At exactly 9am in the morning I was stunned to find a SkyNet truck waiting in front of my house, suddenly Terminator 3 popped up in my head, to my surprise it was the Dell Vostro I've been waiting for these past two weeks. And guess what, Its order No.1 for the day and perhaps the first to be delivered in Malaysia! Boooyaaa!

Specifications

17.3" High Definition+ Wide LED Anti-Glare Display
Intel Core i5 430M 2.26GHz
4GB Dual-channel 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
Windows 7 Home Basic 32 bit
Vostro 3700 Nvidia Geforce GT 330M 1GB Graphics
500GB Hard Drive, 7200 RPM
x8 Drive DVD/RW
Palmrest with Finger Print Reader
Wireless Network Card 802.11
Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth Module
6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
90W AC Adapter
Price:RM 3077.00



I'll upload the unpacking pictures when I can, gonna be a bit busy soon.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Update!
Gosh, after a very busy day finally I'm able to upload the pictures, hope you guys like em!



Here's a link to my flickr account. I made it specially for the unboxing!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48649820@N02/

Graphics
i. Just completed benchmarking it with Unigine Heaven 2.0 under Direct3d11, which turned out quite slow. Scored a lousy 259 with an average FPS of 10.3 on high settings with native resolution! I did another check on native resolution with low settings and it gave a score of 329 with PFS of 12.9, which isn't a big difference from the initial score. So the claim that some said that the native resolution was too heavy for the graphic card is now plausible.
Not so decent results, but I haven't tried it with games yet. Maybe I'll try it out with L4D2 since thats the only game I'm currently playing.

ii. Some of the guys here suggested I test it out on 3D Mark 06. Most fortunately, I've been holding an original CD which came along with my Sapphire where I couldn't get it to work on my current desktop. Until just today I got it to run smoothly with much patience. Had a decent rating on optimum settings with a score of 6721 which was what some reviews on the net gave for Nvidia Geforce GT330. It strengthened my faith in my new laptop.

I also attached the benchmark results for anyone who wants to check it out for themselves.

General Usage
Overall, the layout is great with a comfortable keyboard, got used to it quite fast; still craving for back lit ones. Weight is surprisingly lighter than what I expected. The design is sleek and elegant with the huge 17" screen. Sound wise, I bluetoothed an mp3 from my phone; which took awhile to figure out but the sound was below average. Strain it with high volume and there goes the sound, thinking of getting those mini speakers so I can watch movies with my girl, but I'll stick with my headphones at the moment. Battery lasted for about 2 hours with everything on, bluetooth, wifi, downloads etc. So its quite decent for work. OS response so far was good, but I still prefer a better Windows 7 edition with 64x. The DVD drive was running well but creates a buzz when its functioning, nothing to complain about. Overall, a good laptop for work/college, some media entertainment and light gaming which is exactly what I aimed for. To say its worth the 3k? I should say yes, definitely.

Opinion
As for the casing color I got mines changed for free, apart from the great service I was given, the pleasant surprises on the actual speed of delivery and the build itself; despite being a little disappointed about the graphics along with limited customization for Windows 7 Home Basic, all in all, its worth the 3k spent. Concerning the weight of the laptop, I think it weighs the way it looks, not as heavy as expected. Somewhat lite for its size, but rest assured its best to get a backpack for it if you intend to bring it around, the weight will definitely take a toll on your posture so its not advisable to use a sling bag. Skater bags are always huge so it would go well for this laptop. For those who are into the freedom of customizing your OS to your own preference, such as 3rd party themes, customizing windows layout etc, the Windows 7 Home Basic is limited from full customiztion because it is only available for Home Premium and above, so for me, this was quite a disappointment. The best I'm able to do is just change the wallpaper and change the appereance setting which only came with limited colors. It doesn't come with the 'Personalization' shortcut provided by the better versions.

Laptop Bag for teh Vostro:

I just went hunting for a laptop bag and found a sweet deal by someone in the Garage Sales section who was selling laptop bags called Everki. Despite its strange name, the bags looked quite simple and yet stylish for my taste. Well I went to the dealers place this evening at Bangsar, after a tour around Bangsar; lost for a moment, I finally found the place. It was the first turning to the left after the temple at Jalan Bangsar. With much anticipation, I met the dealer, and checked out the backpack. It looked surprisingly small for a 17" bag, which was good. But since the Vostro is quite big, it couldn't fit the edges in. The backpack was slightly smaller for the laptop to fit, even if it did fit, the extra space wouldn't be enough if you were to bring a whole lot of other stuff along. Despite the minor setback there was another model which is meant for 18" laptops, but with less luck. It was out of stock. The price is much expensive than the previous bag I had in mind. But it provides what I need, something to fit the laptop and everything else. So I'll be getting the bag later this Monday, so for those who're having trouble for their bulky/huge laptops, here's a heads up.

Everki Beacon Laptop Backpack: 18"

Everki Swift Laptop Backpack: 17"

Just got the Everki Beacon last night from montell81. It was a swift deal, I came, I saw, I tried and I bought it. Simple and precise. I love the look, I don't really mind its size because the design is quite good. The Dell Vostro fitted perfectly into the bag compartment and there was plenty of space for books and such. I even stuffed in my somewhat cumbersome headphones in. Its quite heavy if you put a lot of things inside, but the weight distribution over the shoulder was somewhat effective, so you wouldn't really feel the actual weight. The only minor downside is I didn't like the way the bag was wrapped around my shoulders, it was a tad wide around my shoulders, if it was slightly narrower it would've been perfect. Despite that, still it was a good deal and a great purchase! Thanks montell81 for the sale!

Here's a link to some of the pictures I took of my new laptop bag!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48649820@N02/...57623732861912/


This be teh link to the seller:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...&hl=Laptop+bags


More to be done, more to be said, so once I'm done with my fun I'll update you guys!

This post has been edited by SPuNx: Aug 5 2010, 08:56 PM


Attached thumbnail(s)


Attached File(s)
 unigine_20100324_1427.html ( 3.21k ) Number of downloads: 149
 unigine_20100324_1442.html ( 3.19k ) Number of downloads: 78

Received mine @ 8/4/2010

All comparison are based with Asus K50AB.
My user experience is only based on what i feel, it may not reflect to one's preference.

Built Quality & handling

Chassis feels sturdier and suprisingly better built than i've expected. Less creaks and assembly parts feels better assembled than my previous Asus. Nice multimedia touch screen with bright white lighting as indication. Keyboard wise, it's ok, but i prefer the Compaq CQ' series tactile feel. They are deeper stroked and have more 'mass' to the button. The vostro is ok, definitely not the best, but also not the worst. stroke is a bit short for my liking. Arrow keys are a bit small, sometimes i miss pressed it.

Cover lids are crafted from aluminum, which makes me to believe (as other website reviews indicated), the chassis is made from alu too, which provides better rigidity and less flexing

Screen Quality

Out of the box, it needs some calibration & tuning. I based it on the windows' calibration color tool, and now it seems better to my eyes. Viewing angle, well it's decent. off course, don expect full blown quality from this kind of price. it's OK so to speak, i can live it it well. One thing good, it's not glossy' relatively. compared to my previous Asus, it definitely has the anti glare coating over, sort of like a semi 'matte' viewing experience. i like it alot, it's an improvement over the conventional reflective glasses.

Audio

I would rate it slightly better off than my previous Asus. It has more clarity (probably tuned for more treble?) . OK, for normal use.

Gaming

ALL @ OC mode.

Games I've Played:
- Battlefield Bad company 2 = Smooth with all settings @ medium
- Supreme Commander 2= Smooth all max( game itself is not graphically stressing, so no suprise)
- Assassin Creed2= Smooth, all max except, shadow and texture quality set to 3/4 respectively
- GTA EFLC = soon
- Napoleon Total War = Soon
3dMark06(attachment)

Stock = 67xx
OCed (about to the max) = 83xx

well again, it's only as reference, u may hit higher/lower depending on the luck/batch of chips u have.

Heat Management
Quite good. on the right hand palm, it's virtually cool even at load. on the left it's slightly warm, but not overburning and uncomfortably hot. I did some Folding@home, GPU folding (card OCed 740/850), whole chassis doesn't heat up that much except for the heatsink area off course. card stays around 70-72C @ room temperature with normal ceiling fan.

Battery Life
Around 3hours Wifi+power saver setting. Well, not bad for a 17". It's meant as a deskstop replacement.

Is this laptop for you?
Simple ask yourself, if you're looking for deskstop replacement,and do not mind a 17.3", this is an excellent option to go. why? for below 3k, u get a gt330m, above average chassis, and dell's exceptional after sales service. Off course, there are trade off with the physical size. Battery life and portability is compromised.

IF battery life/portability are priorities, this model won't fit u well

Dell Vostro Competitor
TBC

This post has been edited by kucingfight: May 17 2010, 04:03 PM


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This is fast...can't wait for the unboxing pictures ...

yeayea..
open a topic thr.. and picture pls..

Congratz for get ur hands on the Beast~
i would say, currently best lappy under 3k~
expecting ur specification and review~

Well, need to inform mod if want to move this thread

Yes do inform the mod, am currently fidgeting with the lappy, the finger print thingy is annoying, I'll get to that later. Pictures have been taken.
Not really good at taking pictures though.

Awesome! i hope u can put review of this Laptop 2 help "poison" d others. lolz, enjoy ur new terminator!

haha... is really a good desktop replacement with a reasonable price..

Gratz 1st since you're the lucky no.1 Vostro 3700 user in LYN . Now show me the pics!!!

TS must be busy fiddling around with the monster by now..hope can give us update in time soon ..waiting to see the pictures

Can anyone borrow me money to buy vostro 3700

Wow, so fast already arrived ha. I thought need to wait for weeks n weeks.

Pics n benchmarks would be nice.

---

Added on March 24, 2010, 1:08 pmI am also saving money for a laptop. But no decision to buy or not yet.

This post has been edited by Borsch Soup: Mar 24 2010, 01:08 PM

Pictures are up ...NICE!!!!!

There were plenty of more pictures I wanted to add, but all the coding was really confusing so I randomly chose a few pictures from the start of the unboxing till the end. There were tons to pick but pecah kepala la wanting to choose carefully.

quick one..reso is 1600x900?

Yup, The red colour SO NICE.

nice Red colour...

Home Basic???

you color roughly just like mine

SPuNx, how's the build?

I don't have enough cash to upgrade it to a better one, its even 32bit... zzz..

Home Basic dun ve x64 version... that's the problem...

Makes me drool even more....When my Vostro will arrive >_< fast pls

Need an upclose image ...

@astria
Ya, HB no x64...but there's always *ahem ones

Oh yea TS, would you be able to take a nice pic under the cover where the rams, hdd, CPU etc are located?? I need to take a closer look on it, thanks

wooots! hope everything goes up to expectations

Quite nice looking man~~
Congrats on your new lappy!!

TS, Home basic is more than enough~ no worries there. ur ram is 3gb, just nice
from the picture, the design is~ I would say for a gaming + mobile lappy, the build is very decent
PS: no one ask the mod to move this to specification discussion yet?

WOW! that is so awesome. The red colour beats the silver one XD worth the extra rm41? Though i really hope there's a bronze colour avaiable

Excuse me for asking this but how long did you all wait for dell to charge you and confirm payment? I'm still waiting for dell to charge my credit card and confirm the payment. I'm getting impatient I hope i can get this done asap.

lolx, you are the exact example for : good things, make ppl cant wait to pay~

hehe... I've been waiting for a whole year to get a lappy. Now there's this crazy promotion on this great laptop and + i love big screens XD I would give them cash but too bad my place no sell T.T
so how long does it takes to get it confirm?

waiting for more benchmark and review from u man!!!

super envy you. that's a freaking nice laptop.

Grantz on your new laptop...
Dunno when is my laptop coming....

SPuNx,

Do you mind unscrewing the bottom and take a big/high res. pic. of the innards (under the cover), I'll like to know the slots available/components arrangement/access. Thanks

two screws...? and you'll be able to pop it off?......



This post has been edited by BeastX: Mar 24 2010, 05:24 PM

@Beastx
I can't! LOL. My mini screw driver can't fit, its one size bigger. But yeah, its 2 screws.

Guys,

Get disappointed by the benchmark. Check out the main page.

This post has been edited by SPuNx: Mar 24 2010, 05:34 PM

it is running on Nvidia Geforce GT 330M 1GB Graphics
try do a 3d mark 06 and see the score?

Where is the benchmarks?

Its the attachments.

How many bits is the GT330 graphic card?

128-bit

Any 3D mark 06?
or PC vantage?

graphic card is DDR2 or 3?

This post has been edited by ReaperOfSoul: Mar 24 2010, 05:54 PM

now i regret for not opting the red color. it does look really cool :0

ahha.. what color u ordered?

call and see can change or not...

ya,shouldn't be a problem to change a cover...

i guess by default stock it should be silver....



astria:

i cannot afford to wait longer,they might delay it as stated in the website, any changes to the order will cause delay up to 48 hours




spunx:

by the way, how is the anti glare screen performance? is it good? never tried one before...found something on youtube... hopefully it is not the same as the v3700

Silver nice too..
I have no regret to get Silver in my AW..
i love silver..

i also get it with silver...
can anyone teach me how to take care the laptop so it can last longer...

About the Unigine Heaven, don't use the DX11 setting but DX9, DX10 with 1024x768 and no AA. See how it goes on the benchmark

@herofire86

As far as I know, the video you showed was the old vostro products which had horrible review, this is the new line of Vostros. I was really shocked with how the guy was treated, it was really disappointing to see a consumer being treated that way, it doesn't matter customer or business owner. Hanging up is like totally unethical, especially when the guy requested to speak to the manager. Well I'm alright with mine so far, most of its customizable. The only issue is getting used to the natural resolution.

In the video the specs for the screen was 15" WXGA. Whereas Vostro 3700 is 17.3" High Definition+ Wide LED Anti-Glare Display.

---

Added on March 24, 2010, 6:38 pm

Results through 3D mark on optimum settings! Quite satisfactory might I say, compared to the previous one.

This post has been edited by SPuNx: Mar 24 2010, 06:38 PM

@SPuNx

Mind showing us a cpuz screenie of your lappie? just wanna know the graphic card is DDR2 or DDR3. Thanks

the 3d marks score isnt so bad....

@SPuNx:

how's the keyboard? looks like it's the exact keyboard used on the Vostro V13. used to own one and noticed plenty of flex on it.

wahh not fair man.. i saw ur order date.. stated 19th march.. i ordered 15th march.. and u get it first >< @#@!$!$#!

Correction, I ordered on 10th of March which was stated in my Confirmation Order which differs from the one stated on the receipt, which is titled Packing Slip.

This post has been edited by SPuNx: Mar 24 2010, 07:32 PM

Well, 6.7k for 3dmark is already nice...this is default driver i guess, change to modded ones maybe can get 7+k in 3dmark ..

Well, those score are just for benchmarking & references ..need to play some games and do some high setting to see if the GPU can handle how much

it should be better than ATI 5470 even in the 17.3"
Haiz... i also can't wait to get mine. Still in the confirmation stage.

hey bro, if possible, can u pls post at here as well??? so that i can help to consolidate the results and let others reference...

http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1109389

tomorrow is last day for the offer already....

+1
I too also wanna take a closer look on the interior just to see clearly whether the fan can be easily clean. Thanks +1

in conclusion, is it nice?

Overall its satisfactory, especially for a desktop replacement. The feel of its simplicity and sleek design combined with smooth performance and a 17" screen its quite satisfying. But the speakers are somewhat weak, maximizing the volume with heavy bass would definitely blow it eventually, so its best you get those mini laptop sub/speakers or a simple headphone. I need to get a bag to suite its size with everything else I have to bring along for college. Any suggestions? I was thinking of buying a skate bag because the space it provides is ridiculous! So adding a laptop sleeve to avoid scratches and voila!

And about exposing the exterior, forgive me for not having sufficient tools for it, although its just a small screw driver.
Can I get it at a hardware store? I'll try it tomorrow.

The heat vents seem rather...small How's the temperature reading for your lappie? Ordered mine on the 17th and the CS said it will arrive second week of april

When I was benchmarking/multi-tasking it heated up to an average of 32-34c which in opinion; is quite good. But I haven't stressed it for hours yet, but so far the ventilation is quite good. I was doing all that while I was on my bed.

About the shipping process, the dateline given is just the first estimate for delivery, it may be sooner than that, or may be later. So you won't know unless you're persistent enough (with patience) to constantly update on your order status.

Because when I ordered mine, which was on the 10th of March. They received the payment and confirmed on the 13th, I was updated with the shipment tracking on the 15th where it stated that it would take 3 to 4 weeks till delivery, with much dismay it estimated around the 7th/9th of April; forgive me if my calculation is wrong. But the main idea is, I was supposed to wait longer. As I anxiously waited, at about 2 to 3 days after the update I was given new info, which stated that it was going to be shipped on the 31st, a week earlier than expected. Again, I waited, then on last Tuesday, the most fortunate happened; I received an SMS stating that my Dell was to be delivered on the 24th between 11am-2pm. To my utmost surprise, their shipping company, SkyNet arrived at my gates at exactly 9am. Thus began the story of my Dell Vostro 3700!

This post has been edited by SPuNx: Mar 25 2010, 01:25 AM

Take your time, no worries. the interior is somewhat important for me as it's like showing others how great your car's engine is . I've read the quick manual from web that there are more than 1 vent so clearing heat would be faster .

---

Added on March 25, 2010, 6:11 amThat's their usual way to estimate as they add 1 more week to the actual delivery date to avoid any mishap happen. I've ordered my adapter last time and they gave me a 1 week later date, which they said it's a bit slow since it'll be send from Japan(Not sure it's true or not ) but I received it in 3 days, early morning in my office .

This post has been edited by jotaro12: Mar 25 2010, 06:11 AM

6.7k score is really nice already...
i trust, this lappy would be a faithful champion under 3k for gaming and work alike....
well, just hope that the discount will continue ( which, is what dell always does...)

Quite satisfied with my purchase!
Well it would be great news for a lot of people who intend on purchasing it. So Dell usually extends their promotions?

only problem is that it's 17"... not everyone will want such large size... if it's 14" or 15" then it's a really good buy...

but wouldn't this compete directly with SXPS16???

So izzit feel heavy to carry around? Does this make this laptop non-friendly mobile?

still considering A42JR or this Vostro 3700

definitely, when ur talking on purchasing a 17", u would hav known it would be less mobile frenly..so no point comparing a 14" n 17". that's juz a physical dimension u can't shrink

This monster is for desktop replacement..maybe u can carry to friend's house for gaming but not go to shopping mall or travelling unless u r big size ppl..

Wouldn't think so as both display as a different car. One is a solid build with elegant design which also has a nice GC. While the other one would be less solid but with a smart/nerd design and still it possess a power to wow audience, with a lesser price tag .

Mobility for Vostro 3700 is inadvisable, like piscesguy said, unless you're a big person, weight wouldn't be an issue for bringing around. But due to its size you'd need sufficient space for everything else when you're at a sturbucks/Mc'ds etc. Unless you're fortunate enough to find sufficient space for everything everywhere you go.
I only intend to bring it to college mostly and maybe to any cafe if needed, which I can imagine the hassle looking for a table wide enough for the laptop and everything else.

But if you're not willing to go through the hassle go for a 14/15"

The only reason I bought this laptop because I find the value for the pricing is reasonable.

wat's the GPU for xps now?
shouldn't pose a threat to xps...
xps uses premier material (keyboard, speaker)
vostro is entry level business lappy...
only thing is....ya, 3700 is a bit out of the track compare to old vostro line...

HD4670... which is at the same performance lvl as GT 330M, iirc...

ya, i go and see the spec...
well..maybe...
xps wins on display lo...
Obsidian Black 15.6 " 1080p WUXGA (1920x1080) WLED Full HD Display w/ 2MP cam

Sounds like a good laptop, whats the damage for XPS?
That was the initial laptop I intended on buying but my budget wasn't enough.



This post has been edited by SPuNx: Mar 25 2010, 02:39 PM

xps is 4k at least...
seriously...vostro 3700 wins big time...might even be the best under 4k....

nah, there's others like Asus N82Jv and Lenovo Y460 for >rm3k...

GT 335M and HD5650 respectively...

my bad~
okok i rephrase~
vostro 3700 is the best among US/Eu brand under 4k~

i'm afraid, continue like this, Asus will soon become really hot brand in the market...

N82 is already Asus' third attempt to make a 16" killer in the form of 14"...

N80 - 9650M GT
N81 - HD 4650/HD 4670
N82 - GT 335M

proud owner of Asus N81Vp...

This post has been edited by astria: Mar 25 2010, 03:01 PM

Yup, I definitely agree that Asus has the potential to expand and gain recognition, the service is known to be good. Their laptop build is ideal for pricing and they also provide high performance laptops and the first with USB 3.0! FTW!

With that budget, I rather get a gaming desktop but the design is really sleek on the sxps.

lolx, if u rather get a desktop..then u should not comment already...
no, laptop price can NEVER fight a desktop, that is as true as the sun rise from east...

Asus, if manage probably...i trust it will not only expand,
it will Dominate...

I'm OK when price around 2K-3K++ for a lappy, but 4k onwards is a bit off for me so would just settle a gaming desktop rather a lappy IMHO

i think it really depends on wat u use for...

for a student who needs to go overseas like me, rm5k imho is still consider ok...

if not, i guess i would juz grab a desktop straight away instead...

Yea, correct. Different purpose different preference. I'm a working class and for now portability is not my concern atm. Unless I need to travel a lot to do business, it's better to settle w/ desktop when price is 4k above

em...but one thing about lappy
that even in home, can move around everywhere XD
tat's y i rather a lappy anytime, hehe

but, seriously and really hardcore gamer would not think so~

Where to check our status on the Dell website to see when we receive it.

This post has been edited by Js23: Mar 25 2010, 09:37 PM

http://cs.ap.dell.com/support/orderstatus/....aspx?c=my&l=en

the promo is extended to 29th april....

Seems like Dell is still giving the redemption pricing for everyone...extended to 29th April, a very good news for those who are thinking of getting this laptop ..

They will extend again..

Hey
Just stopping by, only Forum I found discussing the Vostro 3700 - hope you don´t mind.

I´m quite happy with mine, but do have the impression that the display is very very contrast sensitive in vertical direction .... viewing only slightly from above kills contrast totally, everything washes out.
Since this is my first big notebook (only had a Samsung NC10 Netbook with great screen so far), I don´t know if I´m too picky here and this is quite normal in this price range.

I would be very glad if you could give me your impressions on this. Greetings

Ummon