e4300 negatives?

Curious what the main issues, complaints, etc. have been with the e4300 now that it's been out for a while. (Also, I'd love confirmation of it's actual weight.)

I was originally considering this the only potential competition to a Sony Z (as I am after light, slim but powerful/normal components). However, I've since backed off the idea of a e4300. Still ... I sort of wish I kept following the rants/raves so I had a better idea of how to compare the two now that they've both been out a while.

 

My opinion after some weeks of use:
- terrible delivery (first NB with incorrect assembly 5 weeks, the second one 6 weeks - with dead pixel, then reassembly of the second with the display from the first one)
- strange drivers and utilities installed
- problems with bios during reinstallation
- non comfortable keyboard
- low display quality
- higher weight than declared (1670 gr)
- no latitude on
- no digital video output
- noisy DVD drive
- only 2 USB
- small touchpad
- not “sexy”

+ nice power supply unit
+ solid metal housing
+ good general performance (with clean installation of WXP, minimum of Dell utilities, new drivers)
+ fair battery time (3-cell battery)
+ no heat problems (SP9300 proc.)
+ Vista + WXP support

Maybe I´ll remember also some other.

 

+ backlit keyboard

 

it seems like I didn't pick e4300 is right.....
Love my x300 right now...

 

My opinion after 3 weeks:

-poor vertical viewing angles on display
-no digital video out
-noisy DVD drive (but haven't used it since doing clean install of Vista and drivers)
-issues with docking station (first one didn't work, second had a bad DVI port)
-no 1440x900 resolution option

+backlit keyboard
+solidly built (though a notch below D-series which were built like tanks and were on par with thinkpads if not more solid)
+thin
+lightweight (3.9lbs with 6-cell battery)
+combo eSATA/USB port on the notebook! (get with the program Lenovo...)
+runs quieter than my D630 (leave it on in my room overnight with torrents running and can't hear it from my bed, which wasn't the case with my D630)
+runs cooler than my D630 (can leave it on your lap without concern, palmrests stay cool, fan pushes air out the side very well with minimal noise)
+overall no heat/noise issues
+great battery life with 6cell
+very good performance (processor, etc.)
+runs Vista great with all Aero features enabled
+relatively slim AC adapter considering it's 90Watts
+trackpoint (IMHO, touchpads suck and all notebooks should come with trackpoints too) (especially tiny netbooks that dont have space for usable touchpads I mean seriously can i get a trackpoint on a netbook?!, ok now i'm going off topic...) (don't get me started on the Sony P... )
+looks great: sleek black brushed exterior looks svelte and business like at the same time, much better looking that thinkpads IMHO

Benefits of Dell NBD support is that if you have any issues like I had with docking station they overnight you the replacements.

To address some of the other concerns:

I find the keyboard to be comfortable (backlit version), not as springy/responsive as lenovo but better than D630 which was too dampened if you know what i mean...solid but not springy enough. Keyboard is definitely quieter than thinkpad keyboard.

Display vertical viewing angles are not so good and there is some bleed on the bottom edge which is noticeable on a full black screen but in normal use the bleed is not visible and the display is very bright, even in sunlight. Indoors I usually keep it at 60-75% during the daytime.

I wasn't planning on using Latitude On so I don't miss it, but it is definitely a screwup on Dell's part...

I always do a clean install of the operating system when I get a new notebook so I don't care how much bloatware comes with it, that being said the E4300 came with less bloatware than the avg. notebook, very little in fact, if I recall correctly...

BIOS driver issues may relate to downgrading to XP. I had some BIOS issues when I downgraded my D630 to XP last year when I got it. At this point notebooks are being designed with Vista in mind and XP secondarily. Before anyone chimes in with "XP pwns Vista" i'll have you know that I have been a vocal opponent of Vista ever since it launched and used to recommend XP to anyone that asked my opinion but I decided to give Vista w/SP1 a chance (I recall not switching to XP until SP1 came out as well...)with my new E4300 with an open mind and so far it has been fine. My clean Vista install went off without a hitch, followed the proper driver installation order which is available in the support section of dell's website and I was fine. The CPU is powerful and I have 4GB of RAM so Vista runs as fast as my old system ran XP (I still have my old notebook and don't notice a difference going back and forth). Vista is very stable and I can leave all the Aero features enabled since the system is powerful enough. Indexing and Superfetch can be turned off if you so desire but I have left both on and haven't noticed any performance issues (the HDD is more active due to superfetch so I may disable that...)

I use a docking station with the notebook so that alleviates some of the problems that were mentioned (only 2 USB ports and no digital output). But if you are not getting the dock they still apply. Docks can be found for around $70 as some people posted in one of the E-series threads so it's a great deal for the value added IMHO. Would be nice if they could squeeze in a mini-display port on the notebook when they refresh it for nehalem in a year, but a VGA is necessary for doing presentations on the road/in meeting rooms when you need to connect to a projector so I understand why they didn't drop that (and am thankful).

Docking station comes with 5xUSB and 1xeSATA/USB combo which gives you a total of two eSATA ports if you count the one on the notebook and they can be used simultaneously (lenovo is slacking in the eSATA department on notebooks and docking stations) and has both a DVI port and a displayport which can be used simultaneously (again no DVI support on X200 ultrabase and X301 has no dock w,t,f? USB port replicators can lick me)

I really wanted to get a Lenovo X301 or X200s cause I love the form factors and I love lenovo keyboards and they are very solidly built but the X301 processor wasn't quite fast enough, battery life was kinda weak and it has no docking station (I have printer, external HDD, monitor, keyboard and mouse connected on my desk and I don't want to connect/reconnect everytime I grab my laptop, especially if I just want to take it to the living room) and the X200s is expensive and the ultrabase has no eSATA or DVI support (I have a pre-displayport Dell 2407wfp which runs fine and will not be upgrading until Dell drops an LED backlit 24"). And finally, I got a great deal on my E4300 at the Dell Outlet (saved $1k)

Reasons I didn't go for the Sony Z include (in case you were wondering):
-build quality and durability (good but not as good as Latitude or thinkpads)
-weak warranty/support compared to Dell (Prosupport with Next Business Day on-site service rocks!)
-not a huge fan of the "chicklet" keyboard, though I hear it grows on you and I must note that my sister's macbook air keyboard has been growing on me...
-prefer DVI or displayport over HDMI
-no docking station
-no trackpoint
-no eSATA
-no trackpoint!

Not bashing the Z, i'm just pointing out why I didn't go for it. Obviously the Sony Z has advantages but i'm sure you are aware of them if you've been considering buying it.

Also, the lenovo X301 is a great notebook (as is the X200s which I was oh so close to getting) and both have advantages over the E4300 (weight, x200s battery life, higher resolution display, better keyboard), but for aforementioned reasons I opted for the E4300.

An X302 or X201s with low voltage nehalem chip (not Ultra low voltage...) and docking station with eSATA support would be sweet and I can't wait to see what Lenovo, Dell, and others come out with when Nehalem goes mobile in a year but until then I'll be enjoying my E4300.

Sorry if my post is long and, at times, off topic but I hope it is informative and helps people that are on the fence make a decision. No matter which way you decide remember that there is no such thing as the best notebook, only the one that is best for you! We're all here to help each other out.

-Phil


At some point I'll get around to posting a full review in the E4300 thread...