Dell Precision M4600 – Review

Now after some playing around with this little baby, snap in a nice crucial ssd 256GB from my old laptop for good IO performance demand applications (like a internal database, photoshop, visual studio). So i installed it clean with Windows 7 Professional x64, got all the drivers installed and everything working as it should. The screen is set to 1920×1080 using 125% font size, but removing the XP style DPI scaling. So truefont make everything clear and sharp, not more pixel dots now.

I trying to upload some more video, but seem to slow down my whole internet. Youtube need to a way for me to upload with speed control limit. This is making whole internet experience really bad at the moment. Oh, now the first video is uploaded.

Okie, let talk about the specification in the general of i ordered from Dell that come with this laptop. Its is a Dell M4600 meaning that the screen ratio size is 15.6 inches. I got the core-i7 model with premium graphic card. The main reason i get this model is because of the $826 discount + coupon and raw power that i would get from this little baby. For the final demand cost for is $2453.42 including taxs (free shipping).

Here is the full technical specification of the laptop.

Processor Intel® Core™ i7-2720QM (Quad Core 2.20GHz,6M cache) with Turbo BoostTechnology 2.0
Operating System Genuine Windows® 7 Professional,SP1,w XP Mode, No Media, 64-bit, English
Productivity Software No Productivity Software
Graphics NVIDIA® Quadro® 2000M with 2GB GDDR3
Memory 4.0GB, DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM, 2 DIMMS
just upgraded to 16GB corsiar
LCDs 15.6″ UltraSharp™ FHD(1920×1080) Anti-Glare LED-backlit with Premium Panel Guarantee
Security Software None
RAID Configuration All Hard Drives, Non-RAID, 1 or 2 drive total configuration
Primary Storage 256GB Crucial SSD
Secondary Storage None
Media Bay Devices 8X DVD+/-RW Slot Load w/Roxio and Cyberlink PowerDVD™, no media
Primary Battery 9-cell (97Wh) Lithium Ion Battery
Wireless LAN (802.11) Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250 802.11a/b/g/n and 802.16e Half Mini Card
Bluetooth Dell Wireless® 375 Bluetooth Module
Camera / Microphone Light Sensitive Webcam and Noise Cancelling Digital Array Mic
Mobile Broadband Dell Wireless™ DW5630 Multi-mode HSPA-EVDO Mini Card (Gobi™ 3000) with GPS
Internal Keyboard Internal English Backlit Keyboard
Fingerprint Reader Options Internal Swipe Fingerprint Reader and Contactless Smartcard Reader
Systems Management Intel vPro™ Technology’s Advanced Management Features
Energy Star/E-PEAT Gold Energy Star 5.0/E-PEAT Gold

The weight is of laptop, first made me think twice of returning it to dell or not. but after trying to use for awhile make me think about the benefits of me using such a fast mobile system with me on my working trips. If i like to browse the web on de bed, i should just a tablet. So I will keep her for now.

Umm, a another way to update video to youtube that seem okie, is using Live Movie Maker direct publish. Better but not the best solution that i’m looking for.

The next video here is inside exploration of this laptop and see how does the component look like under the hood. Seeing my Bluetooth, Wifi a/b/g/n, 3G (mobile internet), 4G (WiMax) all installed inside there without me modifying it myself. This is such dream connectivity unit as it should be.

Let’s the boot time of this baby. I find it unacceptable slow for the this computer to boot into work that slow.

For benchmark results, you might be expecting for results of the campaign. but never less to say the resulting is by far not bad for a laptop competing against desktop rigs. which have full blow cpu and graphic cards. Considering that is still a mobile computer and compacting four times the raw processing comparing to my old rig back in Thailand.


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June 19, 2011 – 8:00 pm | By Sarin Na Wangkanai | Posted in General | Comments (29)

  • Pingback: Dell Precision M4600 Mobile Workstation UNBOX – Sarin.Mobi

  • Cjdaigle2

    thanks just got mine on tuesday
    loving it so far

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Roman-Sorochenko/100001727893725 Roman Sorochenko

    Thanks for your effort, it was very informative.

  • Michaelfly

    what coupon did you have? i see the $826 discount but no coupon…

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    Save 30% OFF Select Dell Precision Workstations priced $999 or more (before taxes and fees). Use Coupon code : VT7KHQ32ZSCFSG231

  • Philippe H

    Dear Sarin,
    very nice of you to show us your experienc; result is that i will buy the 4600 and not the 6600…
    questions:
    - primary storage: the 256 ssd and secondary storage a fast 500 gb
      so what to order at dell – i can order the smallest disk and order the ssd and 500gb elsewhere, which 256ssd did you buy
      what config to choose at dell store online ….. to obtain a controller for 2 disks ssd and sata3?
    - the displayport is it an internal converter, i need standard DVI outpout for my projector
      also to use later 2 lcd’s ? little bit confusing
    - ram i’ll start with dell 2gb and buy at corsair the 4×4 as you did
    do you have other tips ?
    greetings philippe

  • Philippe H

    Hello Sarin
    i was configuring the laptop on the Belgium shop
    there is quite a difference with the US shop
    do you know how to setup the parts independend of country ?
    philippe

  • http://www.sarin.mobi Sarin Na Wangkanai

    I guest it be different, because I check out de same laptop sale for US comparing to Thailand and their different in specs & price. I’m working here in de US and de offer is deniable attractive to me.

  • http://www.sarin.mobi Sarin Na Wangkanai

    Hi there Philippe,

    I find the size and weight of this laptop is a bit over de limit after trying it out for 3 weeks. So for 17″ is going to be too big for me.

    when i got laptop from Dell, i got de basic 256g harddisk and i install it with my crucial 256g ssd sata3 from my old laptop. Put 256g in my old laptop.
    If you wanna have ssd and harddisk both together, you would need to install mini PCI express embedded in order that to work. No custom configuration from Dell needed. You get that kind of ssd from Amazon cheaper.

    You could get this Dell multi-monitor hun(http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=330-9118) which let you connect 3 dvi or you could get a docking station with 2 dvi output.

    Yap i got 16g of ram from Amazon for $140, it was real deal not to take up, deal was selling way to expensive.

    Good luck on your new laptop there mate.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t want to seem like I’m condescending or anything, but you’re absolutely certain you got the 97whr battery?

    Because there’s no bulge, and if you did get that battery, than I definitely plan on getting it as well.

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    yes. i got the 97w battery and its work nicely over here.

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    Hi there Philippe,I find the size and weight of this laptop is a bit over de limit after trying it out for 3 weeks. So for 17″ is going to be too big for me.when i got laptop from Dell, i got de basic 256g harddisk and i install it with my crucial 256g ssd sata3 from my old laptop. Put 256g in my old laptop.
    If you wanna have ssd and harddisk both together, you would need to install mini PCI express embedded in order that to work. No custom configuration from Dell needed. You get that kind of ssd from Amazon cheaper.You could get this Dell multi-monitor hun(http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=330-9118) which let you connect 3 dvi or you could get a docking station with 2 dvi output.Yap i got 16g of ram from Amazon for $140, it was real deal not to take up, deal was selling way to expensive.Good luck on your new laptop there mate.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you very much for the swift answer! You apparently know more about Dell’s own products than their support line does, because when I asked if the battery added a bulge they told me it did.

    I’m glad to hear it didn’t.

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    I guest it be different, because I check out de same laptop sale for US comparing to Thailand and their different in specs & price. I’m working here in de US and de offer is deniable attractive to me.

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    your welcome, its just one thing that come from checking. 
    dell support is not what i call head of de game. 
    for normal usage its will give about 4 hours. if playing crysis 2, you would get about 2:30 hours with ultra graphic settings (DX11 doesn’t work, don’t waste your time).

    good luck

  • C_

    I just recently got my laptop  but i dont seem to have the FastAccess software for facial recognition…I can see that I have a so called Access software but nothing for facial recognition… Was it pre-installed in yours ?

    Thanks for the review !

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    Nope, I got my own which was version 2. Thinking of upgrading to version 3. It’s around $35

  • C_

    Can you provide me a link to the FastAccess webpage please ! 

    Once again thank you for your help

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    FastAccess Facial Recognition Software
    http://www.sensiblevision.com/dn/

  • adc

    Hi, thanks for your review.  You mentioned in the video that you saw Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) memory for $71.  I cannot find 8GB modules anywhere from any manufacturer.  There are plenty of 4GB modules, and I wouldn’t mind getting 4x4GB, but I only see 2 RAM slots in your video, don’t know how difficult, if even possible, it is to get to the other two slots.
    Thanks for any feedback.  Also, please note that the Dell RAM price is not 2x what you can get on online, it is almost 10x!  They are charging $800 for 4x4GB!  Could that be an error on their site, how can they charge THAT much more??

  • Ecl

    Hi

    Is the system noisy ? What’s the noise like when just doing web browsing and office?

    Thanks

    Ecl

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    comparing to old laptop. this new dell is salient. 

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    i got corsair 4×4 ddr3 1333mhz for total of $140. this dell can put in 4 modules, 2 are accessible from de bottom cover and de other 2 is accessible from under de keyboard. 
    dell is pricing them like that, it just pure business practices. 

  • Tirak

    Hi, Thanks for sharing.
    Do you have any idea if there is space for a second HD (ssd) or miniSSD.

    Tirak

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    you would have area for your second SSD (not HDD) only as a mini PCI express (not SATA). but if your have not already used your mini pci express for WWAN 3G module like me. :-)

  • http://www.sarin.mobi/ sathai

    One thing you some would like to know is that your new DELL would not be able to charge on long haul flights. Why? i think because that your adapter bring out too much amp, therefore de on board plug cut off your power. so your 130 watt adapter wouldn’t charge your little laptop on Cathay Pacific flights.

  • Viview

    Introduce you a good website on laptop adapters and batteries,www.laptopadapters.com.au.Some days ago,I bought this battery,very good,Ithink.
    http://www.laptopadapters.com.au/65wh-6cell-dell-vostro-v131-laptop-battery-p-173683.html

  • Viview

    I found a very good online store on replacement laptop adapters and batteries,www.adaptersshop.com.
    I have bought a battery for my laptop,it is very good.What’s more,at there all products are free shipping.
    http://www.adaptersshop.com/97wh-9cell-dell-precision-m4600-laptop-battery-p-169537.html.More new products there are.

  • Reddy

    First: Thanks to Sarin for this excellent review of Dell Precision M4600. I gained great deal of knowledge by reading it and watching videos included.

    Second: I made a decision to get M4600 almost similar configuration (in Dec 2011, it cost about US$2100).

    I got it 10 days after order. I also ordered 16GB (2 x 8GB) Corsair memory and a 256 GB Crucial SSD and got them delivered around the same time as laptop. When I got it, first thing I did was to run performance test. Similar to Sarin’s tests, out of the box it scored 5.8 on Graphics and 5.9 on the primary hard disk. Then I plugged in 16 GB memory (now total became 24GB), still no changes in any performance numbers. I suspected that NVidia driver has not kicked in, so installed driver. After rebooting, it did not score any better on graphics card. I called Dell Tech Support and spent considerable time. Gave them remote access to my laptop. Finally, tech said only way to make NVidia usable is by disabling Optimus in the BIOS. I did that and rebooted. This time laptop screen was rendered by NVidia instead of integrated Intel GPU, score was better, but after few minutes screen frozen. I had to reboot machine. Bottom line: you have two options – (1) Live with Intel integrated graphics card and bad performance on graphics intensive apps (2) Disable Optimus and live with reduced battery life and frozen screens

    Neither of those options are acceptable to me on a high end laptop like M4600. This problem also exists in M6600 and when it was raised in Dell forums, those threads are removed (as per some posts). It seems to be a known problem but not fixed/will not be fixed. I requested for return authorization. Looks like high-end laptops from Asus and HP also have problems like this. Just waiting to find more info before ordering another mobile workstation.