Dell Precision 5510 Owner's Lounge

This is the indicator that is built into Windows 8/10. You do not need a separate download to get it. Windows 7 does not have a built-in indicator.

 

That warning can be disabled in the BIOS. Somewhere there is also a message about if power demand exceeds PSU capacity then the computer will draw the balance from the battery. I haven't tested if that actually happens.

I have noticed that it's a big reach to the right button if using the left thumb which I had attributed to the the large pad. However, having the pad offset to the right worsens the problem. Perhaps I should try to train my right thumb to share the work.

Thanks for that clarification.

At the moment the only thing I want fixed on the 5510 is the extra power drain which kicks in as soon as anything is plugged into the USB-C port (even a dumb USB to USB-C adapter without anything plugged into it).

John

 

Use Windows 7 drivers, it so much better and you get all of the controls back
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...aptics-touchpad-and-advanced-settings.785682/

Since the latests driver or Windows driver updates my laptop once again reboot every time I put it into sleep. Connected or disconnect to the TB15.
EventID 6008 shows unexpected shutdown (from the time I closed the lid) - but no errors or warning from that time. Seems it executes the error, when I power on the system.
EventID 41; System restart without proper shutdown
EventID219; "The driver \Driver\WUDFRd failed to load for the device ACPI\INT3400\2&daba3ff&2.

I've disabled hibernation

 

I initially had some reboots when hibernating and sleeping but the computer has been OK for the past 3 weeks. That could be the time when I updated the Thunderbolt firmware, the Thunderbolt driver, the chipset driver and the network driver. It's possible that the change to the firmware means that some drivers see the hardware differently and then make some changes to their configuration.

Also disable the Windows 10 fast boot and then do a couple of cycles of shutdown and cold start.

John

 

Doesn't it mean that the power adapter is really under powered? If I used a 65W power supply for an E6540 for example, I would get same warning. Isn't it just the second graphics card and the 4K display in these that really demand the extra power?

Yeah, having the touchpad offset to the right of the spacebar, that puts my right thumb to directly to the left part of the touchpad. When I move my index finger to use the touchpad, it is pretty much off the touchpad. I have to move my hand back. With the touchpad right below the spacebar, it is positioned better. Oh, I've also start using the 2-finger tap for the right button. I guess it's less wear on the button - I've destroyed many touchpad right buttons on my previous laptops.

 

I've tried Dell's latest Windows 8.1 driver, and that's probably the same as the Windows 7 one, but every time I reboot the system, the device manager would show a different device under the mouse section. Windows would eventually take over the Dell driver. I found some articles in Dell's support forum about modifying the touchpad's registry to get rid of the lags, and I'll try it and see.

What version of Windows are you running?

 

"Under-powered" depends on the load conditions. The CPU package is rated at 45W which is for a full CPU+iGPU load. The most I've seen under full CPU load is 35W. The dGPU draws at least 30W but in my normal usage pattern it is asleep although 65W would handle its power requirement if the CPU is not fully loaded. This notebook will recharge my 84Whr battery at up to about 50W which 65W plus light usage can accomodate but the battery charge rate will reduce if necessary to reflect the available power from the PSU. So, for travelling light with no heavy usage anticipated then 65W is sufficient.

I use a mouse for much of the time - for me the pad is for when I am using the notebook as a laptop (or I forget to get the mouse out of the bag).

John

 

The short term turbo boost for the CPU (PL2 Limit) in the 5510 is 56 watts.

 

Maybe, but that must be for such a short period that HWiNFO doesn't detect it when monitoring the package power. Or maybe that's the situation I haven't tried monitoring: Disable dGPU and then try to fully load CPU and iGPU concurrently.

It may also be that Intel's process tweaks mean that the CPUs don't normally go near their original design ceilings.

John

 

Correct - you can only hit it by using iGPU with CPU. That's why the 5510 never comes out of full turbo clocks in the i7 and Xeon, it never hits 45 watts since the dGPU takes over any graphics load. I like it