Is the M4400 really that bad?

Hi guys,

I'm currently trying to decide between the M4400 and the HP 8530W. Please could any M4400 owners let me know their thoughts (happy or otherwise)?

The basic specs are as follows:

Dell: P8600 CPU, 4GB RAM, 160GB 7200rpm HDD, Quadro 770M, 1920x1200 display, 6-cell battery.
HP: T9400 CPU, 2GB RAM, 160GB 7200rpm HDD, Quadro 770M, 1680x1050, 8-cell battery.

They're about the same price where I live, and both have a similar lead time. I've had no major problems with Dell in the past, but the M4400 seems to have been slated here and elsewhere for its build quality and design issues. The HP is by no means immune, but it does seem to come off lighter.

I'm leaning toward to the HP, because it looks nice and seems better built. However, Dell's display and backlit keyboard are nice, and of course it's good being able to pick and choose rather than buying off the shelf.

Any thoughts would be welcome. I know people with problems tend to be more vocal (misery loves company, right?), so I hope there are some happy M4400 owners out there.

Kind regards,

 

Is the dell displau RGBLED ?

 

Hi wearetheborg,

It's just the standard matte finish. I'd like the RGB-LED, but the 15.4" version is glossy (which is my reason for upgrading, as the reflections on my HP glossy display are killing me ).

It's a shame, as the M6400's RGB-LED is matte, but the M6400 is out of my price range.

Kind regards,

 

I haven't heard that the M4400 is too bad. Personally, I'd go with the Dell, because it has 4GB ram, which is more important than a the extra 0.13ghz. Just make sure you can handle a 1920x1080 15" display, which is higher density than some people can handle.

 

To put it simple...no.

 

Hehe, thanks guys. If I did go with the HP, I'd upgrade the RAM myself, as it's so cheap.

As for the M4400, I'm not sure if I can handle the 1920x1200 display, but I think Windows 7's DPI scaling is pretty robust, so I guess I can fiddle with that.

Please keep the comments coming!

P.S. About the processor, does the 6MB cache on the T-series CPUs make that much difference? I mostly use my computer for Photoshop and Illustrator work, plus a few games on Source, nothing too taxing.

 

If display were not an issue (ie I did not have a preferene for WUXGA), I'd go for the HP if the prices are the same. From what I've been able to gather, the HP is better built. Having a slightly faster CPU with bigger cache is a plus, the bigger battery should make up for the fact that cpu consumes more power. If you're not taxing the CPU much, the power consumption between the two should be quite close.

 

Are these configs fixed btw? Being able to configure it to what you'd like to have would make a big difference.
I also have the 2CCFL WUXGA and i don't even use scaling on it. I admit that's mostly because i use it in combo with 27" WUXGA monitor and i don't wanna have to set the scaling back to 100% every time i connect it. And i can read the 100% size pretty good at the 15,4".

 

I just got my m4400 a few weeks ago and it is a great computer. It can do everything many desktops can do, it has better graphics than many laptops, and the dell support is great! My computer came with vista business 32 bit preinstalled, but came with a 64 bit reinstall cd and I asked dell for the 32 bit cd. They sent the cd free of charge Fedex overnight.
If you find the configuration you want you can get a perfect computer from the dell outlet for a great price and you can even get a better price if you wait for a 15% off coupon.

 

Hi guys,

Thanks for your feedback! Well, I certainly hope it's not all that bad ... because I just ordered one ^^

A nice Dell rep gave me a good deal, and I hope by now they've ironed out the faults that others have experienced, so I decided to go for it. It's quite a basic spec, but it's cheap (a lot cheaper than the HP), and more than good enough for my needs:

Precision M4400

• Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (The P8700 didn't seem worth it, and the T/Q-series CPUs are a lot more expensive)
• 1920x1200 Dual-CCFL Display (The LED was tempting, but I wanted the extra resolution, and the RGB version is glossy, which is my reason for upgrading)
• Quadro 770M 512MB (I heard the 1770M is essentially an overclocked version, so I went for the stock option)
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM (I'll upgrade to 4GB myself, since it's so cheap)
• 80GB 7200rpm HDD with Free Fall Sensor (I'll add an OCZ Vertex SSD in place of the optical drive)
• 8x DVD/RW (Blu-ray isn't an option where I live, but it looks very expensive anyway on Dell's US website)
• Fingerprint reader (I thought these were gimmicks until I used one ... very handy!)
• Intel 5100 a/b/g/n Wifi (Oddly, the Dell version isn't available where I live)
• Webcam (Just in case)
• Traditional Chinese Backlit Keyboard (Hope it's as cool as everyone says!)
• 6-cell Battery (Because it's flush ... I hope)
• Dell laptop bag, 3-year on-site service, and all the usual suspects.

To save money, I chose the FreeDOS OS option. I'll install the 64-bit Windows 7 RC myself, and Dell kind of promised me a free upgrade come October, so I'll try and hold them to that. I also got rid of a few bundled extras which I don't need, like the mouse and mat, Bluetooth etc. The only thing I couldn't get rid of is the 56k modem, although I see on Dell's US site that it can be deselectable (if that's a word ^^).

Anyway, enough rambling I'll post a review once it arrives. Fingers crossed everything will be problem-free (this will be my first Precision notebook).

Thanks again!