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The Dell Precision M6400

post #1 of 44
9/22/08 at 3:10am
Thread Starter 
Just noticed they posted the service manual for the M6400 on the DCSE site. Very impressive machine.

17" Screen with RGB LED backlight available. WUXGA resolution to boot.
512MB Quadro 2700
1GB Quadro 3700
Dual hard drives
Quad Core Extreme CPU available
4 DDR 3 memory sockets for up to 16GB of RAM with a 64bit OS.
slots so you can have the Flash cache card, Wi-Fi, and WWAN all at the same time.
Slot load Optical drive that is user replacable.
Supports all E Family docking solutions
Onboard full size IEEE 1394 port
Display port
3 USB ports + USB/eSATA port
PCMCIA and Express Card slots
SD Card reader
Finger print reader
full keyboard with backlight.
Also comes with the trackpoint.
Same grey exterior as other precisions with a limited production Metallic Orange finish available on release.

If it just weren't so stonking huge I'd get one, but I'd rather have the 15.4" M4400 myself. Unfortunately I can't rip the pictures from the service manual. The design does not share any characteristics with the M6300 or the XPS M1730. Though I bet the possibility exists that the next XPS bigboy will be based from this design. They also don't look terribly difficult to service either.
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post #2 of 44
9/22/08 at 9:10am
Do we have any release dates?

I bought my M1730 2 months ago, but was wondering when a new Precision would be out. I wonder how the two would compare for gaming. Having said that, maybe this means a new XPS out shortly too?
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post #3 of 44
9/22/08 at 11:32am
boy the specs look great

Wonder why they dropped the number of USB slots to 3 though?
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post #4 of 44
9/22/08 at 7:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
boy the specs look great

Wonder why they dropped the number of USB slots to 3 though?
Yes a bit strange - one thing I love about the E1705 is the 6 USB ports, always have USB modem, mouse, external DVD Drive, External HDD, TomTom 7, - I would have thought 4 would be OK but 3 seems a tad on the light side, by the time I plug in the USB mouse I'm only left with two plugs

Still seems a smaller form factor than the XPS 1730 with excellent performance based on the spec's so would be my preference over the XPS.
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post #5 of 44
9/23/08 at 3:32am
Thread Starter 
Mind you it has FOUR USB ports, one is a combination eSATA/USB port. It's both at the same time but you can't have two devices plugged into it.

My guess as to the reduction in ports it's Dell's subtle way of nudging customers towards a docking option. The Eport Plus port replicator has more connections than you can shake a stick at.
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post #6 of 44
9/23/08 at 4:56pm
So any Ideal when this baby comes out to the Public ?
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post #7 of 44
9/23/08 at 8:08pm
Thread Starter 
According to the service manual 9/24 is the release date. However, that date is seldom ever correct. The studio laptops didn't hit the order page until almost a month after the date in the service manual had passed.
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post #8 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:43am
I spoke to someone from Dell uk, and they are expected next week, so if that date is correct they'll be available in the US shortly.

It should be noted that sometimes machines are available without being seen on the website, so they may not appear publicly next week.
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post #9 of 44
9/24/08 at 9:58am
Anybody know anything about that Quadro FX 3700?

Also: http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/24/d...-breaks-loose/
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post #10 of 44
9/24/08 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by atwood7fan View Post
Anybody know anything about that Quadro FX 3700?

Also: http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/24/d...-breaks-loose/
I'd love to know too. If it comes anywhere near SLIed 8800ms on the 1730 then I'm seriously tempted!

Incidentally, these machines are now up on the US and Uk Dell sites....... Go on, pull the trigger!
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post #11 of 44
9/24/08 at 12:28pm
I have a request in for a quote on a M6400 w/ quad core and fx3700. LED backlit LCD was not an option on the Dell site, so I may have to wait for it to become available. If the Quad core and LED LCD are available I will buy one ASAP.
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post #12 of 44
9/24/08 at 1:28pm
Hmmmm. The LED option was available when I looked earlier (Both US and UK)
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post #13 of 44
9/24/08 at 3:32pm
Does the M6400 use the same 210 watt brick that the XPS 1730 does?

Please oh please don't let it be as big and heavy as the XPS version...
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post #14 of 44
9/24/08 at 5:45pm
Official - LED backlit LCD panels are NOT available in the US at this time. I am going to wait for them to become available or just wait for the Covet version.
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post #15 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bokeh View Post
Does the M6400 use the same 210 watt brick that the XPS 1730 does?

Yes, It seems so.
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post #16 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:08pm
I think I may just sell my M6300 and get one of these babies.

Not on Dell Canada's site yet.
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post #17 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:18pm

...

I am thinking the same thing. Its a larger step up than anything Dell did before on the laptop front. The M6400 would replace my M6300 at work. My M6300 would then replace my M90 as my backup machine. What to do with the M90 though...


Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-p View Post
I think I may just sell my M6300 qand get one of these babies.

Not on Dell Canada's site yet.
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post #18 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:22pm
I like the Raid Drive option

I Love the 4 Memory Slots

They Kept the battery within the case - not extruding

And Quad Core

I wonder how the LED Displays fare compared to the regular backlight displays ?
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post #19 of 44
9/24/08 at 6:38pm
The LED Display is a big deal if you are a Video/Photo person. They should should be more accurate than Dell's Ultrasharp desktop displays. They should be as good or better than the HDR desktop displays.

Until now we have been dealing with 6 bits displays on Dell notebooks that give us around 64,000 colors with a greenish blue cast. You can help things with a color calibrator, but its still unsuitable for serious photo editing work. The regular displays now available for the M6400 are just as compromised.

The new LED backlit display should be more accurate than my 2408 at work. Thats a REALLY big deal.
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post #20 of 44
9/25/08 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bokeh View Post
Official - LED backlit LCD panels are NOT available in the US at this time. I am going to wait for them to become available or just wait for the Covet version.
Bokeh, yeah you are right. Just checked again and the US site doesn't have these. The option is available on the UK site:-

LCD

17in Widescreen WUXGA (1920X1200) with Regular LED LCD Panel [add £212.00 or £8/month-1]

I assume this is the one you meant. Unless there is some sort of LCD other than 'regular'
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