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Will the 9800 run on an i9100?

post #1 of 26
7/29/04 at 3:04am
Thread Starter 
According to dell: No. [US_CAG_Customer_Care@dell.com]

"Dear Mr. ************,

Thank you for contacting Dell's Online Consumer Customer Care.

After reviewing your request for assistance, I have searched our product
database and show that the ATI Radeon 9800 Video Card is not compatible
with your Inspiron 9100. The video card that is compatible with your
Inspiron 9100 is ATI Radeon 9700 Video Card. So, you will not be able to
use your Video Card with your Inspiron 9100." {also note that they claim I cannot use my 9700 with my laptop }

So I have to assume that it will only fit the XPS?

ATI replies: [support@ati.com]

"The Mobility Chipset is only sold to system integrators and is not available as a retail product. Your laptop may be upgradeable, but it is uncommon. The best source of information on upgrading your notebook is the manufacturer of the notebook."
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post #2 of 26
7/29/04 at 3:10am
hm, that seems ridiculous. in germany the i9100 will be shipped with an MR 9800 in august....
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post #3 of 26
7/29/04 at 3:10am
Yes, it is compatible. One would hope so since they are selling it with the MR9800...

In any case, you won't be able to order it as a spare part for a month - couple months, which is normal for video releases (was same for MR9600 on i8600) so that is probably why it didn't show up.

stu
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post #4 of 26
7/29/04 at 3:11am
That's a bunch of BS, the XPS/9100 is the exact same chassie(I know i spelled that wrong) so they are just trying to buy time until they get them in the dell parts store.
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post #5 of 26
7/29/04 at 3:16am
Thread Starter 
Suggestions for a reply to Dell?

"Having discussed this matter with my company, we no longer wish to employ Dell as our main supplier for laptops. We have previously been informed that the chipset is identical and that it would be possible to upgrade it. Can you be 100 % sure of the information you have provided? It would mean we would have to go through some large modifications concerning our business computers.

I also had a few of our experts look at it, and they claim that the chassi and chipset type IS IN FACT IDENTICAL, so once again I must urge you to reconsider your verification of the information you provided."



(
I chose to contact us dell although my shipment was ordered in Sweden and procuded in Ireland. However, upon calling the Swedish Dell, I was informed that they had no information whatsoever of the 9800 chipset. However, they did manage to offer me some other deals .
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post #6 of 26
7/29/04 at 4:54am
suggestions for Dell? Tell them to stop being stupid and making dumb comments if they don't know anything

The differences in the XPS and 9100:

1) XPS gets the 3.4 P4's and the 2 EE cpu's. 9100 gets the 3.2 max

2) XPS has different cover options

3) XPS comes with a special backpack

4) XPS owners get a free, 1 time upgrade, to a new GPU (i.e. the mr9800) 9100 owners get the same upgrade, but Dell will not come out and install it for free. Both of us have to purchase the upgrade, but the XPS owner doesn't have to pay for the install, where as I'll have to either do it myself or pay Dell to do it (yeah like that's gonna happen )


Otherwise there's no difference in the 2. The reason the person you contacted doesn't know is simply it's not in their systems yet. The person on the phone when you call would be lucky to even know what an XPS or 9100 looks like, let alone have a clue about the video upgrades that will be available in the next month.

The only real issue is how much will Dell charge for the 9800. As for the compatibility issue, seeing as they are currently offering the mr9800 as the top video upgrade on the 9100, it kinda sorta has to fit
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post #7 of 26
7/29/04 at 8:01am
Thread Starter 
I hope you are right... I truly do.

The fate of all of Middle earth rests on your shoulders.

Eh...
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post #8 of 26
7/29/04 at 8:25am
almost correct. xps is "authorized and certified" for the upgrade while the 9100 is not. it might prove to be difficult to get the upgrade for the 9100 from dell.
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post #9 of 26
7/30/04 at 2:34am
difficult yes, but we will get it
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post #10 of 26
7/30/04 at 3:18am
I'd like to point out that the ATI Mobility Radeon 9800 is currently available for the 9100 at the time of purchase for the price of $299

*256MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY™ RADEON™ 9800 AGP 8X Graphics [add $299 or $9/month1] May delay your Inspiron 9100 ship date

Dell even updated their Inspiron 9100 video page (Learn More Box) stating its available for the 9100

*256 MB ATI® MobilityTM RadeonTM 9800 128 MB
Availability by model Inspiron XPS, 9100
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post #11 of 26
7/30/04 at 5:15am
Thats BS!!!! The XPS and 9100 have the EXACT same backbone other than the gigabit ethernet. Other than that processor speed, and the grey trim, they are identical.

YES THE 9100 IS UPGRADEABLE! I HAVE ALREADY DISASSEMBLED THE UNIT AND THE CARD IS THE SAME AS THE XPS!!!! LETS HOPE DELL ISNT STUPID AND MAKE A "SPECIAL" BIOS FOR THE XPS AND WE WILL BE KICKING ARSE!!!!

A bit of education on the average corporate computer support technician ( i used to train Apple Computer's support department ), the average technician has only been working for them for about 4 months, and at least a quarter of them had little or no computer experience prior... So they obviously dont know what the F&$* they are talking about most of the time... I just say keep calling back until you talk to someone that has half a brain... eventually you will get the correct answer
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post #12 of 26
7/30/04 at 6:23am
The 9800 card fits in the i9100. I ordered a i9100 last week before the ati9800 came out. Read about the new video card here in these forums, called my Dell sales rep and asked if I could upgrade my order. It cost $300 Canadian to upgrade the card, but delayed shipping by 2 weeks.

Which reminds me, thanks for the heads up on the new ATI card. I would have received my i9100 on monday with the 9700 card if I didn't upgrade over the phone.

- mal
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post #13 of 26
7/30/04 at 7:06am
Quote:
Otherwise there's no difference in the 2. The reason the person you contacted doesn't know is simply it's not in their systems yet. The person on the phone when you call would be lucky to even know what an XPS or 9100 looks like, let alone have a clue about the video upgrades that will be available in the next month.
I totally agree... I was in the Sydney CBD today and came across another Dell Store... (They had most lappys on display but not the 9100)

When the sales person spoke to me I told him I already had a 9100 and was just looking, he gave me a totally blank look... as if to say.. what is a 9100???

Sorry Stu, I didn't have my camera with me today.... wasn't expecting to see the store..
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post #14 of 26
7/30/04 at 8:07am
Thread Starter 
It has appeared on the swedish Dell page too. I am calling as I type to check if my laptop, shipped, can be recalled and modified for a sum of... roughly 200-250 $ more than the 9700 128 ... and I am getting it if I can!

Edit: The Swedish Dell does not sell spare graphics cards, and furthermore you cannot order anything from say dell.* to Sweden, each part of the company only ships to that separate country. Because of this, they also have no option to "upgrade" it for a fee.

The only solution that remains is to wait say half a year - a year and then buy the card from another company.

Are they TRYING to loose customers?

Edit AGAIN!: Once my lappie arrives, can I check what size of the cache (cpu) it has? Cause on the internet, it said 0.5 and on the confirmation it said 1.0. If it IS 0.5 I could probably push them to returning the laptop for free.

Edit 3 (The Final Showdown): If they change the information regarding the company actually delivering the laptop from what I saw on the Internet, and what it says on the contract I am assuming I will have to sign, should that not be considered a breach of contract? What if I say "**** you, I aint signing it, you changed the information"? Then, Dell is PHUCJED
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post #15 of 26
7/30/04 at 8:58am
look in the bios, system properties, run aida32, etc...
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post #16 of 26
7/30/04 at 9:18am
Thread Starter 
[Dark booooming voice]

I will...

I will.
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post #17 of 26
7/30/04 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Regarding buying 9800 from spare parts:
Ati says:
"The chipset will not be available for individual purchase. It is only sold to system integrators."
-[support@ati.com]

I guess this means that Dell WILL sell it in their spare parts section... But not anywhere else [except other "system integrators"]... ;(

(
And it still does not get me a card...
)
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post #18 of 26
7/30/04 at 2:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Damaged4Life
Regarding buying 9800 from spare parts:
Ati says:
"The chipset will not be available for individual purchase. It is only sold to system integrators."
-[support@ati.com]

I guess this means that Dell WILL sell it in their spare parts section... But not anywhere else [except other "system integrators"]... ;(

(
And it still does not get me a card...
)
Erm.. why would you ask ATI if they will sell you a Dell-proprietary graphics card, made especially for the XPS and i9100 notebook chasis?

ATI sells the chips to Dell (or their ODM). Dell (or their ODM) manufacturers the notebook graphics cards with the chips. Dell (or their ODM) puts the graphics card in the notebook chasis.
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post #19 of 26
7/30/04 at 3:06pm
Given enough time the M18 I9100/XPS form factor GPU will be available through DSP.
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post #20 of 26
7/30/04 at 4:38pm
A useful bit of information in case it hasn't been mentioned: when installing an upgrade to your dell, you can avoid breaking your warranty by going through the process with a Dell technician on the phone. Also note that if you break something with a dell technician on the phone, it IS covered under your warranty, so they will replace broken parts.
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