Hi all. I’m new to posting here, but certainly not new to reading these Core Duo pages. I’d like to thank all who have posted for providing good informative reading.
I thought I’d share my Dell i9400 experience with you all.
Ordered on phone 29th Jan, Delivered 2nd February. UK.
Inspiron 9400: 1.83 Core Duo, 7800go, 1gig (2x512) 667Mhz, 100gig 7,200 Hdd, +WUXGA, 80W/Hr battery, extra 80W/Hr battery. 3945ABG, XP Pro.
I was more than happy with the system (after full reinstall) for the first couple of days. In fact I was ecstatic with the system. Superb benchmark scores all round.
Third day of ownership a strange message appeared on initial Bios load. This advised there was only a 65W power adaptor powering the system, yet the system needed a 90W power adaptor, therefore it would have to reduce the system speed accordingly and I should expect lower performance.
After the pc booted I checked to see what the chips were running at. They sat at 1Ghz (as it did before the Bios warning message), but would not go any higher, however hard I pushed them, whatever benchmark used.
Prior to the warning message, they were both going up to full throttle no problem. Obviously, many benchmark results were reduced accordingly.
I called Dell tech dept. I explained the problem, they asked for the part number on the adaptor, and they advised me it was indeed a 65W adaptor. They said they were sorry etc and would arrange for a new 90W power adaptor to be sent to my door, full speed.
Now I don’t know about you lot, but I personally feel this specific problem needed more than just a 90w adaptor to sort it out, as per Dell tech advisor.
I argued that because my system had been powered for 3 days by a 65W adaptor, the batteries would get ‘programmed/used’ to being charged by a low Watt adaptor. As you can see from the system specs, I ordered 2x 80W/Hr batteries because I know with current Microsoft USB power drain issues (fix nearly out?(Patch & Bios update)) and display etc the juice would run out fairly quickly.
Following a near-on 2 hour debate on the phone (lmao) I eventually convinced them my Li-ion batteries would not perform as well for the next 12 months as if I had ran them on the 90W power adaptor from the start.
So eventually they agreed, updated my case notes to say new batteries required, put me on to Dell Customer Service, who informed me they could not replace the batteries. Eh?? The only way to swap the batteries was to send the WHOLE system back, get a full refund, then buy another. WHAT??? Lol….
Can you imagine the frustration?? How long until the next system arrived, after collection of 65W system, reimbursement for that, then ordering all over again? I know a few of my Core-Duo brethren (Flaming etc..) have had some awful luck with their purchases. I too know how you feel.
However, my frustration was eased, in fact was completely blown away on 8th Feb when I by chance saw a 10% off & free printer offer, customised the same system, but with 2gig (1024x2) 667Mhz ram instead of the initial 1gig (2x512) 667Mhz, Grey & Black case, and free (crappy Dell720) printer….. I called them again, explained all my troubles with the first system, and ordered once more. Guess what… After complaining about my situation for a while bought it for £39 LESS than my original order!!!!!!
Anyway, for the inconvenience caused, Dell has promised to refund all postage costs on this second 9400 (£54 I think) and have added a Bluetooth module to my new system at no extra cost.
So, £93 cheaper in total and: 2gig ram instead of 1gig, Bluetooth, case, printer.
Top marks to Dell though in my case… excluding the initial geek vs Dell tech geeks 2hr argument (which must have cost a bit on the phone), they have been nothing but helpful and apologetic.
The 65W laptop was collected on 13th Feb, and I have just received a phone call confirming delivery address and date and it will be here 17th Feb.
1st refund not come through yet, but I couldn’t resist that offer when I saw it.
For those who are interested, here is how Super Pi scored, against my other systems.
All machines completely @ stock. Fresh XP installs. 2 Million places.
Latitude D600: Pentium-M Dothan 1.6Ghz, 1gig ram, 855PM chipset: 2min 01sec.
Home built: AMD Athlon 64 3500 s939, 2gig ram, N-Force4 Sli: 1min 35sec.
Inspiron 9400: Core-Duo 1.83, 1gig 667 ram, 945PM chipset: 1min 19sec.
NICE!!!!!!
If anyone would like I will post all my benchmark scores, tweaked+clocked & @stock, both pre-reinstall and after full wipe as soon as I've benched.
Ps. Best 3dMark05 score was 5,907. Superb performance. Can't wait for new one to push it a bit further. I say this machine can EASILY beat the 6k barrier.
If you have ordered an Inspiron 9400, you will be very pleased with it’s lightening performance. That’s why I had no hesitation in ordering another, even though my initial one was a little tinker.
For the 1 or 2 who got this far, sorry for long first post.
Roll on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!
RedTed
I thought I’d share my Dell i9400 experience with you all.
Ordered on phone 29th Jan, Delivered 2nd February. UK.
Inspiron 9400: 1.83 Core Duo, 7800go, 1gig (2x512) 667Mhz, 100gig 7,200 Hdd, +WUXGA, 80W/Hr battery, extra 80W/Hr battery. 3945ABG, XP Pro.
I was more than happy with the system (after full reinstall) for the first couple of days. In fact I was ecstatic with the system. Superb benchmark scores all round.
Third day of ownership a strange message appeared on initial Bios load. This advised there was only a 65W power adaptor powering the system, yet the system needed a 90W power adaptor, therefore it would have to reduce the system speed accordingly and I should expect lower performance.
After the pc booted I checked to see what the chips were running at. They sat at 1Ghz (as it did before the Bios warning message), but would not go any higher, however hard I pushed them, whatever benchmark used.
Prior to the warning message, they were both going up to full throttle no problem. Obviously, many benchmark results were reduced accordingly.
I called Dell tech dept. I explained the problem, they asked for the part number on the adaptor, and they advised me it was indeed a 65W adaptor. They said they were sorry etc and would arrange for a new 90W power adaptor to be sent to my door, full speed.
Now I don’t know about you lot, but I personally feel this specific problem needed more than just a 90w adaptor to sort it out, as per Dell tech advisor.
I argued that because my system had been powered for 3 days by a 65W adaptor, the batteries would get ‘programmed/used’ to being charged by a low Watt adaptor. As you can see from the system specs, I ordered 2x 80W/Hr batteries because I know with current Microsoft USB power drain issues (fix nearly out?(Patch & Bios update)) and display etc the juice would run out fairly quickly.
Following a near-on 2 hour debate on the phone (lmao) I eventually convinced them my Li-ion batteries would not perform as well for the next 12 months as if I had ran them on the 90W power adaptor from the start.
So eventually they agreed, updated my case notes to say new batteries required, put me on to Dell Customer Service, who informed me they could not replace the batteries. Eh?? The only way to swap the batteries was to send the WHOLE system back, get a full refund, then buy another. WHAT??? Lol….
Can you imagine the frustration?? How long until the next system arrived, after collection of 65W system, reimbursement for that, then ordering all over again? I know a few of my Core-Duo brethren (Flaming etc..) have had some awful luck with their purchases. I too know how you feel.
However, my frustration was eased, in fact was completely blown away on 8th Feb when I by chance saw a 10% off & free printer offer, customised the same system, but with 2gig (1024x2) 667Mhz ram instead of the initial 1gig (2x512) 667Mhz, Grey & Black case, and free (crappy Dell720) printer….. I called them again, explained all my troubles with the first system, and ordered once more. Guess what… After complaining about my situation for a while bought it for £39 LESS than my original order!!!!!!
Anyway, for the inconvenience caused, Dell has promised to refund all postage costs on this second 9400 (£54 I think) and have added a Bluetooth module to my new system at no extra cost.
So, £93 cheaper in total and: 2gig ram instead of 1gig, Bluetooth, case, printer.
Top marks to Dell though in my case… excluding the initial geek vs Dell tech geeks 2hr argument (which must have cost a bit on the phone), they have been nothing but helpful and apologetic.
The 65W laptop was collected on 13th Feb, and I have just received a phone call confirming delivery address and date and it will be here 17th Feb.
1st refund not come through yet, but I couldn’t resist that offer when I saw it.
For those who are interested, here is how Super Pi scored, against my other systems.
All machines completely @ stock. Fresh XP installs. 2 Million places.
Latitude D600: Pentium-M Dothan 1.6Ghz, 1gig ram, 855PM chipset: 2min 01sec.
Home built: AMD Athlon 64 3500 s939, 2gig ram, N-Force4 Sli: 1min 35sec.
Inspiron 9400: Core-Duo 1.83, 1gig 667 ram, 945PM chipset: 1min 19sec.
NICE!!!!!!
If anyone would like I will post all my benchmark scores, tweaked+clocked & @stock, both pre-reinstall and after full wipe as soon as I've benched.
Ps. Best 3dMark05 score was 5,907. Superb performance. Can't wait for new one to push it a bit further. I say this machine can EASILY beat the 6k barrier.
If you have ordered an Inspiron 9400, you will be very pleased with it’s lightening performance. That’s why I had no hesitation in ordering another, even though my initial one was a little tinker.
For the 1 or 2 who got this far, sorry for long first post.
Roll on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!
RedTed
