Dell Precision M3800 Owner's Review

I think PCIe in the rMBP is overrated! I don't think most of us will notice much difference in SSD performance.
I gave the new rMBP serious consideration but decided against it. I do have experience of using MBP as a Windows PC. And although this works surprisingly well, I still prefer a system that is specifically designed for Windows: better driver support, easier upgradability, etc.
What I especially like about the M3800 is user-upgradable parts, non-proprietary design, two drives instead of one, which gives me more options down the road. And I definitely need more USB ports than just two!

 

Seriously, is something wrong or is this entire video just a static Photoshopped picture of a m3800 and a MBPr?

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 4

 

That rMBP is a vampire edition there is no reflection on table

 

If the text under the video even remotely reflects the quality of the video, don't watch it... How can you state so many incorrect "facts" in one block of text? Automatically generated?

 

Wouldn't it be infinitely dumber to make a glossy screen without anti-reflective properties?

Glossy screens have quite different reflection properties, as this analysis shows. The mirror reflections on a Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 amount to 6.8% while the Nexus 10 throws back 10.9% light.

Limiting reflections is actually the best thing you can do for a screen, and the failure to do so is what lead to matte displays in the first place: besides any additional decrease in reflectivity, the matte screen will also scatter reflected light to limit annoying mirror reflections. The mirror reflections will appear dampened, but they will also "spread" on bigger areas of the screen. Depending on screen quality and light sources that may also be a problem, albeit a smaller one. The matte screen is still a compromise and we shouldn't forget that.

The ideal screen would have very low reflectivity, so low that a light scattering layer would be considered of little use. How would you call that screen, glossy or matte?

 

Going through the list of line items in my M3800 order I see the following item:

492-BBHZ Dell Adapter - USB 2 to Ethernet (PXE)

It's good that the Ethernet adapter is included, but why is it USB2, not USB3? I am hoping it's a typo.

Another thing I noticed: nowhere on the order it states that the keyboard is backlit. I assume it is, but I will be very upset if it isn't!

 

of course it is

 

I think it's USB 2 because the PXE environments you're likely to boot into are unlikely to have native USB 3.0 support, which would render the NIC useless for booting. That's the same reason you can't install Win7 off a flash drive connected to a 3.0 port; Win7 PE doesn't support 3.0, though Win8 PE might. But if you don't care about NIC booting, SIIG makes a well-reviewed USB 3 to gigabit adapter. I guess Dell could have included a USB 3 adapter with a note that to use it for booting you had to connect it to the 2.0 port, though.

I think backlit is mentioned on the View Details page in the store, otherwise it's definitely in the XPS 15 Owner's Manual under Specs, so you're fine there.

 

It says the same on the Norwegian site (where it is an option). Prod.number: 49W1V "USB 2.0 to Gigabit Ethernet adapter". This is kind of lame as the most you get through a USB 2.0 is likely gonna be 280 Mbps. On the other hand, I don't see the need for gigabit ethernet right now... I'm more worried about that kind of connectivity between switches/NAS etc..

Still, great that you guys get the accessories included. On our side of the pond, the Ethernet, all mDP adapters and even the power plug adapter is extra, which is sort of lame, as I have heaps of old 130W PSUs from the M4500 laying around... I'd also like to be able to use office ethernet (WiFi is swamped) AND I'll need to hook up to my U2713H (2560x1440).

I guess, with time, that USB3 Gigabit Ethernet adapters will be the standard, even for Dell.

 

TINY update: Shipping got bumped up a few days, and is now 21.11.2013 instead of the 25/26.11.2013 listed at launch day (Norw). Anyone else getting updates on their delivery?
PS: I also see the US site is reporting 26.11.2013 instead of the 02.12.2013 that was stated at launch (edit: sorry, only for minimum spec, limited availability)..