• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Dell just talked me OUT of upgrading my computer

Y

Yzzim

Lifer
So I ordered a laptop last night. The laptop has a 3.0ghz processor and for $50 more I could upgrade it to 3.2Ghz. Decided to call Dell up today and told the guy what I wanted to do. He asked why I would do such a thing. I sat there confused for a bit (literally looked like this ----> 😕 ) and told him because it's only $50.

He then started telling me how I was wasting my money. I thought about it for a bit and maybe he's right? Is there much difference between 3.0 and 3.2 Ghz? Is it worth $50?

Also, should I upgrade my screen from WSXGA to WUXGA? I probably won't run it on the max resolution (I like somewhere around 1280x1024 or something similar to that) so would I notice the better screen?


Here's the laptop specs:

Inspiron 9100 Intel® Pentium® 4 w/ HT Technology 3.0GHz, 15.4-in. WSXGA+

Memory 256MB DDR 400MHz 2 DIMMs

Video Card 128MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY? RADEON? 9700 AGP 8X Graphics

Hard Drive 40GB Hard Drive

Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition

CD ROM/DVD ROM FREE 4x CD/DVD burner (DVD+RW/+R) Upgrade! (from Combo Drive)

Wireless Networking Cards Dell® Wireless 1450 Internal Wireless (802.11a/b/g, 54Mbps)

Don't comment on the memory, I'm going to upgrade it once I get it. Couldn't make myself pay $125 for an extra 256mb RAM when I could get 1 512mb stick from Crucial for $120 or so.
 
The only thing better about the screen would be the resolution so no u won't don't want to upgrade that. since for the best looking screen you will want to run at native resolution and not anything else. As for the CPU I think 3.0 is probably fine, 3.2 will probably produce a bit more heat for not much more performance. But boy is that thing going to be heavy and hot... I hope you are using it as a desktop replacement...
 
I don't want to pay for something I'm not going to notice.

Oh, and I do plan to do some gaming on this...as well as some Digital Video stuff. Nothing too extensive though.
 
If you've ever checked out the Dell Forums, you've probably noticed that Dell is back-ordering a lot of systems due mostly to shortages of different processors and memory. That 3.20 may be one they don't have.
 
That model uses the i865PE chipset, which is a dual-channel chipset. Careful that you don't paint yourself into a corner where you have dissimilar memory modules and cannot run in dual-channel mode because they have different logical organizations (ie, one single-sided, one double-sided; or different capacities obviously).
 
Originally posted by: mechBgon
That model uses the i865PE chipset, which is a dual-channel chipset. Careful that you don't paint yourself into a corner where you have dissimilar memory modules and cannot run in dual-channel mode because they have different logical organizations (ie, one single-sided, one double-sided; or different capacities obviously).
Click to expand...

ok, need some help translating that into my language.

you're saying that if I buy the 512mb stick from Crucial, that I need 2 of them? They need to match?

Brings back the (good?) old days of 72 pin simm EDO memory
 
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: mechBgon
That model uses the i865PE chipset, which is a dual-channel chipset. Careful that you don't paint yourself into a corner where you have dissimilar memory modules and cannot run in dual-channel mode because they have different logical organizations (ie, one single-sided, one double-sided; or different capacities obviously).
Click to expand...

ok, need some help translating that into my language.

you're saying that if I buy the 512mb stick from Crucial, that I need 2 of them? They need to match?

Brings back the (good?) old days of 72 pin simm EDO memory
Click to expand...
Aye Captain 🙂 They don't have to be the same brand and model, but they have to use the same logical addressing scheme. So you might want to cave in and buy the Dell memory upgrade if you can afford it... that'll guarantee that 1) it works in dual-channel mode, and 2) they won't give you guff if you send the lappie in for work and it's got *GASP* non-Dell modules in it! :shocked:
 
Well on top of 2k who gives a butt about 50 dollars? lol. On a lap top though 200 mhz is nothing. Even on a desk top you'll see no difference, only in benchmarks.
 
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: igowerf
Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
thats gonna be one hot laptop ~ literally.
Click to expand...

Definitely very hot.
Click to expand...

so what are you guys trying to say?

Don't tell me I should have went with an 8600 🙁
Click to expand...

For portability/performance you should have gotten the 8600. Everyone is stating that the 9100 will be hot since it uses a desktop processor, desktop chipset, an extremely fast video card, and everything that was meant to go into a mid-tower case is being crammed into a 2" notebook. You probably won't get the best battery life either, especially when gaming. But I am guessing that you didn't get the 9100 for portability, because if you did I would suggest re-thinking the whole thing and grabbing an 8600 instead.
 
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: igowerf
Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
thats gonna be one hot laptop ~ literally.
Click to expand...

Definitely very hot.
Click to expand...

so what are you guys trying to say?

Don't tell me I should have went with an 8600 🙁
Click to expand...

If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
 
Originally posted by: JavaMomma
Originally posted by: Yzzim
Originally posted by: igowerf
Originally posted by: THUGSROOK
thats gonna be one hot laptop ~ literally.
Click to expand...

Definitely very hot.
Click to expand...

so what are you guys trying to say?

Don't tell me I should have went with an 8600 🙁
Click to expand...

If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
Click to expand...
It does happen to have the i865PE chipset, according to Dell's site.
 
Originally posted by: JavaMomma
If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
Click to expand...

Since when can he build laptops? 😕
 
Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
Originally posted by: JavaMomma
If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
Click to expand...

Since when can he build laptops? 😕
Click to expand...
methinks he meant configured .. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
Originally posted by: JavaMomma
If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
Click to expand...

Since when can he build laptops? 😕
Click to expand...
methinks he meant configured .. 🙂
Click to expand...

Ya, I am thinking configured and built are two different things, people who buy Dell's do not build anything!
 
tru u prolly wouldn't noticed any/a lot of difference wit the upgrade, keep that 50 for a mx700 for a laptop🙂
 
Also, should I upgrade my screen from WSXGA to WUXGA? I probably won't run it on the max resolution (I like somewhere around 1280x1024 or something similar to that) so would I notice the better screen?
Click to expand...
On an LCD it's a mistake to run anything other than the max resolution. Quite frankly, I think the best resolution for a 15.4" widescreen 16:10 laptop would be 1280x800. WSXGA is already too high. WUXGA is insane.

But then again in an x86 laptop, I wouldn't consider the Pentium 4 3.0 either. The only CPU I'd consider is Pentium M, but that's just me.
 
Originally posted by: jdogg707
Originally posted by: ScrapSilicon
Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
Originally posted by: JavaMomma
If you don't mind hot & heavy don't worry about it.
Buddy of mine built himself a nice 3.0C P4 Laptop with a Mobile Radeon9600

Anyways he uses it at school & packs it around everywhere. It won't even last 2hrs on battery when he is only doing light word processing & with aggressive power managment (screen turns off after 1 minute..)

But he says it is not a big deal. All our class rooms have plugins under the desks.
He does not like running it on his lap (to hot) he will only run it on a desk.
Also I am not sure what P4 chipset Dell uses but I remember when he built it I do not believe there were any dual channel laptop chipsets out so buying memory in pairs may or may not be a big deal.
Click to expand...

Since when can he build laptops? 😕
Click to expand...
methinks he meant configured .. 🙂
Click to expand...

Ya, I am thinking configured and built are two different things, people who buy Dell's do not build anything!
Click to expand...


It is sort of like buying a SFF PC.
He picked the CPU (buy OEM because you do not need the heatsink, unless you want the warranty), Hard drive and memory.
Plugged it into the motherboard which has onboard video & sound & screen, etc.
here is what he bought:
Link
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top