XPS M1210 Replacement notebook arrived

I received today the new XPS M1210 as free replacement. The first XPS M1210 (received July 24th) has speaker and sound problem. Too soft sound, no sound in left speaker and the playback is scratchy at times and/or not playing back at all most of the time... what I've recorded. As soon as I received the new replacement notebook, I did the following:

• Create a backup using the simple guide in “Dell Notebook Restore Utility Guide” (that's in PDF format)
• Run extensive test using the built-in-partition Dell Diagnostic Utility (all passed but I will run the test again after a week to see if all will pass again)

After doing the above, I checked the maker of the LCD. The new and replacement notebook has AUO3214 LCD (It is AU Optronics 12.0 [Monitor] (12.0"vis, January 2006)) too which is cool. Then I reviewed the "packing list" and the System Configuration of the new notebook and I noticed new and different items:

1. Battery - the 9-cell battery is no longer made in Japan. It's now made in Korea.
2. Hard Drive - the hard drive is not Hitachi anymore but a Seagate
3. Bluetooth Module - The Bluetooth Module is not the Dell Wireless 350 anymore but the Dell Wireless 355 Module with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR Technology 5.0. The software is called WIDCOMM
4. Bluetooth High Quality Audio? - I installed Belarc Advisor and it detected that this new notebook has Bluetooth High Quality Audio. The other XPS M1210 don't have it.
5. Bluetooth Fax Modem? Belarc also detected that there is Bluetooth Fax Modem in this new XPS M1210. The first XPS M1210 don't have that.

It appears the Bluetooth High Quality Audio and Bluetooth Fax Modem is bundled with Dell Wireless 355 Module with Bluetooth + EDR Technology 5.0 made by Broadcom Corporation. I haven't review what's nice with Dell Wireless 355 over Dell Wireless 350. Whatever... if 355 is better than 350 then I want to thank Dell for this free upgrade.

Below are the screenshots of the two XPS M1210's LCD. Both using battery power. The notebook at the left was received July 24th while the notebook at the right is received today only:

Of course, the important thing that I don't want to miss to check is the sound system since the first XPS M1210's problem is the sound card.

WOOHOO! I finally have a notebook that has good sound out-of-the-box! First thing I noticed with its sound is it's loud and clear. I don't have to adjust anything to hear a good and acceptable sound from this new XPS M1210. I remember tweaking this and that the volume control, sound options and Creative Sound Blaster software in the first XPS M1210 I received just to get a proper sound. This time, I don't have to. I inserted a DVD media, I also do not have to tweak the sound because it has good and loud sound! I remember hearing very soft sound in the first XPS M1210 but not on this new and replacement notebook. Finally, an XPS M1210 with good sound. Good thing I found the issue before the 30-days total satisfaction has finished and good thing I didn't waste time reformatting the disk, reinstalling the XP and installing my favorite applications. Good thing that I test and use first the features, functions and most importantly the hardware of the XPS M1210. At least, before the 30-days end, I can request for a replacement if something is unacceptable... you know.. when we say unacceptable... it means hardware issue out-of-the-box. Software, Crapware, Bloatware is the last thing I will worry about because I have reasons on why I don't want to reformat ASAP a new Dell computer ;-)

Playing back is also not a problem on this replacement notebook. Both speakers are working too (unlike the first one... the left speaker isn't working).