Buying an M1330

Hi all,

I about to pull the trigger on an M1330 ( to replace my E1705) as I need something as light weight as possible. Of equal importance are heat and noise! My E1705 is a great machine, but I rarely use because I'm tired of lugging it around! And I can't even use the damn thing on my lap because its gets so hot.

This machine will only be used for Outlook, Remote desktop, and web surfing. So, no gaming, and I'll be sticking with the x3100.

Questions:

1. Is it worth getting the 64GB SSD? I couldn't quite gather whether SSD's generated "no heat" or just "less heat" than hard drives. If its "no heat", I would strongly consider it!

2. Does the CPU make much of a difference (heat-wise)? I was going to stick with the T5850 (65nm), but I would consider an upgrade to a 45nm cpu if it made much difference.

3. I've read much here and at Dell's forums about the heat problems with the m1330. Is that a concern given that I'm not getting the 8400M? It did seem like some people that had the x3100 were also having heat problems.

4. Lastly, is the m1330 being replaced with montevina? I know the m1530 is, but I hadn't read anything about the m1330. Wouldn't it seem strange for Dell to keep an XPS model not based on the latest chipset?

Thanks in advance!
Nate

 

1. Not sure about heat, but SSDs are faster (in general) and a lot quieter.
2.I don't think that the heat difference would be noticeable...
3.I don't see how getting the x3100 would cause you MORE problems than the 8400m...
4.I am quite sure that all of Dell's lineup will eventually be replaced with Montevina, but as to when is anyone's guess. XD

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

3. I didn't mean to suggest that the build video card would cause more heat problems. I just meant to say that it seemed that people with the x3100 were also having heat-related issues.

4. Again, I wasn't very clear, sorry! It was rumored that the 1530-successor was coming around August. I just wondered if anyone had any additional "rumors" or thoughts if the m1330 would come out then. In other words, should I wait?

Nate

 

Anytime. XD I hope what I could give ya was helpful, but as an update to what you said before, I don't think I know anything about either updated 3. or 4.

 

1. Depends on your budget; IMHO no its not.

2. Your laptop will notice but i doubt you will

3. I agree with shoelace; having a dedicated gpu will more likely cause you heat issues than an IGP, and as such, if there are heat issues with the x3100 versions of the laptop, are you ( or are 'they' ) sure that the IGP is the cause of these issues or could it be another factor?

4. I would hope ( for their sake ) that they would upgrade their products to the next platform

 

Let me ask another way....

If you were putting together a m1330 to generate the least amount of heat possible, what components would you pick for cpu, gpu, and hard drive? I don't mind picking a higher priced component if it will make a difference.

 

For the Hdd, you should do research, though i would imagine since there arent any moving parts, that the heat generated is fairly low. For the gpu, go x3100, for cpu, which ever uses the least voltage at the smallest fab ( 45nm ) i would think. Though clock speed may also have an affect if it needs an increased voltage. If not then all penryn cpus would create about the exact same amount of heat.

 

While the X3100 ran cooler with my M1330, the heat is still primarily underneath the touchpad, which still causes me some discomfort. The fan will still run constantly (using A11, which makes the fan more aggressive at lower temps), and my CPU (T8300) is usually around 38C after some undervolting. The chipset on the other hand hovers around 50C (I8kfangui temps), and the M1330 reaches that within five to ten minutes before the fan turns on. Fans does not turn off until the chipset reaches 46C or so. When doing my usual surfing, the chipset never reaches the mid 40s, always above 50C. I don't know which temp the "chipset" is referring to, but it could mean the graphics since I had to swap sensors when I had an 8400M.

As for components, I'm not too sure. I played with the Inspiron 1420 at a Best Buy, and installed I8kfangui, and found that the chipset temp was in the mid 30s, which surprised me. The 1420 has a T5xxx CPU, so I don't know if the cooling system is better on the 1420 or Merom is cooler than Penryn. The M1530 they had on display have the same heat problem underneath the touchpad, and I can't check the specs because the account was locked. The 1420 was cool throughout the bottom. I shouldn't say that the T5xxx will run cool on the M1330, but it's possible. I don't know my architecture.

I got the Seagate 160GB 7200RPM, and temps hover around 40C, but made a whining noise that was just as annoying as the CPU whine. I would suggest getting a 5400RPM since I don't recall having any problems with my first M1330's Samsung drive, besides the constant head parking problem.

 

Thank you both for the replies!

Thats a little disappointing, esp since there isn't anything you can do about the chipset temps (referring to the northbridge probably?).

I did some research on the SSD temps, and it appears they pretty much don't generate much heat at all. Still haven't decided if its worth it, though.
I keep wondering, though, if other components, such as the hard drive, have an affect on the chipset or cpu temps? It seems possible in such cramped quarters, but thats just a guess.

Also, for ShinyFalcon, do you have any problem using it on your lap for extended periods of time?

 

It actually gets a bit cooler when you start carry it around. The M1330 is still pretty comfortable on my lap. I didn't face any discomfort last time I used my M1330 on my lap, and I had shorts on too. For reference, my house temperature is around 79F.

 

Great info, thank you sir!

 

I would suggest that the SSD is worth the extra cost - especially if you're sensitive about noise and heat. It's also blazing fast. I'm glad I upgraded to the SSD.

The general consensus on these boards is that the integrated Intel GPU is the better option if you don't do any gaming, and don't want probable overheating issues. That said, my 8400 runs at around 50C - 57C with normal usage, so YMMV.

No idea on the relative CPU heat, although I have been pleased with the 9300 in my machine. I don't underclock, and it rarely goes over 42C at any point.

Oh, and get the LED screen. Also worth it.

 

Agreed, if I would've waited and gotten the 1330 vs. 1530, the LED screen would've been my choice.

 

Thanks again for the responses. This is such a great website. I'm really glad I discovered before I bought my laptop!

I'm definitely sold on the LED screen. I've haven't heard any bad thing about it, and it weighs slightly less.

I think I'm gonna go SSD, too, but I'm gonna buy it myself. There have been some articles recently, including one today, about the prices falling on SSD drives very soon. Here is one:

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/sto...1F37-10E4-43B4-B823-53DE282CE70E}&dist=msr_20

Will those OCZ drives be compatible with the m1330? I assumed since it has the Samsung SSD option, that the OCZ ones would be, too, but I wanted to make sure.

Here is the m1330 I'm about to get, btw:

http://www.dell.com/content/product...s&cs=19&~oid=us~en~29~july4_sales_laptops_3~~

Is the best deal I've been able to find since the XPS sale a couple weeks ago which I missed by a day!