It is very solid and stiff, stiffer than newer xps 9570 but with quiet old Haswell processor.  The CPU clocked down with heavy new game like WRC7, after 5 minutes, CPU 0.8 Ghz and cause the game unplayable.  Work around with Intel XTU, undervolt to -0.070 V and disable "Processor Integrated VR Effeciency mode".  With this tool, WRC7 will runs smoothly and the CPU clock at 1.6 Ghz  which is still acceptable.  The noise is low and temperature of CPU hoover about 80C, GPU 70 C.  Very good for 6 years old laptop with solid build quality.  Sound quality is really good, better than newer model because of carbon fibre case.

I have 10 of this laptop in my work.  All can be upgraded with Windows 10 directly from Microsoft website, just get the ISO and install. They are all very reliable until one of the colleague update the bios and failed.    Reliability is really good but Dell Bios update is problematic and many scrap M3800 and xps 9530 in the market sold as parts caused by Stupid Bios update.  It means good for used market when you can get parts for much cheaper.  So, if it runs windows 10 well, don't ever update your bios.  Newer bios after A09 are all just stupid Intel patch (Meltdown and Spectre)  that degrade performance and may kill your laptop.

I wish I hadn't bought.  4 main problems with this machine:

* ports
* dock
* chassis
* display


the port layout is tight.  bad enough a 15" business class machine doesn't have a native Ethernet port, but the layout of the usb ports so close to each other causes conflicts when using the usb-ethernet dongle (which gets amazingly hot, i've tried 2), my usb-4G modem, and a usb-to-serial adpter- pick 2 which you wnt to use since the latter 2 don't behave on the usb 3 right side ports (which again are too close to eachother). 

usb3 docks are not in the same league as a real docking station.  delays in graphics and periperals abound.  drivers/bios updates didn't help. i've had two 3800's as the first was a dud, both were awful on the usb-port replicator

the chassis is a joke, it's so flexible when you actually try to use it on your lap, the touchpad goes bonkers, either not working or having ghost clicks or jumping pointer syndrome.  even typing on a lap-desk when tilted can do this.  (and no this isn't my palms touchign the touchpad) this is just chassis flex. my first 3800 had a doa wifi card, dell support replaced/repaird it on site, 2nd visit to do the same they replaced the mainboard, then the touch pad was off and wouldn't click.  we ended up doing a full unit return withing 5 days. so the 2nd unit didn't have the wifi problem and killed touch bad, just the othe problems in this post.

display - too shiny. i regret thinking "maybe this won't be as bad as the last non-matte screen i had..."  nope.  bad idea. and it ghosts, alt+tab between screens leves a plasma-TV like ghost image for a bit of time.

oh, almost forgot - the chssis is so flexy it wakes the unit up from sleep in my briefcase, nearly had a melted system.  so i've had to go to hibernate instead of sleep where the flexing and space-bar 'tapping' of a closed laptop can wake it.  now one out of every few hibernates hangs.  the machine comes back on with usb/wifi/keyboard frozen, so a hard reboot is required.

oh and battery life is very 2010.

as an IT pro this thing is hurting productivity and it's out, back to a thinkpad for me (i had 3 before this one).  this is a good thin laptop for sitting at a desk, without a docking station and looking good, but not for much field work, too flimsy and not rugged enough for anything else.  4 cores and 8GB of ram and self installed SSD don't matter when you can't use it.

What is the maximum resolution of dual external monitors supported by this laptop? (Both running at 60hz)

I wish anyone would make a 4k laptop with sensible battery life (and a replaceable battery). Add a pound of weight or half an inch of thickness. Cut CPU or GPU a little bit (but not to netbook proportions). But make it a real business laptop I can use on a cross-Atlantic flight.

And give me back the trackpoint, while you're at it.

I don't get why every company is making the same laptop. Lenovo Y50. Toshiba. Etc. Target a different market. Don't divide the same tiny market 10 ways.

wrg

Even in bright or dark display settings if i view with a 10 degree angle the colors begins to change and the White colors comes yellowish.

This is a Premium panel and it is designed also for graphic designers. I am a photographer and it was a fault to buy this machine. It is not a MBP Retina competitor. Not even close..

It is too glossy too.

It is only for Cad/Cam users who need a fast and stable notebook. Mine has a Coil whine issue and Dell changed my MB for 4 times. Now it is Ok but they lost one of the bottom side screws. It is a 2 months old notebook but i feel it like 2 year.

Quote from: JonasC on June 10, 2014, 13:39:33
The main problem is the mouse pointer issue. Pointer (arrow) is allways at correct position, but other pointer icons is after a while on wrong positions. Happens more frequently with trackpad than with external mouse.

The issue seems to be related to the upscaled graphics due too the huge resolution, maybe some relations to the touch screen also.

My guess is because the mouse cursors/icons are on different positions from the active mouse hotspot, as if they are placed related to the distance of hotspot in the mouse icon.

That sounded wierd, so let me give you an example. If the icon/cursor is drag horizontal then the hotspot might be at position (32, 6) on a 64x12 big icon, then the mouse icon shows onthe left and slightly up. On another icon, lets say 64x64 size, where hotspot is at (32, 32) then the icons is the same amount (as the horizontal drag icon) left of the mouse actual position, lets say 2cm on screen, then it is 2cm up.

The strange thing is that this distance is getting further and further away from the actual mouse position, first a few mm, then there are about 2cm, then I have to reboot to be able to work again.

If this issue is solved then I have no other issues with the m3800. But this issue is irritating enough...

Guess there is something about drivers...

The main problem is the mouse pointer issue. Pointer (arrow) is allways at correct position, but other pointer icons is after a while on wrong positions. Happens more frequently with trackpad than with external mouse.

The issue seems to be related to the upscaled graphics due too the huge resolution, maybe some relations to the touch screen also.

My guess is because the mouse cursors/icons are on different positions from the active mouse hotspot, as if they are placed related to the distance of hotspot in the mouse icon.

That sounded wierd, so let me give you an example. If the icon/cursor is drag horizontal then the hotspot might be at position (32, 6) on a 64x12 big icon, then the mouse icon shows onthe left and slightly up. On another icon, lets say 64x64 size, where hotspot is at (32, 32) then the icons is the same amount (as the horizontal drag icon) left of the mouse actual position, lets say 2cm on screen, then it is 2cm up.

The strange thing is that this distance is getting further and further away from the actual mouse position, first a few mm, then there are about 2cm, then I have to reboot to be able to work again.

If this issue is solved then I have no other issues with the m3800. But this issue is irritating enough...

I've been using the M3800 for work for three months now. And it's very impressive as a development workstation. Only a few issues that have annoyed me about it.

First, the touch pad is very sensitive and while I am typing on the keyboard it's easy to have the touchpad register something and screw up my document. I've been able to configure the touchpad to turn off if I have an external mouse in use (which I now use more often!).

The second issue is a the design of the power jack. Everything on this laptop screams durability. But the power jack not so much. It's very loose and takes a beating in its current configuration. One of these days I suspect something will get dislodged inside the case.

Lastly, the only thing I've had to get Dell to come back and repair was the Audio Jack. If you used the audio jack to listen to anything the resulting crackling sounds would drive you nuts. A simple swap of the motherboard by Dell and it's now sounds perfect like the rest of the laptop.

It's a nice work of art otherwise. And I wouldn't give it up at any price!

I have one for a few months now, the trackpad has it problems. Getting dirty fast and sometimes the "mouse buttons" don't react or lock. Screen is a big downside: to glossy for work related color grading. Battery gets empty while closed sometimes...

Thinking back I would go back to the macbook pro, quadro or not. (Partly also because of WIN8)

I bought this M3800 for working with Autodesk Revit and the computer just freezes every time I open the application. I configured the video card so the Nvidia Quadro K1100M be use with Revit and nothing, any ideas what could be happening??

I've been trying to find out if the m3800 has wireless display - I saw no mention of it in the review.  Anyone know whether that is the case?

This is an amazing product of Dell, this report is awesome because it tells complete statistics http://www.everythingavailablehere.com/category/laptops/dell/

Thumbs up for the tossing out the number pad.
Big thumb down for the glossy display.
Medium thumb down for the lack of physical buttons on the touchpad.
Small thumb down for the small arrow keys.
It seems nobody can make the fundamentals right (keyboard and screen).
And if only somebody could make a 16:10 screen again. Just ask Apple who their manufacturer is (hint: Samsung)

No trackpoint and glossy display on a workstation machine.
What is wrong with you, Dell? Why do you intentionally cripple your product? Do you want your target customers to buy it or not?