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[User Review] Dell Precision M4600 15.6" Mobile Workstation

Discussion in 'Dell Latitude, Vostro, and Precision' started by iieeann, Jun 15, 2011.

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  1. kevinlau

    kevinlau Notebook Geek

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    Is nVidia Optimus enabled ?

    What is the avg battery-life you get on a fully charged battery ?

    I meant how many hours ?
     
    kevinlau, Jun 18, 2011
    #61
  2. iieeann

    iieeann Notebook Evangelist

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    I am not using NVidia card, Optimus is not possible. There are some users with Quadro 2000M who may provide more info on this.

    Average battery life for my m4600 is 2.5 hours, general use and no gaming.
     
    iieeann, Jun 18, 2011
    #62
  3. ksna

    ksna Notebook Evangelist

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    3.5 hours here with Nvidia 2000M, no Optimus because of IPS screen.
     
    ksna, Jun 18, 2011
    #63
  4. Bokeh

    Bokeh Notebook Deity

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    How many Whrs is your battery? 87? 97?
     
    Bokeh, Jun 18, 2011
    #64
  5. ksna

    ksna Notebook Evangelist

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    97 I believe.
     
    ksna, Jun 18, 2011
    #65
  6. Bokeh

    Bokeh Notebook Deity

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    Heat, cost to produce, relability, intended use.

    If I remember correctly, the power adapters are both around 90% efficient. This efficiency changes slightly as the amount of power drawn changes. Assuming you are pulling 150 watts of power at 90% efficiency, then the power adapter is producing 15 watts of heat. 15 watts may not seem like a lot, but this is inside of a sealed plastic case where the only way to vent the heat is through the case itself. With the M6600 you are looking at closer to 20 watts of heat.

    How to get rid of that heat? You can't put in a fan. All you can do is make sure that you have enough surface area to radiate that heat. This is why the power packs are so big in the first place. Until the next big jump in efficiency that produces even less heat, we are stuck with surface area.

    The big power adapter that you received was with a docking station. A docking station. The place where your computer comes back to after you have traveled with it. Since the power pack is not going with you, weight and size are less important than reliability and ease to build. Bigger means more surface area outside. It means more space and less densly packed components inside which means only hot components have to get hot and not all of them. The extra area on the outer case means you can throw it behind your desk on the floor and be ok. This all should translate into the best mix of tradeoffs for an adapter that doesn't move.

    The thin adapter runs hotter, but it is lighter and much more portable. I am sure that if the MTBF is shorter than the larer one, that it will at least last as long as the computer it powers. Once again, the best mix of tradeoffs.

    I have no idea of which adapter costs more to produce. I would guess the larger one is cheaper since they have been around longer. Not sure.
     
    Bokeh, Jun 19, 2011
    #66
  7. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    That's pretty high efficiency, I would have only thought 80%. What they need is more ridges (like the fins from a heatsink). Increased surface area of course means increased cost since more material used but this shouldn't be much of a factor since the larger ones also have more material.
     
    sgogeta4, Jun 19, 2011
    #67
  8. Bokeh

    Bokeh Notebook Deity

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    The machines and 240 watt power pack are energy star 5.0 complaint. The power supply is having to comply with lots of regulatory standards from the US, the EU, and Japan while staying over 87% efficient and not allowing the adapter case to ever get too hot. At 100% load, it has to be over 90% efficient to earn its Efficiency Level V designation.

    Check out the info - http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/corporate/environ/comply/precn_m6500.pdf

    http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partne...International_Efficiency_Marking_Protocol.pdf
     
    Bokeh, Jun 19, 2011
    #68
  9. Aikimox

    Aikimox Weihenstephaner!

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    Great review, +1 rep!
     
    Aikimox, Jun 19, 2011
    #69
  10. -Mr-P-

    -Mr-P- Notebook Enthusiast

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    can you please check these links. there is missing something in the middle (...)
     
    -Mr-P-, Jun 20, 2011
    #70
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