I am looking for a new notebook and after going through countless reviews I have narrowed my final purchase decisions down to two notebooks -
Dell Studio XPS 16 and Dell Latitude E6400. I am basically need a notebook for web browsing, business use and leisure purposes.
I am looking for a new notebook and I can't decide wether to buy the XPS 16 or the Latitude E6400.
I will need the notebook for both university (web browsing, office) and leisure purposes (watching movies, tv, listening to music).
I need a solidly built notebook as I travel every few weeks.
I know that they are two different focused machines, but now that the Studio XPS has been out for a little while, can anyone comment on how the E6400 and 13" SXPS stack up against each other?
Battery life?
Computer performance CPU for CPU?
Keyboard quality?
Quality of build?
Screen quality?
The price of 2nd user Latitude D630's seems to be holding up quite well in the UK. Does this indicate that it is still a popular machine and favoured over the E6400?
I briefly checked out an E6400 the other day and for a choice between machines of approximately similar spec I would opt for the D630 rather than the newer E6400.
I would be interested in opinions from users who have experience with both models.
I am wondering whether or not the E6400 has the Latitude-On feature or can be configured as such.
View 10 Replies View RelatedI'm pretty new to Dell notebook world. I was always told that Dell has a stinky customer service and their image wasn't that good around spot but care sharing whats good and bad about dell in general?
1- In the LCD option, it says touchscreen. Does that mean I can somewhat use this laptop like a tablet? ( Without the ability to twist the screen of course..)
2-Never knew whtas the different between 1dimms and 2dimms in RAM....
3-Compare Geforce 9400gs with the Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD With PC-Card. Plus, what do they mean by "PC-Card" or "EXpress card" ?
4-Does Dell notebook actually give us 64bits windows or they're all 32bits unless they mention the option of 64bits?
5-Whats the difference between the normal e6400 model and the ATG model? Simply more durability +weight?
6- Whats an encrypted HDD or a ruggedized HDD?
7- I'll be using the notebook for design purpose. Such as photoshop, flash, illustrator or such. I'll be using 2-3 program at once with several picture/projet +internet + music. If my specs are 2.26ghz or 2.4ghz + 4gb ram + intel HD4500HD, will this notebook handle it?.............................
Its a certified refurb; it has everything i want at a great price:
-- Latitude E6400 Laptop: Intel Core 2 Duo P9500 (2.53GHz, 6M L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
-- 14.1 inch UltraSharp WXGA+ (1440x900) LED Display
-- Back-lit Keyboard
-- Genuine Windows Vista Business
-- Brushed Metal Black
-- 24X CD RW/DVD Combo Drive
-- 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM 800MHz (1 DIMMs)
-- 90W AC Adapter
-- 9 Cell Primary Battery
-- 125V Power Cord
-- Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD With Express Card
-- 250 GB Free Fall Sensor Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
-- Dell Wireless 1510 802.11a/g/n Draft Mini Card
-- Integrated Webcam with digital microphone
Im upgrading the RAM to 4gb, and maybe the hard drive if its too loud. I got the integrated GPU on purpose so it runs cooler and quieter and has better battery life (I don't play games). Ill try for a new version of vista too. Im happy i got the p9500, that was probably the only one left that was a decent price,
I have a simple question: is the E6400 able to use the 8 GB of RAM fully? I have read some threads here about chipset limitations etc.
Could those of you with the E6400 and 8 GB of RAM quickly check whether your 8 GB are fully usable by the system?
I'll be able to order my new E6400 soon, as follows:
CPU: Intel P9700 2.8GHz
GPU: nVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M / ExpressCard
HDD: (whatever is cheapest) I'll replace with a Scorpio Black or Blue (see question 5)
MEM: (whatever is cheapest) I'll replace with 2x2GB of Corsair DDR2-800
WI-FI: (whatever is cheapest) I'll replace with an AR9280 half miniPCIe card
LCD: WXGA+ (1440x900) LED-backlit
- Backlit keyboard, Bluetooth module, 6-cell battery
Keep in mind that I won't be running Windows on this machine, but instead, Linux (Arch Linux x64).
Questions:
1) Is the nVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M enough to run Compiz-Fusion smoothly?
I previously ran Compiz-Fusion with an Intel GMA X3100 integrated GPU and was underwhelmed. Everything worked, but the animations were pretty herky-jerky, most of the time. Aero animations under Windows 7 were similarly not very smooth. I'm hoping for more with the nVIDIA Quadro (I read one report that Aero with an E6400/nVIDIA wasn't very smooth).
2) How bad *really* is the touchpad?
I've heard reports that the touchpad is imprecise and laggy, but I've also heard from people who say they haven't had any issues. Is this a "hit or miss" situation with the hardware, or is it due simply to what people are used to? Or has this been fixed?
3) How durable is the lid/screen?
I've heard reports that "the E6400 is well-built and durable ... except for the display," with no real elaboration. Is there any truth to this? Bending, flexing, etc.? Screen distortions if pressure is applied to the back? Does it seem strong? Feel strong?
4) Does the "brushed-metal" on the back of lid look good in person? Or does it look cheap, fake, tacky, etc ... ?
5) Can I replace the hard-drive?
I heard from one owner that the hard-drives used in the E6400 use a non-standard SATA layout, and thus aftermarket hard-drives cannot be installed. That seemed like it would be a very stupid thing for Dell to do ... but I thought I'd ask.
6) After time (6-12 months), does the display start to wobble when open?
I had an Acer Aspire 4720Z (I know, cheap quality) whose display would wobble when open. At the top of the screen, probably about 1/2" to 3/4" of wobble. The Dell Inspiron 1521 I'm using now does the same thing ... very annoying. Does the E6400 exhibit anything like this even AFTER extended ownership? Say 6 months to a year or more?
7) Is the audio bad?
I've heard from a few people that the audio is simply horrid, even through headphones. I've also heard that disabling PC Spk has fixed it for some people ... is this an outdated issue that has been fixed by Dell?
8) Is there anything else I should know?
If there's anything else that I need to know, I'd love to hear it.
Sorry for so many questions, but this will be a big purchase.
After reading this thread: E Module Bay 2.5" drive.
about the possibility of a second hdd in the Latitude E Series I wonder if it is possible to use Raid0 with E6400 as mentioned in the manual.
Looking after it in the Bios I can't find any Raid Modus for SATA-Operation.
Any ideas???
I have been reading about people getting so many hours out of their E6400. I have the 9 cell battery and running the screen on the lowest setting, Bluetooth off and wifi on im getting close to 6 and a half hours of battery life. Is this normal....
I heard about doing a clean install, what does this do, and what benefits would i be achieving by doing this?..
Is there anything else i can do to get a little more juice out of the battery when i need it? I plan to have wifi on most of the time when it is being used. Basic web-surfing and Microsoft word...
I am trying Windows 7 on my Latitude E6400, and I am having two a little issue for the system.
First issue is despite enabling advance performance for the drive under Device manager, Windows 7 gives me score or 2.0, than in Vista the score is significantly higher in the 5.0 range. My HDD is the Hitachi 5400RPM 160GB.
Second issue is, I don't know what I missed when installing the drivers/software, but I don't have the on-screen volume control. But the ambient light sensor, brightness level and keyboard backlit mode, does appear.
Does anyone know if approx. 75-80 processes normal for the Latitude E6400 with Dell ControlPoint installed?
I can't believe it's that much--if it is the case.
Also, should I install the Vista 64-bit chipset driver? I see Dell doesn't have one for Windows 7 64.
I'm looking for a sleeve that is protective but not particularly bulky.
View 10 Replies View RelatedI just got a E6400 from outlet (well it will be here around the 17th). It has a Dell 1397 802.11B/G Wireless Mini Card but I want to get a wireless-n card.
Are there 3 antennas in the laptop still that would allow an upgrade to a Intel wifi 5300 card (assuming it can be found outside of the customization page)?
Is there anywhere cheaper than dell to buy the wireless-n part for the E6400? Dell only has the 5100 for $59.99 and haven't seen the 5300 in parts.
I have a Dell Latitude e6400, running MS Vista (latest SP2 + updates).
It is running Bios A14 (recent update).
My issues are:
1. Computer will start up and work normally. However, on shutting down and restart, it will not restart
2. The 'on' button flashes every few seconds as if the notebook is 'trying' to start up and the HDD light flashes every so briefly. This recurs indefinitely.
One video, talk more than millons of words
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I hope its a problem of the LCD inverter, and not all the panel.
I purchased the Dell Latitude E6400 and was supposed to receive the WXGA+ 1400x900 LED screen. Under my device monitor hardware id it displays Cmo1436. Is this the correct LED screen or rather an LCD?
View 3 Replies View RelatedI received my Dell E6400 yesterday and need to take screenshots because I am writing training manuals.
My problem is that with my Dell D260 I could press keys on my keyboard ALT PrntScrn and capture the active screen.
With the E6400 there is only one option to capture screens and that is the Fn key with the F11 which is the PrntScreen button
I'm trying to switch out the processor of my E6400. When I put the new processor in and start the computer, the lights blink, sometimes the screen turns on (to black), but the BIOS never loads (or even starts). The computer then turns off, and the caps and scroll lock lights turn on, and the num lock light starts blinking.
Does anyone know what that blinking code means, and more importantly, why the computer isn't starting?
I keep waiting to order my E6400 until all these problems I keep hearing about get resolved. However, it doesn't seem to end. Would I be better off just ordering a D630 and be done with it? These will be discontinued at the end of the year. Right now, it looks like I can save around $300-400 when I configure the D630 similarly. Of course, the D630 doesn't have webcam, maxes out at 4 GB RAM, has a mono speaker, and so forth. But aside from this, isn't it a much more well-tuned machine?
Are the problems I keep hearing about overblown? Will the D630 have its own share of problems?
Is going backwards to the D series a wise choice?
My work gave me a new Latitude E6400. They replaced Vista with XP so I don't know if that is a possible cause, but whenever I try to put the computer to sleep (whether stand by or even hybernate), it freezes. You can see that it is preparing to stand by, locks up, never powers down, and can't get out of it. I have to hold the power button down and force a shut down.
I've been over the power management options, updated and reviewed the Bios, but am not sure where to go next. Is it a driver issue? I would hate to have to try and replace/update each and every one.
Recently my e6400 overheated and i realized that the fan was not spinning at all. I ordered a new fan and it still wont spin. I spins for like half a second at start up, but that's it, even when I am using the laptop it doesn't kick in. I noticed though that when I shut down the laptop with the power button the fan spins for about 3 seconds.Â
Is this the heatsink causing me this issue?
Well i was at school today using my E6400 at the school lounge. I had it on for about 2 hrs or so and all of a sudden there was a burning smell coming out of the motherboard and the computer just shut off on me. I was unable to turn it back on. So i called up Dell tech support. We went through some steps to try and recover the issue but was unsuccessful. So the tech decided to do a system Exchange due to the fact it could be a fire hazard. I should be receiving the new E6400 in about 5 days. Specs are identical or could be higher.
View 10 Replies View RelatedI feel as if the area around and above the sd card reader is getting really hot every time I use my laptop for extended periods of use (30+ minutes). Is this normal? I just took the plastic insert out of the card reader and I can feel heat coming out.
View 10 Replies View RelatedHas anyone tested this first hand? Does it work like the claim it does?
How is the viewing angle from straight ahead whilst the feature is on?...
I am currently trying to figure out which new laptop to buy for myself. My main choices are now lenovo T400 and Dell E6400. I've had good experiences with thinkpad's durability, but what makes me apprehensive to buy one right now is the dubious panel quality that lenovo uses. Dell on the other hand seems to use much better LED panels, but I am worried about durability of the computer. I've used Latitude D820 (work laptop) and a 15" Inspiron (my wife's) and both have literally fallen appart in year and a half.
By fallen appart i mean extremely loose monitor hinges, keys falling off and chipped plastic parts. The Latitude developed a discolored streak on the bottom of the panel. IBM T42 and Asus (G1) I am currently using have held up very well to abuse that I throw at them. Both are still extremely solid with hinges and other parts having barely any wear or deterioration. I dont baby my laptops at all, and need them to be able to hold up being carried everywhere with me all the time, bumpy bicycle commutes in my backpack (vibrations) and ability to haldle a possible drop once a in while.
Are the new latitudes any better build quality wise and will stand up to a very abusive user like myself? Has anybody used one heavily since the time they first came out and can comment on their general durability?
I'm not sure if others are aware, but I have recently found out that the contact between the heatsink and the GPU and chipset are made of a metal-foam material, while the CPU's is copper with thermal paste. After doing some research, it's said that these "high-performance foam heatsink" provide "high thermal conductivity, high internal surface area, and the connectivity of the voids". I'm not sure I'm buying into this since my idling temps are about 60C while my 9300M in my Asus U6V idles at 49C and even my 9800M GS in the Asus G71G idles at 60C.
Has anyone else seen these metal-foams used in other laptops and do you think this decision of using foam heatsinks is due to lower production costs? I personally would have preferred solid copper/aluminum w/ thermal paste rather than a piece of foam
Top red circle = chipset heatsink; lower right red circle = GPU heatsink
Close up on GPU heatsink
It has a windows vista installed and there is a sticker of windows vista below the keyboard.
But there should be a sticker too at the abck of products key, thats what everybody told me..but there isnt any on mines
Plus It came with a Windows XP CD. not windows Vista Cd.......
Anyone know if there is a way to set the e6400 backlit keyboard to always be on?
I currently have it set to the 5 minute timeout within the DCP software which is good enough, just curious if there is way to always keep it on.
