Dell Precision M6700 Owner's Review

Oh I know this is crazy!! I am definitely going to look into to this more and get to the bottom of it. If Dell is selling brand new systems with old parts then their is a huge problem here. I can just imagine how many people could have the same issue when they got their new system and not even know about it. It make me wonder if the hard-drive is used then what other used parts get put into these systems (CPU, RAM, GPU etc) I totally agree that is the only time they should ever use refurbished parts. To be honest the technicians who are building new systems shouldn't even have access to refurbished parts or like you said I should of been notified that they were going to be using them due to availability.

Thanks
Jason

 

I didn't get a discount coupon, but Dell's own native discount price does fluctuate from time to time. My own configuration ended up being cheaper than the one quote by the rep.

 

Confused here. Rebuilt? Are these coming from the outlet? Is this a warranty replacement unit?

 

Hi Bokeh

Yes, I got a brand new m6700 system that had screen issues right out of the box, so because it was only 1 day old Dell decided to do a whole new order on my system. It went through pre-production/production/shipping process.
No this was not a warranty replacement it was a brand new re-order just like I did when I first ordered my new system. They told me that it would take time to build the new system.

The problem with the new system is it came with used parts in it. A used samsung 512gb SSD that had 13.11PB of information written to it. I confirmed with samsung that this indeed was a used drive (they think it was a test drive) but it should of never been put into my system. I really hope dell is not using refurbished parts in their systems and selling them off as being new.

Thanks,
Jason

 

There's nothing wrong with selling the used parts so long as its not done so in secret and the buyer is aware of what they're getting. A used (refurbished) part should be sold as such. If they are doing otherwise, its definitely not good business

 

This is my first post here, so first things first…

PROPS TO BOKEH! PROPS TO BOKEH!

Thanks for setting up a great forum thread, the awesome review with photos, and for continually sharing your insights. You the man! (If you’re a woman, sorry, just consider that last part a figure of speech.) ;-D

Thanks also to all of the other active forum contributors (you know who you are). I’m finally down to the last of the nitty-gritty in configuring my system.

OK, now that that’s out of the way here’s my question…

Slot or tray load optical drive?

My work colleague on the iMac naturally recommends the slot loader. Hey says, “The tray loader design is so passé. Plus they’re all flimsy and are just not as reliable or convenient as a slot drive.”

Wait a minute; I’ll admit that a slot drive is defiantly sexier from a purely esthetic standpoint, but what if the following happens…

A warped media gets stuck in your slot loader and you can’t eject it.

Then your computer happens to crash and will not reboot normally or in safe mode.

You go for your bootable recovery media and a trusty paperclip…

…oh yeah, there is no damn paperclip eject hole with a slot loader.​

I’m hoping that the above scenario never happens, but on the other hand I like to be prepared for all contingencies. I do like the idea of a newfangled Mac-like slot loader, but for me the stability and long term reliability of my system and its components are really important.

Any feedback would be much appreciated, so what’s your take, tray or slot?

 

I prefer tray. I think slot is "sleeker" and "cooler" and is more convenient to use even, and that works for some people, but I feel that a tray is less likely to break. I guess you could mess it up if you left it hanging open and sat on it or something, but there's pretty much never going to be trouble getting a disc out of there.

Does a slot work with the mini-sized discs? What about oddly shaped ones? Something you have to consider for each different slot model, while they'll always work with a tray. While it's likely that most people don't have to worry about those, I'm in a position where I never know what's going to be thrown at me.

 

I have the slot but that's just the way Dell configured it. I had anticipated an upgrade to a blu-ray XL, but I can't find an aftermarket model to fit the super slim design.

Anyway, I second the tray loader; its reliability is simply a matter of mechanics and complexity. I have an external blu-ray tray loader.

@ Aaron44126: Also, have you made any modification to your GPU? I notice you have the k5000m (which is suppose to be overclockable (by 15% via the BIOS) provided the manufacture so allows. I recall someone mentioning in a post that Dell had such an option but I don't see it.

Musician?

 

Argh! too much stuff to do, so heatsink installation has been delayed to tomorrow. Just wait until you see the size of the box Dell used though...

 

Hey Aaron44126, Hey Krane - thanks for your reply I appreciate your feedback!

I think that for me staying with the old tried-and-true tray loader is the way to go. Even though I use an external drive for any major media burning sessions, it's always good to have a reliable onboard device should the need arise.

Yep. My "other keyboard" is a Hammond organ. :-D