Dell Precision M3800 Owner's Review

Well, Windows Update just upgraded the Intel Graphics drivers to 20.19.15.4331. Video clock is still stuck at 600mhz on battery (dips to 200 momentarily but then settles at 600mhz). My understanding is that it's supposed to idle at 400mhz.

[EDIT] Well, now Bluetooth isn't working so I can't use my mouse. Thanks a lot Microsoft.

[EDIT 2] A trip to the Intel site (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/75439/Intel-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC-7260) and download of latest Bluetooth drivers seems to have fixed the issue... but it brings up several concerns:
1) Most users won't know to do this.
2) Why is Windows Update installing drivers that break things.
3) Why isn't the Bluetooth driver updated via Windows Update like the video driver.
4) Windows 10 sucks.

 

thought i'd add to this thread about some issues i've encountered after upgrading to win 10 pro (fresh install).

after the install, i updated all drivers to whatever was listed as the "latest and greatest" on dell's website.

the display driver kept crashing - downloading the generic/beta drivers off downloadcenter.intel fixed that problem.

the screen doesn't "turn on" after i press the power on button (from SLEEP state as it's my habit).

no fix - i close the lid and re-open it and the screen comes on. i suspect it is a driver issue.

my intel GPU is at 399mhz no matter what i do or what app i run.

 

I can confirm the same exact experience. For me though, after a couple of weeks of constant intermittent GPU crashes, Windows Update upgraded the Intel Drivers itself without any input from me. Crashes went away... but it broke the Bluetooth drivers, which I rely on for my mouse. I downloaded the latest Bluetooth Drivers from the Intel site and the problem went away. Ugh.

Just the other day I witnessed a friend of mine open up their Windows tablet that they hadn't used in several weeks (because, really, this is what I witness with most regular users- Windows PC or Tablet is largely a doorstop they use once in a blue moon). Every website they visited wouldn't load because of certificate errors. After a brief period of confusion I noticed their clock was wrong... despite having rebooted twice. So, even THAT doesn't work in Windows 10 (automatic time). I tried to show them how to get to the Time Sync screen, which takes about a 10 different detours through a bunch of illogical screens to get to, and they were back in business. I suspect that if I hadn't been there, the tablet would have returned to being a doorstop.

There are some things to like about Windows 10 (performance being pretty good otherwise). But, if you ask me, it is the WORST, buggiest release of Windows ever. I never even had these sorts of issues with Vista.

 

I had to help someone with the same time issue on a new Win10 laptop recently, so this is not limited to upgrades.

 

Has anyone else had issues with an external monitor flickering black every once-in-a-while with their M3800? I am on Windows 10 and I have a Dell monitor connected directly to my M3800 using HDMI, and I would say at least once every half hour the monitor flickers black and then comes back on. I have not had this issue when just using my computer by itself, and I know the problem is not the monitor or the cable, as I have changed both of those components out and I am still getting the issue.

All of my drivers are up to date, so that should not be an issue either. Is there anything that I am missing? Is anyone else seeing this problem?

 

What driver should I use for the built in microphone? A have downloaded from Dell's site, and checked it with Driver booster, but It is still too quiet. I checked all settings in Windows. Dell replaced it, but no luck. What Driver do you use?

 

You need to get hold of the original Maxx Audio Pro drivers. The updated driver (which is Maxx Audio) has a very quiet microphone.

 

Mine does that. I'm pretty sure it's hardware -- and it's definitely the screen, as I tried sleeping it with a music player running, and the sound comes on even though the screen doesn't.

As for why I think it is hardware, it did it/does it in all of:
1) In Windows 8.1 with the Dell image
2) In Windows 8.1 clean-reinstalled
3) In Windows 10 upgraded from my install of Windows 8.1
4) In Windows 10 clean-reinstalled
5) In Windows 7 which I did a clean install dual-boot when the machine is new

OTOH, it's done it both before and after a motherboard swap.

Different driver versions in all of them. Re-sleeping the system, whether with the button or opening/closing, fixes it but it's a little annoying.

 

Can anyone help with this? Is anyone else seeing this? I have tried everything that I can think of and I still get this issue. I have even had my screen go black and then kick me out to the desktop while playing a game. The game will still be running (it didn't crash) and then I have to click on the running game in the taskbar to resume playing it.

I have tried every driver combo known to man for both the Intel HD graphics and the Quadro K1100m, and I still my screen going blank for a few seconds about once every half hour no matter what I am doing.

 

So I went with my gut feeling and tested something that I thought would work, and I was right. I switched from using an HDMI cable to using a DisplayPort-to-Thunderbolt cable, and the issue has gone away. Now I know that the issue is with the HDMI on my Precision M3800, but I do not know what exactly the issue is. It can't be the monitor, because I tried it with two different monitors and still got the intermittent blinking. I also tried it with two different HDMI cables and still got the issue as well. That leads me to believe that either the HDMI port on my M3800 is defective somehow, or I need an HDMI 2.0 cable to support the resolution of my new QHD monitor (which I doubt).

I had always thought that when ports go bad they just stop working altogether, so at this point I am not sure what I will do. I really don't want to go through having my motherboard replaced yet again (went through that 3 times on my other M3800 and ended up getting a new one), only to possibly have the issue continue. Maybe I will buy an HDMI 2.0 cable just for the heck of it and see if that makes a difference.