XPS 16 Getting ATI 4670

Check it out:

A07 BIOS Update

http://support.dell.com/support/dow...eid=R220096&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=313333

Fixes and Enhancements
Support new PWM panel.
support new configuration with Gfx ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4670.

 

this is awesome! .. the xps 16 can finally be regarded as quite a cabale mid-level gaming lappy now

 

Very nice! I wonder when it will be available.

 

nice find

it seems like they are trying to clear out the old SXPS 16s with these deals http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/laptop-studio-xps-16?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs

its only $200 more for the RGBLED 1920x1080 screen and the 500 GB Hard Drive

 

Are you saying that with the 3670 the XPS 16 is not a capable mid-level gaming laptop?

I couldn't disagree with you more -- the 3670 is a very capable GPU and is certainly at least mid-level. The 4670 will be high-level.

 

how well does it run crysis at native 1080p ?

 

At 1080p, not well. But if you drop the resolution a bit, it runs well even at high settings.

 

City of Heroes in 1080P is just stunning

 

what sort of resolution are we talking about studioxps16 as if it can play crysis at decent framerates then it will play almost any other game with ease

decisions decisions...

 

I think I dropped it to 720p. May have been higher, but not lower. It's been a while.

 

thanks for that studioxps16 i dont mind if i have to tweak the settings to perform better as it is only a 16 inch screen anyways so it doesnt need the maximum of everything (although its always nice to have the power!)

plus i would like to hook it upto my 52 inch 1080p samsung tv to maybe play games on the big screen but i will need to play something far less demanding ....

not that i will be playing games much but if i do i want it to be fairly competent

 

Anyone have a guess on how much extra this may cost or when it should be available? I was ready to buy the XPS16, but I'm a gamer so now I'm thinking I should wait.

 

For all we know it could stay the same price. The 3670 and 4670 dont have much of a price difference i dont think. They might make the 4670 standard

 

it shouldnt cost much more atall as the card is the only option in the xps so it will be absorbed by the cost of the whole machine

 

Yeah chances are they might boost the cost of the whole machine and make the upgrade not really an upgrade(as in, it'll just take the spot the current HD3670 has).

The price shouldn't drasticalyl change though. The only other known machine with an HD4670 costs under 800$USD so the GPU isn't that expensive to fit into a machine >.>

 

gpu costs for the price that dell get them for are negligable at most , i think they might offer both cards untill the stock of 3670 is sold out , or they are going to pitch it as a full upgrade as you say , i think thats the route they will take and charge more

i think those who are putting it of to wait for the new card best not get their hopes up , its always best to think the worst and if u get the good deal then ur laughing !

 

Well the HD4670 still isn't considered a gaming card, it's the best medium end GPU, but it's still medium class >.> If you wanted the best GPU, the XPS 16 wouldn't be the machine for you lol

What's appealing is that the HD4670 gives a bit more boost for the casual gamer who would like the other features of the XPS 16.

But yes, I think if they completely removed the HD3670, soem people might complain if they had to pay a higher base price if they didn't need an HD4670(it does nearly nothing for multimedia capacities really), but we'll see.

 

I would not be surprised if Dell makes changes to the rest of the XPS line on June 1st when they release the new Alienware. Just speculation on my part.

 

I hope that the Studio XPS 16 gets upgraded on June 1

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the new XPS 16 was released during the first week of June.

 

how big of a difference do you think there will be between the 3670 and 4670?

If you're not a gammer, will you even notice the difference?

 

There is a difference. Will you notice if you aren't a gamer? No. Will you notice if you are a gamer? Probably not.

This is still just a big fat rumor spread around this forum, the BIOS update means nothing. If it happens, it happens.

 

Finally a voice of reason in here... although seeing people who return laptops they just got because of something buried in a BIOS update is pretty funny.

 

There is a difference but as said above, you won't notice until you fully stress both GPUs which only really happens when gaming. If you ewre only doing normal tasks(web browsing, HD videos, chatting, music etc.) you wouldn't eve notice the difference between an X4500 and an HD4670 >.>

I'm not going to do anything until Dell officially announces that they're changing the GPU. If they haven't, then it might not be happening for a while >_>

 

A gamer won't notice a 2x boost in games? And as far as the rumors go of the 4670, not a single person here has stated they know for sure it's coming but given the obvious nature of the bios upgrade, we know it's inevitable even if we don't have a time frame.

 

Hmmm, although I can see the advantage of having more power in gaming I really don't think it's gonna work too well tbh. When you look at it, there's already complaints about the heat and meagre battery life and putting in more powerful graphics is only going to worsen both of the problems... this is unless they compleetly redesign the mobo which I doubt they will (this will still only make it run cooler, bear in mind).

I'm planning on getting this laptop soon and I hope for the love of god that they don't make the better graphics compulsary because most people don't need that much power. Fair enough, integrated graphics won't get you very far but I don't really think the people who buy this laptop are looking for a high end gaming rig.... not to say it's skimping or anything. I just think they had it spot on before and that although people, at first, will opt for the better graphics, that they will be over run with complaints about battery life and other problems

 

The 4670 only uses 5 watts more power than the 3670. The increase in power usage would be negligible. If you care about battery life, get a Macbook Pro or get the 9 cell battery for the SXPS 16 (with that it nearly equals the MBP in battery life during DVD viewing although the MBP still beats it out for web surfing).

 

OK Cupcake... Just stay in your parents basement, eating cheetos, playing video games until it comes out, the rest of us will live our lives. eh.

 

It won't be a 2x boost.

 

It won't be a 2 time boost I concur. The HD4670 can trade blows with the highest mid-range GPUs, but it's still mid-range. The HD3670 could already compete with the 9600M GT so it wasn't a bad GPU...

 

HD3670 benchmarks:

3DMark 05: - Standard 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 6349, avg: 7284, max: 8219 Points ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
Studio XPS 16 T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 6349


3DMark 06:
0% 100%
min: 4146, avg: 4375, max: 4700 Points ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
T7700 2048 MB 4700
Studio XPS 16 (Standard 1280x1024) T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 4146

Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo: - highest 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 490.9, avg: 491, max: 490.9 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
Studio XPS 16 T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 490.9

F.E.A.R.: - GPU min, CPU min 640x480
0% 100%
min: 307, avg: 307, max: 307 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
Studio XPS 16 T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 307

F.E.A.R.: - GPU medium, CPU medium 800x600
0% 100%
min: 31, avg: 31, max: 31 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
Studio XPS 16 T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 31

F.E.A.R.: - GPU: max, CPU: max 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 27, avg: 27, max: 27 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
Studio XPS 16 T9400 4096 MB 680 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3 ATI Catalyst 8.7 27

Crysis - CPU Benchmark: - High 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 11.41, avg: 12, max: 12.26 fps ... More Details


HD4670 benchmarks:

3DMark 05: - Standard 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 13449, avg: 13449, max: 13449 Points ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
EX625 P8600 4096 MB 675 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3, 55 nm ATI Catalyst 9.1 13449

3DMark 06:
0% 100%
min: 7620, avg: 7620, max: 7620 Points ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
EX625 (Standard 1280x768) P8600 4096 MB 675 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3, 55 nm ATI Catalyst 9.1 7620


Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo: - highest 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 639.7, avg: 640, max: 639.7 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
EX625 P8600 4096 MB 675 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3, 55 nm ATI Catalyst 9.1 639.7

F.E.A.R.: - GPU min, CPU min 640x480
0% 100%
min: 127, avg: 127, max: 127 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
EX625 P8600 4096 MB 675 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3, 55 nm ATI Catalyst 9.1 127

F.E.A.R.: - GPU medium, CPU medium 800x600
0% 100%
min: 65, avg: 65, max: 65 fps ... More Details
Model CPU Memory Core / Memory GPU Memory Value
EX625 P8600 4096 MB 675 / 800MHz 512MB GDDR3, 55 nm ATI Catalyst 9.1 65

F.E.A.R.: - GPU: max, CPU: max 1024x768
min: 62, avg: 62, max: 62 fps ... More Details

Crysis - CPU Benchmark: - High 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 23.37, avg: 23, max: 23.37 fps ... More Details

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Values taken during gaming timedemos and benchmarks that stress the GPU clearly show nearly a 2x or sometimes greater improvement (keep in mind this isn't even apples to apples since the SXPS had a better CPU). It's expected anyway given the huge jump in the number of pipes from the 3670 to 4670. The 3670 is a weak low tier 2 card. So is the 4670 worth waiting for? Absolutely!

 

now this is the dell i want
RED dell studop xps 16 hopefully a Q9000, ATI 4670 and a 256gb SSD and it would be too good.

wats a PWM panel? new screen? i wish thy bring out a 1600x900 RGBLED screen.

 

No, it wasn't apples to apples as you used an entire major release version older driver for the 3670. I am not saying that has anything to do with the scores, but it's certainly possible.

Also, whether the 4670 is worth waiting for depends on the usage pattern. If I were a casual gamer, I certainly wouldn't pay extra for it. You cannot make such a bold (literally) statement.

 

2x a 3670 is a 3870. That's all I'm going to say.

 

i dont care about discretes, all i want is nvidia 9400m eye candys for hd playbacks.

 

The HD3670 isn't lower tier, the HD3450 is lower tier. The HD3670 can run just about most games thrown at it with the exception of power monsters like GTA4 and Crysis >_> It's mid-tier, it just happens to be last generation's mid-tier.

Yes the HD4670 is better. I never denied that. However, it's still a mid-range GPU. Even the last generation HD3850/3870 can best it. It holds great performance for casual gaming, but I doubt it's 2 times an HD3670 brute for brute. I have a friend with an MSI EX625(which has an HD4670) and he certainly doesn't get "WOMG super awesome" gaming performance from it compared to his old Sony Vaio FW with an HD3650 >_> (he swapped out the P7350 for a P8600 mind you)

 

the 4670 is a bit under a 8800m so it aint bad. but its a 128bit card and a lot of new high end cards will beat it.

its a big jump from the 3670 and will play you games at max with a decent res.

 

4670 vs 9700M GTS benchmarks will be interesting. My money is on the GTS though.

 

I don't have it anymore but I'm pretty sure the last dell product book I got listed the 4670 for the XPS 16. I remember thinking it was a typo because this was before I read on the forums that the xps 16 might be getting a new gpu.

 

Well I'm not doubting they'll have it, I'm doubting WHEN they'll have it. No date or nothing has been scheduled so assuming it's tomorrow(since many say June 1st) is really but a guess >.>

 

I purchased an HP DV7 today from Costco. I figure I'll give this to my sister once the new Dell comes out. The HP has an ATI 4650 GPU in it which is the same as the 4670 but clocked lower. It has a weaker CPU than the SXPS 16 but I think if I do some GPU intensive benchmarks, it will give an idea of how big of a jump the 4670 will be when it arrives in the SXPS 16. I'm gonna try to find an overclocking utility to see if I can push teh clocks to 4670 level.

 

Given the fact that Dell has just released the "Merlot Red" color option for the 1640 chassis, I highly doubt that they will upgrade the GPU to 4670 any time soon. Even if they do release the new GPU, I probably wouldn't want it because it's just going to make the overheating issue worse.

I believe the Studio XPS 16 is a great machine, but if the folks at Dell are really committed to bring this laptop to the next level, they will need to redesign the chassis in addition to upgrading the GPU.

 

Well honestly, while the SXPS 16 doesn't overheat, it does heat, so dding in a more powerful GPU wouldn't help. Also, they might have to revamp the motherboard and inner hardware layout(to properly fit and manage the new GPU) so that may take time and money as well.

 

Doing the upgrade is very simple and the increase in temperatures will be negligible given the difference in die size. Power consumption is only 5 watts greater, it won't require hardly any re-engineering of the chasis. Dell can easily improve the cooling for the laptop by adding a bigger fan.

I don't know why you guys are in denial about the 4670 coming to the SXPS 16, it's going to happen soon and you will look foolish when it does. Those of us waiting for the 4670 and curious about it's performance increase have heard your opinion already..you think it's not gonna come or it's not going to be worth it. We get it, it's not for you so move on.

 

I really hope you're right, cause I'm holding out for the update also. I hope it comes with a cooling improvement, but if not, I'll still bite.

I just hope it comes soon cause I remember reading rumors about it back in March/April and I really thought it'd be here by now. I can't keep waiting forever, but I don't mind waiting a little for an upgrade.

 

I called a Dell sales rep a few days back and they claimed not to know the release date and put me on hold to ask a supervisor. Then she came back to the phone and said, "we don't have an ETA for the update yet but it should be soon according to my supervisor". I'm well aware a CSR can be completely clueless but with the A07, the merlot cover finally surfacing and now even CSR's acknowledging it's existence, I really don't see the wait being much longer. If I thought it wasn't coming, I wouldn't have returned my SXPS in the first place.

These other guys that are trying to create doubt are generally speaking without doing research. Saying things like the heat increase will be problematic or a chasis redesign will be needed without first looking into the difference between the 3670/4670 just makes their lack of knowledge of the subject that much more evident. My personal guess is that we will see an update sometime in June, hopefully the beginning. Dell did some Spring cleaning sales (which end on June 4th) and I'm hoping soon after that we'll see the new SXPS.

 

I'm not denying it's coming. It is lol . However, I'm not sure it'll come tomorrow as some said it would >.> Later in the month? Perhaps. I'm just not really into all those people returning their SXPS for a trick return thinking it would be here last week you know(and hoping they'd get the new one as a return)?

We'll see . Honestly the HD4670 would be a good add for the SXPS as even the Inspiron and Studio series go an HD4xxx GPU.

 

No one is denying that the 4670 upgrade WILL be coming. We are all well aware of the A07 bios and the constant rumors. I am just saying Dell has more problems to worry about than just upgrading the GPU. I would rather see a completely redesign Studio XPS 16, than a hastily upgraded 1640. Of course the upgrade WILL eventually come, but I am not holding my breath for the June 1 date.

We will see who is right tomorrow.

 

The other possibility that you have failed to think of is that the bios update is just a fluke. Dell isn't really known for updating components on their systems even when their are problems. (Which I am still not really convinced there are... Although the case of my XPS does get slightly hot, uncomfortably so on the bottom, the interal parts are in no way overheating. The maximum temp my GPU has achieved after multi hour gaming sessions (GTA 4) was 58 celsius, which is fairly cool for a video card.)

 

Who said anything about a June 1 date? I know I sure didn't.