Have I been ripped off?

I recently received a new Dell Vostro 1700, which I'm very happy with.

However, I ordered it with a Geforce 8600m GT dedicated card, which it does have, but for some reason the Intel chipset identification utility reports my laptop as having a GM965 chipset.

This chipset is a 'value' chipset and has integrated graphics according to Intel's website, although I can't find any mention of integrated graphics in the BIOS or the device manager.

Surely Dell should have used the PM965, have they given me a second-rate chipset to save costs?

 

According to Dell's site, mine should have come with a PM965 since I have discrete graphics:

http://www.dell.com/content/product...nb_1700?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~tab=bundlestab

see the 'tech-specs' tab.

 

No you got what you paid for. I understand the confusion you are not the 1st. But the GM is the "mainstream" not the "value" that would be GL960. Now the GM can be configured with either the Integrated or discrete graphics solution. The PM965 can only configure with discrete GL960 integrated only. The GM965 has all the features of PM965 plus integrated features. If you have a 8600m GT you are fine you are not using the integrated options so you are fine. DeLL and others using this version of the 965 makes since on a line that offers both integrated and discrete so relax. It works just as well as PM965. Here is a link to the Intel Technical Documentation for 965 Express chipset if you doubt. Read section 1.1 all about PM965 now read section 1.2 GM965. 1.2 says "All features of PM965 are supported by GM965 unless otherwise noted below. Additional features are also noted". Well when you read nothing is excluded.

Edit: I would guess GM965 actually costs more than PM965 as it has more features.

DeLL is wrong look at what you got GM965. I have seen Intel,DeLL and others misstate this so for what it is worth I would ignore them.