---> OFFICIAL: Dell STUDIO 14z Owner's Lounge <---

I don't have any actually, ahha. I'm not taking summer sessions myself; I'm back at UCI for a week to visit/distract friends. Bad timing, though.. Everybody is studying and I'm bored out of my mind.

 

I'll put you to work then!
Does it rock while on a flat surface when you rests your hands on it?
Is the battery life you mentioned with bluetooth enabled or at full brightness?
How's the performance while doing some hearty multitasking with the t6500?

I'll send you a paycheck in the mail! Thanks a bunch.

 

Nope, the laptop is perfectly level with my table. It also has four solid rubber stoppers that prevent it from sliding around! You're probably referring to the review that was posted up on YouTube. That guy got unlucky and was shipped a defective system.. I've never heard of anybody else having the rocking issue.

My system doesn't have bluetooth, but I imagine bluetooth wouldn't effect battery life too much -- with WiFi turned off, I probably gain 20 minutes max. Haven't really tested it. Also, 4.5-5.5 hours is with the screen on the lowest to medium brightness. So all-in-all, the 14z handles its energy really well!

I haven't done much multitasking, but the T6500 is highly recommended over the T4200 because it has double the L2 cache. Everything in Vista feels snappy and I rarely encounter any slow down.

 

Yeah, I consider to the t6500 to the moral standard for the device. I'd switch to Windows 7 on the first day that I can. I wouldn't say I really like Windows 7, because it shares the tedious layer menus that Vista has, but when I put it on this laptop (pentium dual core), it ran MUCH better than vista. Some folks are saying that it's going to improve notebook battery life as well.

And how's the screen? Is the glare acceptable?

 

Just placed an order for mine:

DELL STUDIO 14z - Black Chainlink
* Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 2.4GHz, 1066Mhz, 3M L2 Cache
* 5GB, DDR3, 1066MHZ, 1 SoDIMM
* Back-lit Keyboard
* 14.0” High Definition+ (900p) Bright LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera/Facial Recognition SW
* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G
* 320GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) with Free Fall Sensor
* Genuine Windows Vista; Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
* Soundblaster X-Fi Hi Def Audio - Software Enabled
* Dell Wireless 1515 Wireless-N Mini-card
* 74 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (8 cell)
* 1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis
* Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth Internal (2.1)
$1,203.42

Estimated Delivery Date : 08/10/2009

BIG upgrade from my current system (see sig).

 

The screen is really nice. Just try to avoid the LG screens because those are known to be grainy and flicker on lower brightness. My first 14z had an LG screen, so I went back to Best Buy and replaced it immediately. The 900p screens are even better, so if you need the extra screen estate, definitely configure it with the 900p.

I only notice the glare outdoors. The glossy screen is pretty much unusable at the lowest brightness settings in direct sunlight because of the reflections. At around 5/15 brightness setting the screen is a lot more readable.

 

Do you have the 720p screen currently?

 

Yup, and it's good enough for me.

Some people dislike the 1366 x 768 resolution. Probably because they're used to 16:10 displays.. But in my opinion, 16:9 widescreen is more pleasant to the eyes. And since it's a little longer horizontally so you can fit more applications (buddy lists, docks, etc.)

 

Would this setup be adequate for running CoD4 and Left 4 Dead on the lowest settings?

Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 (2.1GHz, 800Mhz FSB, 2MB L2 cache)
14.0” High Definition (720p) LED Display
3GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M

would I need to upgrade, or is it hopeless to play them on the 14z?

 

What other external DVD drive you can use on this laptop besides the one by Dell?

I plan to wipe out everything and install a retail Vista. Can this be done without the DVD drive?

 

I'm currently underclocking my laptop, and cpu's got up to like 75C, but instead of having the exhaust in the back, they decided to put it on the left side, which imo, is much more efficient. (good job dell) at rest I'm running around 40C, and I'm getting an estimated 5:15 before I've underclocked it. Brightness is at the minimum (still pretty bright), bluetooth off, wireless on, and browsing. I also disabled aero when its unplugged.

I was worried that (as in the youtube review) that it would flex in the front left, but yeah, mine didn't have it either. Slight keyboard flex, and I really like both keyboard and mouse.

my comp:
bluetooth 2.1
p8600
900p
3gb ram
backlighting
creative software audio
250gb free fall hd

 

External dvd drives are universal. The difference is that some use two usb ports at once, or an esata/usb port, or just one usb port. I don't think there's a Windows equivalent to Apple's wireless disk utility. Even if you don't want to carry around an external disk drive, you can get one off of newegg.com (one of the most trusted tech buying sites) for 50-60 dollars and you can keep atop your home desk.

 

Wow, congrats! I think you are the first one here with 5 gigs of ram! Not bad...

 

There's no P6500 CPU.

 

I meant T6500. Don't know how I copy/pasted that wrong.

 

Absolutely any.

Yes. You can install the operating system from an USB flash drive. Make it bootable first, then simply copy the setup files to it, insert it before the computer boots up, hit F12, and on the boot screen you will see your USB flash drive as one of the boot devices. Select it and the computer will boot from there, and then just follow the installation wizard.

 

I would think any external dvd drive with a USB connection should work. Saw some on NewEgg and TigerDirect around the $60US range (compared to the Dell for $99US).

 

Really? You can actually do a OS install from a USB flash drive without a DVD drive now???

Just make the flash drive bootable? Just format it bootable right?

Then the end of DVD drive is here. I dont even need a DVD drive anymore.

A USB DVD drive can now be powered from one USB port? Any will work on the Dell? I am not going to pay $99 for it at Dell.

I think I am tilting toward getting the 14z vs the Sony Vaio SR*.

I absolutely hate glossy screen though.

 

YES to all your questions!

 

I took a look at the Sony VAIO SR but I eventually decided on the Dell. One main reason, I don't know how Sony has become or how they build their notebooks, but I currently am using a Sony VAIO Desktop that I purchased back in 2002 and, compared to Dell, it is extremely difficult to get to certain areas once opened. Dell keeps it simple yet effective. And I plan to upgrade to a SSD in the future.

As far as the Dell external drive, I'm looking into buying a Lite-on or Samsung from TigerDirect (haven't fully checked NewEgg) for $60US but in the future when I need it.

After weeks of debating and visiting the local Best Buy store to see and test the laptops and compare them to one another, I chose the 14z over the 15 for it's portability (size). I asked myself when was the last time I used my cd/dvd drive and I answered "months ago". And then I asked myself, when before THAT time...answered "wayy too long to remember but enough to realize I don't use the drive as much".

 

Another reason I didn't go with the Sony SR was because of the price difference. After spec'd out on SonyStyle.com it was running $1400 before taxes and shipping; my 14z was below that plus I went with Dell because I get a 7% discount for working with the government so the price dropped even more.

 

Black Chainlink? I just look at the picts and I cant find it.

I wonder if this laptop got some design help from Taiwan.

 

I was considering the NW and CS Vaio computers before. After seeing them and testing them in person, Dell ended surprising me because they had wayyyyy better build quality. I also watched videos of the industrial designers behind the vaios, and they are jokes. I've said it before : when you put graphic designers in a true industrial design job, you're going to end up with crap. I wish more of the industrial designers that work for the big pc companies were like Apple's Jonathan Ive' I don't own a mac but he isn't lazy, he's a materials kind of guy and learns from his mistakes. The things aren't thinkpad durable, but more durable than many other laptops. The plastic macbooks had cracking issues after a long time of use, so he made the new ones out of aluminum blocks...

 

I was exaggerating my opinion there for some reason. It's not that bad. I just don't prefer it as a personal choice.

 

Thanks Lexus! And yea lol. It was a huge price diff (I believe $275). But I was "what the heck...I'm applying for the Dell credit anyways...if I get accepted great i'll get it...if not, when I save up the money to purchase it cash i'll do without it"

Guess what??...got accepted! lol. On my order it says it's 5GB, DDR3, 1066MHZ, 1 SoDIMM...

didn't know one 5GB stick existed...is this right???

 

And to clear things up on that Black Chainlink...I chose it because all the other colors added $40US to the total. I plan to wait around and hopefully SkinIt will have the template for the 14z soon (think the cost for the skin is actually less than the $40 I would have paid for a color).

I'm planning on designing my own cover for it being that I am in the graphic, photography, and entertainment industries and this new baby will be what my clients will see =)

 

It's not a single 5GB stick; the 14z has 1GB soldered into the motherboard, along with a removable 4GB SODIMM.

 

Ha! That clears things up for the weird available options of 3 or 5GB. Thanks Master (no pun intended lol).

 

Just got thrown off a bit there. Thought I had gotten doobed. $275 for ONE stick of 4GB...but after searching through TigerDirect and NewEgg, realized that while 2GB sticks are running less than 50 bucks...4GB sticks are running for no lower than $300US! Not mainstream yet as we can see. In a few months prices should begin to drop.

So all in all, got a good deal for $275 for one 4GB stick installed (and hopefully tested good lol).

 

Yeah, 4GB individual memory modules are still wicked expensive compared to 2GB.

 

1 GB of RAM is on the motherboard, and there's only 1 user replaceable RAM slot. For that slot Dell is offering either 2 GB or 4 GB sticks. Now, 2 GB module is relatively cheap, but the 4 GB one is currently very expensive that's why that huge price difference. If they put 2 RAM slots, then putting there 2 sticks of RAM (2 GB each) and achieving the same 5 GB would cost significantly less. But oh well, it's not bad either.

 

Has anyone here had your laptop hard reboot with no warning? I've had this happen twice now, I'm thinking it's a new motherboard with a new BIOS and they just need to work out the kinks. If it isn't just me I'm going to call support. Generally these things don't get better by themselves. It could be nothing, but I had the same problem with my rumor 1. My phone kept restarting, I asked around and everyone else's was too. I switched within the 30 day policy of US Cellular and am glad I did. I've seen the sh!t hit the fan with those phones. Complete pieces of poop. But they don't update the BIOS on cell phones like they do on computers. Overall this has only happened twice in two weeks of ownership so it isn't a quarter of the problem it was with my old phone. Please reply!!!

 

Can you get it into safe mode? (i think it's f8 when you see the dell logo on startup)

 

I JUST weighed my 14z (with 8 cell battery, 250GB hard drive, etc.) and it came out to 4.92 lbs. Slightly under 5 lbs. Cant complain about that. Any complaint about this laptop weighing too much (by maybe less than a pound) is not very warranted since you wont notice it after a while (kinda like if you chose an inferior LCD screen, you wouldnt notice it because your not going to continue to compare it to other LCDs).
Also, I noticed in the resolution comparison picks that I posted, the 14z iTunes screen is taller than the 15.4 iTunes display. The iTunes display one the 14z should actually be shorter to match the other display. That means it has even MORE real -estate than my 15.4!
BTW, Im using this laptop on my lap and it is comfortably cool. It feels slightly more than luke warm. Direct skin contact feels comfortable if your in shorts or in your chonies.
The fan is not that loud, but it is somewhat noticeable if you pay attention to it. Definitely MUCH better than my last laptop than sounded like a jet was taking off!
I will try underclocking the CPU. I didnt see that tutorial. Anyone know where it is?

 

Thanks for the brief review, closetmonster3. These really help me, and i'm sure others, when considering this computer. I don't know about the underclocking.

 

anyone know of a fan control program for the 14z? Back in the day, I used i8kfangui for my i9300 and it was wonderful. that program doesnt work for the 14z currently. It cant read any of the sensors, fans, or even their speeds. Id like to have more control over the fans if possible because Im such a perfectionist.

Also, does anyone know of a driver than I can install for the Alps mouse touchpad that will allow me to add some more scrolling features, such as a 'gliding' option? (similar to how you can flick the screen on an iPhone and it keeps going, but eventually slows down and stops. I would like to flick the scroll bar and have it continue but slow down on its way. Sorta like it happens in real life with physics and resistance and all.

 

I used to use i8kfangui too, and it's all I know for Windows. Supposedly, it doesn't work in Vista 64-bit unless you modify the driver signature permissions that creates a mess and doesn't work automatically. As for the touchpad, people have studio 1535s with some added gestures by installing certain drivers to replace the dell factory alps drivers. They usually download the firmware for other computers and sometimes it ends up working. Note : The iPhone's rebounding is the result of very specific, smart algorithms patented by Apple; I doubt you'll ever see that specific one outside of Apple products. If you're comfortable playing around with it try this dell thread http://en.community.dell.com/wikis/tutorials/howto-enable-advanced-gestures-for-alps-touchpads.aspx
People use either the old xps ones or the studio 1535 ones...both are on that page. Let me know what happens!

 

The laptopmag review said the keys are slightly hard to press, which worries me a bit. Does anyone have a second opinion on that?

Regarding gloss screens - they can be converted to matte by adding a protective matte film on top. Some alternatives:
http://www.buyviewguard.com
http://www.photodon.com/c/LCD-Protective-Films.html
http://dgloss.com/

 

Yup. Why would you want to install a retail copy of Vista though? If you want a clean install you can use the Vista disc that comes with your 14z. Or better yet, install Windows 7 RC.

 

Because the retail copy is identical to the one on the Dell Vista disk, and using the Dell disk defeats the purpose of not needing a disk drive.

 

Re-post of question:

Does anyone care to try out the PCSX2 playstation2 emulator and return some feedback on the 14z performance? How about dolphin (gamecube emulator)?

The PCSX Playstation1 emulator works well on my netbook, so I assume it'll run flawlessly on the 14z, but I'm really curious as to how the PCSX2 emulator runs given the 9400m. I have tried running it on a friends 2.1Ghz Inspiron 15, but thanks to crap-tastic intel integrated graphics, I was only able to get ~4fps on a graphic intensive game. I'm hoping that A 2.4GHz unit with 9400m acceleration will fair significantly better!

I'm on the edge of my seat with anticipation!

YARR!
}:^)~
CorruptSX

 

I had trouble with it on my desktop. 3.2 ghz c2d wolfdale. 4gb. ati 4850 and i was getting 15 fps on some parts of streetfighter.

 

Before I order does anyone know the answer?

 

you should be okay - remembering that that's 3 GB of ddr3, not 2. the graphics should be okay - not as good as most discrete card but better than almost all integrated graphics. So it should work.

 

The feature that I was looking for with the Alps touchpad actually comes from the Synaptics touchpad and is a feature called 'gliding'. It continues to scroll, eventually to a stop, after you let your finger off of the pad.
I will try the different drivers mentioned.

As for the keys, they feel slightly more firm than others, but really, that is an advantage rather than a negative feature. I love how the keys feel, personally.
You may not notice at all, and if you do, it will fade in time. I only payed attention and noticed because you asked about it.

Nothing to worry about.

 

I wonder if you can install the OS using a SDHC card plug into a USB reader. This site is the best if you want more info with your 14z: http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/

How did Dell come up with 4.2 lb? 4.95 lb is heavy enough.

 

For those of you who are considering ordering, just be aware I just received my second delay notification!!!

Says it's due to a "supply shortage."

It says that, per FTC regulations, I have to call them to tell them if I still want to go forward or they will automatically cancel my order.

I'm more than a little annoyed. For various reasons, I really needed this machine before August 1st.

I still like and want this machine, and think it's a great value, but I have to admit I'm thinking -- once again -- about the 13" MacBook Pro. I could go pick one up this afternoon. Though, I guess $1000 is a lot of additional expense just to avoid the delay annoyance factor.

Just thought I should share this for those considering this laptop.

I'll let you know how I make out with Dell.

GRRRR!

p.s. -- you can see my configuration a few pages back, if you're interested.

 

Yikes! Is the "supply shortage" due to the red lids? What was your new updated estimated delivery date?

I'm getting really worried...

 

I've tried Synaptics for the Studio 15 drivers on my Studio 17's Alps. Didn't work, and I don't expect it will work for you on the 14z either.

 

I ordered my 14z on July 13th with delivery date of July 28th. My laptop was delivered last Saturday (25th). One thing that I had problem with was requesting Windows 7 upgrade. The site would tell me that I'm not eligible. Had to call Dell to resolve the issue.