Latitude D820 Magnesium alloy case?

Is the exterior case on the Latitude D820 supposed to be made from Magnesium alloy? I read an article that stated the case was in fact Magnesium alloy, but i'm a little puzzled at the moment. It also said the hinges were metal. My new D820 is sitting right in front of me and both the case and hinges appear to be plastic.

Also, how would i go about checking the manufacturer of the LCD screen. I've done a search and checked the service tag on dell, as well as on the computer itself, but the manufacturer was not listed.

 

the magnesium alloy is actually more like a metal skeleton underneath the plastic casing. your hinges are probably metal underneath the plastic.

 

So the chassis is made from magnesium alloy, but the actual case is plastic? Interesting. That i didnt know. I originally thought the entire unit was made from a magnesium alloy (which could have explained the higher price point for the unit). When i opened the box, it really did look like plastic, with all the tiny little imperfections associated with plastic such as little nicks, dings, and ripples.

 

So i was doing a search on how to look up the LCD manufacturer and came across a thread with the details.

First you go to "Device Manager" under the "control panel." Then go to "Monitors," then "Generic PnP Monitors," then click the "Details" tab. Go "Property." Then click the down arrow and go to "Monitor Ids". You should be able to see the code for the manufacturer and google it.

Turns out i have a LG/Phillips LPL0000 lcd panel. NICE!

I have the Vista Business OS if it matters.

I also downloaded dead pixel buddy and found [at least for the moment...knock on wood] one dead pixel at the very bottom right hand corner of my screen. It could be worst.

 

ejl, are you sure portions of the case arent made from the magnesium alloy? Portions of the case have the "cold" feeling of a metal. The little plastic piece above the top of the case, right above the LCD, the black trim that surround the LCD and keyboard, and a couple of the covers on the bottom of the notebook are definitely plastic. They have a different sound and feel to them when you tap on it or touch it.

For those who have the D820, did you buy a notebook sleeve for it? And if so, what brand, and how does it fit?

I just picked up a Targus Slipskin sleeve for the notebook and it's a really tight fit. I have to stretch the corners of the sleeve over the notebook a bit in order to get the zippers closed on the sleeve.

 

For my D420, the lid and the bottom are made of Magnesium alloy.
The LCD Joint, interior keyboard, keyboard surronding, and the palm rests are plastic.

But the magnesium alloy lid should be strong enough, especially the lid, IMO it is stronger than the Apple PowerBook.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834998238

This is the one I use, it fits decently, snuggly but not a battle to fit inside. I put this sleeve in another bag and the lappy is very snug.

Also, I believe the magnesium alloy is the material opposite the screen, in other words the lid. As you mentioned the lid gets very cold because it is indeed metal.