E6420 Owner's Thread

1. I agree.

2. It may get better, but I won't get to take advantage of a manufacturing change if I keep this one...eh?

3. Its just idiotic to place speakers on a downward facing surface, especially on a notebook.

4. A few millimetres thicker, not really a huge deal.

5. Because Dell has taken at least 3 LARGE steps backwards with this model and want to ensure product failure.

6. It's still stupid. A 15" screen could fit in that space, then, I'd have my 1920x1200 resolution.

7. Dell screwed up. The power connector block is loose inside the chassis, it is reinforced but it is loose.

The bezel on the display is 20mm wide...ON EACH SIDE! That's 40mm of display bezel in addition to the already wide 16:9 screen...

 

But, but, but... then they could not call it a 14" notebook!

Perhaps this is just another deficit of the 16:9 direction, for better or worse. Is there a good reason why we are wasting lid area? Is Dell the only one?

GK

 

There is a new review at Notebookcheck.com (German --> English):
Google Übersetzer
7 Watt minimal power in readers mode (12 hours + 21 Minutes even without a low-power-SSD and without a power-saving-i7).

 

heinz2005: Thanks for the link

I'm going to give Dell another chance, as my current laptop could be a odd (first) batch with the corners popping out. I really do like the design cause:
*Stronger curve lid, that can take much more pressure than the flat design on the E6400/E6410. The rubber boarder around the screen ensure that it doesn't flex while closed, and minimise rubbing.
*Speaker location, still can be used with the screen close, and isn't hard to clean compared to the E6400/E6410.
*Keyboard, feels much better than E6400/E6410 and I like the new arrangement of the page up & down.

The look of the design doesn't bother me if it's consumer or business like as long it is SOLID, which I do believe it is just one quirk.
Will have to wait for my replacement..... until then I get to try out C300 SATA III (hopefully in a couple of days). There are 4 available SATA ports, the QM67 Chipset only has 2 SATA III... guessing it's 0,1

BIOS
>System Configuration>Drives
SATA-0
SATA-1
SATA-4
SATA-5

 

Assuming it is reporting correctly which GPU it is using for the System Assessment score, I am getting better scores than that WITH just the Intel graphics on my E6420 than I was getting with the NVidia on my (now my girlfriend's) E6410.

e6420:
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2720QM CPU @ 2.20GHz 7.4
Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB 7.6
Graphics Intel(R) HD Graphics Family 6.4
Gaming graphics 1696 MB Total available graphics memory 6.4
Primary hard disk 101GB Free (126GB Total) 7.8

e6410:
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU M 560 @ 2.67GHz 6.9
Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB 6.9
Graphics NVIDIA NVS 3100M 4.9
Gaming graphics 2232 MB Total available graphics memory 5.9
Primary hard disk 136GB Free (233GB Total) 7.6

 

So, wait a second, Dreamliner330. There are three reviews for the E6420 and E6520 on the Dell site as of this post. Based on the reasons you give here, it would appear that you wrote the sole E6420 that appears there. It therefore is disingenuous to use "the Dell reviews are bad!" as ammunition for your return.

I'm sorry about your laptop. I agree, it's heartbreaking to be dismayed with the seemingly trivial mishaps of such expensive machines.

I'll say it again: I bet there are plenty of people very happy with their new Latitudes who aren't experiencing problems; we won't hear their gripes on this forum. More information is needed before the stated manufacturing flaws can be universally confirmed. The other things you don't like are largely matters of personal preference. I can understand why they'd be important to you.

 

Any unevenness is worst at full brightness. However, half brightness is enough to be able to use the keyboard in poor lighting and saves power.

I had previously worked out that Dell could have shoe-horned the wide display into the E6410 chassis. The wider chassis is one reason why I'm not keen on the E6420.

This may be by design: On the E6400 / E6410 the power connector is not fixed rigidly so that any stress on the cable is less likely to cause damage.

John

 

The rubbery surface is excellent feature in my view.
The power connector feels loose, it was on my former vostro too. It doesnt seem to make any problems.
The quality of all the other interfaces is just very tight and brilliant quality.
Yes the speakers is weak, but they just barely get the job done.

I know a lot of you judge on build quality. I judge on functionality, because it affects my productivity, and the e6420 delivers in spades here.

I have been typing on the keyboard for days now, and my typing speed is by far the fastest i have experienced for 25 years. By a long stretch. That is more important than anything in my view.

A completely silent computer, where you work on record speed for 11 plus hours.

 

Where can i get the battery for the modular bay? - i cant find it??
How, - when- does the computer use the battery in the modular bay?

 

I ordered the bay battery via our local DELL representative or you can use the online chat e.g. while preparing your order.