Anybody use a Dell latitude 6430u

pparks1

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It is the new ultrabook version of the latitude. I need to get a new laptop at work and am considering the 6430u over the standard 6430.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
It looks like I might order this laptop tomorrow. Dell says they will be releasing the wireless dock tomorrow for the 6430u and that is what I was waiting for. Not having a dock for this at work would have been an absolute nightmare.

And the biggest shock of all, I will get it with 8 Pro and see if I cannot shoehorn it into working for me. If I cannot, I will use my MSDN subscription and replace it with Windows 7.

This is the first truly usable ultrabook as far as I am concerned for business use. Matte screen, vga and HDMI, onboard gigabit Nic, usb 3, esata port, and a user replaceable battery.

And the battery is advertised to go nearly 10 hours on the i7-3667u.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Well, the wireless dock did not come out today...but I went ahead and ordered the Dell Latitude 6430u anyway. Hopefully the dock comes out soon enough, for the time being, I will just have to plug in a handful of cables each day.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Well, it came in this week. Getting it all set up. Very happy with it. (least exciting part...Windows 8)

20130227_102435_zps2e75c905.jpg


Shockingly easy to work on
Easy2AccessEverything_zps78829e7b.jpg


And much smaller and lighter than my previous model
20130227_102713_zpsa922361a.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Ahhh, this is the one you were saying that you can hit F12 to disable Secure Boot and UEFI?

This is a pretty obvious looking enterprise geared laptop to me, so I bet it will be easier to work with (fix) than other consumer grade laptops.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS
    CPU
    AMD FX 8320
    Motherboard
    Crosshair V Formula-Z
    Memory
    16 gig DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS R9 270
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Seagate Barracuda (starting to hate Seagate)
    x2 3 TB Toshibas
    Windows 8.1 is installed on a SanDisk Ultra Plus 256 GB
    PSU
    OCZ 500 watt
    Case
    A current work in progres as I'll be building the physical case myself. It shall be fantastic.
    Cooling
    Arctic Cooler with 3 heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K750 wireless solar powered keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Touch Mouse
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, but I might go back on KIS 2014
Well, I might be forced to dump Windows 8 from this Dell Latitude 6430u. This whole dock issue turned into a complete fiasco.

Long story short, when I bought the 6430u, I was told any of the wireless card would work with the wireless dock. So, I bought the laptop and patiently waited for the release of the dock. When the dock is actually released, it seems I need a specific network card, Dell 1601 WiGIG card, which of course I don't have in my laptop. Dell shipped me the card since I complained about being misled at purchase time. Got the card installed today could not get it to work. Turns out the 1601 WiGIG card is not compatible with Windows 8. Only way the dock will work is if I put Windows 7 on the machine instead.

So, it looks like I might in fact be getting rid of the few machines with Windows 8 in our organization and going back to Windows 7 on them. Not being able to dock is probably going to outweigh the advantages of a faster Windows 8 boot.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Well, I might be forced to dump Windows 8 from this Dell Latitude 6430u. This whole dock issue turned into a complete fiasco.

Long story short, when I bought the 6430u, I was told any of the wireless card would work with the wireless dock. So, I bought the laptop and patiently waited for the release of the dock. When the dock is actually released, it seems I need a specific network card, Dell 1601 WiGIG card, which of course I don't have in my laptop. Dell shipped me the card since I complained about being misled at purchase time. Got the card installed today could not get it to work. Turns out the 1601 WiGIG card is not compatible with Windows 8. Only way the dock will work is if I put Windows 7 on the machine instead.

So, it looks like I might in fact be getting rid of the few machines with Windows 8 in our organization and going back to Windows 7 on them. Not being able to dock is probably going to outweigh the advantages of a faster Windows 8 boot.

Just came across your post while looking up info on installing a larger HDD, just thought I would let you know of my experiences with the Wigig card such as they are. We got 5 of these laptops at work, a colleague and I installed Win 8 on ours then Dell shipped 2 Wigig cards separately, I installed one in mine and couldn't get the Wigig card to work so talked to Dell support who asked us to try it with Windows 7 which is what they shipped with. I installed the card in one of the unboxed laptops on the vanilla Windows 7 build shipped by Dell and the drivers still didn't work. Dell are working on the case atm.

I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to drop it back to Windows 7 if I were you, I don't think they have the wireless docks and Wigig drivers sorted out properly yet.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Thanks for the info. I have been working on getting the 1601 WiGig card working and have been successful, through a ton of effort.

#1). Obviously, you need the 1601 WiGig Card
#2). It ONLY works under Windows 7
#3). If your 6430u has the Dell 380 LE Bluetooth card, you must physically remove it from the motherboard. The 1601 has bluetooth on it, so you don't have to give up bluetooth, you just gotta remove the card (you have to disassemble 1/2 the laptop to get the card out. It's in the right front corner.)
#4). Finally, the newest Dell drivers do not seem to work...you have to click the link for older versions and install the previous version of the driver to make it work.

Here is a Dell community forum post where I participated. The links for the wireless drivers which DO work are listed in this thread;
Re: Latitude 6430u and D5000 WiGig wireless dock - Laptop General Hardware Forum - Laptop - Dell Community

I've been 100% unsuccessful getting the wireless dock to work with Windows 8.

What really bothers me is that
1). I want the dock option
2). The dock card (1601) is incompatible with the Bluetooth 380 LE card, so I have to make sure to upfront not order with 380 card
3). If I use the dock card (1601), I cannot run Windows 8...it won't connect at all to wireless networks.

I'd love to know if Dell has an ETA on the 1601 card working with 8. Right now, I've had to change my order to use the the 1601, without the 380 Bluetooth and use Windows 7. And when I purchase this way, I don't get a license for 8. Therefore, I have to pay to upgrade later. I'd REALLY rather not do that, i like the simplicity of 8 with the built it OEM key in the BIOS.

The only other option is to order today with Win8, with either the 1504 or 1540 wireless card and then later replace the WWAN card with the 1601, but then I have to dissassemble each model to remove the stinking 380 card. Unless I tell people up front that they won't have Bluetooth and I just leave the 380 card out for the time being.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self-Built in July 2009
    CPU
    Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
    Memory
    8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Acer x233H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
    Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
    PSU
    Corsair 620HX modular
    Case
    Antec P182
    Cooling
    stock
    Keyboard
    ABS M1 Mechanical
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    15/2 cable modem
    Other Info
    Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
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