What would you change on Dell Latitude E6400?

I must disagree on several points, weirdo81622. The points I don't talk about, are points I fully agree with you.

I had no problems. My system came clean, and everything worked at 100%. Maybe the image that was installed on your machine was a miss tested one, but I think Dell does a great job. You must also consider that for a Mac, it's like walking on eggs. If you decide to do fancy modification, like chnage the video card on the Mac Pro, not listed in the customize option, then expect to be get unpleasant surprise. That is the problem with Mac's. And don't think "they just works". Sometimes you update a driver and now the system crashes a lot, because the combination of driver was not tested. My point is that it is not greener on the other side of the fence, it's just as bad.

Really? you can't lift the laptop... it's that bad?! Go the gym!
I carry my laptop from 8am to 5pm every day, with university books, on my back, and I don't got the gym, and I find it quiet light. I am amazed that the 9-cell battery weights about (not on a scale) as much a desktop optical drive. Which is lighter than the 9-cell battery of the Dell XPS M1210 laptop.

I agree that the touch pad is not #1, but from my test it sure beats some lower-end models of Synaptics, like the ones found on the Toshiba Proteger line. A better one is welcome, but the current one is good enough. I guess it comes down to: "you used a better one and got used to it, and can't look back" situation. I must completely disagree with the XXXXXXXXXXXL touchpad from the Mac's. Not only it's disgusting looking, but useless (I would prefer to see "nail problems" with Google image, than see my laptop with such a huge touchpad. Bigger does not mean better.
If you know how to configure your touch pad, it should not be any problem. When you slide one edge to an other, it should match the screen. So large is 100% useless.

One thing I'll agree. With the Macs there is a tin rubber line around the screen that is invisible to protect the screen from contact on the palm rest no mater where it is. That would solve the scratch problem... however it is not visible because you the screen is a mirror more than a screen. My point is that, their is a way to prevent screen bezel scratch from the palm rest without adding pads every 2 cm, and keep it clean looking.

As for the magnetic latch, I must disagree, this is a fail for Mac Book pros. If you put the laptop having the back of it on the table (like if you are carrying like a book on the side of of your arm), the screen opens. It doesn't close properly. Currently there is no better solution than Dell's metal hinge system.

Waist of money on current Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad CPU. Even on desktop computers that has Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad with DDR3 memory, show nothing in performance increase, other <5% gain.. and that is at best, in certain memory demanding situation. The CPU is limiting DDR3. But on a Core i7, for example, THEN DDR3 shines.

Sleep your computer. It eats up nothing as battery life, and your system is up and ready to go, and you have a full OS in your hands. That is what I do. I rarely turn it off.

Yea, but then you can't OC the GPU

Ah, yes.. this is simple. You see in the last year or so, LCD technology on TN panel didn't do much to improve, especially on laptop as they need to be so thin that better components can't be used (that is why desktop LCD's, especially the professional grade one are so thick).
"But but, the other brands, even on lower-end laptop, are better", you say. Sorry no. The LCD manufactures are like "Ok, we need to produce a new screen without spending money on engineering, nor on actually building a new factory or machinery for it. We want to maximize profit, maximize revenue, and offer something better." What did they do? Simple "Hey, let's change the anti-reflective film with this easy to scratch flat film, like this because it's flat and glossy the light pass through more easily, so you get a greater view-angle, and have more vivid colors! WE DID IT, party time!". This is not making a better screen. I am sure it exists, but then it might cost a fortune.

Why?! For a box you'll look for 2 min while you get out your 2000$ machine. What do I care! I want my machine, I don't care about the box! It's a BOX!
Waist of money, and probably that will make dell charge you to return the machine to them as packaging cost is so much higher and weight is increased. Not worth it one bit. If you are THAT desperate than get a Mac Box, and put your latitude in, and open the box.

 

I was only trying to point every flaw out that makes this not a perfect computer. Also, some of your arguments say that it isn’t that bad. I’m trying to point out that while it isn’t that bad, it could be improved.

Here, I was specifically talking about ControlPoint. If you ask an early user of the E6400, I’m quite sure that they will tell you ControlPoint was buggy and unusable at launch. Now, the problems are ironed out, but it should have been this way at launch.
And I agree that Macs don’t “just work”. However, a lot of computer illiterate people DO think that, and they are the ones that are buying macs. Macs work quite well when they’re not messed around with, and that’s exactly why it’s so easy for Apple. They make drivers for 5 different graphics cards and they’re done. Microsoft has to make drivers for 100.

I CAN lift the laptop. Again, I’m trying to say that it COULD be lighter. I can also lift my 8.5lbs Inspiron 5150. I can also lift a 15 pound XPS M2010. I’m saying that if Apple can make the Macbook Pro 15” weigh 5.5lbs, I don’t see why my 14” Dell has to weigh more than that.

On the touchpad, it’s a personal preference. I think a larger touchpad would be nice, but it’s not strictly necessary. What IS important to me though are gestures. Multitouch. That kind of stuff.

I’ve never had any problems with the magnetic latch, and all of my Mac friends haven’t either. The metal hinge is more dependable (and this is a business notebook, after all), but magnetic latches really are convenient and nice in my experience.

Right. I don’t expect it to come until the next generation of Latitudes. However, if the price is only 5% more, and there is a 5% gain, why not? The smaller latitudes have DDR3 already.

I guess this is a good solution. Nevertheless, I’d like to have something that boots up really fast – even faster than how Windows resumes from sleep.

Cooling pad? My 44W X9100 + OCed 160M work just fine – 70C on the graphics and about 65/75 on the CPU cores under load with a Zalman NC-1000. 80, and 73/83 without it. Oh – and this is with a copper mod as well.

I despise glossy screens. I really do. That’s one reason that I bought a Latitude. This is also quite low on my priority list, but I think it deserves a bit of attention and improvement anyway.

This is 13th and last on my list. The first impression for a lot of people means a lot. I’m not desperate, but if anything, it would be a nice touch. Just like free and fast shipping. A polished, thought out box shows immense attention to detail paid when designing the product. Look at the Adamo package for instance. I don’t want something that fancy, but something reasonably nice.

 

I prefer to see immense attention to detail for real, and not give an illusion.
Yes... look at the Adamo:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/384/1.444
No, illusion please.

 

John,

I don't understand, I've tried plugging usb into the esata and it doesn't fit... how does this work?

 

I'd like to see them get the backlight LED and on-screen volume display issue fixed. It seems like sometimes the backlight display does not work right when selection "automatic" I either have to select ON or OFF, even when in pitch black lighting. Also, the on-screen volume displays when selecting up or down sometimes display, sometimes they don't. Very weird that it's never consistent. Finally, I'd suggest they illuminate the volume control buttons and make them easier to use. I find myself using my nice mouse's volume control's more than fiddling with the annoying buttons on the laptop.

1 other addition... I would stream-line the bezel around the screen. It is a bit wide considering it's a 2009. Most laptops have a very thin border around the screen. I'd like to see that on this laptop too.

and to test the touchpad buttons... 1 latitude i had was fine but the one i have no squeeks when pressing down on the buttons below the touchpad area.

 

What do you mean? It fits! Did you try flipping the plug?

 

wow I guess my post was the dumbest one to date lol. I didn't realize I needed to push it in so hard. I was afraid because it didn't seem to align properly but after giving it a little more 'oomph' it slid in the usb port correctly. lol.

 

eSATA ports are usually hard to plug. My guess, is that it was made on purpose so that when you transfer data, it doesn't get corrupted to get cut because the cable is miss attached. And, yes it does get lose a little bit over time but still hard.

 

GoodBytes &#8211;
1) Trackpad &#8211; I&#8217;ve done that trick and the capabilities there don&#8217;t really work too well. I&#8217;ve lost posts more than once because I&#8217;ve gone to hit the &#8220;submit&#8221; button and my finger activates the &#8220;back&#8221; function &#8211; and I lose all I&#8217;ve written. I&#8217;m thinking more multitouch &#8211; rotate, pinch to zoom, swipes &#8211; basically everything Apple has. It&#8217;s really useful once you get used to it.
2) Magnetic Latch &#8211; I guess this is preference and how you treat your computer (if you carry it in anything, etc).
3) Graphics - You do have a point, and I agree with you. However, for me, &#8220;on the go&#8221; means on battery power. And the Nvidia GPU automatically downclocks on the E6400 while on battery power. Also, a cooling pad would not be necessary, but then the computer would run as hot as, say, a Studio XPS 13 or LG P310. There are always compromises.
4) Quality - Sadly, yes. I&#8217;d guess that this is just a production error or something. My E6400 isn&#8217;t perfect either. There&#8217;s a slight squeak in the touchpad buttons, some flex in the speaker grilles, the bottom doesn&#8217;t fit on quite right, etc. This is one place where Apple excels.

 

Yea, I don't have these problems. Well the speaker grid does bend a bit with pressure (1/4 of a mm, maybe), nothing visible, even up close.