Precision 7530 & Precision 7730 owner's thread

Hm, directly comparing both, I would go with the TB18DC for the 7x30. It is connected via Thunderbolt against USB 3.1 (40Gb/s vs 10GB/s) and therefor has more room for extensions and for instant more USB connectors. Also I must admit that the new one looks a little more compact...

 

That's exactly the reason why I wouldn't go for the TB18DC. In my experience, USB3.1 docks are quite reliable and solid, while the I'm yet to see a thunderbolt dock that doesn't have issues.
We're nearly a year after release of the TB18DC, and yesterday I got a bluescreen after unplugging a USB drive from the dock. Once every few weeks, I'll get a bluescreen about the graphics adapter crashing. Those are issues I never experienced when I was using a WD15 on the very same laptop.

I can only assume Dell believes this too; why else would they release a dock so similar at the same price?

 

I agree. While the TB18DC would "technically" be better (higher bandwidth, extra Thunderbolt port on the dock itself), the reality is that Thunderbolt docks tend to be more flaky than USB docks.
That said, I haven't tried out the WD19DC yet, though I am very interested in doing so. I don't think that I'll be able to get the office to spring for one until around the end of the year. Like @Regular_Ragnor, I have previously used a WD15 dock and it had zero issues. I've also been through TB15, TB16, and TB18DC and those have all come with problems. USB stuff not connecting right, or having it BSOD when I unplug it, or having it not work after I disconnect it and reconnect it (device manager throwing an error until I reboot)... Not all of the time, but often enough that I get annoyed.

It doesn't look like this new one is any less capable than the TB18DC, other than the lack of a Thunderbolt port. 10 Gbps is plenty to handle all of the built-in USB devices (network, audio) plus a number of extra things you might want to plug in, and the display bandwidth should be separated onto a DisplayPort connection (USB-C can run both over the same cable). I would like to get confirmation that it supports 2x 4K monitors at 60 Hz. (It does confirm 1x 5K at 60Hz on the specs sheet, and 2x 4K is only a little more bandwidth than that.)

 

Thanks for your takes on the docks. It's a little consolation that I'm not the only one with a flaky TB18DC... but not much. Given how expensive the TB18DC is, if I don't see them going on sale, I'll be looking at third-party options.

Aside from Dell, any good sources for another power adapter for my 7730? My experience buying power adapters from eBay vendors has been spotty.

 

You can also look on Amazon. My extra ones all came from eBay. Remember that prior generation 240W adapters work fine, and are probably cheaper, so just search for PA-9E. The older adapters are a little bit larger, but if they are stationary then that is not a big deal, and I actually prefer them somewhat because the cord is a bit longer. (At least that is the case when comparing old vs new 180W adapters on my 7530.)

 

Excellent. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

Did you buy OEM or third-party?

I like having an adapter in my laptop bag, with a stationary adapter at my desk at home (negated by my TB18DC providing power) and another at my studio. Sure it's overkill, but I'm bouncing back and worth so often that it's handy.

 

I make sure to buy Dell adapters. In the past I have had issues with off-brand adapters. The ones that I got look just like the one that came with my M6700.
I recommend that you keep the adapter that came with your system in your bag (smallest) and buy older PA-9E adapters to leave at stationary locations (cheapest). I understand the "overkill" setup. For my M6700, I have one adapter that stays in my bag and four other ones that live permanently at different spots in my house.

 

You one-upped (or rather three-upped) my overkill with your overkill. :-D

Yep, the adapter than come with my 7330 is the one I carry with me. So I don't really care if the other adapter is larger or heavier.

Thanks.

 

@frostbytes @Aaron44126 Hey guys, new to the thread and to the forum in general here. My Precision 7530 for work will be arriving today! I'm super excited as I've had to wait extra long since the first one Dell shipped to me arrived cracked! Anywho, my company automatically orders a TB18DC with this laptop, but after reading so many problems with the dock on here and other sites, I'm wondering if I should also go ahead and ask Dell to ship the WD19DC instead. They haven't actually shipped my TB18DC yet, which is kind of funny considering how long the order has been open (ordered on 5/3). Maybe they're not manufacturing these at as great a rate as in the past due to how many problems it's giving people? Hopefully that's the case.

What do you guys think? Spring for the WD19DC? I assume Dell would be able to switch the part out before shipment... WD19DC is cheaper than the TB18DC, after all...