New Vostro Lineup (3350, 3450..)

Hi All fellow 3450 owners, I am new here and struggling with a blown part on my IO board, can someone who has a 3450 open help me out with my question in the following post. Eagerly waiting for an answer.
TYA/ Os.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/645228-vostro-3450-wwan-add-mod.html

 

Hey all. I had a question about the temperatures and the fans on the 3350. I recently bought a laptop stand with a big fan because I use it most of the time hooked up on a monitor so its on the same spot.
Then I installed speedfan and I get the bellow readings:
HD0: 36C
Temp1: 54C
GPU:0C
GPU:0C
Core 0: 51C
Core 1: 50C

Are these values normal and why I cannot see the GPU temperature? And what is the Temp1 value? My understanding of the cooling system is that there is one fan that cools CPU and GPU. Is that correct?
Maybe another monitor software is better for this laptop.
Just want to understand what is going on. If anyone has done some previous research I would be grateful if he could share.
Thanks

 

I believe the highest resolution is 1366x768, so it is not possible to increase the resolution on the laptop screen. Try an external monitor instead.

 

He didn't mean changing the resolution on the existing screen, but replacing it with one with higher native resolution. People are switching screens on other Dell laptops, so I guess it's possible to fit a 1600x900 or 1920x1080 15.6" screen in the 3550. Although I'm pretty sure it will require replacing the LVDS cable as well.

Under little load CPU temperatures should be around 50 deg. C, so yours are fine. It doesn't look like the stand is doing anything, but it should help under heavy load. GPU refers to the discrete graphics chip, as the integrated graphics chip has no sensor, so either you have only the Intel HD Graphics 3000 or you do have an AMD chip, but it's shut down (AMD Switchable Graphics Technology). And yes, the CPU and dGPU (if there is one) have a common heat-pipe and fan. Temp1 is probably the chipset sensor. Personally I prefer using HWMonitor (link).

 

thanks for the details mkj!

 

Picked up an x61 tablet from e-bay for $225. Love it! I have a T400 I purchased in 2008 shortly after they came out. I keep thinking about changing... maybe a latitude or precision, lenovo t5xx. But, I love the resolution of 1440x900 (16:10) in the T400, the keyboard is solid (seems as solid as the x61 I have despite the complaints at the time that the first (?) pure lenovo thinkpad had a flexy keyboard). you can see the details in my signature (I upgraded the RAM, added the SSD and big storage drive and upgraded to Win7). Everytime I think of getting new, I don't want to have to change over and give up my T400...

 

Picked up my Vostro 3450 i5-2450, 4 gb ram, 500 gb 7200rpm HDD, w/ 6630m refurbished from Dell Outlet for $539 with tax/recycling fee. Planning to upgrade the HDD to a SDD and use the ODD for the HDD. Infrequently use the dvd drive anyways. Upgrading ram to 8 gb. The 6630m easily overclocks to 800/900 -faster than a GT 540. This is really a gem of a computer with the expresscard slot (to do an egpu), size, backlit keyboard, Sandy Bridge i5. This card can still run the latest games fluently on medium settings and others on high. This is a steal of a deal for the features. Originally ordered a vostro 3555 A-6 3400, 6520g igpu, for $328 with tax but even with the overclock of this system- it still is not stronger than the i5 + 6630m + egpu potential. I am very satisfied in finding this system with the specs. I also ordered the acer aspire 7750g with an i5 and 7690m - for $499 but will be returning it as it is not convenient to lug around no backlit keyboard, no express card slot. Canceled a y480 with the i7-3610 and GT 640 LE (gimped Fermi card not kepler) $999 - why get a system with at that price with video performance of a GT 555 (an extra $500 just for Ivy Bridge and GT 555?). The vostro 3450 is a very excellent and budget-wise choice until Haswell comes out with improved GPUs (look at the 7970m!) with lower wattage. It's a wonder why more people are not flocking to this system.

 

Unless they have changed the access, a complete teardown of the notebook is required to swap out the hard drive on the 3450.

 

Just thought I'd post some pics of my Vostro 3550 bought almost new last september. Love it. I've mostly been using it HDMI'd to my 32" TV. I'm hardly making use of the 6630m potential, the games I'm playing are not FPS but point and click adventures. Kind of wasted on me as I do FPS gaming on my desktop. I only just realised I haven't even removed the plastic protection over the keys, lol, you can see the lifting tabs.

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6212/78025528.jpg
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8571/30261608.jpg
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/7415/40426806.jpg
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/7874/60161270.jpg

Not that impressed with the screen tbh. Viewing angles are not great but 'ok'.

I was wondering, could anyone post up their colour management settings using the Intel control panel? I can never get a setup I'm particularly happy with. Colours and contrast look fine once viewing via my TV, but from the screen directly, it never really looks the way I want it.

 

just too share - i got vostro 3450 with i7-2640M .
pros - solid, looks sturdy, backlight keyboard& finger print awesome.
cons-Benchmark win 7 experience score only 7.1 vs 7.4 as reported in compare-processor websites (i5- 2450m have 7). vostro body is thicker than usual 14" laptop & it's heavier to carry, poor gripping texture when holding. card reader failed to read certain SDs while other Dell's and manufaturers able to read. GPu setting cumbersome and did not work with several games while other laptops with same specs work okay. Optical drive noisy and so too the fan trying to dissipate heat inside.

Core i7-2640M – Intel Processor | Compare Processors

Core i5-480M Vs i5-2450M | Compare Processors