entire review on dell forum
dell inspiron 8600 review ( with NVIDIA FX5650 video card ,128meg )
-------------------------
3DMARK2003 result
before applying video bios update and video update : 2700
after video bios update and 4581 driver install : 2155 ! look like the solution to remove the horizontal line with DVD playback have serious consequence to performance !
with first release of DELL 4482 : 1934
with 5672 modded driver from laptopvideotogo : 2589 but this driver failed to run DOOM3 ?
with 6171 ( my actual driver ) : 2650
go to this web site to get latest NVIDIA driver for your laptop
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
its my first laptop ever
order sept 3 , receive oct 10 2003,
---instaled bios A09
---operating system was new (formated)with new user interface coming on
---service pack 1 was already on , with directX9a ( DXDIAG tool )the O.S. cd include SP1
---all newest windows security update where not done so , activate all firewal before going online ! and do those update as soon as you can
---the initial boot up and windows config , stability , programme instaled etch was perfect 100%
---the keyboard seem fine to me , HEY its not a punching bag ! with normal typing , its OK , just little spring in up left corner
---the touch pad is not so bad (from comparaison to the HP at work ) and
stick is usable , but i use a mini optical mouse instead
---video driver june 24 2003 4.4.8.2 FX5650 ( you must update your FX5650 to newer release to fix DVD playing issue )
---screen is samsung from premiere support info , response time seem little slow ? view angle seem 30degree without color deterioration and up to 60 degree to keep recognize inscription .
---one dead pixel yet ,middle 70% up , what should i run to verify it ( white screen ? ) not so bad so far
---the display is blurry while boot up ( windows splash screen )or in
dos mode , because of video Bios , the video bios update do fixe this issue
---the back of the display ( laptop cover , for color insert ) is made of aluminium ! , as like HP,COMPAQ to provide more rigidity
---the hinge of the display are very bad , display opening system has a bad design, and display become loose with usage, but its still a very good laptop, so i live with that
--fan came on with minimal task, browse etch, but not often (5% cycle-low speed),and got 2 speed ,
the noise level is low and frequency is smooth for ears in low speed ,no complain on this side. the high speed kick in only on intensive cpu usage , wich mean gaming with lound noise , so its not so bad. I use fangui to monitor CPU-GPU-HARD DRIVE-DIMM temperature , wich are normal, fangui is an excellent monitor with time chart to record your temp while palying. Only one thing is strange , GPU get to 90 deg C + , its high !
--first out of box test is DVD full screen , i found the horizontal line issue,the video update resolve it. ( latest Fx5650 video/bios driver resolve this issue november 23 2003 )the lowest volume allowable cover the fan noise as little it is . fan run at low speed , no noticable noise (not more than home DVD player ! )
--hard disk content , out of box ,is 3.28 gig . i will do a norton ghost bakup before install anything or do any tweaking , so i will be able to go back "as it was ". : on february 8 2004, i still run it with its original OS !
--no freeze ever yet (no a single one, august 2004 ! , thas my #1 priority stabylity !
actual statment :
i like it very much , since DVD issue is fixe ( see last tread ) , but DX9 game play with FX5650 is bad ( recent DX9 games like HALO or FAR CRY an DOOM3 )dont know if its because of game design . i recommend i8600 ( DX8 games are really good, excellent fps,good compatibility with wide screen)
Dell must release new driver to increase performance with DX9 game , as soon as possible ( actual relaease available is november 2003 )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LCD DISPLAY
if your actual desktop is set around 1024 X 768 and your more comfortable with this setting , i really dont reccomand the WUXGA screen , since lowering its resolution will look blury . ( all the "tweak " to get screen content readble afect other essential display propertys , like dpi increase)
Words (sometimes images) are cut off, are blurry, or are overlapping with 8600 ; solution by SAKOR1
try changing the DPI settings. When DPI is set to 120, icons, fonts and everything are bigger and easier to read...... but often results in cutoff windows and fonts. The solution is to change the DPI back to 96, which does make everything smaller (you will get used to it), but it also fixes the problem and everything looks much crisper and clearer. You do this by:
Right-click the desktop -> Properties -> "Settings" tab -> "Advanced" button -> under the "General" tab you should have the display DPI setting. Change this from "large size (120dpi)" to "normal size (96dpi)". ( thanks to SAKOR1 ,dell forum regular )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
august 2004 , still original OS , and DELL original video driver , only occasional lcd resum issue , when open back the lid ( if you use LCD saver only ). i'm very satisfy about this laptop , i can run anny apps with it !
dell inspiron 8600 review ( with NVIDIA FX5650 video card ,128meg )
-------------------------
3DMARK2003 result
before applying video bios update and video update : 2700
after video bios update and 4581 driver install : 2155 ! look like the solution to remove the horizontal line with DVD playback have serious consequence to performance !
with first release of DELL 4482 : 1934
with 5672 modded driver from laptopvideotogo : 2589 but this driver failed to run DOOM3 ?
with 6171 ( my actual driver ) : 2650
go to this web site to get latest NVIDIA driver for your laptop
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
its my first laptop ever
order sept 3 , receive oct 10 2003,
---instaled bios A09
---operating system was new (formated)with new user interface coming on
---service pack 1 was already on , with directX9a ( DXDIAG tool )the O.S. cd include SP1
---all newest windows security update where not done so , activate all firewal before going online ! and do those update as soon as you can
---the initial boot up and windows config , stability , programme instaled etch was perfect 100%
---the keyboard seem fine to me , HEY its not a punching bag ! with normal typing , its OK , just little spring in up left corner
---the touch pad is not so bad (from comparaison to the HP at work ) and
stick is usable , but i use a mini optical mouse instead
---video driver june 24 2003 4.4.8.2 FX5650 ( you must update your FX5650 to newer release to fix DVD playing issue )
---screen is samsung from premiere support info , response time seem little slow ? view angle seem 30degree without color deterioration and up to 60 degree to keep recognize inscription .
---one dead pixel yet ,middle 70% up , what should i run to verify it ( white screen ? ) not so bad so far
---the display is blurry while boot up ( windows splash screen )or in
dos mode , because of video Bios , the video bios update do fixe this issue
---the back of the display ( laptop cover , for color insert ) is made of aluminium ! , as like HP,COMPAQ to provide more rigidity
---the hinge of the display are very bad , display opening system has a bad design, and display become loose with usage, but its still a very good laptop, so i live with that
--fan came on with minimal task, browse etch, but not often (5% cycle-low speed),and got 2 speed ,
the noise level is low and frequency is smooth for ears in low speed ,no complain on this side. the high speed kick in only on intensive cpu usage , wich mean gaming with lound noise , so its not so bad. I use fangui to monitor CPU-GPU-HARD DRIVE-DIMM temperature , wich are normal, fangui is an excellent monitor with time chart to record your temp while palying. Only one thing is strange , GPU get to 90 deg C + , its high !
--first out of box test is DVD full screen , i found the horizontal line issue,the video update resolve it. ( latest Fx5650 video/bios driver resolve this issue november 23 2003 )the lowest volume allowable cover the fan noise as little it is . fan run at low speed , no noticable noise (not more than home DVD player ! )
--hard disk content , out of box ,is 3.28 gig . i will do a norton ghost bakup before install anything or do any tweaking , so i will be able to go back "as it was ". : on february 8 2004, i still run it with its original OS !
--no freeze ever yet (no a single one, august 2004 ! , thas my #1 priority stabylity !
actual statment :
i like it very much , since DVD issue is fixe ( see last tread ) , but DX9 game play with FX5650 is bad ( recent DX9 games like HALO or FAR CRY an DOOM3 )dont know if its because of game design . i recommend i8600 ( DX8 games are really good, excellent fps,good compatibility with wide screen)
Dell must release new driver to increase performance with DX9 game , as soon as possible ( actual relaease available is november 2003 )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LCD DISPLAY
if your actual desktop is set around 1024 X 768 and your more comfortable with this setting , i really dont reccomand the WUXGA screen , since lowering its resolution will look blury . ( all the "tweak " to get screen content readble afect other essential display propertys , like dpi increase)
Words (sometimes images) are cut off, are blurry, or are overlapping with 8600 ; solution by SAKOR1
try changing the DPI settings. When DPI is set to 120, icons, fonts and everything are bigger and easier to read...... but often results in cutoff windows and fonts. The solution is to change the DPI back to 96, which does make everything smaller (you will get used to it), but it also fixes the problem and everything looks much crisper and clearer. You do this by:
Right-click the desktop -> Properties -> "Settings" tab -> "Advanced" button -> under the "General" tab you should have the display DPI setting. Change this from "large size (120dpi)" to "normal size (96dpi)". ( thanks to SAKOR1 ,dell forum regular )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
august 2004 , still original OS , and DELL original video driver , only occasional lcd resum issue , when open back the lid ( if you use LCD saver only ). i'm very satisfy about this laptop , i can run anny apps with it !
