Buying a first laptop... help please!

[Nevyn522]

I started off thinking I'd buy one the next day... that was weeks ago.

Okay, based on varying criteria (ranging from me getting pissed at the web site to me thinking the thing was clunky), I eliminated a bunch of systems.

Basically, I'm down to three (if someone has a similar IBM they want to suggest, go ahead -- I got tired of fighting with their configuration system):
- All three have an 8X DVD and floppy drive; Windows Me (REALLY want to trash that part...);

Sony Vaio PCG-F650 (approx. $1700)
-P3 600
-64 MB RAM (upgraded for $40 to 128MB)
-12.0 Gigs
-14.1" XGA w/ ATI Mobility M1 chip
-56K modem
-IEEE 1394
-floppy drive can be replaced with second battery
-one year warrantee

Dell Inspiron 4000 (approx. $1800)
-P3 600
-128 MB RAM
-10.0 Gigs
-14.1" XGA w/ ATI Mobility M1 chip
-56K/10BaseT combo
-second battery can replace DVD drive
-one year warrantee (ignoring spelling, please)

Dell Inspiron 8000 (approx. $2000)
-P3 600
-128 MB RAM
-10.0 Gig
-14.1" SXGA+ (1400x1050) w/ ATI Mobility M4 chip
-56K/10BaseT combo
-second battery (included) can replace floppy drive
-three year warrantee

So which would you recommend? If I could get the price lower on the 8000 I'd snap that up purely for the warrantee, but... Dell kinda is the only one I could buy a Dell computer from, you know?

I'm a rarely employed college student, so money is a serious concern, but so is dependability. What would you recommend? I intend to decide within a few hours, so rapid replies would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Andrew

PS: I passed up creating a poll for this... but it was tempting... ;-)

 

[Eug]

I'd stay away from a 14" screen with a 1400x1050 resolution. In fact, I prefer 1024x768 for even a 15" screen. But it's personal preference.

Do you need LAN? The VAIO didn't include a LAN card in the price.

I hate that TouchPoint joystick thingy on the IBM machines. That was enough to exclude basically their entire line for me.

Dell has a great 30 day money back guarantee no questions asked policy. Dunno about the Sony.

 

[Nevyn522]

In answer to your questions:
- Yes, I do need LAN access -- I'm rather used to the ethernet access at college.
- Sony in and of itself has no return policy I know of, but probably whoever I buy it from would.

Re the 1400x1050 on a 14.1" screen... I'm liable to still run it at 1024x768. The primary reasons I prefer the 8000 to the 4000 is where it matches up to the Vaio -- both of those systems place a second battery where the floppy drive is, rather than where the DVD drive is, which is important to me. Also, the warrantee itself is something like $200 to upgrade from 1 to 3 years from the 4000.

The main reason the Vaio is in there is price, "sexiness," convenience (can buy it immediately by driving to a store), and that battery thing.

The 4000 is the "midpoint" ideal for me. The 8000 is a bit more than I was planning on spending, but it's more along the lines of being what I want, primarily due to that spare battery location and warrantee. In both cases I've heard more good things about Dell's service than about Sony's.

So, what should it be, folks?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[KarsinTheHutt]

My vote goes to the inpiron 4000. Its light and fairly fast. I like the optional integrated LAN capability too.
PCWorld rated it a 'best buy'

 

[Workin']

A few words of advice - for your future happiness.

1. Don't plan on running a laptop at anything but the "native" display resolution, i.e., if the panel is 1024x768 don't think you can run it happily at a different resolution. It gets really ugly.

2. Be sure you like, not "can live with", or worse, the pointing device. First I had a machine with a trackball, then I had a machine with a touchpad, and now I have one with the "pointing stick" thingy. Now, I would never get one with anything but the pointing stick. The other 2 annoyed the living hell out of me (even though at first I thought the stick would be horrible, now I love it).

3. Can't you buy a longer warranty on the middle Dell? Probably like an extra $99 or so?

 

[Eug]

My favourite laptop LAN card of all time. Major coolness for US$70. (I run HomePNA/Ethernet at home and Ethernet at work.) Otherwise, you can get good 10/100 LAN cards for under $50 now.

 

[Nevyn522]

Okay:

- The Sony has a touchpad, both the Dells come with both touchpads and the eraser thingy.
- I'm okay with running at 1400x1050 for most things, my only concern now is for the occassional game... should this be a problem?
- The extra warrantee would be $150 approx. on the 4000.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Noriaki]

<< Re the 1400x1050 on a 14.1&quot; screen... I'm liable to still run it at 1024x768 >>

Just a note for you. Running an LCD at a resolution it's not meant for looks horrid.

I'd hate to have only 64MB of RAM....I'd definately go for one with 128MB. It would suck to have the spare battery where the DVD Drive goes, but I think of the ones you listed the 4000 is the nicest. But see if you can get the Vaio with 128MB maybe? But of course the Vaio comes with IEEE1394 which probably isn't terribly useful and adds to the cost, and it also lacks a NIC....

 

[Workin']

Eug - How's that Linksys card working for you? Do you have to do anything to tell it what kind of network you are connected to or does it automatically take care of that? In other words, do you just connect it to any (supported) network and it works? Does the connector cable that comes with it seem sturdy enough? I have a whole box full of broken 3Com connectors

If the operation is totally transparent to the user, and the dongle isn't too flimsy, I'm going to order one of those bad boys today.

 

[Eug]

Yeah, it's totally transparent. If you plug into HomePNA network (10 or 1), the card selects HomePNA (1 Mbps). If you plug into Ethernet (10 or 100) it automatically selects that (10 or 100). You can even switch back and forth - I tried it just for the helluva it - no settings whatsoever to change. If you plug both HomePNA and Ethernet, it defaults to Ethernet and cuts off HomePNA. Plus there is another phone jack for voice pass thru.

The dongle itself is very strong, with normal RJ-11 jacks and an RJ-45 jack, but I wonder about the interface between the PC-card and dongle. That is not the strongest thing in the world.

Here is a picture.

 

[Workin']

Thanks for the reply, Eug. The picture link was very helpful. I think I'm going to order one up right now.