M4800 Precision Fingerprint/SmartCard Reader question

Hello,

Looking to replace Latitude E6510 with Precision M4800 primarily due to following reasons:
(1) Need quad-core cpu (running at least 3 VMs simultaneously)
(2) Need Smart card reader
(3) system to support 32GB RAM
(4) Need screen size of 15.4"-15.6" and
(5) Optional finger print reader

But am confused with the term on Dell website for M4800:
* FIPS Fingerprint Reader and Smart Card Reader (Contact and Contactless) Palmrest [add $56.00]


* SWIPE Fingerprint Reader and Smart Card Reader (Contact and Contactless) Palmrest [add $7.00]

Do the above mean that this unit has both Contact and Contactless Smart card reader? I might need to use a CAC card and I think I'll need a contact smartcard reader on m4800 (similar to Latitude E6510).

what is the difference between FIPS and SWIPE. Does swipe mean that one swipes one's finger across the reader? Then what does FIPS require?

also see a bunch of posts on the restrictions on Fingerprint reader. not sure i understand the whole thing here but will be going over them in detail.

Thanks,

 

The difference is just the fingerprint reader. The "swipe" one is a little slot that you slide your fingerprint across to scan. The "FIPS" one is a finger-sized gold thing that you just rest your finger on for a moment to scan. Not sure if there are differences as far as accuracy of scan or anything like that. I have a FIPS in both of my systems and it works fine for Windows login.

 

I do have a Dell XPS M1530 that has a swipe fingerprint reader. Was wondering if FIPS is a similar size slot where one just rests the finger instead of swiping.

So, when you say - finger size - for FIPS, do you mean finger width wise not finger length wise, is that correct?

I guess I need to see a picture of how the FIPS differs from the swipe.

Also, with all the older posts mentioning about issues with M4800, Fingerprinting etc, I was wondering if that issue has been put to rest. Saw a recent post that suggested that the issue might still exist.

For Smart card reader - Does this unit have both Contact and Contactless Smart card reader? I might need to use a CAC card and I think I'll need a contact smartcard reader (similar to Latitude E6510).

 

This M6700 image shows the FIPS reader. Image credit to bokeh, it's from his M6700 review thread.
http://www.appstate.edu/~taylorsa1/m6700/4screens.jpg

 

Thank you for the picture. So it seems like the FIPS is slightly bigger than the swipe one on Dell XPS M1530 and is the size of the top segment of a finger.

Now if someone can chime in on the smart card reader.

 

Units with the fingerprint reader come with both contact and contactless smartcard reader as shown in the description when you order. The contact reader is a slot you insert the card to, below the ExpressCard slot. The contactless has a little logo on the palmrest where you are supposed to tap the card. While both of my units have these features, I've never used a smartcard with them so I can't say much else.

 

[Deleted double post, NBR acting strange.]

 

Thanks for clarifying the smart card reader part. Been using contact smartcard reader on my Latitude and did not know what a contactless reader was but don't care as long as unit has a contact reader that can read my smart card.

 

Echoing what's written above, I'm currently typing on an M4800 with the FIPS reader, and both contact (just below the ExpressCard slot, left hand side) and contactless (near the thumb reader) card readers are equipped.

IIRC the contact reader is part of the base chassis configuration, but double check to make sure it's on your quote/invoice.
In my case the line item was 346-BBET:
FIPS Fingerprint Reader and Smart Card Reader (Contact and Contactless) Palmrest,Dell Precision M4800

If you can hold off on pulling the trigger on this purchase there should be an announcement shortly about the upcoming Precision update which apparently is slated for this month:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...e-you-hoping-for.752072/page-19#post-10082459

 

Thanks for the information. Yes I'd seen that post as well for the new Precision line coming out anytime now.

I've got another post - http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/m4800-configuration-question.781193/

and am wondering what the thoughts are regarding the performance comparison between 4th and 6th quad-core w/HT cpus.