Dell Precision M6700 Owner's Review

Indeed, start by opening the back panel, maybe you'll find the culprit. Even if you do, be on the lookout for any issues that might occur.

 

Just got one in to test at work and I noticed the fans go off alot more then I imagined. Anyone else notice this??

 

After waiting & waiting I'm about to pull the trigger on ordering a full zoot M6700 to replace my desktop workstation.

-Primary use is financial trading.
-Secondary is photo management.
-Third is some gaming.

Am I making a mistake "just" going with the 3740QM processor? Seems like performance gain is minimal moving up from that?
I planned on going with NVidia K4000, mostly because the AMD appears to be a big dropoff?
Planning on upgrading memory myself & adding an SSD. Anything I need to consider for these while ordering?
I assume the most expensive EPortPlus is the best option?

Any other "shoulds" you guys have ..... I appreciate your input? I'd like to get 5 years out of this one.

 

The way it is for most things. It called, "the point of diminishing return."

Just look at the price difference between the k4000 and k5000. You get more, but at twice the price, not that much more?

 

Mine is almost dead quiet when using Office or a browser. If i launch something require flash i do get the fans going on and off once in a while. Zune triggers this behavior also.

 

The AMD is a big dropoff. The K4000 is a nice card.

Depending on the size of the data sets that you are processing, the extra memory in the 3840QM may help. I am amazed at how running queries and sorting data can load a processor. If you are mainly using it to monitor data and make trades, the 3740QM should be enough.

The EPortPlus gives the most monitor options. Make sure the dock has a 240 watt power adapter.

If you can get matching RAM, it is ideal. At least try to have all 4 sticks be the same speed and capacity. Be aware that mixing and matching brands, types, and CAS latencies may lead to RAM defaulting to a slower speed.

Try to stick with Crucial, Samsung, or Intel for the SSD. All are known to work well. Right now the Samsung PM840 is being updated to fix a firmware glitch.

 

What BIOS version?

 

I received my M6700 last friday, with BIOS version A06 installed from factory.

I'm experiencing the same fan behaviour as stated earlier in this thread. The fan switches on for about 2-3 seconds, then switches off for about 20-30 seconds and back on for 2-3 seconds, and so on.

This was while the laptop was running on battery. I didn't pay enough attention when the laptop was on mains, so I'm not sure if it's the same. Will check this later though...

Same here on the extreme tight fit of the headphone/microphone jacks.

My base cover also has a lot of scratches on the inside. Personally, I don't care about these. If they were on the outside, I would have sent it back.

The housing of one of my fans had a dent and was bent, like someone used a flathead screwdriver to hold it down while assembling. Since the metal is not that thick, I was able to bend it back into shape using my hands.

Not something you would expect with such an expensive laptop...

 

Mine arrived this afternoon, from the Dell Outlet in the UK. I also have a very evident rattling sound coming from somewhere inside. I've had the bottom cover off, but nothing has fallen out and I can't pinpoint the source of the rattle. Also the keyboard is not lying flat. There is an upward bulge around the 2 and F2 keys. Pressing down on the keyboard I find a significant amount of give across the whole keyboard. Functionally everything seems fine, but it is disappointing to be faced with these concerns straight out of the box.

I really don't want to call a tech for such trivial matters. It seems odd that two of us would have rattling if that is not normal behaviour. As for the keyboard sponginess, is that to be expected?

 

Rattling caused by loose parts and severe keyboard flex are both not normal and definitely not to be expected for a high-end laptop. I can tell you, I have neither with my M6700.