Jump to content

"Needs help deciding"


Steve

Recommended Posts

Ok, here's the deal. My current laptop is dying (let's say that my motherboard has cancer and it won't last too much ), and repairing it would cost me a lot ($500-700), it's sony, that's why . Even though the laptop was a powerhouse back on 2004, and it's still being great, I'll need to replace it soon before it completely falls dead. I checked over the internet and of course DELL has the best stuff as always (price wise), so I was driving myself to two models , inspiron 1420, and XPS M1330, both models with the specifications I want, would cost $1,600 and $2,200 respectively, the only difference is, the XPS M1330 is newer and more stylish (and lighter , like 3.2lbs for a 13`3 laptop is really great), but it also costs hell more soo, I decided to go for the inspiron 1420 and go around the $1,500-$1,600 price-wise.The specifications that I will get are the next:

-Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)

-Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition

-High Resolution, glossy widescreen 14.1 inch display (1440x900)

-128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS

-3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz

-Size: 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)

-CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)

-Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card

-Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR)

-Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Webcam

-85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)

-Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition

So, what do you guys think?, is this a nice deal, or should I keep looking on?, I don't want a gaming laptop, even though I play some online games, so I don't need more than a 128mb graphic card, and having 3gb of ram and dual core at 2.2ghz will make the laptop last for a looong while without having to upgrade it, the 9 cell battery sounds nice, since my current laptop has a 4 cell battery and runs out after 1:30 hours, and even though I considered upgrading the laptop with a 120gb at 7200RPM HD , I forgot that that will also burn my battery's life as well, so I'm ok with 250gb 5200 RPM ( I don't need that much space, but I don't have any option as well). And yeah, it's vista, or vista, I can't get XP, and no, I don't want a Mac, I'm a happy windows user .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I still say you'd probably be happy with a Mac, which you could easily use as a Windows machine, but since you don't want one for whatever reason, I'm thinking that the 3GB of RAM should last you a while, except it has Vista. You should be able to get XP anyway, even if the company won't (usually they will, if you complain hard enough). Buy a copy of Windows XP or get it through some academic alliance. Anyway, that computer's specs sounds like more than you need, but again, when you add Vista, who knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I considered Mac for a moment, since really, Vista is almost a copy of Mac's OS. Problem is, it's quite hard to get a Mac here in Mexico  , even harder getting some tech support if something happens, and still, I would like to stick with windows for a lil while longer. Also, according to many reviews, vista should work perfectly with 2gb of ram, since it normally sucks 512mb of memory, maybe 256mb getting everyone on low, so 3 gb should do the work. And Well, I do remember that XP had some problems before the first service pack appeared so, Vista should get 60% of its problems solved around the next year when lazy microsoft decides to patch Vista with service pack 1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn;t say it is a great deal, i think you are paying the market average for a laptop that good. 3gb is okay for vista, even though that is a memory hog. Anyless and I;d say that it would suck. My comp WAS going to have 8gb o ram... But then he stole the money. But as it turns out instead of just stealing the moeny he is giving me his old comp which is easily worth the money we gave him... So I broke even on that deal... as crappy as it sounds....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

naa, vista works ok with 2gb of ram, of course , if you are running the 64 vista, sure, you might need more, but the 32 works perfect with 2gb. I would still prefer XP, since it barely sucks memory

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vista + Laptop = BAD

I strongly advise you get Windows XP, even if you have to get it after market. Especially if you plan on this thing actually being portable.

Vista is the worst modern operating system when it comes to portable computing. It makes your hardware work so hard that a machine that would get 3 hours of battery on XP would be lucky to even get one hour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I guided myself from the reviews of people who actually got the same model, that's why I'm surprised that many liked vista. As for the battery, it should last at least 4 hours. and yeah, I'm seriously considering having a back up XP disc somewhere just in case Vista irks me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tiny xp.... A hacked version works very well for laptops. Granted, you gotta know your stuff to get the wireless adapter driver cause it isn't meant for laptops. I did and it worked out great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vista + Laptop = BAD

Vista is the worst modern operating system when it comes to portable computing. It makes your hardware work so hard that a machine that would get 3 hours of battery on XP would be lucky to even get one hour.

*agrees* Stick with an XP. Until Vista becomes the popular necessity, I wouldn't advise anyone to get it. Wasting your money just  looking for a Mac is probably even more cost efficient than getting a Vista. XD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Macs are IMO poo. (sorry dwight) They charge SO MUCH for stuff that costs a third less for pc users. If you want to upgrade a single component, guess what, you gotta buy the next best mac just so you can stay ahead!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Macs are not bad, they are just quite different. I would get one if I needed any good graphics designer matchine, really. After all Macs are really reliable , in a way, even so that I dare to say that a mac user doesn't need to waste system memory on antivirus programs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Macs are IMO poo. (sorry dwight) They charge SO MUCH for stuff that costs a third less for pc users. If you want to upgrade a single component, guess what, you gotta buy the next best mac just so you can stay ahead!

You're not adding to your calculations the $1000 dollar operating system that comes for free (or $120 seperately). Apple sells software cheap and makes up with required hardware that, feature for feature, are about as cheap or cheaper than there PC counterparts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The next laptop I get will be a Mac.  Let's look at the run-down of Apple, in general:

1. More powerful.

2. More efficient.

3. Better built.

4. Longer lifespan.

5. More options.

Right now I have a Sony VAIO.  It works for what I /have/ to do, but it isn't great at what I /want/ to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really off main subject, but since we're on the subject of Macs, I might as well say it.

In order to make a virus for a computer, you have to hack through the main code, and if you manage to make it through the layers upon layers of code to make a virus for a Mac, heres an interesting thing. There is a poem at the end, written by the company's founder, Steve, that begs not to write a virus for the Mac, don't know what it is though.

Pretty interesting huh?

Okay Admins, start yelling at me for breaking a rule.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really off main subject, but since we're on the subject of Macs, I might as well say it.

In order to make a virus for a computer, you have to hack through the main code, and if you manage to make it through the layers upon layers of code to make a virus for a Mac, heres an interesting thing. There is a poem at the end, written by the company's founder, Steve, that begs not to write a virus for the Mac, don't know what it is though.

Pretty interesting huh?

Okay Admins, start yelling at me for breaking a rule.

SFR, YOU... um, yeah, I don't see any rules being broken here, except that you're slightly off-topic, but I don't even think that's a rule.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...