Precision 7550 & 7750 Owners' Thread

I should have been more clear. The 95-100W sustained draw was from the CPU in HWiNFO. Total draw under a CPU-only stress test is 135-145W.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I see. That’s much, much better than the 7530/40, which began to thermal-throttle at half the power draw.

I look forward to a more detailed analysis, when you can

 

mine has also arrived, but its late and I'm tired. running it through my system builds, autopilot and app installs overnight so can test it tomorrow.

 

Just had to put this out there: The chassis structural rigidity is excellent and the machine feels incredibly premium, with an all-metal build.

The trackpad is now buttery smooth instead of the rough texture of previous generations. It's quite a bit larger too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Quick question for RAM,

I've installed my two sticks of Crucial DDR4-3200 CL22 SODIMM modules along with the factory installed Micron DDR4-3200 2x8GB sticks.

The speed reported in both Windows Task Manager and HWiNFO is 2133MHz. Is this due to some compatibility issue? My 7540 with this same set of RAM and the stock 2x8GB 2666MHz runs at 2666MHz just fine.

In addition, can someone summarize whether or not the Kingston HyperX 3200MHz CL20 will run at full speed in the Precision 7530/7540/7550? And if XMP is an option in the BIOS? Or if only specific sticks (model numbers) are supported to run at such speeds?

 

This is not a surprise if you use mismatched modules. Check CPU-Z. Is the CL rating the same for both sets at 2666 or 3200 MHz? (It should list the CL for each speed supported by the modules on the memory tab.)

 

You are right, the CAS # Latency differs by 1 for JEDEC #1 between the factory ram for the 7550 and my Crucial RAM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

UPDATE:

I tore apart my machine completely (except removing the motherboard and heatsink) and swapped the DIMM modules into the following configuration:

Channel 1:
- DIMM A: SK Hynix 3200 (OEM)
- DIMM B: SK Hynix 3200 (OEM)

Channel 2:
- DIMM C: Crucial 3200 (aftermarket)
- DIMM D: Crucial 3200 (aftermarket)

My original configuration that limited speeds to 2133 had the OEM RAM in DIMM slots A and C. It defaulted to that speed as a failsafe since I had two incompatible sticks of RAM in the same channel. Separating different sticks of RAM allows the system to run at its full capability.


I did have to perform a RTC reset (hold power for 25 seconds and leave machine alone for 5 mins) since the machine wouldn't POST afterwards, but everything is great and working after that.

 

Due to the limited time I have ATM, I will be posting small things here and there, which will hopefully culminate into a big review once I find the time to assemble, edit, and polish everything. In the meantime:

 

For those of you who were wondering if the cooling system of the 7550 can handle more power, yes it can. The stock thermal paste is showing its limitations as the air blasting out the rear vents is rather lukewarm. Even under full load, the keyboard remains warm but not nearly as hot as the last-gen 7530 and 7540 were. The good news is, under a few games & applications I've tested (Witcher 3, GTA V, Time Spy, Unigine Valley, etc), the GPU never exceeds 75C under High Performance mode.

I really think the thermal solution can handle another 20W or so for the GPU. Lenovo just debuted their Thinkpad P15 and P17, to which they've allocated 90W for the RTX 3000. Dell can easily increase this limit to 90W or 100W with a vBIOS update, and I really don't see why they shouldn't. The 180W adaptor may be a limitation, but I wouldn't hesitate at all to use a 240W charger if I had one. The cooling system is extremely capable this time around, and the fan control is much more refined. More whirlwind than zephyr

Up to this point there's been really nothing but praise. Now, for the things that are worse this generation around:

• Speakers. The speakers this time around are in a single module near the screen bezel and fire upwards. They are a significant downgrade from last-gen. There's less audio separation, there's less depth, there's significantly less bass. I wouldn't even stray far from calling it underwhelming and terrible. This stands out since the rest of the machine is very nice.
• (Subjectively) weaker hinges. The piano hinge design and the way it attaches to the palmrest is nowhere near as durable as previous gens, where the hinge screws into the magnesium frame. Did I mention that there is no frame this time around? The midframe is a thin piece of plastic more for insulation than for any sort of structural rigidity. More on that in a bit. I would exercise care, especially since the hinges no longer open to 180 degrees. They open to 135 degrees now.
• More flexible (but at the same time, more premium) feeling chassis. Due to the lack of a traditional rollcage, the body will flex more as only the metal bottom cover is pretty much solely responsible for structure. It does the job well and actually lends the machine a very premium feel, but it does flex more than previous gens. Is it as terrible as I'm making it sound? No, but it really isn't a big deal. Compared to any consumer-grade laptop, this is far more sturdy.
• Opening the machine may introduce pops or feeling of palmrest 'looseness' as the plastic clips are worn away each time the machine is opened. There is an area on the right side of the palmrest to the right of the touchpad where moving your wrist when typing can introduce clicks or pops. This issue can't be fixed by tightening the bottom screws since there are no screws where the issue actually occurs. That's my primary gripe with this new design, in addition to the fact that it's an absolute nightmare to open up this chassis. Sometimes it pops, sometimes it clicks, but there thankfully isn't any squeaking! Still, this is severe enough for me in terms of a fit & finish perspective to knock it down from a solid 8/10 to a 6.5/10. This was one of my fears about this design prior to ordering the machine, and unfortunately, I was right.
• Misaligned TB3 ports. I took the chassis off to see if there was any fix, but there isn't. The holes were not milled properly in the casing. Will still allow devices to be plugged in, but it will be an odd fit.

Other tests, including DPC latency, will come soon. Hint: Having HWiNFO sends latency through the roof, since it reads from the Dell EC. More on that in the future.