HP Envy 15 or Dell Latitude E6510

[mephiston5]

I am going back to school, and will need a solid laptop. The computer will need to last a least 3 years of relatively heavy use. Reliability is my top concern.

I can get an HP Envy 15 or Dell Latitude E6510 for about the same price. The Envy has better specs, but the Dell has a 3 year warranty (compared to 1 year), and the Dell is a "business class machine".

However, the HP Envy appears to have a very good build quality.

In your estimation, is one computer clearly superior to the other, especially in terms of likely reliability?

 

[TheStu]

For longevity you need, IMO, a business class machine like a Dell Latitude, HP ProBook, some ThinkPads, or a Mac. The HP Envys are modelled after MacBook Pros, so I would hope that they would last, but at this point they haven't been around long enough to get a good read on them.

The ProBooks have pretty nice styling if that interests you at all.

Aside from the predictable school stuff, what else is this going to be used for? Do you have a desktop? Do you care about battery life? What major is it?

 

[dawza]

As TheStu mentioned, it sounds like the only thing you should be considering are business-class machines. While the higher-end consumer notebooks are generally better-built than their lower-end counterparts, you will get better support, longer base warranties, and a track record of reliability with business grade notebooks.

The E6510 feels monolithic when closed; that is to say, it is a very, very sturdily-constructed machine. Tight hinges, good keyboard feel, high-resolution screen option, and a well-reinforced panel. Whether it is the best choice for you will depend on your usage scenarios and specific needs.

 

[mephiston5]

Thanks for the feedback. I will likely go with the Dell, or other business class machine if the deal is right. I will be using it as my primary computer in a PhD program, so basic office stuff plus stat software.

 

[TheStu]

Thanks for the feedback. I will likely go with the Dell, or other business class machine if the deal is right. I will be using it as my primary computer in a PhD program, so basic office stuff plus stat software.

Alright well if it stats, then you need a decent CPU, RAM, and don't need piddly for GPU.

 

[MJinZ]

For longevity you need, IMO, a business class machine like a Dell Latitude, HP ProBook, some ThinkPads, or a Mac. The HP Envys are modelled after MacBook Pros, so I would hope that they would last, but at this point they haven't been around long enough to get a good read on them.

The ProBooks have pretty nice styling if that interests you at all.

Aside from the predictable school stuff, what else is this going to be used for? Do you have a desktop? Do you care about battery life? What major is it?

I've seen Sony Vaios with cheap plasticky lids last about 10 years... like 5 years ago.

Nothing short of a Chinese knock-off should last you less nowadays.

 

[dawza]

For what it's worth, I am in the last year of my Ph.D. program, and imagine that whatever your specific field, a high-resolution screen would be an invaluable asset. I started off with an ultraportable (Elitebook 2530P), and while the thing was built like a tank and had great battery life, its compact size and resolution (1280x800) just did not cut it even for writing papers (I need to have a Word document + my reference manager open side-by-side).

I am currently using a T60 widecreen (1680x1050) for work away from my bench, and find its increased weight and bulkiness are well worth the increased pixel real-estate. My wife's E6510 with its 1920x1080 screen would be even better, but I don't think I could get her to swap : )

I only mention this because of the three main business lines (Dell Latitude, Lenovo Thinkpad, and HP Elitebook), I believe that only the Latitude E6510 can be had with a 1920x1080 panel for under $1000. The T510 could be a good alternative, but it doesn't look like the FHD panel option is currently available unless you select the Nvidia GPU option (more expensive). The 8540P/W are probably the most robust, but are also very expensive.

 

[Tip3r]

I'd recommend you also take a look at the lenovo thinkpad lineup. You might want to consider battery life as well. My brother has a latitude D830 and he loved it. My dad has vostro 1510 which is also great. But the battery on both of their laptops wore out and had to be replaced before they were a year old. I'm not sure if this is just bad luck or if dell has been slacking on batteries for their business class laptops.

 

[TheStu]

I've seen Sony Vaios with cheap plasticky lids last about 10 years... like 5 years ago.

Nothing short of a Chinese knock-off should last you less nowadays.

So was this a laptop purchased in 1995 that lasted until 2005, or a laptop purchased in 2005 that will last till 2015?

Also, i have seen any number of other cheap systems that have started to fall apart within 6 months of school use. My anecdotal evidence contradicts your anecdotal evidence, thus we are back at the beginning. And can you really argue that the OP wouldn't better off with something like a Latitude, Thinkpad or ProBook than they would be with a $400 Toshiba Satellite?

 

[Alienwho]

I have an envy 15. I got it on the $450 coupon deal a few months ago. I even got the $95 bing cash back deposited in my account today that nobody said I would get! HA! At the end of the day I ended up getting this $1500 envy for under $900 and I freaking love this laptop. At first I wasn't so sure about keeping it since they announced the envy 14 soon after, but I am glad I kept it. It is an extremely solid well built machine made from magnesium. The 1080p display is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I have ever laid eyes on. I have a buddy who sits next to me in some of my classes who gets more and more jealous every time we set my envy 15 and his new macbook pro 15" side by side.

I came from an ASUS UL30VT which had incredible battery life and a junky screen with 720p resolution. At first I missed the incredible battery life and the slightly better portability of the Asus. It didn't take me long though to realize that my productivity and level of satisfaction of using the Envy 15 around the house and in class severely outweighed the drawbacks of the slightly larger form factor and having to carry around the power adapter if I was going to be using it for more than two hours.

Would I be this happy and satisfied with my purchase if it cost $1500? Probably not because I would never spend that much on a laptop, and if I did it would probably be a macbook pro. For the $900 I spent on it, however, I feel like I got the best laptop in the world.

 

[pitz]

The E-series Latitudes seem flimsier than the Latitude D630/D830 series. But unless you're into buying used hardware, the E6510 is probably the way to go.

Now if you are into buying used or refurbished hardware, $400-$450 or so could fairly easily pick you up a Latitude D830 + a D-port docking station. Add in another $600 for a 23" Dell 2312 S-IPS LCD, and for $700, you have yourself a fully featured machine that's really, unless you game, not gonna be any worse than a $1500 E6510 setup. And the D830 runs Windows 7 absolutely fabulously as well.

If buying used, stay away from the Nvidia Quadro 135M though.

 

[Anonemous]

I have an envy 15. I got it on the $450 coupon deal a few months ago. I even got the $95 bing cash back deposited in my account today that nobody said I would get! HA! At the end of the day I ended up getting this $1500 envy for under $900 and I freaking love this laptop. At first I wasn't so sure about keeping it since they announced the envy 14 soon after, but I am glad I kept it. It is an extremely solid well built machine made from magnesium. The 1080p display is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I have ever laid eyes on. I have a buddy who sits next to me in some of my classes who gets more and more jealous every time we set my envy 15 and his new macbook pro 15" side by side.

I came from an ASUS UL30VT which had incredible battery life and a junky screen with 720p resolution. At first I missed the incredible battery life and the slightly better portability of the Asus. It didn't take me long though to realize that my productivity and level of satisfaction of using the Envy 15 around the house and in class severely outweighed the drawbacks of the slightly larger form factor and having to carry around the power adapter if I was going to be using it for more than two hours.

Would I be this happy and satisfied with my purchase if it cost $1500? Probably not because I would never spend that much on a laptop, and if I did it would probably be a macbook pro. For the $900 I spent on it, however, I feel like I got the best laptop in the world.

haha I got the coupon and 20% off. I got it for just 780 before taxes.