Unsolved
1 Rookie
•
1 Message
1
45074
August 7th, 2020 03:00
Dell's new power button integrated into the chicklet keyboard: Compromising on efficiency for looks
I bought the latest Inspiron 3000 available in India, the Inspiron 5391 in June 2020 i.e. just two months ago. The power button on this machine is integrated into the design of the chicklet keyboard, rather than being a separate button beside the keyboard on the top right. When I first purchased the laptop, I didn't even realise it is the power button: No power icon on it, just a blank black key beside the 'delete' key of the keyboard. When the laptop first arrived (customised and purchased via DELL India), I noticed the power button was not tactile and clickable at all and I had to struggle to get it to click. Since it was a newish of power button design from Dell for me I thought I just need time to get used to it.
After two months of use, I noticed that the laptop's battery would always drain away even when it had been (apparantly) completely shut down. At night I would turn off the laptop (i.e. give a shut down order) with 60 percent battery and would turn it on the day morning and face a 'low battery' warning. The Power button wasn't clickable at all anymore and the laptop would turn on automatically when the flap was opened. I began to think that some Dell update may have caused the power button to get disabled and instead the flap opening is probably now the only way to boot-up the machine. But then the unthinkable started happening. I would give a shutdown order and the laptop would restart instead.
After a talking to Dell Support Service and a couple of driver updations they suggested (none of which helped), I realised that the power button was completely jammed. It had been jammed since the few uses and because of Dell's auto-turn-on upon opening the lid, I had never caught the faulty button. Now, I unjammed the button (made of cheap plastic, and fitted unevenly into the groove), and all my problems seemed to have disappeared. The machine was shutting down properly, not booting up on it's own anymore, and the battery draining issue seems to have been sorted, for now (it's only been a few hours since the laptop has shut down normally).
This is classic case of compromising on the quality and functionality of an important hardware part, for the sake of "good looks". In fact, the position of the power button doesn't even seem intuitive. Anyone used to a chicklet keyboard expects the delete button to be the top-most right button of the keyboard, substituting that position with the power button means user hit that button accidentally while typing, thus turning off or hibernating the machine.
Dell's open-flap-to-turn-on feature, which users have no way disabling unless we enter the BIOS, is yet another unnecessary design feature that is causing more problems than it was supposed to solve. If your laptop flap doesn't shut firmly and the flap opens slightly while commuting, the machine boots up. Are we so pressed for time that we can't press a button to boot up a machine that, anyway, with the SSD that it has, boots up in less than 10 seconds? I think not. I hope Dell is listening.
DELL-Cares
Moderator
•
27.4K Posts
0
August 7th, 2020 21:00
We tried reaching you on a private message but did not receive a response. Please feel free to reply to the private message whenever you are available.
Vivekanand TV
1 Message
0
September 3rd, 2022 06:00
@DELL-Cares @If dell is not ready to place power button separate.. It will adversely affects their sales figures.. Now I am an old Dell model user.. But now planning to buy new laptop. But i will never suggest or take new dell models for this reason
filbert
4 Operator
•
1.8K Posts
0
September 3rd, 2022 07:00
The power button location is still the same as the OP complained about. I was in a Best Buy this week, and the Dell XPS models have the power button integrated into the keyboard as described above, where the Delete key should be. And the XPS models on Dell's web site also have the same layout.
Mary G
4 Operator
•
20.1K Posts
0
September 3rd, 2022 07:00
Note that that post is from 2 years ago and does not apply now. The power buttons on Dell computers have Start buttons in the expected place.
filbert
4 Operator
•
1.8K Posts
0
September 3rd, 2022 07:00
I agree with you about the inappropriate location of the Power button. IMO it makes no sense to place the power button in the upper-right corner of the keyboard where the Delete key should be. A power button is pressed, not typed, so it should not be part of the keyboard where we can hit it accidentally. And, putting it in the Delete key position means we will often hit it when we want Delete.
I also agree with you about where the Delete key should be. The old "navigation column" is gone from Dell's lineup, unfortunately.
Having dedicated Home, PgUp, PgDn, and End keys in a column on the right, plus full-size cursor/arrow keys, was a logical and functional arrangement. It's so useful for editing and for navigation in documents, web browsers, etc. XPS 15 L502x, Inspirons and many other Dell models shared the same excellent keyboard layout.
On current Dell laptops the keyboard layout removed the navigation column, placed Home and End keys on the function key row, removed dedicated PgUp and PgDn keys, and shrank the cursor/arrow keys. Those changes make the keyboard much less functional.
I've wanted to buy another XPS for a few years now, but I dislike the current keyboard layout. If there were an option to buy the old keyboard layout, I would pay extra for that.
ckaiserca
1 Message
2
February 28th, 2023 07:00
Just got a new Dell laptop at work, and the power button is right next to the delete key. Totally stupid location for a power button.
Power Button Placement
user_9ba52f
1 Message
0
August 17th, 2023 13:14
@DELL-Cares my laptop doesn’t have a power button or the button next to delete. I have a dell inspiron i3162 blue mini laptop. How do I turn it on?
Brooklyner12
1 Message
0
February 7th, 2024 13:01
@DELL-Cares I bought my Vostro P117F Model in late 2022 in USA where I live and their Warranty just expired a couple months ago. I cannot say I used my laptop too often, mostly for recording and editing my YouTube channel videos, may be once a week or for being a guest speaker on a podcast 2 times a month.
Since 3 days ago I am not able to turn it on. Indeed there is no separate power button but every time when I opened it I was able to see its on. After scanning my finger as a password I was on without complications. Since 3 days ago it is not. I checked everything, power supply seems functional based on the white light at the socket is on. But the laptop does not starting on. I checked Google for all possible suggestions and keys combination to restart, nothing works. As soon as Dell's Customer support hears you are out of warranty they are loosing interest to talk to me for free. Now I'm worry my $1540.00 investment is dead. Any suggestions ?
gfvendor
1 Rookie
•
1 Message
0
January 11th, 2025 16:38
It would be a fascinating (and sad) documentary to watch the backdrop and history of a PATHETIC DESIGN DECISION in a BIG CORPORATION.
Is the "turn car off" button right on the steering wheel? No
Is the "turn off airplane engines" button right next to the throttle in the cockpit? No
Do we put the power button in the same location that most of the world has historically found DELETE? Oh, we are designers, or we have been forced by upper-management to do this. we live in a bubble, looks and/or profit is way more important than function.
STUPID DELL. This is SUCH A STUPID DESIGN!
Let's do the math. A normal user probably uses the Delete key many many times a day, and often in the rush of a creative idea or communique as the sentence is created while fingers are flying on the keyboard. Really, is a power button even in the top 100 things that are important during a work day (especially when closing the laptop lid is likely the most common way to shut down a laptop)?
Oh these pathetic design decisions, but perhaps, the clueless decision was made by upper management, trying to squeeze $, and perhaps UPPER management overrode really good suggestions / concerns from DELL designers. Management forcing this stupid decision DOWN into the organization (rather than letting good designers make good decisions).
Thus, it would be fascinating to watch a documentary that investigates how this STUPID idea came to be. it would take an open door policy from the offending corporation top to bottom.
I should stop now. It is just so sad.
(edited)