Studio 15 Owner's Thread

It's the same laptop beyond the different CPU and wireless.

 

1537 can use the "Centrino 2" processors (1066 MHz FSB). The Wireless N is pretty nifty as well.

 

well, i'm not sure if my 1535 was missing this feature but when you press the volume button, an icon shows up (well, a pretty huge icon) on the screen showing you your volume level. mutes would have a slash over the speaker. screen brightness adjustor would also show up.

the close and feel is the same but it's the little things they added to the software that makes it "feel" better (emotionally, not physically). the bios boot up is the round dell you see on the cover and not the generic 1998 dell boot up screen you see everywhere else.

i did get an upgrade to the P8400 chip. not a big difference except battery life is definately longer.

 

So does anyone know what the latest/best driver for the 3450 is? I used mobility modder and installed driver version 8.541

What driver version is everyone else using?

 

Hi dee540 - What about the sound, did they change anything in the 1537 for better sound?
The 1537 has a Centrino2 processor in it opposed to the Core2 duo in the 1535, yet other then that and the few on-screen displays you metioned what are the Major differences & changes in it?
Is someone really going to see a dramatic difference between a T9300Mhz Core2 duo processor and a P8400 Centrino2 one and for that matter a T9400Mhz Centrino2 as well?
Thank you so kindly,
SD

 

I'm not sure but based on benchmarks, the higher the processor ID, the faster it performs. I wanted the P8400 because it was a good balance of price and performance (2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo with 1066 MHz FSB and 3MB L2 cache). The T5800 or T5850 would have been my second choice (2 GHz, slower FSB - either 667 or 800). The P8400 is a 25W Penryn core, I think the T9400 (the higher up processor for Centrino 2) is rated for 35W, so your battery life is going to be a tad lower.

The 1537 on-board audio is OK, because the speakers are the limiting factor. I've never liked laptop audio so I use my USB speakers if I want to listen to music.

I have been unable to find the latest HD 3450 drivers. ATI/AMD doesn't acknowledge its existence on the drivers page, and Omega doesn't have one either. My Studio 1537 posted an abysmal 1847 3dmark06 score, but it is better than the 574 posted by my Inspiron E1505. My 4 year old desktop with an AGP X1950 GT posted 3314 in 3dmark06, but the processor on the 1537 is much much faster.

 

I did more research and my malfunctioning media touch pad seems to occur on other Studio 15 and 17 models as well.

 

Happened with me (my thread is a on the 2nd or 3rd page). Tech support are useless, they just told me to reinstall vista, reinstall to factory image, and take out battery/hold the power button, none of which has fixed it.

 

i'm like super tone deaf so asking me audio question is like asking Hellen Keller what color shirt you should wear to Thanksgiving dinner. lol

as fas as i can tell, it does sound a tad better. the bass sounds a bit more rich but honestly, headphones are definately the way.

as for the processor speed; unless you've got 2 running next to each other rendering animation, i doubt you'd see the difference. what you will notice, however, is when the T processor screams: I'm outta juice! and the P processor will still have more time left. as i mentioned before, i'm not sure how accurate the power meter is on the bottom but taking it to class last night, it was in the 3 hour range while the 1535 with the T8100 chip only gave me 2.5 at best.

there is not Centrino sticker and Centrino is just a marketing ploy really. it's the power saving processor that really matters. a wifi is a wifi is a wifi card. it does make a few differences here and there but is it enough to warrent the price difference for a sticker? nah...

look here for more info:

forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=285684

 

thanks! youve just made me feel even better about my 1535 T9300 purchase. the extra battery life is the only thing id be interested in, but its pretty insignificant as i run off the battery only very rarely.

 

I have a 1537 with P8300 and Centrino 2 sticker. Yay!

Second, I don't experience any touchpad problems. No hick-ups or whatsoever.

 

My 1537 with P8400 only has a Centrino sticker but I did get the Radeon HD3450. I also added Bluetooth.

The 1537 processors also run at 1066 MHz FSB. I'm not sure how much of a difference there is over the 800 Mhz processors.

 

We should change the thread title

 

I suppose I can grab a black Sharpie and put a "2" on my centrino sticker.

 

Does the Studio 15 have a side microphone? I did Dell diagnostic and failed the side mic test.

 

It has a side mic jack. Otherwise the mic is next to the camera.

 

If you dont have a camera, it is next to the IR port.

 

Good day all...!
i finally got my Dell Studio 1537 it has no problem yet...nice looking, high Spec laptop with reasonable price.en i m happy for my choice...
the thing i want 2 knw is i work in office on Softwares that by now just run with windows XP...so can anybody tell me if i can install 2 OS on Dell Studio 153 at a time?and also how can i change the Partitions of my 320gb HDD as i m new user to Windows Vista... :|

waiting for your precious Help.

Regards

 

I do not know. If I read this entire thread would I find BSOD (which appears to relate to "camera configuration") -- Dell studio 15

 

I'm chatting with a Dell rep right now and they won't replace the sticker. It's hilarious. They even acknowledge it is a "Centrino 2", but how hard is it to send out a measly little sticker that should have been used in the first place?

 

Does it matter, really?

 

It vexes me a little. It's like buying a Mustang GT with V6 badging.

 

My 1537 is due to be delivered tomorrow. I too hope it has a Centrino 2 sticker. I agree with metroplex, it should come with the appropriate label. All the new Sony laptops with Centrino2 have the sticker so why shouldn't Dell put it on. I'll let u know by tomorrow if I got the sticker on mine.

 

Hi all Studio 15 Owners. I couldnt still get the reply of my previous post
anywayz i Powered up my studio 1537 yesterday for 1st time and it was ok in start but it was heated up after few minutes. every laptop heats up 2 some extent 4rm backside which make sence, but Studio laptop heated up 4rm Upper side, right beneath left side of Keyboard
Anybody please tell me its normal and will go away with time passes by. because i used my brand new laptop continously for 2 en half hour,heat was very much annoying 2 place palm 2 type...OR may b i made big mistake by selecting Studio 15

 

That is ridiculous. What exactly did they say to you?

I wonder if playing dumb would get them to take some action. The Centrino 2 brand implies the computer was built with a specific set of components; you ordered the computer with these components, but the label doesn't reflect this. Does this mean that the computer wasn't shipped to your specifications? It's either this, or the label is lying. Either way, there were inconsistencies in the build of the machine and you have no way of knowing if it was constructed to your specifications (ignoring the obvious ways of figuring that out), and you 21 days to request an RMA so that they can either fix it or give you your money back.

That's the tack that I'd take, at least. It's almost like shipping all the components of an XPS notebook in an Inspiron body. All the components may be identical, but it's still not what you ordered!

 

They said they would gladly take the laptop back and replace it with one w/ a Centrino 2 sticker. They just wouldn't send out a new sticker. I'd do it except I bought the mini 9 as a package deal and they'd have to take that back as well.

 

This thread has sunk to a new low, we are talking about ing stickers.

 

I orderd my Studio 11/14 and it was deliverd on 11/26,and two other attempts, when they said 12/2 to bad I was out of town for THANKSGIVING! They deliverd it last night on the third or fourth attempt and I spent 45 miniutes on the phone with Dell trying to figure out how to get screen working. Dell said I would have another one in 5-7 days. They said it was the mother board. Could it also be from setting in the back of the delivery truck for so many days in the freezing cold? I guess it's my fault should have been setting by the door.

 

Ok I just got my Studio 1537 today. Only took 10 days which i thought was pretty good. Also, mine has the Centrino2 sticker just to let u guys know if thats important. Also, I found an eSATA port on the left-hand side which i completely wasnt expecting. Now THAT was a pleasant surprise!! I am now goin out to buy an external HDD with an eSATA!!

 

The original Studio 1535 has an eSATA port too but it is disabled. I think though they are enabled on the 1537 but for sure the 1536 which hasn't come out.

 

Thanks for the mic info. Is it necessary to install Notebook System Software?

 

Anyone having trouble with the 'sleep' function? Whenever my 1537 goes into sleep mode I am unable to wake it up. Ive tried pressing every button and for different amounts of time but nothing. I then have to power down completely and restart anyone know what i can do?

 

What do you mean "hasn't come out"? The 1536? I'm not a fan of AMD, so I haven't bought a 1536, but apparently someone has because they are in the Dell Outlet!

 

Sorry to dredge up a somewhat old post, but concerning the sound on the 1535, have others noticed that there is almost no volume coming out of the speakers?

I have recently setyp two for clients, and both barely have any volume, even with things cranked all the way up. My own 1535--I haven't noticed because I keep it muted most of the time, but the other two seemed unacceptable.

Anyone else complain about the volume levels being too low?

 

Yeah they were never released for some reason. They were supposed to come out with the 1535s when they were released early this past summer, but never were. Just because they are in the Dell Outlet, all five of them, doesn't mean they were purchased by another person. I'm guessing they did make a few of them, but for whatever reason they were never released to the public. Perhaps they had some bugs that lead to its downfall, only Dell knows.

 

Not to nit-pick, but isn't that what the Dell Outlet is for--returned systems? I'm sure it's possible that Dell puts brand new stock in there, but the 5 that are there are listed as Certiifed Refurbished, which according to Dell means:

Certified Refurbished PCs are laptops and desktops that have been returned to Dell, put through the production process, and then again retested to ensure they meet all original factory specifications. Certified Refurbished systems may have some observable cosmetic blemishes, but they will not affect performance.

Sounds like to me that someone purchased them!

If not, now is your chance to get a very limited edition (apparently only 5 were ever made) Studio 1536 at the Dell Outlet. A Collector's Edition, eh?

 

Refurbished just means the notebook had to be inspected and possibly fixed before it could be sold again. That is just a generic definition. There was probably an issue with the 1536 series so they are fixing a few of them to salvage and just trying to sell them through the Dell Outlet.

 

Dell has also posted 5 different BIOS revisions for the 1536 (A00 - A04), for no one to download?

And, looks like Staples was selling them with a rebate in mid November:

Dell Studio 1536 (Black)

But general availability does seem to be low...maybe they only sold them through retailers?

 

My 1537 has an eSATA port as well. My only gripe about my 1537 Centrino 2 is the Centrino 1 sticker that Dell refuses to replace. Why are they so protective of the stickers? It's not a major concern but it just feels like I bought the wrong laptop. I spent the extra money for the Centrino 2 because of the newer chipset and 1066 MHz FSB but my 1537 is not differentiated from the Santa Rosa laptops from the outside.

 

I think you may be right, I was at Wal-Mart this thanksgiving weekend and happened to look at their laptop section, all the usual suspects were there (Acer, Gateway, HP, Dell and Toshiba.) But I looked at a Studio 15 there for the hardest time...something was different about this machine but I couldn't put my finger on it...That's when I looked at the keyboard deck and noticed the AMD/ATI combo sticker!

I was honestly a bit surprised but kind of not as Dell apparently also released an AMD version of the D630 called the D631. Have never seen a product description/ordering page on dell.com for it though, when I asked here no one knew what it was.

 

You mean "it just looks like", because you DO have a Centrino 2 that you paid for. It sounds more like your hung up on people seeing you have a Centrino 2...I think most people really don't care.

If it bothers YOU, just remove the sticker all together. That way, you won't be reminded!

BTW, the sticker is probably not an available "part" from Dell, so that is why they cannot provide you with it. I have seen whole sets of Intel and MS stickers available on ebay...

All the stickers you could ever want

Or, just the sticker you need

 

Yep, Walmart has a BUNCH of Studio 1536's available online:

Dell Studio 1536 at Walmart

So, they are available, after all....

 

hey.. i got the dark blue dell studio 15... t5850,ati radeon 3450

hey guys... i needs comments abt t processor T5850 over P8400 r anyother..
kinda use: high performance and gaming!!

 

Well, you can also get them through your corp Dell rep(1536). I got two of them that way as a matter of fact. I had NO clue that there was an AMD version. But, my rep knowing that I was an AMD fan brought it to my attention.

Good thing is that I paid well under what Walmart has it listed for. Our discount is kinda weird. The first PC you buy you get at one rate and any thing after that another rate. So I paid 450 for my first one and 585 for the second. I'm very content and satisfied with my purchases. Not to mention the Vostro 1000 and the 1525 we bought for the kiddies.

To the other poster, you are correct it is a retail only model. It is also still in production.

 

Thanks for the tip, it is exactly what I was looking for

 

The Studio 1536 has shown up intermittently at Wal-Mart, Staples and BEST BUY over the last few months. All of the 1536 models have the 2.0GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 (RM-70), ATI Radeon Mobility HD 3200 integrated graphics, Bluetooth and Fingerprint Reader. Some have 3GB RAM and 250GB Hard Drive and others have 4GB RAM and a 320GB Hard Drive.

These are a lot like the AMD-based Inspiron 1526 (sibling to the 1525)- primarily sold via retail outlets and DELL has little to no product information on their website. These models also received no marketing or promotion from DELL...for whatever reason....

 

Can somebody tell something about new 1280*800 LED screen on Studio 15 (especially about viewing angles)?

 

Has anyone else had the Studio problems? Unresponsive keyboard and touch-pad accompanied my a louder than normal fan?

 

Yes, you need to optimize vista

 

Hi lancorp & the rest of you great guys.
First & foremost; lancorp Thank you so much for such a great avenue in which to state my case to Dell, as I unbelievably received a personal phone call from them at their cooperate office and after calmly yet sternly explaining my GIANT fiasco to them they sincerely apologized and assured me that they will definitely replace the unit.
Well I’ve been sick so I would just check the emails here & there when I could and just at the beginning of this past week as promised Federal Express came with a replacement unit.
Yesterday feeling much better I opened it up and right away what I seen I liked, they got rid of the ugly looking milk spill across the wrist pad and have it just all graphite gray, which to me looks so much more nicer.
No…I did not get a Centrino2 sticker, as it just has the same Windows Vista & intel Core 2 Duo ones, yet the system information reads: T9400 @ 2.53 GHz, so being the layman I just don’t know if that is in fact the new platform or not.
What I’m happy about is that the unit is Thankfully not damaged and all the controls seem to work so much better with no hang-ups, especially the eject button, as that gave me fits with the previous unit, yet maybe it was because the panel came damaged I don’t know.
I don’t understand manufacturers & engineers for NOTHING and I really don’t think that I ever will…Why do they always take away something that people really like every time they so-call upgrade?
The last unit had a nice feature where you could set the intervals of the keyboard light staying on, yet this one all you can do is make it brighter or dimmer…Now that is a really nice feature as well, yet why not merge them instead of taking away.
At any rate I’ll definitely live with it and maybe it’s me, yet this hard-drive is SO Much more quieter then the first one as so is the Overall machine and it also Thankfully runs allot cooler as well, so all in all I’m very Happy with the replacement and I Thank you lancorp BIG time.
Finally; you know that when you have 2 almost identical units side by side that it can definitely play tricks on your eyes, as one starts looking clearer or brighter then the other, yet I checked the device manager properties for the monitor and it also reads: MONITOR\LPLB80A so I guess I Thankfully & Unbelievably for me lucked out again and get the better Display.
A BIG Thanks to everyone for graciously answering my stupid questions and a Real BIG Thanks to you lancorp for being ONE SUPER Individual.
All the Best to Everyone,
SD