Dell Precision M50

[zeekle]

I am getting the one with the 1.8GHZ CPU. (The only other option is the one with the 2GHZ CPU ...very expensive)

Before I order it this weekend and burn a big hole in my pocket. Is there any reason why I should not get this lappy? (I do have a desktop at home as well)

This M50 model came out in May. Do you think they will update it anytime soon. I will be pissed off if I buy it and in 2 weeks the M50 becomes **M60

I am going to order it tomorrow/Saturday...SO PLESE ANY INPUT??
Is anyone using this laptop?

ADVICE GUYS??Does anyone have any experience with this lappy?
Do you think the build quality is better than on an Inspirion?
Please I need advice as I am ordering it on Saturday.

Why don

[j9k-80]

my one issue with that laptop is the gfx card. I think they are still using the quadro 4 to go, which is pretty decent, but be aware that its based on the dreaded MX chip which is a couple generations behind technology wise.

[zeekle]

http://www.cadinfo.net/editorial/dell-M50.htm
http://www.dell.com/us/en/bsd/products/mod...3\_precn\_m50.htm
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,16362,00.asp

ISV certified 3D OpenGL accelerated workstation graphics

NVidia Quadro4 500 GoGLTM , 4X AGP workstation graphics chipset with 64MB DDR graphics memory.

I did not order the laptop yet. Want to be sure before I blow that kind of money.

j9k_80- I think that is the best card you can get on a laptop at this moment.

[mokz]

I got mine one month ago and performance is really good. I don't have other highend notebooks to compare with but it doesn't feel sluggish at all, just like a normal desktop. Anyway I got the 2Ghz 512mb model, still waitiing for some 'budget' to get a further 512mb.

If you do buy it, one thing you have to take note after it is delivered is to check that you have the right components.

I had some problems with mine. The specs for the M50 clearly states that it should have a 5400rpm HDD, mine came with 4200rpm, so I called up and the tech said that they put whatever they have available. Of course they were pulling a fast one on me, I made some 'noise' and to cut the story short, they replaced it.

I haven't really tested the duration of the battery so don't ask

Screen quality is really good, only the fonts are kinda small.

All said, it really performs well, only I must have lost some weight carrying it around as it is darn heavy with two batteries. My advise is to get a good backpack to distribute the weight.

The construction of the notebook is filmsy not like a Thinkpad. The keypad kinda 'floats' up from the chassis and you can see whats underneath, so watch out for that coffee cup.

That's it.

[zeekle]

Thanks for your reply (atj_w)

The key pad bit sounds scarey. Why can't Dell construct them better? I spoke to there sales guy and the guy had no clue as to what a Precision M50 was. Took him a while to get his head fixed. Anyway I haven't ordered it yet as I am bit nervous. There will be some price cuts next week...then I will finalize my decision.
Did you have to pay the postage cost to return the notebook? Was it easy to get hold of them to replace your HD?

[mokz]

I paid a lot for the notebook as I took the '3 year complete cover' plan. This plan covers coffee spills and notebook drops to the floor.

First of all, I am not from US, so the policies of Dell in my country might differ.

I got the 'Gold phone support' as well but they didn't give me the phone number. I had to hunt for it by calling Dell 4 times, they either told me the phone service wasn't ready or directed me to the normal support or they even threw me to the PowerEdge server support. Until one support tech took a real effort to find it for me.

Then a few more calls from different Dell people trying to convince me that they use whatever they have in stock, when it failed they said the 5400rpm HDD wasn't in production yet, when I could recite the model numbers of the various 5400rpm HDDs, they tried saying the website and newspapers printed the wrong info about the HDD speed. You got to give them credit for working so hard to fool me.

Anyway when they knew this was the wrong guy to fool, they asked me: "What is it you want, a rebate?" I was shocked, they thought I was after the $$$, I told them I paid so much for Dell's most expensive notebook, all for the power & speed, all I was asking for is what was promised in the specs.

Finally, they shipped a 5400rpm HDD to me and gave me 7 days to back up data from the 4200rpm HDD. It was a waste of my time as I couldn't get any work done. I told them I could change the HDD and setup the OS on my own as I didn't want them to suggest sending it in for servicing that may take them weeks from what I heard.

[zeekle]

I have decided against getting a laptop as my boss surprised me by telling me that he is buying a souped up PC and Maya complete for me. I only had a Mac at work. This is why I was going to buy a laptop to learn Maya learning edition. I am happy

Dell sucks....I heard from a tech support company in my area that when things go wrong the laptop goes away for almost 3-4 weeks.