Dell :: M15x Or Xps Studio 1647!
Feb 16, 2010is the alienware m15x experiencing throttling and heat problems like the 1647/1645?
i say this because i could get a m15x i7 4GRAM for $1734 1G Nvidia GTX 260M via dell rep .....
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Dell :: Studio 17 Vs 16XPS Vs Alienware M15x
Apr 25, 20101) Electronica Musician
2) Hardcore Gamer
What I need is a system that can do both of these tasks. I find the alienware to be FAR too much money, as it's somewhere in the ballpark of $2300.00 CDN + tax if I want a laptop guaranteed to do both jobs .....
Dell :: Studio XPS 1645 Vs Studio XPS 1647
Feb 23, 2010I am looking to get a Studio XPS 16 soon, but can't quite decide on which model to get and had a few questions...
1) What is the battery life of the 1647 (i5) compared to the 1645 (i7) assuming they have the same specs. I've read that i5's should last longer, but I really couldn't find anything comparing the two for these systems.
2) When configuring the 1645 and 1647 side-by-side with the same specs. The 1647 is about the same price as the 1645, if not more (depending on which processor selected). I thought the i5's were supposed to be less expensive than the i7's. Since they are about the same price, would it be better to go with the i7? Any reason to choose the i5 over i7?
Dell :: New XPS Studio 1647 (I Think)
Mar 9, 2010I'm getting this next month (or the order says I am), and I have a couple questions reading this forum:
1. I'm getting an i7 Quad Core -720, that's still a 1647 right? I keep reading that the 640 is what that goes up to, but am not sure.
2. What is throttling? I do a search on the internet and all I get is Drag Racing info Is that when the fan starts to spin super hard?
3. I've got a 1640 that I'm selling once I get it....it's new from Dell because of an exchange so no warranty (but can be upgraded by the buyer), what do you think is a fair asking price? It's a P8700 2.53 Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM 320GB HD, 512MB ATI 3670. HD screen, etc.
Dell :: What Is The Studio XPS 1647?
Dec 3, 2009I've been starting to see more references about Studio XPS 1647 here and on Dell's site, but I couldn't figure out what distinguishes this model from the others (1640 & 1645).
View 10 Replies View RelatedDell :: Is The Studio XPS 1647 Due For A Refresh Any Time Soon?
Apr 5, 2010Im thinking about picking up this bad boy but I dont want to get caught like I did with my Inspiron 1520 when I bought it 3 years ago (I bought it and then 3 days later they bought out the 1525 which was 20% lighter etc).
Also i've heard lots of things regarding XPS machines running very hot, is it very bad? Or is it one of those things that are just blown out of proportion?
Dell :: Studio XPS 1645 Or 1647 Last Day To Decide
Jan 28, 2010I currently have the Studio XPS 1645. My uses for the machine are client visits, presentations, and occasionally gaming on the road.
I probably only log 5 hours a week on the laptop 3 weeks a month and 30 or so in the other week (when I am not at home).
I have read about the throttling issue and this is my last day to return. So knowing my usage pattern. Would you keep the quad core or change out for the 1647.
Dell :: Opinions Wanted On Studio XPS 1647
Dec 28, 2009Is the 1647 the new replacement for the 1645?
Can anyone confirm it does NOT have the power problems?
Here's what I'm contemplating - opinions accepted.
Only thing ticking me off is no Blu-ray option available until 4th week of Jan.
224-6716 1 Studio XPS 16 Notebook
317-2361 1 Intel CoreTM i7-720QM (1.6 - 2.8 GHz 6M/8 threads)
317-2364 1 4GB, DDR3, 1333MHz 2 Dimm
320-8330 1 15.6 inch Wide Screen 16:9 1080p Full HD WLED LCD, W/2.0 MP, XPS 1645
421-1010 1 Dell Webcam Central v1.4
421-0188 1 Facial Recognition
320-8350 1 ATI Mobility RADEON HD 4670 1GB
330-5460 1 DELL RESOURCE DVD,BACK-UP,XPS 1645
341-8989 1 500GB 7200RPM Free Fall SensorSeagate Hard Drive
320-8351 1 Obsidian Black High Gloss Finish
421-1737 1 Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
421-0323 1 Windows Live Search,Multiple User Interface
420-6576 1 DELL WELCOME,Software Dimension/Inspiron
420-9100 1 Dell Dock Consumer
420-6436 1 PC-Restore, Dim/Insp
421-0187 1 Dell Support Center Software 64 Bit 2.0
420-7938 1 Dell Connect 2.1
421-0092 1 DELL-DOWNLOAD-FLAG .....
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 Recommended For Gaming?
Apr 27, 2010From what I've heard it seems like the Dell Studio XPS 1647 has good enough specs to play a good number of games. But I want to ask the community who owns a Studio XPS 1647 to give me their opinion on it when gaming on it. Note that I'm well aware that the Dell Studio XPS 1647 isn't made for just gaming. Anyways I'm planning on buying one but I'm not too convince to do so.
I plan on playing games on the Studio XPS 1647 most of the time, but I'm also willing to do other things such as surfing on the internet, homework, etc.. From looking at the specs I believe that it would be a good computer to buy, but having to look at the graphic card (ATI Mobility RADEON® HD 4670 – 1GB) I'm not too sure that I'll be able to play the games I want to play with the graphic details I want to play in. When I say games I mean like Bad Company 2, Starcraft 2 etc..
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 RGBLED Screen
Mar 17, 2010Just curious if anyone else is having this problem/glitch when I unplug the laptop from AC power and the screen brightness is turned up about more than 1 tick the screen turns really red and dark but then brightens up a second later.
It seems odd that it turns mostly red and then back up to normal in a second
Dell :: Re-Ordering Studio XPS 1647. Any EPP Experiences?
Mar 25, 2010So if you have followed my system you know what I have gone through, if not just know that it's in the UPS system making its way back to Dell.
I'm planning on re-ordering either before or after I receive my refund, but before would only be possible if I can get my system down to ~2500.
My original system is below in my signature for $2453.00 (includes tax + shipping) .....
Dell Studio XPS 1647 :: LCD Icons Are Doing Nothing Out Of Ordinary
Jul 31, 2013Got a the beep codes, but apparently they don't mean anything with this model.I have no POST, and it's a black screen. The LCD icons (sounds, mutes, et cetera) are doing nothing out of the ordinary. I did the LCD BIST, and the colors came up fine.
View 6 Replies View RelatedDell :: Studio Xps 1647 Switchable Graphics Support?
Jan 11, 2010It looks like Dell will be upgrading to the mobility HD 5730 (which is lame, by the way, since there will amost certainly now be no gddr5 memory but thats for another thread).
But my question is whether they have enabled the switchable graphics or are making us pay for an IGP we will never be able to use.
I'll bet the lazy engineers at Dell wont bother with it and argue that you dont need intergrated graphics if you have discrete graphics and so on ......
Dell :: Warning About Studio XPS 1647 BIOS And 1645
Dec 5, 2009today I bricked my new 1645 when I was examing the BIOS for the 1647. The BIOS release 1647_A00.exe released this month automatically begins flashing on an 1645
and does not seem to check compatibility or confirm with the user before it updates.
The BIOS is completely incompatible with the 1645 to say the least, so be very careful if you download it on to a non-1647 system.
Dell is building a new system due to this really sad event. Rip XPS 1645 - December 5th 2009.
Dell :: STUDIO XPS 1647- ONLY HAS MOBILITY 5730-no GDDR5
Jan 11, 2010Turns out from the Dell Canada website that the new and (supposedly) improved studio xps 1647 will only sport the ATI's mobility 5730 which incidentally does not support gddr5- EVEN AS AN OEM OPTION! Many expected to see the mobility 5770 in the updated SXPS'S or at the very least, a 5750 WITH 1GB OF GDDR5. The 5730 is simply unacceptable! Dell charges TOP DOLLAR for these little puppies and now they are cutting corners on the GPU'S! Dell should be ashamed!This laptop does not even deserve the XPS moniker. The graphics are too weak. It should be a Studio Pro 1647.
AS WE ALL KNOW ALL OF ATI'S NEW MOBILE CARDS USE A RATHER LAME 128 BIT MEMORY INTERFACE AND AS SUCH, RESONABLE PERFORMANCE CAN ANLY BE ACHIEVED WITH THE USE OF GDDR5 ram which runs at about twice the speed of GDDR3.
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 RAM 1333Mhz Shows Up As 1066Mhz In BIOS
May 2, 2010Yesterday my computer crashed 3 times for no reason so I went to check BIOS and by chance found out that my ram is actually 1066Mhz. The order sheet says I ordered 4GB, DDR3, 1333MHz 2 dimm, and I remembered I did as well. So, did Dell send me the wrong RAM?
Or, as I've googled, is this all a Dell marketing scam such that the 1333MHz ram we ordered only performs at 1066Mhz by default and you'll have to manually overclock it to perform at 1333Mhz (which may not be safe for the system)?
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647: PM55, HM55 And Switchable Graphics
Mar 22, 2010I have been asked to start this thread by a Dell representative so this issue can be cleared up. It will also serve as a thread where future information relating to the 1647 chipsets (and ultimately switchable graphics) can be posted. This has been talked about in the owner's lounge but I'm sure most owners agree that this issue is of enough importance to merit its own thread.
As most 1647 owners are aware, the 1647 is not being shipped with the HM55 chipset, despite Dell's website claiming it would be:
Instead it is being shipped with the slightly older PM55 chipset which was introduced back in September 09' with the quad-core mobile i7's, and is the chipset used on the 1645. This has been confirmed here, here and here.Why would you want the HM55 instead of the PM55? For most, it's one simple reason. The HM55 chipset supports utilisation of the on-die IGP on the new Arrandale range of CPU's. The PM55 unfortunately does not; it cannot transfer the IGP data to the laptop screen, due to the lack of Intel's FDI bus capability (Flexible Display Interface).What does this mean? As the PM55 can't utilise the graphics processor built-in to the new Arrandale CPU's, then switchable graphics is not possible.So if we had the HM55, would we have switchable graphics? At the moment, no. Basically something like NVIDIA's Optimus software is required. Currently ATI do not offer a switchable graphics software solution. BIOS support would also be required from Dell.But, if software and BIOS support is eventually offered, I won't be able to utilise SG anyway, as I have the PM55, right? Correct. This is what we need Dell to clear up. Most owners (not all) purchased the 1647 on the premise that they would receive the HM55.For those interested, some further information on the PM55/HM55 chipsets and switchable graphics can be found here. Chipset information can be found below.
Mobile Intel® PM55 Express Chipset
Mobile Intel® HM55 Express Chipset
There is however one "flaw" that would be present if Dell actually went by the chipset and CPU listings on their website. The flaw is the i7-620M. It's a dual-core 32nm Arrandale CPU with an IGP. In other words, it's far more like the i5-520M and i5-540M than the quad-core 45nm i7 CPU's. So, according to Dell's website listing, the i7-620M (as it's an i7) is to be shipped with the PM55. This issue will hopefully be cleared up by Dell also, so let's wait and see what they say.
Please let me know if I have missed out important information and I will include it here. Similarly, this applies if any of the above information is incorrect, please let me know and I'll correct it.
Dell Studio XPS 1647 :: Battery Not Recognized - Cannot Update BIOS
Feb 21, 2013When I boot up my PC it comes to a screen expressing that the battery is critically low and the AC Adapter cannot charge properly, press F1 twice to continue.
The computer continues to boot up fine, but is running strictly off AC power. It boots up the same with or without the battery locked in. I even bought a used, but guaranteed functional battery and it had the same result.
After researching a lot online I saw a common solution is to update the Bios.   Currently my system has Bios A01, and I have tried updating to A07, A11, and even A00 without luck. When running the executable in Windows 7, just before it flashes the system with a new bios I get fail message saying operation cannot complete because AC Adapter and battery must be present and functional.
So I found a guide online to create an MS-DOS startup boot drive, along with the Bios .exe's which can be run from MS-DOS. The system booted up into MS-DOS mode fine, but I received an error running the .exe, "Cannot run in DOS mode". I also tried to run the .exe with the /forceit command afterwards with no luck.
So at this point I don't know if my laptop simply needs a BIOS update, or if I have a faulty motherboard or battery sensor.Â
Ideally I'd like a solution to upgrade the bios without a battery that works and can resolve my problem. But if we can't find a solution, I need to know what needs to be fixed so I can repair my laptop through Dell's Out of Warranty Repair service.Â
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 Media Buttons Not Lighting Up Or Working
Jan 28, 2014The touch sensitive media buttons above the keyboard on my Studio XPS 1647 stopped working the other day. When I tried to turn my laptop back on the computer beeped a few times and the screen flashed a few solid colors and then went black. I had to turn the laptop off and on again and it booted as normal except the media buttons stopped working. They do not light up or respond to touch.
I have restarted the laptop, updated the Dell QuickSet drivers and the BIOS and nothing has fixed it. According to this post the media buttons need to be replaced. How can I do that and where can I buy the parts needed?
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 Positioning As A Replacement For 1645 With Design Flaws
Jan 4, 2010I am one of the many people here who has a defective Studio XPS 1645 (random crashing and throttling issues). I was promissed a replacement system by a tech support supervisor and Studio XPS 1647 was mentioned by him as a replacement for the 1645 system which will fix all outstanding issues (as claimed by him). I don't have a detailed system configuration yet and will post as soon as I recieve one.
I just don't want to be a beta tester for Dell once again if 1647 proves to have design flaws like the 1645.
Does anyone out there have 1647 yet? Is this an upgrade to 1645 (hope its not a downgrade)? Should I accept this offer or demand a full refund?
Dell Studio XPS 1647 :: Stuck At Splash Screen - Volume Down LED Flashing In PSA
Sep 10, 2014Studio XPS 1647 laptop can't boot past POST and stuck at Dell splash screen with progress bar at ~80%. After holding down FN and pressing the power button, all three volume LEDS would flash twice, immediately followed by the volume UP and DOWN keys flashing, and then followed by just the Volume Down LED flashing.
Recently my Studio XPS 1647 has had overheat problems, and sometimes they would cause BSOD with broken screen images. The BSOD always came with bcode 116 error: this is apparently video card related. So last weekend I opened the case, removed the heat sink and the fan. The heat sink vent was completely blocked with a thick layer of dirt, so it's no wonder for overheating. I cleaned up the heatsink vent and the fan, cleaned up the top of CPU chip and the top of GPU chip, reapplied thermal paste and put everything back together. After that, the machine couldn't pass the Dell splash screen on boot. I've already checked the discussions here and followed suggestions on holding down the power button to remove static, reseating the memory card etc., but they are of no use.
Finally I followed the instructions on starting up ePSA. I've tried it repeatedly, and every time the boot always stuck at the Dell splash screen with the progress bar at about 80% with or without applying ePSA. The SPA screen never came up if I held down FN+Power button. The difference between a generic boot and a PSA boot is that if I held down FN+Power button, all three volume LEDS would flash twice, immediately followed by the volume UP and DOWN keys flashing, and then followed by just the Volume Down LED flashing.
I've read from a few discussions talking about all three volume LEDS flashing would be a motherboard problem. But in my case it's three LEDs flashing twice, followed by volume UP and DOWN keys flashing once, and then followed by just the Volume Down LED flashing continuously. What this PSA blinking code means?
Dell :: Sxps 16 Vs Alienware M15x
Dec 7, 2009i have a dell xps m1530 that has the t9300 processor and it got damaged so then dell decided they would send me a replacment system
so they send another xps1530 refusbished was not happy with that so i called and complained took them 2 weeks to decide what they where going to do so in the 2 weeks i saw the M15X for 1499 plus 200 in free upgrades so i bought hte m15x with the i720 i only got the basic 512 vid card i dondt do alot of gaming and i might get into wow but not sure if i will or not here is the thing ......
Dell :: XPS 1640 Or Alienware M15x
Sep 8, 2009I've been thinking about getting a new laptop. I'm pretty satisfied with Dell, I know that I might get a "better" deal some where else, however Dell has provided me exceptional service with 3 systems I've own/owned in the past.
The studio XPS 16 has everything I want in a laptop minus a gaming video card. The alienware looks very slick and has a decent video card.
I have a budget of $2000. So I'm looking for opinions, which of the two would YOU get
Dell :: Studio XPS 1647 Hard Drive "clicking"
Mar 9, 2010Did a clean install of Win7 Pro the day after I received my 1647 (see specs in signature). Updated the BIOS to A04 and received my replacement 130w adapter via courier yesterday.
Migrated my data from my old daily use machine and started to use the XPS1647 as my new daily use late last week. I immediately noticed that the hard drive tends to "click" (for lack of better terminology) on a regular basis. It almost sounds like the drive head is constantly parking and un-parking.
Note: I am pretty sure it is the hard drive causing the noise. Front left hand side next to the track pad is where the noise seems to be originating.
I have the power settings set to never turn off the hard drive when plugged in (this was my initial suspicion of what was causing the noise).
I am thinking of calling Support and just having a tech come and have a look at it. The problem is the noise seems to come and go as it pleases (ie I can't reproduce the issue at will). Of course if and when the tech comes to have a look at it and the noise isn't being produced they will just tell me I am nuts.
Are any other XPS1647 owners hearing the same thing I am? If this is indeed the Hard Drive I am a little concerned as it seems flaky already...
Dell :: Uk Delivery Time When Shipped & M15x
Jan 6, 2010I have looked throughout the site and even emailed customer support (with no answer) but cannot find anything about average delivery times. I live in England and have order a new alienware m15x which was dispatched early on monday via ups. UPS tracking is still not active on my order (I know it can take up to 4 working days, which I find quite ridiculous frankly) and I am getting frustrated as I have no idea whats happening or when I can expect my order. I was just hoping people could give me an idea of how long it took their order to be delivered once shipped and if someone could tell me where uk alienware orders actually ship from.
I have been reading through dell forums and noticed that some american customers have had their orders listed as shipped but the orders had not actually been picked up by the carrier (i.e. ups). I wonder if anyone in the uk has experienced similar issues with delivery.
Dell :: Is Replacing My My M1530 With Alienware M15x?
Mar 3, 2010I know alienware tends to be abit bulkier, but is this a good thing? Or should I request Studio XPS 16? Everything seems alot beeter then my current 1530 but not sure about the graphics card? I Here is what they are sending: ...
View 10 Replies View RelatedDell Alienware M15X :: OEM Partition On Hard Drive
Feb 26, 2013So, I recently have been having multiple issues with my laptop, so I reformatted the hard-drive and re-installed windows. In the process, I noticed a 39-gig OEM partition on my hard-drive.  After research, it seems like this is supposed to be a recovery partition with factory settings but I have been unable to access it, even after installing the Dell Datasafe (and consequently Alien Respawn.)
How I can restore the system to the recovery partition, as for whatever reason the drivers aren't working properly and I am having no backlights behind the keys or even the power button. Â I've followed the 'correct' driver install order and it still isn't working.
Dell Alienware M15x :: X64 - Unable To Get Bios A03 Update
Mar 29, 2013On the dell driver download page there's no bios update available when I filter by my service tag, but if I go to all related updates for this product it's up to A09. The bios and video bios were shadowed.
View 3 Replies View RelatedDell Alienware M15X :: Disk Drive Can't Read DVDs
Mar 26, 2013I tried a few days ago to watch some movies on my laptop but my disk driver couldn`t read my dvd´s at all. It can read CD´s but no DVD´s. This is my dvd driver:
PLDS DVD+-RW DC-8A2SH
My laptop is an Alienware M15X and I´m using Windows 7 (64bits)
Dell :: How To Add A 2nd HDD In XPS 1647
Feb 27, 2010After waiting for over a month or so, I finally got my XPS 1647 from dell. I was very keen on adding a second HDD to store bulk data and use a SSD as primary driver for OS.
Speical thanks to this specific thread, specially Nando4 for all the information.
Pre-Requisites:
Confidence to open your laptop
HDD Caddy to replace the Optical Disk Drive - I got one from New Mode Electronics, which sells such caddys. This specific machine uses 12.7mm (height) slot-loading model with SATA external interface. You can buy it on ebay too for a cheaper price, but most of them ship from China and takes a long time to arrive.. and if there is a problem..its a nightmare to return or re-order.
A second HDD
Dell Service Manual for Studio XPS 16 series - Specially how to replace the Optical Drive
Here is the Pictorial :
Click on each of the image below to see a larger image (in a new window)
Step 01 - Ready to Dismantle the Laptop
Step 02 - Remove the Back cover (10 screws to remove)
Step 03 - Remove the Rear caps (slide, and pull out as described in the dell service manual). Don't apply force.
Step 04 - Remove 14 screws (this is needed to remove the palm rest). On my system 10 screws were marked "P", 2 were marked "K" and 2 were flat screws.
Step 05 - Turn over, and remove the two screws to remove the palm rest. (Point to remember - once you are done, and when you tighten this later, don't tighten it too much, else the plastic under it would crack). Once the two screws are removed, use the two tabs to pull out the palm rest (as described in the service manual)
Step 06 - Disconnect the cables connected (by lifting the tab - again - its described very well in the service manual).
Step 07 - Remove the cables connected (two of them). Now the palm rest is free & the motherboard and the ODD is visible
Step 08 - View of the mother board and ODD
Step 09 - View of the mother board and the 3 screws that need to be removed to free the OOD
Step 10 - One screw at the back to remove the ODD. Point to note - the HDD caddy did not have this screw hole - but the HDD Caddy fits in place securely with other 3 screws.
Step 11 - the ODD is now free - You can see the inter-poser (SATA to the motherboard pins) - simply pull it out from the ODD to set it free.
Step 11a - View of ODD out of the system
Step 12 - The ODD and the HDD Caddy that I got from New Mode Electronics. There is a component that is used on the ODD to secure it to the motherboard - This needs to be removed (2 screws) and put on the new HDD caddy as shown in this image.
Step 13 - View of ODD, Securing Component, Interposer, and the HDD Caddy - all side by side.
Step 14 - The new HDD caddy with the 500 GB Seagate HDD (that came with my system), interposer and the securing component
Step 15 - Plug in the HDD caddy in the system and fasten the screws. From this point, its just a reverse process of putting things back in place (palm rest, screws, rear caps and the back cover)
Step 16 - BIOS - now shows the second HDD !
Step 17 - Window Shows the second HDD!
Total time taken from start to finish (including taking photos..etc) - 60 mins!
So, there you go.. you now have a second HDD in your XPS 1647..