XPS 17 L702x - WLED 3D 120hz 1080p: Please Share Your Experience :)

I'm starting this thread because I'd like to hear more about the 3D screen. I know from reading many of the posts and guides, especially the 702x owners lounge, that many really did not like it and traded it in for the non-3D. This is for comparing the two, but with a bias on the 3D screen. Let his thread help anyone with 3D issues, or making decisions. Do you have the 3D screen? Do you use it a lot? If you do, how, what, where, when, experience? Any issues with the 3D version opposed to non-3D? (Besides the lost Intel features and Optimus)

In the mean time, here's my general review of the system. Please note the Display section.

First off, I got this as a replacement system for a Studio XPS 1640:
C2D P8700
8GB 1033
Mobility 4670 1GB
1080p RGBLED
Bluray
Backlit keyboard
Single 500GB

My XPS 17 l702x:
i7 2620
8GB 1333
550m 1GB
900p (Soon to be 1080p 3D)
Intel 6230
X-fi+Waves
Backlit keyboard
1TB (500GB+500GB)

Next, I really love this system. It is incredibly powerful, much larger than my 15.6" SXPS, and is pretty much a beast in comparison. The build quality is definitely sub-par, especially when the SXPS was so beautiful. Love the numpad.

Processor: Works for me, high clocked dual core (plus hyperthreaded), don't really need a quad core at the moment, and I'm a huge gamer. May ask Dell for a 2630 down the line.

Memory: 8gb, more than most people need. I'm a marketing manager at Google, but none of the systems or programs we run put me much higher than 5-6gb in use. This includes photoshop, Sony vegas, Android emulators, VM's, and more.

Graphics: Heads and tails above the ATI Radeon Mobility 4670. The 550m is a great overclocker (but doesn't need to be), plays all my games on high/very high (GTA4, Duke Nukem, Crysis 2, Minecraft xP, Civ5, Borderlands).

Display: AWFUL. The 900p is a disgrace to humanity. The viewing angles are so bad, even looking straight on, there is fading around the edges/corners. I'm probably spoiled coming from an RGBLED.

I can confirm that 3D content plays fine on a 3D ready TV with the 900p display and 550m. Games are nice too, just bumped down a resolution level. 720p with high/very high in most cases. Some (like Duke Nukem Forever) could be left in 900p.

*** I'd like to make note, as part of my warranty, Dell will be REPLACING this display, with the 120hz 1080p 3D display once parts become available (July 15th). They wanted to send me a whole new system, but opted for a technician to install the new one. I don't remember if anyone has tried this, but Dell CAN replace your non-3D screen with a 3D screen+bezel (for emitter) on any XPS17 via in home technician. ***

Noise: I have A10 and latest stable nVidia drivers, and the fan barely makes a peep unless I fire up a game or any HD content. Even then, only games tend to make it get all hot and bothered. I'd like to note, the heat doesn't make the system perform differently or throttle. (Unlike my of a 1640).

Sound System: Awesome, glad I got the X-Fi software as well as the Waves. Really kicks up the bass a notch above. Also sounds AWESOME on a 7.1 home theater.

Wireless: Meh, prefer tri-antenna, but performance isn't bad. Love the hotspot mode, I had to have a 2nd card and create an adhoc network. Rather inconvenient. Intel Advanced N 6230.

Personal: Can't wait for the 3D screen, plan to game to death, even at lower settings if needed. Willing to give up optimus, (I have two 9cell batteries), quicksync, and widi. The system is excellent, Dell is great, and make sure to BUY A WARRANTY!

Dell may not always know what they're talking about, but a warranty is a GREAT ASSET. It saved me thousands of dollars, (and cost Dell), after almost 11 technician visits, and 2 replacement systems. The first replacement system didn't even turn on when I got it (it was a Studio XPS 1647 refurb).

If ya'll would like more depth on any of this, I'd love to help. I'm an avid gamer, love Blurays, 3D content. I own CS5 Master Collection, but have never done anything that requires a whole lot of system power. Then again, never owned a crappy system, so I don't know what it would run like on lesser hardware.

I do have a question though.

If I'm happy with my performance on the 550m, on mostly high/very high, does anyone have any good reason to push for the 555m? From what I understand it'd only be a 5-10fps boost, if that. I'm sure it'd help just that little bit more for 3D-capable media/games performance.

(Is there a specific thread for overclocking the 550m? I say a 555m and 4-series thread, but no 550)

And can anyone confirm that anything can be upscaled to 3D (DVD's, Downloaded Movies, Non-3D Blu-rays) in PowerDVD 9.6? PowerDVD 11?

Thank you, and look forward to your thoughts
Travis

 

Nobody? If nobody has anything to say about the 3D screen, how about just answering my questions?

If I'm happy with my performance on the 550m, on mostly high/very high, does anyone have any good reason to push for the 555m? From what I understand it'd only be a 5-10fps boost, if that. I'm sure it'd help just that little bit more for 3D-capable media/games performance.

(Is there a specific thread for overclocking the 550m? I say a 555m and 4-series thread, but no 550)

And can anyone confirm that anything can be upscaled to 3D (DVD's, Downloaded Movies, Non-3D Blu-rays) in PowerDVD 9.6? PowerDVD 11? Downloaded movies in particular.

 

Not got time to read it in full but I love the screen, awesomely bright, decent colours etc. Looks much better than my old 1900*1200 vostro screen. Will try and read your query in full later and reply. Very happy with my XPS17

 

Screen is awesome! Unfortunately I had only one laptop before, so there's nothing to compare with, but all I can say that this is bright and clear glossy panel, with good viewing angles and 120hz refresh rate that I find useful. Honestly to say I'm not too excited about 3D Vision technology and I don't even have 3D Vision glasses! The only thing why I went with 3D model is 120hz refresh rate and I'm completely satisfied.

 

how do iwatch 3d movies with cybelink
mine as a blue ray palyer and 3d screen but twhen trying to watch the hole 3d movie it's just a black screen with sound
any ideas?

 

I agree with you 100%; in fact I would have wrote the same thing myself.

 

im having problems with mine,
i can't play dvd's in 3d mode,the green 3d mode light comes on and i have 2 images but with the 3d glasses it looks the same, thinking of sending this back to dell as ive not had it a week yet and ive had nothing but grief whatching anything in 3d,it'stook me days to get blu-ray 3d to work and that was only when i rollled back to the anciant 2.65 drivers it was shipped with.

 

Absolutely agree, it's hands down one of the best laptop screens money can buy. Epic brightness, great viewing angles, 120hz....

 

Awesome glad to hear that

After seeing so many people switch away from it, I was a little scared. Not too worried about battery life, does anybody miss the features it removes?

I've currently got the 900p screen, and the graphics switching is not only less than perfect, it's often annoying. For example, Hulu, when in hi-def, won't play flawlessly on the integrated, I have to manually run it using the dedicated nvidia card. Not difficult, but shouldn't be necessary. This is just one example.

 

The only things you miss out on are Optimus and WirelessHD. But you gain an extra 2 DIMM slots (assuming GT555M). I knew all that going in, so there's no way I'm switching

Battery life does suffer though (due to lack of optimus). The 6-cell won't get you very far, and you'll probably get a little over 3 hours with the 9-cell.