New M6500 Discussion Thread

Ben and others interested in memory upgrades...

I just noticed from your original links that the price on the DIMMs expressly designated for the m6500 has fallen from $239 to $159. The alternative model has fallen from $159 to $149.

In other words, the prices have changed so that the premium for getting the DIMMs expressly intended for the m6500 is only $20 total for the full 32gb updrade. And those m6500-certified modules now cost what the alternates cost when you first posted your idea. The incentive to take risk is gone.

Bottom line, I'm going to get the model specifically intended for the m6500, as the price difference is now negligible. $320 for 32gb seems totally worthwhile, and I wind up with a spare 4x4gb DIMMS to add to another system or give to a friend upgrading from a 4gb configuration.

Thanks again for the links!

xPat

 

Hi all,

Is anyone here using their M6500 with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 or CS6?

I am hoping someone can give me pointers. I have a M6500, 16GB RAM, Quadro FX 2800M, Windows 7 x64.


I know this probably isn't supported but I added the FX 2800M to the CUDA list. See here.

I'm having terrible stability issues. Sometimes, my screen will black out and I'll get a message that the display driver has crashed. Other times, my screen just freezes and that's the end of it, I need to reboot.

I just removed the card from the CUDA list but haven't been using it long enough to know if that's the issue. I don't really get why it shouldn't work, which is why I'm hoping some of you are doing the same.

What might be the best form of stress test for the video card?

I'm on NVIDIA drivers 296.88.

 

Hi

I wanted to comment that the proposed solution in Nvidia forum, to output audio via DisplayPort -> HDMI, with any new driver works, not only for old ISV drivers.

With the adapter Delock 61849 and even 3xx Nvidia drivers it works . Now TV is detected as HDMI and not as DVI.

Regards.

 

Just picked up an m6500 from the outlet. Will see how it goes.... For the price, the value seemed tough to beat with the NBO onsite service included.

RGB LED 1920 x 1200 display
i7-920 proc
Windows ultimate
nvidia 3800M

All for $825 after coupon.

 

Greetings all,

I love my m6500 and am contemplating a considerable upgrade - adding a Crucial 256GB mSATA boot drive and 32GB memory (total about $700 upgrade). But it occurs to me that it might be better to get a new system if anything new/better has come on the market.

Last I knew, m6500 was pretty much top-of-market in terms of display resolution, which is my highest priority. But based on the many complaints here about system stability (and the fact that I already had to replace the NVIDIA 3800M graphics card on warranty), I'd prefer to upgrade to a better model if one exists.

What I really want is a true "mobile workstation", which to me means a 24" 2560x1600 display and at least 4 2.5" drive bays. But so far that's just a pipe dream.

Does anyone know of a "better replacement" for the m6500? I rule out the m6600 because of the degraded display resolution. Also, has anyone installed the Crucial M4 256GB mSATA drive in an m6500? Any issues there?

Thanks,
xPat

 

If you mean going to 1920 x 1080 as degraded, you are pretty much out of luck. Most vendors, besides apple, have moved to this resolution due to panel manufacuturers.

 

Thanks Pat for the update. I was wondering if that happened... I was looking at memory prices the other day and it seemed then that the m6500 specific memory wasn't jacked up like it was previously.

 

i've been using a crucial 256gb ssd (c300) in my 6500 since march 2010. one failed ~3 months after the initial install, nut an rma covered it. no issues os or hardware related otherwise.

no issues with my 3800fx. maybe i'm lucky.

with 16GB of ram and the ssd, my 2.25 year old 'laptop' is still far and away the fastest business class machine i use or have used, bar none.

course my upgrades were $600 apiece for the ram and ssd back in the day, but who's keeping track.


btw, baby in the other arm. pologies for bad typing.

 

I recently purchased an m6500 from the outlet and I am having issues with the video card - I get massive slow downs/reduction in frame rates. I have the nvidia 3800m. I like the laptop overall and the screen is awesome - RGB led. Instead of shipping the laptop back, I was wondering if Dell might swap out the 3800m with the ati 7820? Has anyone had any experience with this?

 

I tried that when my 3800M crapped out in Hawaii, and Dell said their firm policy is only to replace with identical parts. The only exception is discontinued parts, in which case Dell (not you) decides what to offer as a replacement. So far as I can tell, they are firm on this.

But even if you got your system on the outlet, it should come with on-site warranty service and they will definitely ship parts to you as well if you want to do it yourself. However, my strong advice is to LET THEM DO IT unless you are VERY comfortable working on laptops. I watched the Dell on-site tech in Hawaii replace my 3800M, and this was nothing like swapping out a hard drive or memory module. You basically have to take the whole system apart and put it back together again. Assuming your warranty includes free on-site repair (it should), my strong advice is to let them do it.

Best,
xPat