M6500 - 2800M GPU Stability Issues

Hi all,

I have been having horrible stability issues that I am mostly positive are GPU related. The fan works and it doesn't overheat, but I will be either just doing my thing in AutoCAD or perhaps editing video in Premiere Pro CC and some of the time, I'll get a video driver crash that recovers, but the rest of the time, the system just comes to a halt and freezes. Some times the screen blanks out before it just sits there. Sometimes, I am not doing anything but panning around in AutoCAD or scrubbing in Premiere. That said, I can run Prime95 on the Core i7 Quad in it and it will run that day and night with no issues. I've tried older and the newest drivers for this card. I am running Windows 8 x64 but also had issues in Windows 7 x64.

So, I can go to Dell for a replacement since I am still under warranty, but I am also wondering if anyone knows of Dell can replace a 2800M with a 3800M if I ask nicely.. I would even be willing to pay (incrementally) for the 3800M. My 2nd course of action might be to get a 3800M on eBay, get the 2800M replaced and then attempt to sell that.

Thanks!