Dell Studio 1557

After playing with the laptop for a couple of days - I think if I has a chance I would trade it in for a 17" laptop. The current generations of laptops with their 16:9 screens are wider then I am used to and not as tall(?). The only problem with the 17" is that it adds another pound to the weight.

The other +ve could be the bigger chassis may cool this sizzling chip better.

 

I agree. If you intend to mainly use it at home, then the 17", might be a wiser choice.

Try calling Dell, maybe they'll do an exchange?

 

You will need to return and place a new order for the 17.

Dell cannot exchange/replace for different systems.

 

What is their return policy - do I end up paying some money?? Thanks.

 

Somebody explain to me how this isnt integrated.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1210/dscn1331.jpg

This is my third Dell laptop and the first with a video card that couldnt be removed from the motherboard.
It looks like a integrated package to me.

Insert GPU copper shim

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/2125/dscn1332.jpg

For all the people with those Seagate noise and clicking problems.Atleast Dell is listening to you.

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3889/dscn1335.jpg




Album
http://img215.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dscn1329l.jpg

 

You are mistaking the packaging for integrated.

Integrated = gpu uses shared system memory

Dedicated = gpu has it's own dedicated memory (may also share some extra from the system)

In the first pic, you can see the two memory chips

Hope that helps...

 

Be that as it may I still think its very misleading IMO.
And there is two more chips on the other side on the motherboard with NO heatsinks at all

 

OMG. This thread started off being useful. Now it's populated by whining jackasses who are clearly suffering from a huge dose of buyer's remorse. Let's get one thing straight; this is not, and never has been, defined as a gaming machine, people! No, it is not perfection, but it is bloody good for the money!! Seems you were all expecting miracles where there were none. Remember; you were buying a Dell, not an Apple, FFS!!!!

And David, I would never buy a laptop bigger than 15.6, coz I've got my 26" LCD to plug into when I need the size, and I recommend you do the same; much better than carting a cumbersome 17" notebook around with you

 

We know from you what this machine is not good for -

Not perfection!
Not good for gaming!

I say -

Runs waaay too hot
Waay too noisy.
Battery last a little more than 2 hours.

What and who is this laptop good for?

I am running Linux in a VM - boy does it run fast - and am very happy with it BTW - but you do have to wonder how many people need this kind of laptop.

 

You can all point your fingers at the Core i7 as the cause of those problems (heat, noise, battery life). Dell used the same cooling as with the other Studio 15's with a dual core. Those Core 2 duo's are rated at 25W, the Core i7 is rated at a staggering 45W . They should've taken that into account and made a better cooling system.

However, I've got my laptop two weeks now and I'm very happy with it: the screen is just amazing, the sound (a subwoofer in a laptop? what the hell, that's new for me!) is incredible, the i7 is blazing fast and the price you say? Not even a 1000 euros! You can't get a deal like this anywhere else, prove me wrong.

I too was disappointed that my gpu seemed to underclock itself quite a lot but I think Dell is working on a revision BIOS. I fixed the problem myself by buying a 20 euros laptop cooler. I'm playing Borderlands now without a hitch. It's a cheap fix for the heat problem .

Just my 2 cents

 

That is my next purchase too.

Was thinking of this one http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9...ok_Cooler_CLN0009.html?tl=g36c119&id=FgFKEKxS

 

What laptop cooler did you get? I would be interested in getting one I think.

 

Hi there,

Do you think a single fan cooler (20cm) with an airflow of 45CFM and a fan speed of 600RPM would be just fine for the 1557?

 

One from Antec: http://www.google.com/products/cata...ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBUQ8wIwAg#ps-sellers

It's actually a 13" cooler but I use it vertical so that the two fans are pointed to the middle of the laptop (by far the hottest part). I wouldn't recommend it for daily use because A: it's not that stable because the laptop overhangs quite a bit and B: it's not a sight, but for gaming I'm perfectly fine with it .

It has a low and high switch, low is quite inaudible and high is, well.. very audible. I use it in high all the time offcourse .

 

I ordered mine on 11/30... expected delivery date 12/15...

I have a couple of questions for you guys who currently own one. I know, I will be able to answer them myself in a couple weeks but I'd like to know now if possible

Backlit keyboard: Can it be toggled on/off? Does it have brightness levels or is it only on or off?

Media remote: Does it have one? I've heard the older studio 15's had it but they also had an expresscard/54 slot and the new 1557 model only has a /34 slot.. I'm not sure Dell makes a /34 media remote. There are 3rd party ones but they use IR and I am not sure if this is going to have IR or not..

 

Did you guys do a clean install when you got it? Heard there were'nt much bloatware on it.

 

Typically Dell notebooks don't come with much bloatware installed if you buy it direct from Dell. Some of their retail models have had additional bloatware installed - and some you can ensure don't get loaded by unchecking certain boxes at time of order, for example the wild tangent games.

I however always do a clean install - but that is simply because I always have a retail edition of the business version of the current OS - e.g. I have a retail version of Vista business, and I now have a retail version of 7 Professional. I then claim money back from Microsoft with regards to the copy of Vista / Windows 7 that came with the notebook.

 

Looking forward to getting mine. Ordered on 11/30, delivery is supposed to be on 12/14. My specs include 720qm, 4gb, 500gb, 1080p, 9 cel batt, 3 year w/ complete care, bluetooth, backlit keyboard, DVD, in ruby red.

I went crazy trying various starting points to get the best price. I did the bing.com 20% cashback, so final cost with tax should be a bit under $1300.

I plan on doing a clean install of Win7. I know this includes the LoJack - is that BIOS based, or will I need to reinstall some sort of software?

Can't wait - I've replaced the hinges on my current laptop more than once, and now the lid will randomly fall and go into hibernate, when it's least convenient.

 

The keyboard can be bright, medium or off, controlled using the f6 button. There's no remote.

 

JUST ORDERED LAST FRIDAY NIGHT
Now its in "work in progress" status.... 3 more days to wait I guess

Item Description Quantity
001 DELL Studio 1557 Notebook(OCQT) 1
1 Studio 15 Direct Base Mod 1
2 NB-OS-CTO Handling&Insurance charges(Singapore) 1
3 Integrated CREATIVE Sound Blaster(R) X-Fi MB Audio Software Solution 1
4 CREATIVE Sound Blaster(R) X-Fi MB Software Kit 1
5 Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth 1
6 Belkin DFD 15.6" Slim Backpack - Midnight Blue Electric Blue 1
7 Shipment Box 1
8 Midnight Blue Colour with Black U-Trim 1
9 Silver Palmrest 1
10 15.6 " 720p WLED (1366x768) Display with TrueLife(TM) and Built-in 2.0MP Web Cam 1
11 Camera Software Media Kit 1
12 Camera Software 1
13 Sensible Vision FastAccess Facial Recognition Software 1
14 Sensible Vision FastAccess Facial Recognition Software Kit 1
15 Bezel with Integrated 2.0MP Web Cam 1
16 Inspiron(TM) Delivery Charges (Singapore) 1
17 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive 1
18 Dell(TM) Keyboard with Touchpad (English) 1
19 4GB Dual-channel 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 2GB) 1
20 Dell Online Backup 2GB 1
21 Dell DataSafe 1
22 #MOD, SW, DTSV, OL, 2GB-free 1
23 To activate your online backup account, go to Start, Programs, Datasafe Online 1
24 # NFO, RYLTY, DTSV, OL 1
25 1 Yr Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis 1
26 # Yr 1 Ltd Hardware Warranty, InHome Service after Remote Diagnosis 1
27 # Year 1 Standard POW 1
28 1 Year Standard Phone Support: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 1
29 Regional Support Within Asia Pacific Countries For Laptops 1
30 Dell(TM) Connect Software 1
31 System Drivers 1
32 Country Info Mod (SG) 1
33 Power Cord (UK) 1
34 Basic Set up by Forwarder 1
35 Dell(TM) PC-Restore 1
36 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 1
37 90W Primary AC Adapter 1
38 Dell 1520 Wireless-N card 1
39 Intel(R)Core(TM)i7-720QM processor (1.6GHz, 6MB Cache) 1
40 DataSafe Local 2.0 Basic 1
41 Great Technical Tips & Information available 24x7 at http://support.ap.dell.com 1
42 Laptop Batteries Carry One Year Warranty Only From Invoice Date 1
43 Dell's Terms and Conditions apply 1
44 McAfee(TM) Security Center (Multi-Language) - 15 Months Version 1
45 McAfee CD 1
46 For N566M McAfee(R) Security Center(TM) (CD Kit) 1
47 CPU label 1
48 Directship Info Mod 1
49 System Media Kit 1
50 System Documentation (English) 1
51 Dell(TM) Dock 1.0 Software 1
52 Genuine Windows(R) 7 Home Premium 64bit (English) 1
53 Win 7 OS Label 1
54 Microsoft Patch for WIN7 1
55 Windows(R) 7 Home Premium COA Label 1
56 Dell(TM) Support Center (64-bit OS) 1
57 Genuine Windows(R) 7 Home Premium 64bit (English) DVD Media 1
58 Fixed Blu-ray BD-ROM / DVD + /-RW Combo Drive 1
59 PowerDVD Software (Blu-ray) 1
60 Cyberlink PowerDVD Software media kit 1
61 Roxio Burn 1.0 1
62 For < KV652 > Slot Load 8X DVD + /-RW with Dual Layer Write 1
63 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery 1
64 Limited time promotional offer only. No further discounts apply. 1
65 Discount is only valid if the corresponding upgraded item is selected above. 1
66 Microsoft(R) Works Include Microsoft(R) Office Home & Student 60 Days Trial Pre- 1
67 Microsoft(R) Works CD Kit 1
68 Dell Remote Access, free basic service 1
69 Dell Remote Access 1

 

I am considering purchasing a Dell Studio 1557 laptop with an i7-820 @ 1.73GHz.
However, I currently have a Dell XPS Studio 16 with a T9800 @ 2.93GHz CPU, and reading all the articles and posted benchmarks I'm not entirely convinced that this new i7-820 laptop will be that much faster than my T9800 laptop.
Any comments, or better yet, actual 3DMark Vantage scores to back up one way or another?

 

Im so happy right now, was told by the salesman at DELL that the delivery would be delayed to January the 10th when I ordered (ordered at 3rd December). Checked the status of the delivery today and it says shipped! will be delivered to my door before 16th december, almost a month before what they promised. Whats funny is that now when its shorter time until i get it, its harder to wait for it

 

http://service.futuremark.com/home.action?resultId=1669881&resultType=19

Thats mine but it dont look right CPU = 10553 GPU = 804!!?

GPU cant be that bad.It was one long slide show though.

 

Thanks OneCool!

 

can someone really tell me the tempt of this laptop ,pleasee since im confusing to get one

 

Hi all there. Could one please help me the following issue?

I have a 1557 computer since two months and have recently upgraded to W7. I have following two problems :

1. The DVD drive is unable to play correctly a movie (interruptions and twitches occure while the drive loudly drums - ta, ta, ta, ta).

2.When ejecting a DVD, the computer often (no every time) freezes and has to be rebooted.

The problems occurs for all Windows Media Player, Power DVD and Real Player. I tested several DVD, not-working. On the other hand CD playing works. I also run all the diagnostics and all tests have passed OK.

I called to Dell. They excluded a HW issue and recommended me to update the firmware HL-DT-ST GA11N (to version A101). I did, the problems remain. I called again but they didn´t want to say anything more unless I pay (software support is not for free). I refused (after all I use software that came with the laptop only, recorded on discs labeled Dell). They only hinted that the problem can be solved. Do you have any idea how? Thank you. T.

 

I ordered my laptop on the same date, and the date was January 4th for estimated delivery. After complaining to Dell they bumped me up to next business day shipping, and gave me a $50 gift card. Now my estimated delivery is on the 28th of December. I hope i get lucky like you .
But right now, I'm bordering on obsessive and checking the order status every hour. I WANT MY LAPTOP

 

BIG NEWS:

Dell has released a new BIOS version for the Studio 1557 today:

Version: A03
Date of release: December 9th, 2009.
Description: Enhance Video card quality.

I haven't upgraded my BIOS yet.
Gonna do it tonight

 

xxxxxxxxxx

 

thanks for the heads up.

 

Well the only difference I see is my GPU runs alot hotter now.


Before the flash with the A02 bios
http://img192.imageshack.us/i/videoandcpu.jpg/


After the flash to A03 bios
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/9691/afterflash.jpg

Thats with the same room temp.Sitting in the same spot of the room.
And you can see how long I stressed the first one.


No problems gaming so far.

 

100°C? I hope Dell knows what it's doing because that looks way too hot for a laptop to me. Anyway, haven't got the time at the moment but I'll try to upgrade my BIOS next week and run some quick tests. I'll stick to my external laptop cooler though =).

 

Just Purchased one of these....

Upgrading from an insprion 9400

Not regarding it as an out an out gaming machine, and so not so much worried about the heat, but have to say Gerald ( the 9400) gave of a huge amount of heat when duign some things.

I think that the heat output is not themajor issue, but how it is disperred is.

 

Ah, my new lappy arrived! It wasn't supposed to ship until today (12/11) and arrive on 12/14. It actually shipped on 12/9 and arrived on 12/10!

Did a clean install of Win7 Enterprise. So far so good, now the long haul of migrating my old machine to this one.

I've been thinking about trying Bitlocker. The wizard said that I didn't have a TPM chip installed, so a USB key is an alternative.

Is a TPM chip an option, or it it something that would have been integrated on the motherboard? Somehow I can see myself losing the USB key and being forever locked out of my machine...

 

Is the graphics performance noticeably better?

 

TPM chip would be built into your motherboard, and I don't think you can add one. I also don't think I would trust Microsoft's encryption anyway. Use TrueCrypt boot-drive encryption and a password that you won't forget. LINK

 

I havnt run any benches but as far as gaming I cant see any performance increases.

 

That is pretty ridiculous. You have an obvious hardware issue and Dell tries to blame it on user stupidity? And even if it was a software issue, do they seriously have have the gall to refuse to support their own software? I don't know if I can handle having to deal with Dell support. I would be screaming at them. You will almost certainly have to waste a few more hours on the phone just to be able to ship it back to them at your expense.

I ordered one of these on 11/30. It arrives tomorrow and after all I've been hearing (overheating, hardware issues, worthless support, Dell financing fraud, etc.) I've been seriously considering not accepting it and getting a refund....

 

FYI:

With new A03 BIOS my Windows Experience rating for graphics performance improved from 5.0 to 5.3

No other changes.

 

Two weeks ago I bought a Dell Studio 1557. Everything is good, excluding only one problem ...

When I try to change standard display resolution (1920 * 1080) for a lower, it's changing. But instead of being stretched to full screen, it is exactly this part of the screen, which are calculated and remaining part of the screen (the edges) is black. In other words, the active display in resolution 800 * 600 image occupies 800 * 600 pixels in the middle of the display screen, all the remaining space of the display is blank (black). The same thing happens when I try to change the resolution in some game. On my laptop installed native driver for ATi Mobility Radeon HD 4570 for Win7.

Image for example at resolution 1280 * 720 ...


Maybe somebody else have the same problem and know how to solve it.

 

I was considering TrueCrypt as well. I do run WHS for backing up client machines, hopefully that won't be an issue.

On another note - since I did a clean install, I reinstall the Catalyst drivers from ATI. But I'm not seeing any Catalyst control center; shouldn't it come up under display properties? I used the 9-11_vista64_win7_64_dd_ccc_wdm_enu driver directly from ATI..

 

That's sweet!
My rating for graphics performance won't go any higher than 4.9....

What driver have u installed for your HD4570?

 

Right click desktop/personalize/desktop background/click picture position. adjust it from there.

I didnt think you could use ATI's drivers without modifying them?

Im using the 9.11's just fine but I had to modify them before installing

http://www.driverheaven.net/modtool.php

If you dont want to go thru all that just download the ATI drivers from Dells support site.

 

I was experiencing some ATI driver problems lately.
Sometimes, not always, when I play video's in full screen (WMP, Gomplayer, even Youtube HD video's), my laptop got extremely slow and would eventually crash.

So I followed your advice and used the modtool to use the original ATI drivers from the ATI homepage. Until now, I used the drivers from the Dell support page.

ATI Driver details when using Dell drivers:
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500 Series, 8.634.0.000

ATI Driver details when using ATI original ones:
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4530 / 4570, 8.650.0.0

I hope this is correct..

Catalyst version is 9.9 though.
The ATI homepage recommended me this version, after I supplied my video card details.
I have no idea how you got the 9.11 one.

I just finished installing them so I don't know if it's helping yet.

I'll keep you guys posted.

 

You don't understand the problem. Do you think that I'm so stupid that even can't stretch background picture on my desktop? Just look at attached to my post picture and you will understand that's you wrong.

I think that the problem is in video/display drivers.

 

Hi!

i've just registered to make a question, sorry I've read almost all the 65 pages of this thread! I'm really interested in buying this 1557 Dell Studio model...but...on this forum i read about throttling issues on the xps model, something about a lack of power due to an insufficient power pack (90w instead of 120w) that causes lower performances of the processor, right? ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=437800 or http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=439546 )...it's true that the new intel i7 processor needs more than 90w? or maybe this is caused by other factors.. has also the 1557 this problem, or the processor works at full blast?

thanks in advance!!

 

No I dont think your stupid.

Have you updated to the latest BIOS A03?

 

No, still not. I'm a little frightened by your screenshots about temperature of video card. I've purchased cooling station for laptop but it's still in the way to me. So I think that will be better to wait for arriving of the cooling station.

 

Are you still using the Windows 7 driver?Have you tried the driver on Dells support website?

 

I really think we are right to be worried about the A03 update.. Before this update, the machine seems to throttle itself to prevent the GPU from rising above 80 C. And from the above pics, it seems that the A03 update removes this throttling, allowing the GPU to rise to near 100 C. I guess Dell thinks this is OK, but I am not so sure. That's extremely hot!

But I guess if you really want to squeeze every ounce of performance out of your machine, this update is necessary..