot order of the computer to boot from the cd drive first.

now exit out of that and let windows boot up.

put your xp cd in the drive and restart your computer

your computer should now boot up into a blue screen with a couple options one of those options should say something like format a partition and install windows. Choose this option. (if you get to this screen and the options don't sound anything like what I posted post what it says and I or somebody else can send ya in the right direction, I say this cause Im typing from memory here not actually looking at the screens)

the on screen instruction should be pretty self explanitory from there.

once that is done you'll go through all the win xp start up stuff and may have to register your copy of windows.




this is probably the easiest way to do it because you don't have to worry about not having an operating system installed on your hard drive.

 

heartofgold, if you are going to use the computer for such long time frames, i would recommend the WXGA+ (1440x900).

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/learnmore/learnmore.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~id=screen_inspn&~series=inspn&~tab=details

it has the best luminence and contrast ratio dell offers. the table will give you an idea of how big the pixels are (dot pitch) compared to other screen sizes.

 

HeartofGold:

If you're working by candlelight most of the time, the glossy WUXGA screen might be a problem. I was sitting under a slightly dimmed chandelier at the dining room table, and I was fine. But if candles were beside or behind me, I'm pretty sure they would reflect in the screen and become bothersome. If the candles were pretty far out to either side or in front, it might be fine.

As I said before, my screen on the 9300 was dim and I had to adjust the brightness. The resolution had to be changed so I could see the fonts on the screen. And, if I could go back and change my order, I would NOT have upgraded to the WUXGA+ display. It's pretty "demanding" on your eyes.

Let us know how you like your 9300. When is it coming?

* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 512MB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - 40GB HD - CDRW/DVD *

 

I also had to lower the resolution (to about 1280x800) on my Dell 9300 to make the screen text comfortable for me to read. In games, even with the speedy Geforce Go 6800, I can only play an older game like Far Cry at 1440x960. So I'm really wasting the 1920x1200 res. I can tolerate the slight blurriness of the image at lower resolutions.

I do play a lot of games so I like the better colors provided by the WUXGA screen.

I also lowered the brightness and contrast in Windows display properties to 90% to make whites look less bright and greys more natural.

Btw, my screen was manufactured by LG. Many people at notebookforums.com prefer the Samsung screen. Note that you rely on sheer luck as to which screen Dell would give you. But it all comes down to this: LG has more vivid colors, and Samsung has more natural-looking whites. (See post #756 on this page.) I can tolerate the whites on the LG, so I'm happy to have chosen the WUXGA.

Also, sometimes pictures in Internet Explorer had jagged edges. I fixed the problem with the solution on the Dell notebook FAQ at notebookforums.com.

So now I have a LG WUXGA screen that is working pretty decently.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by DeathMoJo

 

Yea, I mentioned it in my original post, that I thought the glassy reflection from such a large screen is bothersome. I frankly don't know how some people would prefer using the glassy screens outdoors -- as even in relatively LOW ambient light I notice the glare and the reflections. Maybe I'm just sensitive. heh

I also have the LG model, still not entirely sure what "sparkle" is... But I'm happy with my display. Color isn't as accurate as my 2001FP, but hey that's pretty much expected. It would seem to me "sparkle" really isn't a problem, but rather someone's preference blown out of proportion.

I'm sure you'll find plenty to like with your new I9300. [ ]

cheers,

yass

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by keviny04

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

HeartofGold:

Thanks for the compliments. You know, it's really important for users of these message boards to try to help each other as much as possible. I think this web site is great... it's been very informative and has helped me make my final decision to get the 9300. Not only that, I've been hanging out here just to learn more about the 9300 and whatever may (or may not) come up with it. One of the things that particularly worried me was this issue of "sparkle" on these WUXGA+ displays. I still don't know what they're talking about because I really don't see it. Perhaps I'm too much of a novice to notice!

Many of the users here are quite technical and seem very knowledgeable. Sometimes, though, that can leave the beginners sitting there going, "What are they talking about?" I don't know what they know, but I do have my own observations and opinions about the 9300 and have no problem sharing them. I didn't want you to make a decision that would not do you any good. If that laptop is going to be your lifeline, you need it to feel as comfortable as an old pair of sneakers or your favorite flannel nightgown! I can only imagine what you're going through. I hope your new 9300 doesn't disappoint you when it gets there. I've heard comments (both negative and positive) about the construction of the 9300. My opinion is that is it relatively sturdy. I've used a few others at work in the past (such as Gateways and IBMs), and it's about the same as the others. Someone here said the screen was a little too flexible. You know, if you twist any screen, it's going to move. It's as simple as that. So, DON'T TWIST THE SCREEN. [ ] Considering that it is a 17" flat screen on hinges, I would be extremely surprised if it DIDN'T move a little.

I had to give my new system to a buddy. He's going to tweak it, load up some good software, and do all the fine-tuning he can. I should have it back by the end of the week. I miss it already.[ ]

After many fights and negative emails to Dell over my initial order problems, I think they felt it was necessary to shut me up. I got a few upgrades I didn't bargain for... Hard drive from 40 to 60; CD-RW was supposed to come with DVD-ROM, but it came with a DVD burner; the 6-cell primary ended up being a 9-cell (I also ordered an extra 9-cell); and the RAM was upgraded to 1 GB. That's a pretty considerable savings. Perhaps it was because I didn't have any coupons or discounts, other than government employee purchase plan (which is not a lot). I've heard people talk about Dell's service before, most of it good. But, to have 3 or 4 problems with them before even getting my equipment -- only to find it upgraded -- was a very nice surprise!

Be sure to add your impressions of the 9300 when you get it. April 7th isn't far off. Did you get the NVIDIA 256MB graphics with it?



* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 1GB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - WUXGA+ - 60GB HD - CD-RW/DVD-RW *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

if you only do light gaming, the x300 with 128mb of dedicated RAM is sufficient.

Go6800 is a VERY capable GPU even by desktop standards! If you play a lot of demanding games like Doom3, HL2, Farcry -- you might benefit from having a go6800.

to give you a rough idea, the x300 with dedicated RAM is somewhat equivalent to the mobility 9700 in speed. And ppl still buys laptops with m9700 to occasionally/often play games.

Summary: U play a LOT of 3D games -- get Go6800, you occasionally play 3D games, get x300.

cheers,

yass

 

HeartofGold:

There's your answer! These people are GOOD in here. Boy!!!!

(Now, on to find the other reply from you.)

* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 1GB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - WUXGA+ - 60GB HD - CD-RW/DVD-RW *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by yassarian

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by heartofgold
Sorry about you having to look for my post/post's...they are all over the place! I see you found it from your response below this message. I'm glad [] I really needed/wanted you to know what a good person you are! [] Someone that treats people the way you do deserves to be patted on the back and acknowledged!

There are a few (very few) people on several of the forums that are absolutely horrible,obnoxious for ridiculous reasons. I couldn't believe the names 2 people in particular (maybe the only 2 on the boards) were calling people and how they behaved. I'm sure there are several (easily figured out) reasons why they do it. These comments get huge threads following them and I'm sure that's part of their thrill.

*With all my recent posts to you I've been afraid to ask what made you decide to have your friend "tweak" your notebook. You know why I don't want to ask, but now out of curiousity what was the main reason you decided on this [?] Was it the screen to make it more comfortable without the blurriness, if not adjusted correctly on my last Dell it took me hours for some reason to get the screen right.*

You said this was the 1st notebook you've owned. I'm sorry and happy you miss it.[][] Do you also have a desktop to use in the meantime [?] If you do, what kind of Desktop is it [?] Don't feel you have to answer. I have to say in a good way that I'm glad to hear you miss your Dell 9300 because it tells me that you must really be enjoying it, which is wonderful to know!

Heartofgold []

Karma,It'll Get You!
<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>


I have a 10 year old Gateway desktop with a Pentium2 running at 333Mhz. Never had a single problem with it, either. I've maxed out the memory, installed new CDRW, modem, and new video card. It's just reaching the end of its useful life (it can't keep up with my workload demands). It has a 6GB hard drive, and I've only used half of it. I love the desktop, and I've had wonderful experiences with Gateway computers all around. I used to support 5 PCs at a former job, and did have to replace a few things. They sent out replacements within 2 days and never questioned me. (And, they were all Americans, too!)

My laptop is back already. I have my friend tinker with it because he has a lot of software to install on it that I don't have to pay for. He's an IT Professional at a university, so he knows what he's doing! I could reformat the hard drive myself, if I wanted to, but I don't see the need right now. Probably down the road (then I will still have to get my friend to reinstall all the software). It's nice to have connections, isn't it?

I have more good comments about the 9300... I LOVE the sound on this thing. My son and I have been sitting here for a couple of hours just playing CDs. If a 17-year-old is impressed with the sound quality, you KNOW it's got to ROCK! And, we played a DVD movie, which was interesting. Any "pictures of pictures," if you will, are a little blurry. But, the rest of the movie is sharp enough to enjoy. Not PERFECT, but fine for normal viewing, in my opinion. I am not at all disappointed in this computer, so far.

Hey, I know the two people you are talking about. It's terrible, isn't it? Come on, guys! Really!!! Grow up!

You can always email me if you want to, Heart. I think you can do that from the top of my reply box, can't you?





* Inspiron 9300 - 1.6GHz - 1GB RAM - 256MB NVIDIA 6800 - WUXGA+ - 60GB HD - CD-RW/DVD-RW *

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by InTheSticks

 

yassarian, the x300 is NOT comparable to the mr9700. This has been a common myth based on falsehood beliefs of benchmarks run on SE and LE cards and sometimes even desktop cards. The x300 is about 70% as powerful as the MR9600.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by AdamMD