Dell :: Is The NVIDIA/GPU Worth Cancelling Refurb M1330
Nov 24, 2008
I got a little e-shopping happy tonight, and purchased a refurbished M1330 on Dell Outlet. I previously had a M1210 and that thing was a tank, so I went ahead and went for the "newer line".
Anyhow, so I've been spending the past hours after my purchase (I know, stupid idea) on reading how the 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS and the GPU would be causes for failure and heat issues. I usually run heavy web-cam chatting programs, AutoCAD, and wanted to get back into some light computer gaming (hence the decision to purchase the NVIDIA graphics), but now grow concerned.
First, is it worth it to go ahead with my order? With the Dell Outlet coupon, the price I paid was pretty decent (around $700~), but with all the issues and the multi-page thread about GPU/NVIDIA problems, has me iffy. Yes I know there is a 1-year warranty, and yes I know there are some fix-attempts, but I just feel uncertain. The XPS line is suppose to be the best, and it should carry the comfurt of its class.
Second, since I placed my order with Dell Outlet after 5PM (PST and about 2 hours ago), and it has not yet been "shipped", is it possible even though my order has been "acknowledged and confirmed" to cancel it? And what would I be looking at in regards to getting my money back (since its already a "pending charge" on my account).
Any input is great appreciated. If I cancel the order on the M1330, I probably would be looking at a Vaio FW series I've been lurking on.
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Dec 13, 2008
Just got off the phone with a dell technician for cpu whine. Last month my computer died, they sent over a tech and he basically replaced everything in my laptop. The whine got ten times worst. I am on the phone with tech now and he is offering tech to come back and replace same exact parts or send it into Dell Depot for them to take a crack at it.
Is it worth sacrificing my laptop for 2 weeks? will dell likely tell me the whine is something "generally found in laptops" and i should deal with it? or has someone had their laptops successfully fixed by dell with respect to whine...
BTW they already rejected my request for an upgrade from my t7500...
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Nov 19, 2008
I just bought a used XPS M1330 w/ Nvidia 8400 for a really good price. It has 2 more years of complete care warranty. I game very rarely. Should I be worry about the GPU failure?
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Jun 5, 2009
I am thinking about buying a new XPS M1330 with Nvidia card(can't be intel, must be Nvidia for me). But I have read so many reports on the GPU going out and the motherboard being replaced over and over(per a user). My question is, if I bought a new one would mine have this potential flaw or did they fix this iwith a re-design? Or is this issue not as big as it seems?
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Feb 15, 2009
wondering if people have still run into issues with the M1330 with just the Intel X3100 card (overheating, motherboard, etc)? I really liked the XPS due to its looks and portability and wanted to hear people's opinions on purchasing this product with some features (such as 4 GB RAM, 250/320 GB HD, X3100 card, standard display, Core 2 Duo T8100) as I pretty much just use it for Internet, word processing, music, and watching occasional movies...I'm really in it for the portability factor as I occasionally lug my laptop around and use it in class (being a graduate student), but not every single day.
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Jun 7, 2009
Since in theory you only hear from people with broken laptops and not the ones that haven't broke, I thought I would start a XPS M1330 with the Nvidia GPU success story thread.
If you have a M1330 laptop WITH the Nvidia gpu and the gpu hasn't gone out on you, please post in this thread. Let us know how long you've owned and and how often you use it!
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Sep 26, 2008
I've just installed 178.13 (vista x64) drivers for my m1330 and it's got FAR FAR slower in any games I run on it.....
Got the drivers from laptopvideo2go as the Dell one's are really old- how comes these newer one's do not work with the M1330?
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Oct 26, 2008
buying second hand, 2yr warranty left
however person said he had graphics problems and his computer was serviced (motherboard replaced).
I dont want to have it die on me later on, price is good compared to other systems where I live (same price as a new vostro 1310).
bottom line, whats the probability this would happen again ? any chance of a perm fix ?
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Oct 23, 2008
32-bit Driver
nVidia GeForce 8400M, GeForce 8600M, GeForce 8400M GS
[url]
Version: 176.44 V32, A10
Product & OS Compatibility: XPS M1330; Microsoft Windows Vista 32-bit
64-bit Driver
nVidia GeForce 8400M, GeForce 8600M, GeForce 8400M GS
[url]
Version: 176.44 V64, A02
Product & OS Compatibility: XPS M1330; Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit
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Mar 23, 2010
i know the earphones will work but will the noise cancellation feature work?
or is the noise cancellation feature dependent on software/hardware in the vaio laptop?
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Feb 24, 2009
My warranty on my computer expired in December and now my motherboard has fried for the second time. Every time I call dell they take my service tag and say how sorry they are but my warranty has expired. I try to explain to them that dell extended the warranty for all computers with the defective card for one more year and they reply by saying that it is not in the computer. They keep sending me to the out of warranty department.
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Sep 2, 2009
Hey guys, ive been banging my head against the wall for two days on this one and I need some help.
I installed xp on my M1330 over two years ago when I first got it, only ran Vista for about a month.
And ever since I switched to XP I noticed that there was no longer an option to switch to the HDMI output for audio, but I didnt have an HDMI cable so I didnt care
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Jul 2, 2008
Dell XPS M1330 - nVidia GeForce 8400M GS - Copper Mod - Step by Step Guide
Dell XPS M1330 Notebook with nVidia GeForce 8400M GS GPU has an inadequate Thermal Cooling Assembly. It uses a Thermal Cooling Pad between the GPU and the GPU Thermal Cooling Assembly instead of a direct contact between the two with a Thermal Compound. This leads to overheating the GPU and damaging it along with other components. The solution is to replace the existing Thermal Cooling Pad with a Copper Sheet and a Thermal Compound.
Note: This Copper Mod does not solve problems arising from a weak die/packaging material set in certain versions of GPU. Their failure appears related to the combination of the interaction between the chip material set and the system design. The combination of limited thermal management and frequent power cycling is particularly challenging for the GPU. Dell is offering a 12 Month Limited Warranty Enhancement specific to this issue. However, this Copper Mod might help delay the failure by improving the thermal management.
Materials:
01. Copper Sheet. Recommended: Gauge 16 & Grade C106 - 14x14x1.5mm.
02. Thermal Compound. Recommended: Arctic Silver 5.
03. Thermal Compound Cleaner (Isopropyl Alcohol or Acetone).
04. Cotton Swabs.
05. Paper Napkins.
Tools:
01. Phillips Screwdriver - #0.
02. Utility Knife.
03. Thermal Compound Spreader.
Drivers & Utilities: (for Microsoft Windows Vista 32 Bit)
01. Dell XPS M1330 A13 - 1.02MB. (BIOS Firmware). Recommended.
02. Dell nVidia GeForce 8400M GS 176.44 A10 - 52.70MB. (Video Driver). Recommended.
03. HWMonitor 1.11 - 397.00KB. (Monitor GPU, CPU, Chipset and HDD Temperatures).
04. GPU-Z 0.2.8 - 410.00KB. (Monitor GPU Clocks).
05. I8kfanGUI 3.1 - 1.61MB. (Monitor Fan Status and Speed).
06. RivaTuner 2.11 - 2.30MB. (Monitor GPU Status on OSD).
07. 3DMark06 Basic Edition 1.1.0 - 413.00MB. (Benchmark GPU).
08. Intel Thermal Analysis Tool 2.05 - 3.31MB. (Benchmark CPU).
Procedures:
Before You Begin!
01. Disassemble the Module Cover by loosening the four Screws.
| 1 - M2.5x5mm Screw (1) | 2 - Captive Screws (3) | 3 - Module Cover (1) | Image: Dell Service Manual |......................
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Sep 16, 2008
Tried a G.Skill 4GB module in the M1330 this evening.
It is not recognized in slot A or B. This was tested with BIOS A08 and A12. This unit was purchased in March 2008.
It's a no go for this model it seems.
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Jan 26, 2009
I read a while ago on here some posts about some copper mod because the chip had some flaws about cooling or something
If I play a game such as Left 4 Dead, will I run any risks of damaging the video card or motherboard?
I purchased the laptop mid october from Dell.
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May 1, 2009
I love the way it looks and feels so far, but I think I have a problem.
1.The screen is really dark. My current comp e1505 on the lowest setting is brighter than it.
I tried messing with dcp to no avail, toggling on/off the ambient light sensor .....
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Oct 1, 2008
Thinking about getting one of these refurbed Inspiron 1420's from Dell Outlet
[url]
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Feb 16, 2009
Is it a big deal to buy an EBay laptop that has no service tag number? The seller's rep is very good
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Mar 21, 2009
I am looking to replace my aging 700m with either a Dell D420 or D430. The laptop is 90% for travel so I am mostly concerned about battery life. I'd like to make it cross country on one charge if possible.
I usually load up a bunch of DivX movies/TV shows on the drive and entertain myself on flights, etc. I do use it a bit for work on the road, but I'm not doing anything crazy so processing power is not much of a concern. Email, remote desktop, etc.
From those with either a D420 or D430, what kind of battery life can I expect from a 6 or 9 cell battery? I would prefer the 6 cell since it does not stick out, but 9 cell is ok since the machine is so small. I'm not opposed to taking a second battery as that is what I do with my 700m right now.
Which OS is going to yield more battery life? XP, Vista or 7?
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Dec 17, 2009
The battery is clearly a refurb. I believe refurbished batteries are just fine, so long as they are built by reputable & knowledgeable folks who are using newly made replacement cells.
But this battery will only charge to 47%. The 5-light strip on the back lights two lights only (no blinking). A handful of programs all say the battery us at 47%.
I think this may be an issue with the smart board inside the battery. Is this something that gets calibrated through the bios? How do you run "battery learning"? (...or is it shot?) ..
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May 7, 2009
I just received my E6500 from the outlet after having returned a new studio 17.
1. Was I supposed to receive any sort of owners manual with this thing?
There are a handful of disks but no manual save for a small warranty booklet.
2. It has XP on it and I think it came with the ability to put vista business on it. I am not particularly wedded to xp, should I just go ahead and put vista on? Is vista closer interface wise to whatever the next generation of windows is (windows 7)?
3. This E6500 has the 1440x900 led screen as did my studio 17. The screen on the 17 was absolutely brilliant but the screen on this E6500 seems more fuzzy or dull. Not as sharp and vibrant as the screen on the 17. To be perfectly honest, the screen on this E6500 doesn't seem that much nicer than the one on my 2001 Latitude.
4. Refresh my memory on how I increase the pixels to get bigger text.
5. When I hit the function key and the "auto" screen brightness key the screen goes very dark. Is this supposed to be the ambient light/brightness deal?
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Jun 29, 2009
I sold my Asus G1S last week and now i am looking to replace it with another more modern 15.4" laptop with decent graphics card and good screen. Dell m4400 and lenovo t500 both fit the bill. I am leaning more towards a refurb dell from the outlet. I am lookign for answers to a few questions to help me make up my mind:
I heard good stuff about both WXGA+ LED and WUXGA RGB-LED panels on this model. What about WUXGA CCFL panel. Where can I find specs on it? Is it any good or terribly dim like the one Lenovo uses?
Is heat a big problem with m4400? My Asus was heating up to the point that it was uncomfortable to keep on my lap and was very noisy and I kind of want to avoid that again.
How good are Dell refurbs? Am i going to get something that has been trashed before or are these just open box returns? Also is it possible to get them to give extra discount over the phone? There was a 15% off coupon a few weeks ago which is over now. What are my chances of convincing them to give me a discount?
Also, If I do order new, would it be possible to convince Dell to price match the M4400 to a T500 or W500? Did anybody ever have any success with that?
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Dec 30, 2008
I'm planning on buying a refurb M4400 soon, and I'm wondering if the user community has any input for me. Are there any features I should make sure to get (backlit keyboard is good, I hear)? Are there any features I should be sure to avoid? Are there any problems commonly experienced that I should look out for once I get the system?
I haven't ordered it yet, but so far I think I'm looking at the T9400 cpu, 4GB RAM, FX770M gpu, CCFL WUXGA screen, ~250GB@7200RPM HD (could be 160GB or 320GB, depends on what's available). Up for debate still are 6 vs 9 cell battery, fingerprint reader (none, internal, FIPS), OS (if I can get 64-bit Vista Ultimate that'd be great, otherwise XP Pro w/ Vista Business license).
The intended usage here is software development (mostly Java, some C/C++) and gaming (Far Cry 2, CoD4/5, maybe Crysis?).
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Apr 7, 2009
So I purchased a "scratch n dent" mini 9 from the dell outlet. It arrived today. When I looked at the bottom it had a refurbished sticker on the bottom. I know on the outlet they have ordered previously new, refurbished, and scratch n dent.
Do all the scratch n dent computers come with this sticker? I figure the refurb would but didn't think the scratch n dent would as it's only a used computer..
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Apr 6, 2009
I myself have an old celeron powered inspiron 1300, 2 gig ram-upgraded myself and an old onboard Intel 900 series gfx, yada, running windows xp...
it runs on the web very quickly- but its on its last legs, powers on and off, screen flutters, it overheats ,etc .....
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Dec 29, 2008
I recently got a Dell Precision M4300 from a friend and had a few questions.
When i got the laptop, I reformatted the Laptop and Reinstalled Windows XP Pro SP2. I proceeded from Microsoft to Update to SP3 and so on.
Well I also Went to Dell's Website and downloaded all the necessary drivers (using the service tag) for this laptop and installed them.
Now here is where I ran into a problem,
When I installed the NVIDIA drivers for the NVidia Quadro FX 360M video card, everything seemed to go fine. Then I rebooted the Laptop, and now every time I reboot, my hardware acceleration is defaulted back to None, and it gives me multiple pop ups about this issue. I go into the settings and turn the Acceleration back to full and it goes away.
This is a major problem, and is really frustrating to deal with everytime the laptop is booted up.
My other problem, is when I open up Internet Explorer, It tends to lock up the browser for no reason when Loading a website. I then CTRL+ALT+DEL and attempt to close iexplore.exe via the task manager. It closes the browser but does not shut down the browser, making it impossible to browse, so then I have to reboot.
here are the specs of the PC, from the device manager and drivers I have gotten
Dell Precision M4300
NVidia Quadro FX 360M 512mb Video Graphics Card
TSST 8x dvd+-R burner
120GB Hard Drive
3.5GB of Ram
2.5GHZ T9300 Core 2 Duo Processor
1394 Port
2 USB ports
External Monitor Ports
Wifi Support
Bluetooth Support
Windows XP SP2 Pro
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Jan 8, 2008
I refreshed my colour settings under 'nVidia control panel' and now my colours look crap. Can someone plz give me your personal prefered percentage numbers of these following slide bars in 'Desktop Colour Settings'.
Brightness: %
Digital Vibrance: %
Contrast: %
Image Sharpening: %
Gamma: %
I know most you guys have LCD monitors, but just to be sure i'd like it in good colour for an LCD...
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Sep 28, 2009
Pulled the trigger on an 24" ACD refurb for the macbook. i must say...this thing is completely gorgeous, and makes writing papers SO much easier on the eyes.
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Apr 17, 2009
Ok so I do not want to have another unit fail as my last order from the outlet did; my previous unit was refurb, but I was considering going the "previously ordered" route-- what is the difference?
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Dec 6, 2009
I have an M1330 with LED and love the display. I came across such a good deal for a refurb Studio XPS 13 that i could not pass it up - (P8800, 4GB, 500GB 7200rpm, 512MB N10M-GS,
Wireless 1510, Bluetooth 370 for $875 shipped). Only problem is that it has a CCFL screen instead of LED.
Will the difference be really noticeable? Am i going to regret it?
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