->The official POST ABOUT YOUR NEW DELL NOTEBOOK thread. <-

[extra-ordinary_guy]

Got my Inspiron 9400 E1705 on Wednesday last.

T2500 2GHz Duo
1Gb 667MHz RAM
100Gb 5,400 SATA HDD
8xDVD/RW
Intel GMA950
9 Cell Battery
Windows MCE

Have to say, not too impressed. I'm not too keen on the white 'bumper' strips and I hadn't really figured on the sheer size of the thing.

Also, there's a high pitched 'whistling' sound coming out of it every time I connect the AC adapter, and DVD playback graphics are all stuttery/notchy.

Dell,?

This is a refurbished system, but I would have liked to have thought that they get put through stringent testing, before being shipped to a new customer.

I'm currently going through the CAR process, but overall I'm disappointed.

[STiX]

Hey, I haven't posted before but I've been browsing the forums and the site for a while (it's great btw!)

I just put my order in today after hearing some good reviews about the Inspiron 9400 for gaming and multimedia. I am a Computing Science student and commonly deal with graphics and REALLY dig the idea of the UXGA display. This is my first laptop, however. At first I was going to go for the 6400, but I couldn't resist the graphics card option on the 9400 and the increased screen size. I'm a pretty big guy so the size of a 17" laptop doesn't really scare me either. Battery life shouldn't be too much of an issue as well, as there are plug ins all over University so wifi doesn't kill your battery.

Here's my new rig!

Inspiron 9400 Dual Core
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7400 (4MB Cache/2.16GHz/667MHz FSB),
LCD Panel 17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife™
Memory 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS
Hard Drive 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Combo/DVD+RW Drives 8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Sound Options Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™ HD Software Edition
Wireless Networking Cards Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 Internal Wireless
Batteries 80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Media Center Enhancements Remote Control for Windows XP Media Center Edition

Congratulations! You have qualified for a 25% savings with your online purchase. - $577.00
Subtotal: $1,736.00 CAD
(It came to $1,840.00 CAD including gst)

I would prefer to have the better ram, but it wasn't worth $250 over the upgrade to 2GB of 533 to me. I can always pick up faster ram at a later time. Same goes with the hard drive (Actually, dell only offered a 5400 HD with this deal, seems silly).

On a side note, has anyone had good experiences with configuring the 9400 to get exceptional battery life? I haven't heard much about the nvidia powersaving software that comes with the 7900 gs. If I can squeeze out 3 hours with a 9 cell battery I would be more than happy (browsing/word processing) for when I'm not gaming. Gaming I can totally understand a short battery life and I wouldn't bother without being plugged in.

[a1mint]

If I can squeeze out 3 hours with a 9 cell battery I would be more than happy (browsing/word processing) for when I'm not gaming. Gaming I can totally understand a short battery life and I wouldn't bother without being plugged in.

I have the 9400 with a 9 cell. I haven't run it through yet, but I think the estimate it gives you on the task bar is grossly off. I think it'll get 2 to 2 1/2 hours, but we'll see.

I wish it could tell me exactly how many watts it is currently consuming. But the manufacturer wouldn't like that, because then we could start 'judging' the battery and send them in for underperforming. Did I just hit the nail right on its head or what?

Seriously though, is there some sort of setting (under /proc - Linux ps.) that gives away its current rate of consumption.

As for Linux - FC5 runs good. Except for the wireless, it keeps dropping, and I have to manually reload drivers to get over it. Very annoying.
Should I just write a script that automatically repairs a dropped connection, and wait for better Intel drivers?

Oh one last thing. The keyboard is average at best. I can go to Futureshop and click away on every laptop keyboard in the store, and every single one will be either equal or better even.
The skin of my finger, especially after cutting my nails short, gets stuck underneath the key above it sometimes. When you press a key, there is quite a bit of gap between the keys.
I also don't like how the keys are held in place again with stupid weak little plastic clips - they *WILL* break over time.

However, on Ebay you can order replacement keyboards for cheap. Unfortunately though, so far what I've been able to find, is that they say it's been manufactured by Dell. I was hoping to find one that would be a 'better and improved' keyboard for the keyboard lovers out there.
I really think my finger will break a key off soon, I just got stuck underneath one again.

[a1mint]

As for Linux - FC5 runs good. Except for the wireless, it keeps dropping, and I have to manually reload drivers to get over it. Very annoying.

Probably noone is reading this at this point, because of the Linux thing. Most people probably stuck in the winoze hole.

Anyway, found the wireless problem. The ieee that comes with the kernel is no good. Download and install the Intel ieee thing and it fixes the annoying connection drops.

[rllngthndr]

Received mine today just playing with it haven't done the reformat reinstall yet just removing junk\bloat, like the screen so far was a little afraid of the resolution of the wuxga so far no problem with web pages haven't tried office yet, hate the white bumpers,applied the skin easily scratches with your hand, ony got an intel centrino duo sticker not a core2duo sticker ain't happy about that, like the speakers they actually get loud enough to hear & pretty clear so far, screen is nice and big,weight doesn,t bother me, keyboard seems fairly sturdy would of liked a numeric pad also so far i'm happy

[dL.]

There's a Core 2 duo sticker? I thought they all use Centrino duo stickers only.

dL

[a1mint]

keyboard seems fairly sturdy would of liked a numeric pad also so far i'm happy

Keyboard is ok at best. If it breaks over time, you can fix it by ordering a replacement keyboard on ebay, or send it back in for warranty...

Numeric pad, although people thnk it's nice, I think it sucks.
You never really use the keypad much, and, very important, it makes you have to use the main keyboard area off to the left to much. This *REALLY TOTALLY SUCKS* if you want to put the laptop on your lap. Trust me, that keypad crap that Toshiba, HP, and Sager is using on their 17"es sucks HUGE ! Dell's way better, nice in the middle - and EXACT - no crap.

[a1mint]

There's a Core 2 duo sticker? I thought they all use Centrino duo stickers only.

dL

I'd rip those stupid lame stickers off anyway. "Designed for Windows XP" *What-ever..." I'm a Linux user, couldn't give one frigging ayota about windoze, windos, pfff...

[lejon]

Just ordered last night:

XPS M1210, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7200 (2GHz/667MHz/4MB)
12 inch Wide-screen WXGA Display with TrueLife, Camera,WW Ant, Ear Buds
2GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm for XPS M1210
256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 TurboCache
80GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 English
8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 802.11a/g Mini Card
Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Module
Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy
53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Additional Battery
1 Year Limited Warranty
1 Year CompleteCare Accidental DamageProtection
Free Promotion for 12 in. skin

$2307.32

all i got was a $150 off, but i guess that's better than nothing.

[Superczar]

I wish it could tell me exactly how many watts it is currently consuming. But the manufacturer wouldn't like that, because then we could start 'judging' the battery and send them in for underperforming. Did I just hit the nail right on its head or what?

theres a freeware utility called Notebook hardware control that will show you the real time drain on the battery (varies between 14-15 W on my M1210 when Idle)
However, it is Windows only, but if you look around, you should be able to find something similar for *nix since the battery does tell the system the current power drain....

Probably noone is reading this at this point, because of the Linux thing. Most people probably stuck in the winoze hole.

I'd rip those stupid lame stickers off anyway. "Designed for Windows XP" *What-ever..." I'm a Linux user, couldn't give one frigging ayota about windoze, windos, pfff...

LOL, grow up mate...everyone has their individual preferences, and I wish could show some respect for others' opinion

I was a Linux user as a student....used to love tinkering with my system(s) and would not mind spending hours looking for drivers or troubleshooting stuff....

I still love Linux for its stability and capabilities...Unfortunately, I haven't found any Linux distribution so far that has the maturity level of Windows and with the limited time I have on my hands now, I really cannot afford spending hours on finding drivers or recompiling the kernel ....

Anyway, enough OT ranting...

My first Dell is my new M1210 which I got in July...Missed the Core2Duo option , but do not mind it one bit...and am loving the puppy so far!