I 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.
today 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.
I 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?
I 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?
I am currently being offered a exchange for my 1640, and they are giving my the option to configure it.
Which is better? And how do i know which is the 1645 and 1647 on the website?
for 130 Watt Adapter and update to the latest BIOS
View 10 Replies View RelatedI've decided to get an xps 16 for college, and I am curious as to which to get. I plan on using it for college, but also plan on playing quite a few games on it as well when I have the time. Which would be better overall to avoid throttling issues, and just have the best performance for this overall?
On a side note, on the dell site, how do I tell which is a 1640, 1645, and 1647?
I'm trying to decide between the two though I lean towards the 1645. I'm also open to any of the doubters trying to argue for something else altogether.
I'm a gamer and a relative power user, but I don't fret benchmarks and I don't mind if I get some throttling after a few hours of gaming so long as the issue will go away once I quit to desktop and give the comp 15 minutes to cool down.
I'm also not chasing every last bit of graphical detail or processor power. If two years from now I can still play new games on modest graphical settings with an acceptable frame rate, and if my desktop experience is crisp and responsive .....
ftp://ftp.dell.com/bios/1647_A05.exe
ftp://ftp.dell.com/bios/1645_A08.exe
Well I am considering 2 different laptops. I am mainly wanting a laptop for school to type notes. I will use Microsoft Office, web surf, and store music,documents,videos, and pictures. I was trying to keep my budget under $850.
I really like how the the Studio 1558 offers a 9cell battery, better screen, and backlit keyboard but is it really worth the extra $100?
Also if I were to get the Studio I would add the backlit keyboard. Thats just an addition $25.
Inspiron 15 (1564)-$599.00
Processor-NEW 2010 Intel®Core™ i3 - 330M
Operating System-Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit
LCD Panel-15.6" HD WLED
Combo or DVD+RW Drive
Memory-4GB2 Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
Hard Drive-320GB, 5400 RPM
Video Card-Intel® HD Graphics
Sound-High Definition Audio 2.0
Wireless-Dell 1397 Wireless-G
Battery-Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
System Color-Obsidian Black
Please note that my GPU Throttles down when it hits 84C. This cycle will continue up and down as the system system downclocks the GPU.
View 10 Replies View RelatedBeen following all the throttling issues on these forums religiously for a while now. I have been eyeing these laptops since they came out. Looking for some opinions on what I should buy. The "business" reps are trying to sell me a Precision but that price point is really high.
Primary uses will be:
Software and Database Design and Development -- mainly C++, .NET technologies (WCF, WPF, C#, etc), Silverlight, Sharepoint, Expression Blend, SQL Server (not express). I will be installing the entire development environments and tools that come with these. Also MS Office Enterprise.
Other occasional uses:
Movies (getting BR for sure), some gaming (not hard core like most here) and other regular day-to-day tasks (surfing, etc.)
With above said, should I get the i7 620, 720 or 820? I can get the RGBLED with the 620 but not the 720 or 620 -- is the RGBLED worth it -- don't mind spending the $$ for it -- or is the WLED just fine (even for BR movies)? Also, I am definitely getting the SSD for speed.
So yes I have no cred and I am relatively new but I think we can all agree the direction of the heat vent on the XPS 16XX series needs to be changed to face downwards at least, so that the heat isn't dicipated directly onto the screen!
There doesn't seem anywhere available to add a secondary vent, so at least the primary vent needs to be improved.
I will send this to Dell_Bill_B as he requested in the throttling forum, and he said he would take this issue up at the next conference call!
Looked around here but could not find the answer. Are there actual hardware differences between the 1645 and 1647 xps studio 16? Just curious if the 1645 can handle the next gen procs (i5, i7 Arrandale cores). Also can the bios for a 1647 be used on the 1645?
I got forced a 1645 in a system replacment and they would not do a 1647 even after they said they would and I pushed HARD on my end. I now wonder really what the hardware differneces are if any?? Also want to know if this thing will allow future upgrades as to the cpu past the Clarksfield cores it runs now?
Also mine did not come with the SB x-fi software. Is this worth asking for or obtaining?
I was giving my 1645 a nice cleaning when I noticed a depression on the left hand side palm corner. The black of the palm rest actually sinks below the the silver trimming. Is this normal? is it supposed to be flush? Does it mean I need yet ANOTHER part replaced on this damn laptop?
View 10 Replies View RelatedI'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.
I'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 Relatedis 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 .....
Im 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?
Is 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 .....
From 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..
Just 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
So 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) .....
Got 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 RelatedIt 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 ......
Turns 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.
Yesterday 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)?
I 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.
When 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
The 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?