New Dell Studio 17 announced (Studio 1745/47)

afaik, the touch-screen for the Studio 17 was never a 1080p, neither was this option available...
the last time you could get a 1080p was back in december 2009, but only non-touch

 

yeah I think I was mistaken I ordered one from the outlet....killer deal


Studio 17-1747
17.3 Multi-Touch HD Screen (900p)
Windows 7 Ultimate
Core i7-720M
2 500GB HDs
1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650
6 GB DDR3 SDRAM
DVD RW Drive
SoundBlaster Sound Card
9 Cell Battery
Back-Lit Keyboard
Bluetooth

For $1030 Shipped

I couldnt let it go. I priced it new and it was like $1800. We shall see should be here next week.

 

Greetings,

I'm seriously considering this laptop (Studio 17, 1747). I've read this entire thread over the past several days, and it seems in general that the reviews and comments are good (overall). But, honestly, the posts all have started to run together, so at the risk of being shown the search function, I'll ask my questions .

Overall, are people happy with the build quality of this machine? I thought I read elsewhere that Dell might be refreshing this laptop in the near future (with a new graphics card at least). Would it be best to wait to see if they do (and how long should one wait)?

What Windows Experience Index scores are you all getting. I realize WEI aren't a true measure of a machine, but give a somewhat apples-to-apples method of comparing different machines.

Thanks much!

 

well, the windows score could be found using search
i've told about mine here, i don't think it changed much the past months
(my machine details are in my signature)

about the "new 1747", its called 1749 and out for few months already. it uses the new i3/i5/i7 with 2 cores instead of the i7 with 4 cores in the 1747 and it uses a ATI Radeon HD 5650 instead of the 4650 in the 1747. this are the main aspects i think. don't know much about the details of this laptop

i've got my 1747 for about 5 months now and i really like it. expecially the 1080p screen, look if you can get one of those if you consider ordering

a few downsides of the 1747:
- it gets quite warm at the palmrest, the touchpad and even more under this parts at the bottom (don't place the laptop on your "lap" for too long...). this really is some downside if you are using the laptop the whole day long... (and not using a external keyboard)
- the build quality overall is nice, but not perfect. there are some small glitches in the case (which doesn't bother me much) and you need to be careful with the screen-part, as the case seems not to be that stable (but i didn't have any problems with it so far)
- throttling, as you might know, is present with the 90w PSU. just order a 130w PSU for free and use bios A08 (i'm still on A07 though)
- people complain about the fan being to noisy and switching on and off to often (didn't have any problems with that)

thats it i think. overall a very good laptop i would say

 

This is a great laptop and if you can get a outlet deal even better yet. I would hold out for the RG+B 1080 HD screen.

Its the single most amazing led screen I have even seen. It will spoil you to the point you wont settle for less.

 

My Windows 7 score with the Studio 17 i7core 720m is as follows.....

Processor 7.0
Memory 7.3
Graphics 6.7
Gaming graphics 6.7
Primary HD 5.9

System specs Dell Studio 17.3 900p
i7Core 720 QM
4Gig DDR3 1066
1Gig 4650 ATI
2-500Gig 32Mb Cache 7200 HD's
Backlite Keyboard
8x DVD +R/-R Burner
This laptop handles all my Video rendering in High Def AVCHD in Vegas 9Pro as well as my games quite easily, no complaints at all...only issue was resolved when Dell supplied us with 130Watt PS replacements......

 

Does the Studio 1745 and 1747 still have the strange fan behavior?
If yes, you can also put the 1749 at this list.

I wonder when Dell will take this issue serious and change the fan controller within a new bios version.

 

Any thoughts on the Studio 15 vs. the Studio 17? I'm ready to get a new laptop, and this is a bit of a stumbling block. I had decided to get a 17-inch because it was only about £70 more than the 15-inch, yet it had a 7200 rpm hd, a higher resolution screen and a 1gd graphics card (compared to 512 on the 15-inch).

But after looking at some in a shop, I wasn't sure I'd get used to the larger size (use this on my lap on the couch). Also, I read that the higher resolution could actually be harder to see, and I want something easier to see. Not to mention that the faster HD can get hotter and make more noise. So I decided to buy the 15-inch, but when I called in the sales line was closed. This was on a Wednesday night and the sale ended that night (I couldn't order online as I'm in the UK but wanted to ask for a U.S. keyboard and had been told before that I couldn't make any changes after an order had been placed -- and you have to ask for the keyboard on the phone). The deals aren't as good this week so I'll have to wait until next Thursday when they change again, and I've gone back to mulling over the 17 vs 15 issue.

Any thoughts?

FYI, I'm looking at getting the Studio 15(N0055803) or the
Studio 17(N0074904). I don't know what model these are (as in 1745, etc.).

 

The Video must be at least 1GB with 2-500GB 7200rpm hard drives and 8GB 1333mhz memory is only available in the 17 as a desire.

Just ordered mine for total cost of $2371.16 in USA.

I maxxed out the order and was looking at the Alienware 17 as my other possibility. The price of over $3000 was just a little too much for me.

BTW I ordered by phone and the Dell Agent asked a tech nearby about the Throttling issue;
I was told it was taken care of and that my order should be hassle/trouble free!

That always makes me nervous.

My XPS M1330 had a fair amount of problems though is still working.

If you are a gamer then 1GB will do you well for a few years.

512 mb is fast becoming not good enough for video.

It's a shame we are too many times limited to a choice of less than we want by lack of funding.

Good Luck!!!

 

Let us know what you think when you get it! I honestly got largely turned off the 17-inch when I heard it ran hotter and louder (with 8mb ram and a 7200 rpm hd) and that the higher resolution made things sharper but smaller (not sure if that's an issue when you can just bump up the size with ctrl+). All those issues probably won't be a big deal when it comes down to using it, though, so that's probably not a problem. And the big screen is beautiful!

I'm not a gamer so I think 512 graphics card should be fine, and the two systems I'm looking at were (and will be again, I imagine) separated by only a little in price. On the one hand it seems silly to get the 15-inch when the specs are lower than the 17-inch that costs only a little more (and paying 70 quid more isn't a problem), but at the same time I'm very comfortable with the size of the 15-inch I currently have and am not sure about bumping that up. Decisions, decisions. I hate to tell you how much thought went into which color to get, lol.

 

Hey skibbie,

My order delivery date as per the phone conversation is May 7, 2010 or before.

We will see if this happens!

I will keep you posted when it arrives.

My XPS M1330 with 4GB DRAM and 500GB 7200rpm hard drive runs real hott!
I have a $60 laptop cooler under it that works real nice, but believe me it has to be running all the time.
The CPU's max out alot as I run a number of Apps as well as many open windows in Firefix and IE at the same time.

The Studio 17 with 8GB of 1333mhz DRAM with the Core i7 820QM 1.73GHz (3.06GHz Turbo Mode, 8MB Cache) will make one heck of a difference no doubt!

Very sure the 17 will require a cooler as well.

BTW I have a high ampacity/wattage APC UPS that can handle the entire LAN setup here at home with 3 laptops, 4 external networked 1TB hard drives on a Wired Ethernet Linksys 8port router. (No wireless!!!)

Many equipment failures I have seen here on this site no doubt come from stray line voltage shifts down below 100volts and is the quiet killer.

I reccommend anyone with a quality investment in electronics to invest in a damned good UPS!

Good Luck!!!

 

Thanks! I think it's hard to go too wrong with an updated new laptop; hope you enjoy yours!

 

Does anyone know if it's hard to change a keyboard on the studio 15 or 17 inch? Meaning, is it hard for someone who *never* opens her laptop herself and finds the thought a bit nerve-wracking. I watched a tutorial online and it looked easy enough. I would like to order a U.S. backlit keyboard and put it in a new UK machine (presumably this will work if the original keyboard wasn't backlit?). Will that void my warranty on the laptop, though? And if so, couldn't I just switch the keyboard back if I needed warranty work done?

The issue is I want to order a laptop, and the deals online with coupon codes and cashback sites are much better than what the sales rep can give me on the phone -- but I have to call in if I want the U.S. keyboard put in, that can't be done online. I really just want it to come ready to use and would much rather not bother with switching it out myself, but don't know that it's worth paying something like £160 extra to order by phone so that dell can do the otherwise free switcheroo of putting in the keyboard I want.

 

Did you want to buy an i7? If you click through build number N0074908 on DMX dimension studio 17 page:

Dell Studio 17 Cheap Deals and Evalue Code Comparisons

you will see that you can add a backlit keboard to the build for £30.....and you'll get 5% off with the coupon code.

Order this build number on the Dell website by clicking through from topcashback.co.uk and you can get another 5% cashback.

 

I can tell you for sure if getting to the keyboard is similar to the Dell M1330,
(Which can't be very different!)
Is a quick and fairly simple affair.
It all depends on how the power gets to the backlit keyboard as compared to the regular. At the worst there is another tiny cable that requires power for the backlit keyboard which would mean just a little more work for you.

Taking apart laptops today is actually so much simpler than 5 years ago.
Many parts are upgradeable now. CPU, SDRAM, Hard Drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, Multicard and even the GPU on some laptops.

Good Luck!!

 

Hey Skibbie,
Just received my new Studio 17 and I am very impressed with the backlight keyboard.
It really makes a difference at night.
By the way, it's quiet and no fan noise yet.

Don't expect any, but we'll see.

 

No fan noise?? Then it must be broken...

Congratz with your system.
I wish I could have chosen for the backlit keyboard. I'm waiting till the first ones will be sold aftermarket.

 

I think I've decided to just upgrade the computer to the point that the 10% discount kicks in when I order on the phone, and thus let dell put the U.S. keyboard in for me, lol. I'll give up on the money back from Quidco, as some people say it never tracked for them, anyway. Oh, and I've decided on the 15.6 inch. Sounds like that backlit screen will be well worth the cost. We may go ahead and install one ourselves on hubby's laptop if he likes mine.

 

@ ChetanG
Imho notebook systems aren't that vulnerable of stray line voltage shifts, because of the battery. A good working battery is the notebook's own UPS. Only your power adapter can be knocked down by serious power surges.

A little off topic:
There are regions in the world where the electrical power network isn't that reliable as it should be. For me I live in one of the most reliable areas in the world, but it can always go wrong somewhere. For sure on the mainland in Europe where we're all connected. Besides a power surge is the right frequency even more important.

 

I posted on here a while back about a Studio 1745 I purchased from the outlet with a 2.8ghz dual core processor and 4gb of RAM which had random freezing up issues from an error 9 code in iastor. Also about how Dell tried to pass off a brand new Studio XPS 1640 with 6gb of RAM, but a 512mb video card as opposed to the 1gb my Studio 1745 had. Well here's how things turned out...

I ended up getting one of Dell's chat support reps to send me a replacement Studio 17 system. After a long wait, I ended up getting a brand new 1747 with many upgrades; i7 Q720 processor, backlit keyboard, bluetooth, Sound Blaster X-Fi MB, Intel 6200 wifi card, 6gb of RAM and the web cam with facial recognition.

Needless to say, when I saw the spec sheet I was overjoyed with how many upgrades they gave me for free. Props to Dell on coming through. Unfortunately, I quickly noticed a problem after booting up the system...they gave me the 900p screen instead of the 1080p screen the 1745 had. It was easy to tell as the 900p screen looked horrible side by side with the 1080p display. Viewing angles were the worst I had ever seen on an LCD, there was no sweet spot. No matter how to tilted the screen, the shift of contrast and color was different from top to bottom.

I went back to Dell's chat and tried my best to have them send out a 1080p screen to have installed. Worst case scenario, I would tear down both systems myself and swap the displays. I really wanted to avoid that though, because I was sure that it would void my 4 year complete care warranty.

So anyway, I explained to the rep that while I appreciate all the upgrades, this downgrade was one that I simply could not accept, since I'm a professional photographer and a quality display is crucial for editing. She kept putting me on hold to see if she could help. She kept coming back and trying to explain that I'll have to accept it as my replacement since they gave me all the upgrades, it was a trade off that I would have to deal with. I was persistent though and told her that I refused to accept this fact. I even through out the "if you guys can't make this right for someone who's been a loyal Dell customer for a decade, I'm going to buy a Macbook Pro", hahaha.

After making me hold one final time, she came back and said she talked to her supervisor again and explained my issue. He agreed to have the system sent back to their repair department and they would swap out the display for a 1080p panel. While they were at it, I had them ship me out a 130 watt power supply with no questions asked.

So now I sit here with the exact laptop I wanted in the first place and I still can't believe it myself. I remember being kinda bummed that I had to settle for less since I purchased a pre-configured system in order to get the 1080p screen which was no longer an option. Now I have a i7 with everything I wanted with a 4 year complete care warranty for only $1,300! Dell, you made me one happy customer.

It turns out the 1080p screen they swapped is a different panel than the one which was in my 1745. The hardware ID of the 1747's panel is, AUO109D. The hardware ID of 1745's panel was, AUO149D. One distinct difference between the two is that the reds on the 1747 are a lot less over-saturated in a side by side comparison to the 1745. It makes me wonder if it's not a BG+R like the one that was in the 1745. There was one dead pixel and a lot of light leakage on the 1745's display, so I'm happy regardless.

 

AUO149D is the B+RG panel.
Not sure if it is the same as BG+R.

 

Does the 1080p screen have a better viewing angle vertically than the 900p ? The 900p one I have now has a really poor vertical viewing angle especially compared to the vostro 1500 I had prior to it.

 

Absolutely! The user manual (you can get this off the Dell support website) quotes vertical viewing angles of 50/50 (I'm guessing degrees) H/L for FHD(1080) vs 15/30 for the HD+(900). Also 92% colour gamut vs 60%, 300 nits brightness vs 220, and I'm betting far superior contrast ratio, though that's not quoted. I'd post a picture of the page, but I can't figure out how to post a one (doh!).

I have the 1080p B+RG and believe me it's fab.

 

absolutely!
get a 1080p screen if you can!

 

I just ordered a Studio 17 1747 (8GB, i7 820QM 1.73GHz, B+RG/FHD display, ATI 4650, dual 500GB HD, Bluray, Centrino 6250) from the Dell Outlet store ... scored a decent price ~1400, with a 15% off refurb coupon, so am pretty jazzed to check it out.

Having read through ~20 pages of this thread, had a few questions I wanted to sort out?

- with a dual HD config, can I expect the system to show up in Raid 0 mode, or as two different drives? Really hoping for the latter, otherwise I'll have to grab the image, break the raid, and reclone it, as I don't trust Raid0 at all.

- re:the throttling issue, it appears to have been resolved w/the A08 BIOS ... does this still require upgrading from the 90w AC adapter to the 130w? What's best way to get the 130w adapter, will tech support send this to me upon being asked, and w/o my having to jump through hoops? Does anyone have a part # for the 130w adapter you could share?

- I opted only for the standard 1yr warranty; the 1yr "complete" warranty was $150, and the guy wouldn't budge ... but if I change my mind, anyone know whether Dell allows one to purchase the warranty after the fact?

 

#1. No raid support (I know, bummer)
#2. Yes, you definitely need the 130W PSU
#3. Yes, you can extend your warranty later

 

My 1747 is due to arrive this week - I was reviewing the order, and one item causes me some concern. The outlet info for the laptop had indicated that it was a B+RG FHD 1920x1080 screen, but on the order confirm the screen is listed as: "Y060P MOD,LCD,17.3,FHD,WLED,90%,AUO"

It's the mention of the "WLED" that causes me concern - so is Y060P the correct part# for the B+RG screen, or did they pull a bait&switch on me?

 

The B+RG should be "AUO149D"

 

ok, so now I'm a bit troubled...I went back over the email threads again (though I had placed the order over the phone, the rep had emailed me the shopping cart for approval, prior to finalizing the transaction).

In the emailed cart he'd sent me, I see listed (among other line items)...

ARB System ID: EE7DDFCF
Y060P 17.3 inch Full HD (1080p) B+RG LED Display with TrueLife

Too, I double-checked that ARB # against the specs I'd saved of the system from the outlet store, and it matched up.

Once the transaction was finalized, though, the emailed confirm I received listed:

Y060P 1 MOD,LCD,17.3,FHD,WLED,90%,AUO

I didn't see any reference to the string "AUO149D" in any of the communications, however.

In a prior posting on this forum by @electrosoft, he states there are three different panels for the 1747...

If this is true, then, it sounds like there is only one 1080p screen ... that is, there isn't a WLED 1080p and a B+RG 1080p, only the latter? If that's true, then it's good, but if there is a 1080p non-B+RG screen avail w/the 1747, please lmk so I can follow up further with Dell.

 

For the 1747, the only Full HD (1920x1080) screen available is the B+RG, so you're good.

The 100% gamut RGBLED panel referenced was for the Studio XPS 16.

AUO149D is the actual panel ID from the maker (AU Optronics), which you can find under the device driver in windows.
Dell never references the OEM part #/panel ID in their line orders, just their own internal part #s.

 

asking this in the right thread this time: How much do your Studio 17s weigh with a 9 cell battery?
Please specify if you have one or two HDDs also, if it's not in your sig.

 

great, thanks for the reassurance, Electro!

 

You should be able to find this on Dell's specs page, since the system ships with the 9cell battery by default now.

 

Without wanting to be rude to Dell, it's unlikely that they would have updated this info - it's rarely up to date. Also, they always love to quote the minimum weight and then say something like weight depends on configuration etc.

Here it is:
Weight: Starting at 7.08 lbs (3.2kg)9 (minimum configuration with 6-cell battery).

thanks anyway

 

Bios A10 is out for Studio 1747! Has anyone allready done this upgrade? Any good or bad expiriences?

 

Fixes and Enhancements
Dell Inc. Copyright (C) 2010, All Rights reserved.
Laptops, Desktop Computers, Monitors, Printers & PC Accessories | Dell

System: Dell Studio 1747
Version: A10
Release Date: 06/22/2010

Ha

 

Just received my 1747 last night, from the refurb store. Looks good, I'm a bit disappointed in the build quality around the LCD frame (very plastickey, and the borders around the LCD have some play, don't sit quite flush against the panel.

Running it through a series of burnin tests now b4 migrating over to it; I have found one problem, though - the power button at the hinge doesn't work reliably. 9 times out of 10, tapping (or even holding it down) will not power on the laptop!?! Often I end u phaving to do something else, like disconnect/reconnect the battery, to get it to power up - though that's not 100% reliable either.

Anyone know if this has been a common complaint w/the Dell Studio?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

Hello thread!

I am close to ordering the Dell studio 17. The configuration i have opted for is

- Intel® Core™ i3-350M (2.26Ghz, 4Threads, 3MB cache)
- 17.3" Full High Definition (1920x1080) -------------------------------> Is this 1080p... sorry i am not good on HD terminology.
- 3072MB 1067MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM [1x1024 + 1x2048]
- 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 5650 Graphics Card

I had a couple of quick questions.

- Has there been any recurring/common problems with this series?
- Does the laptop generate heat ? I hate my old Insipirion 6400 for the same.
- How do i know weather i am placing an order for 1745/47...or are this some firmware revisions ?
- What is B+RG and other variations :|
- What is the deal with coupon codes.... this rig is coming around 750 GBP... so what is the best alternative to save some moolah..

I plan to hold on to it for a couple of years... Use being photoshop / light gaming and tons of development. I.e i use it extensively ...approx 10-14 hrs a day. So do you guys feel the above configuration is good enough?

Cheers!

 

Have you experienced problems in Dell Studio 1749 and 1747 (manufactured in mid June 2010) described here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/del...-dell-studio-1749-fan-noises-1749-1747-a.html

 

The Bezel around the screens are a bit flexible at top around the webcam.

I've never seen that problem with the power button, ever. Sounds like a faulty unit.

 

thanks for the info - sigh, figures. And as I have a refurb unit, it doesn't qualify for in-home support. If I end up having to send it back for service, I think I'm just going to return the dang thing and get something else.

otoh - does Dell allow one to purchase additional warranty services _after_ the laptop is purchased? I may suk it up and pay the ~$100+ for a 1yr "basic" warranty, which at least will get one of their engineers to fix the issue onsite.

 

wow ... so I'm kinda stunned, just had an exceptional experience with Dell tech support!

I'd called them to see if I could cajole them into sending out a tech to deal with my power button issue (refurb warranty was only depot service). Not only did they offer to send a tech out without my even asking (said they'd make an exception, since the system is brand new and arrived faulty), but after I mentioned the HD having SMART errors, the hot power adapter, and the gaps around the LCD frame - they offered to just swap the unit for a brand new unit with same specs! w000t!

I'll have to wait 21 days for the new system, of course, but now I apparently will get a brand new Studio 17 for the price of a refurb?!? w000tastic

 

Congratz netarc.
Sometimes you need a little luck in life.

 

Wow.. I had to put up with 6 shoddy engineers mistakes before I got a new laptop, and I`m on a 3yr warranty.. Good luck with the new laptop

 

Good for you man!

Enjoy the new unit.

 

well, let's see how it goes ... gotta wait 3 weeks to receive the unit, so let's see how it pans out

Thanks again for all your advice, folks!

 

This maybe a stupid question, but I have to ask the forum experts. Has anyone been able to figure out how to install a HDD, WIFI activity LED Status indicator on the Touch Sensitive Media Control Panel. I want to know when the drive is being accessed. I have the Studio 1745 early edition like Order Date 10/28/09, Ship Date 11/25/09. I had to wait for the B+RG LED Display.

 

Anyone know yet what A10 fixes/breaks/whatever?

 

Good question. You'd think DELL would give some info on this, huh. See here

[Collective thread] STUDIO 1747 - Generic unsolved issues - APRIL 2010 - Laptop General Hardware Forum - Laptop - Dell Community

So, looks like it might fix some fan issues? Though another poster on this forum said it didn't fix theirs.

 

I installed BIOS A10 last night and the fan behaviour is definitely changed: it used to intermittently run on what sounded like high for a prolonged period for no obvious reason (not under severe load) but didn't do this at all after I installed the update.