M4800 Owner's Thread

I have the FHD display - I don't need super-high-def resolution and perfectly calibrated color, and it sounded like Windows users were having enough issues with the QHD that it was totally not worth the extra money to me. I saw a thread about the black-after-resume issue on the QHD in Windows, so yeah, it does sound like it's a BIOS-level issue and not a Linux one. I actually get the same thing with the FHD but in my case I think it's because I haven't gotten around to installing the nVidia driver (has to be done without Xorg running), so we'll see.

I do have the touchpad and SD card problems, which apparently are known issues - this post has some workarounds though the SD reader fix may be ArchLinux-only. It sounds like they're both known issues that will hopefully be fixed in the kernel - I don't need the SD card reader that badly so I didn't try. I can confirm the touchpad work-around there does work although as the poster says, with the loss of scrolling functionality. That said, I use the trackpoint (haaaate touchpads) and no scroll on the middle button makes it much easier to middle-click (open link in new tab in FF, close tab in FF, paste last selected text under Gnome, etc).

I didn't get any of the 3G options so I can't comment on that. The Broadcom card is my only major Linux-complaint, I think. And Dell is still using the same crappy power cords they use on all of their models (including the Alienwares), but well, reasons I have a three-year warranty. After a 3rd-gen i3, the 4th-gen i7 is so fast.

 

Thanks, I plan to run 2-3 vms or so at a time for development but I only asked as I wanted to avoid the situations I had back on my old T61p reaching 95C whenever doing anything remotely taxing.

I had originally wanted to get myself a w540 but review after review led me to the m4800, which was a little bit of a disappointment as on the outside I much preferred the looks of the w540 but such is small in the grand scheme of overall build quality and performance.

 

As I indicated , I run at least 1 VM all the time, it happened to me to run 3 together. Till now, I never had a heat problem that I felt through the chassis, but I did not get the CPU temp in this context. I don't know if you looked @ some videos for M4700 and m4800 series but there are fans (graphic + cpu) that are interconnected and I believe this design makes a real difference.

On pictures, W540 seems sexy and thin , no doubt about that and W4800 is a tank beside w540. I prefer to have a tank that I use for years than to have a sexy cheap laptop. (strictly personal opinion and I am angry with Lenovo because W530 is (was) really a good laptop).

Anyway, before buying though , if you can , try to play with a M4800 or M4700, examine the chassis, feel the keyboard. I think it is really important to get an objective feeling regarding the laptop you'll buy especially if it is your principal working tool that you'll pass 9h per day like me

 

The SD card reader problem should go away if you use a current kernel (>=3.13).
I run Debian testing or XUbuntu 14.04 on my M4800.

My previous model was (is) a D830 with a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo and 4GB. For normal work it is still good enough, but showing serious signs of age now. Today I'll have to replace the right display hinge on it for example. So yes I know what you mean.

 

Oh, good to know! I'll wait for the 14.04 stable to make it's way to Mint, but that shouldn't be too far off.

And the failure of the FHD screen to start up after sleep was as predicted something wrong with the nouveau driver. Though in attempting to set up Optimus I screwed up the configs for the nVidia card so it's just running off the Intel one until I sit and get that sorted. And I found an Intel WLAN card on Amazon for $10 so that should be showing up Tuesday.

 

Anyone,
I read in some review of the M4800 that keyboard keys - flex, when you press them.
What do others think about the keyboard - flexing on the M4800 ?

 

Flex is pretty minimal. Any keyboard will flex if you type like a jackhammer.


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thanks. that good to hear.

 

New BIOS posted yesterday - Driver Details | Dell US

 

Hi guys can anyone who has M4800 please tell me if you have issue of "blank screen" after closing and reopening lid or going into sleep with 1080p FHD screen? it seems this only plagues the M4800 with QHD. I just think if its working realiably without QHD I will keep it if it has similar issue or same, Id have to give it back.