It's taken a long time, too long by most accounts, but Dell finally has what looks to be a proper, honest to gosh fix for the CPU throttling issues that have been plaguing some of its
Studio laptops. Users were reporting that the machines, when faced with slightly elevated temperatures, would throttle themselves back by up to 95 percent, leaving some folks with 100MHz paperweights. Dell issued a
firmware update quickly after we
shed a little light on the situation back in December, a "fix" that helped some but, apparently, not all. We're just now hearing that the company apparently launched a program back in February to replace the stock 90 watt power adapters with more capable 130 watt models for anyone suffering this affliction. However, this doesn't seem to be a proper recall, as the reports we're seeing indicate only customers who call and complain have been made aware of this program. So, consider yourself made aware. The source link below will take you to the official site where you can order a replacement adapter, but if it doesn't like your service tag number give Dell support a call and mention this program. We're hearing others are having success going that route.
[Thanks, Kevin]
posted July 25th 2010 12:12PM
In before Antennagate trolls.
*dons flamesuit*
@SolidSnake
Just for once, can we not talk about Apple?
It would have happened anyway. I agree though, it would be nice..
@SolidSnake
Headline is misleading, it's just the 1645 that's having the issue, or am I missing something?
@ExplicitFunction
But Engadget hasn't had an Antenagate article yet today, not even a snide remark in irrelevant articles. They are really dropping the ball. How will they get all their page clicks in if the Apple fanboys and Apple haters can't "discuss" the matter today. Here Engadget let me help make your daily article for you with the same content that you always provide:
Hey everybody Apple has an Antenna Issue.
If you haven't heard, The scum of the Earth company has a defect in their iphone4. Did you know if you hold the Antenna where the line in the case is, the signal will drop. All they will do about it is give you a free case or give you your money back. Apple is in denial and should be ashamed of themselves. The horror of it all. Just in case you don't understand this, we will re-word the article and post it again tomorrow. Rinse and repeat.
Please have your rant below so you can feel better about yourself and so that we can get better page counts.
@pple is poo
Wait, where in that email does Dell try to shift the blame to other companies?
@ExplicitFunction
Throttlegate? What's that and who the hell cares? Dell already has a long history of screwing customers, so it's expected. Nothing new here. This article won't hardly get any hits, so you've wasted server space.
If you want hundreds of hits just put "Apple" somewhere in the headline to get automatic "iHater" lightning strikes.
@Wiizer
The alienware M15x has CPU throttling, and GPU throttling if you own the Nvidia GTX260m.
@SolidSnake
Finally! Free bumpers, power supplies, and paperweights!
@MosesusedaniPad Lol ever notice how 90% of apple story comments are people that hate apple and/or hate engadget reporting on apple?
They comment on the apple stories all day the get pissed at engadget for posting apple stories. Engadget has them by the sack. They know you can't resist discussing conspiracy theories about Apple all day and all night.
@Awall1987
Perhaps, but I do know one thing to be true... that both Apple and Microsoft are in the same bed together and scratch each other's backs!
@ExplicitFunction
no because the troll author said throttlegate
@Wiizer
My Dell Stupid XPS1647 also had the issues. Dell is aware of the problem and this is the same thing they issued me 2-3 months before I ended up returning it. Dell has a great return policy, if nothing else.
Better late than never, kudos to Dell for owning up and fixing it.
Indeed.
@ExplicitFunction
I'm a studio owner (XPS 16 w/ core i7) and I got dell to give me a better power adapter about 2 or 3 months ago after I called and asked for it. They didn't give me any arguments or anything. All I had to do was tell them I had upgraded the bios and was still experiencing the throttling.
@nobled
I have a Studio 1745 and dell gave me a new mainboard (for a different reason) a month ago but made no mention of an uprated power supply.
I think I should call them.
@ExplicitFunction
Seriously. I've noticed this but didn't know it was a known issue, and figured customer service would be useless, so I just dealt with it.
Looks like I get a new power adapter!
-Taylor
@ExplicitFunction now they just need to do the same for all of us 1640 owners who suffer from throttling as well...
Did they really need to register a new domain?
@geekthree 18$ for a .com for 1 year is less than pocket change for any lare or even medium company.
Pedobear approves
lets leave personal emotions out of the title, ok Engadget?
It's been a long time. How have you been? I've been really busy being dead. You know, after you ran too many applications with me?
@gnargle
Portal 2 ftw
Shame they haven't done this for the M15x yet.
@Hobgoblinpie I was thinking just like you that this has been plaguing the XPS Laptops (Like my M1530)...
Is it just me, or does bloggers/media love to add gate to everything? I mean Watergate was a political sabotage.. wtf does an antenna and a power converter have to do with that..
@Mattd00d Well it was used to show that the source of a scandal was a private conversation/audio tape, and it appears that media businesses (notably this very site) have become very liberal with its application.
@Mattd00d
We must do what we can to combat bloggergate.
@Mattd00d
It's a suffix bloggers like add to make something minuscule seem extremely important. You know, total exaggeration. Like they compared the loss of a few signal bars to missing presidential tapes. These bloggers are self-made, hit-whoring tools.
@MosesusedaniPad We're all whores to the money machine and whatever propaganda can get us there :)
@Mattd00d That's where the term "antennagate" came from? Haha, I never noticed.. I thought "gate" had something to do with the anechoic chambers.
Was the Suffix of Gate really needed ?
If we go by 'evo fanboi' standards, how is this a fix?
Some software update, and giving away free hardware...
This a design flaw, not a fix blah blah blah, I don't have these issues on my *insert "superior" device* blah blah blah....
@Nevasleep
U MAD?
@Wiizer
No, I'm Murdock. You wanna be Baracus?
@Nevasleep
HE MAD.
@Nevasleep Dell have replaced faulty hardware.
@1 Unlike some people.
*hides*
@Nevasleep
Not a design flaw as much as just trying to go with a power supply that was to small to meet the power draw. The hardware is more than capable but not on the power restrictions of the 90W adapter.
AND the website is telling me my Service Tag is invalid - Studio xps 1645
WTH!
I had a pentium 90 laptop from Dell way back. Dell sent me 4 new power supplies over a few years and I had never even asked for one lol Apparently they kept getting recalled so Dell kept sending new ones out. OEM's are always skimping on their power supplies. They have to keep those costs low you know.
What, no press conference? No indignation? Maybe they were using the adapter wrong?
i'm a studio xps 1645 (w/i7) and got the 130w adapter a few months ago. but i'm kinda interesting in why they want me to install BIOS release A09, when the newest one available is A10. :\
Ugh. This is exactly the issue I'm having with my laptop, a Studio 1555, but I'm not eligible for the replacement. I'd never heard of this before. I called up Dell and they want me to send it into the depot for the exact same issues.
@Dafrety
What is happening with your laptop? Does it just slow to a crawl or what? I have the same laptop so I'm just curious.
The pattern with Dell is to offer a fix if the customer is aware of the problem. Not just somewhat aware, but enough to complain about the specific problem. It's a game. "Oops, you caught us, here take this". While one could argue that's ok because who would want to cost themselves more money, I think the point is in the way they handle themselves. Just because others do something wrong is no excuse for you...(or them)...:)
"Just avoid running applications on your computer."
How would I know if this applies to my Studio 1555?
@Nitesh
Nevermind, I'm a dumb.