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Looking for a laptop

I

imported_Yair

Junior Member
I'm looking to buy a laptop towards next October when I start University.
I was told the Dell Inspiron 6000 would be a good choice, but I'd like to hear some more opinions to make sure I don't ignore anything else.
Like I said it's main use would be for Uni, but the more I think about it, the more it seems to me like this laptop will also replace my desktop.
I've got about 1300USD to spend (obviously would prefer to spend less...) and so far I've seen some Inspiron 6000 specs with 2.13ghz 1gig ram etc that looked very good to me.
Are there any other brands I should be looking at ? how is the Toshiba Satellite series?

Cheers.
 
I wouldn't be looking at the 6000. The E1505 and E1705 are both dual core and can be had, with coupons, for well under a grand. Check Techbargains for coupons and deals.
 
The first things to ask are what you'll be doing with the laptop, and whether this will require Windows or not.

If you'll be playing games or doing 3D modelling often, you'll want something with a decent video chipset. That's not always easy to find at the price range. The same thing applies to storage: if your laptop will replace your desktop, ask yourself how much storage you currently use and how much headroom you'll need (i.e. don't get something with 10 GB of free space when you know you'll fill that in a few months).

As for the OS, consider what apps you'll run. If you're mainly typing notes and essays, getting into art and AV/photography studies, or your main game is World of Warcraft, then a Mac is a realistic option. On the other hand, if you're doing a lot of computer science or engineering studies, or you have a lot of Windows games you want to play, then you'll obviously need to stick with Windows.

I would be hesitant to recommend a specific company or model right now. When do you have to leave for university (or just start it, if you'll be living at home)? If it's not for several months, then you may want to wait and see what new systems arrive in the next few months. Apple is likely to have an iBook replacement (most likely called the MacBook) in the spring, for example. You might like one depending on what its specs are. The same thing goes with other vendors; buy closer to when you need the laptop, and give yourself a month or so to buy so that the system will arrive on time and you can get used to it before you have to use it, so there's no rude surprises (such as out-of-the-box defects).
 
Cheers for the long and well thought replay.
My main uses for the laptop at Uni would be mainly Office uses, as I am going to Law school.
However, my desktop is not the newest (P4 1.6) and seeing as I'm buying a laptop I won't be getting a new desktop any time soon.
So besides Office uses, I'd want to use it for web surfing, occasional gaming (nothing too hardcore, actually most of the games I play work for me now on the desktop) etc...
About the timing, seeing as I live in Israel, and intend to buy the computer in the US, it depends on when I have someone I know over there who's coming over here, probably in June-August though.
 
Oh, and as much as I'd love an Apple (best design in anything computer related IMO) they are too expensive I'm afraid, and also I'd prefer Windows.

 
Oh, but Apple laptops aren't necessarily that expensive compared to similar-spec Windows models! 😉 We'll have to see what the MacBook's price is, though. And if you've tried OS X and just don't like it, that's fine.

Your requirements make it pretty safe to find something you'd want within your budget, especially given the desktop you use now. I think I'd rather get a Core Duo-based system than one using the Pentium M, simply because your situation means you're more likely to need good multitasking support (which is what the Core Duo excels in) than something which will be faster in some circumstances but more likely to bog down in others. But you'll probably want more than 40 GB of hard drive space - not necessarily 100, as it depends on what you'll do. I can say that if you suddenly find yourself grabbing a lot of music and/or video, be generous with storage.

Also, watch the graphics chipset. Unless you're used to integrated video, you probably want to avoid laptops where the only video option is GMA950 graphics (i.e. Intel's current integrated graphics). You don't need much, especially not if your P4 1.6's video card wasn't top-end to start with, but having dedicated video will mean much better performance for the times you do play games.
 
I actually have quite a good video card, well it was when I purchased it, a Geforce 3 Ti200.
For some reason I can't get the mail-in rebate for the E1505 at the Dell website as I would get for a 6000 at about the same price.
Also the E1505 only seems to have "Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 " as graphic card option...
I guess I'll wait nearer to my purchase date and see what kind of other combinations/prices/discounts they have.
Is it unlikely that they'll have something like the 6000 just with duo core processor ?


BTW. should I not consider a 64bit processor ?
 
Anyone think the e1505 will ever have a better graphics option? I'm interested in one of these but not with onboard graphics.
 
Originally posted by: Yair
Is a 1.6/8 Dual Core with 512gig ram and a 40gig HD preferable to a 2.13ghz Pentium M with a 1gig of ram and 100gb HD then ?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. There is a nice review on Core Duo "Yonah" on Anandtech you should read to see why it's a darn good processor....beats a desktop X2 in most benchmarks.

But keep an eye on Dell for a good deal. For just over $1300 shipped including tax I got an E1705 with dual core, 1GB memory, 100GB HD, 7800 Go video, DVDRW, Intel Pro NIC, backpack carrying case, and the WUXGA screen.
 
Originally posted by: Yair
I actually have quite a good video card, well it was when I purchased it, a Geforce 3 Ti200.
For some reason I can't get the mail-in rebate for the E1505 at the Dell website as I would get for a 6000 at about the same price.
Also the E1505 only seems to have "Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 " as graphic card option...
I guess I'll wait nearer to my purchase date and see what kind of other combinations/prices/discounts they have.
Is it unlikely that they'll have something like the 6000 just with duo core processor ?


BTW. should I not consider a 64bit processor ?
Click to expand...

Dell has this annoying tendency to limit good video performance to relatively expensive systems. Right now, your choices for laptops with dedicated graphics are either the Inspiron 6000 (with the X300 option), the E1705 (with the 7800 Go option), or the XPS M170. The E1505 looks like it should be the replacement, but if it's going to use integrated graphics only, it'll lose customers.

BTW: it's "dual-core" if you refer to any processor with two cores. It's Core Duo if you're referring to Intel's processor by the same name.
 
If you're willing to sacrifice some performance, I'd go for a convertible laptop (one that transforms into a tablet pc). I've been messing with one for a few weeks, and I can easily say I will never go back to a regular laptop again.

I used to take notes with a reg. laptop, but that was painful.
If you're not planning on taking notes on it and just using it as a portable desktop replacement, then pretty much any laptop will do, but if you do note taking, trust me, a tablet is leaps better.

Just something to think about.
 
The Dell e1505 is supposed to get an X1400 gfx card option in a couple months. I don't know how much that'll push the price up to, though. I think the e1505 w/GMA950 is more expensive then I paid for my i6000 w/x300 ($963)
 
An X1400? That would be respectable, even if it has to rely on Hypermemory.

The Core Duos are expensive chips right now compared to the Pentium M; there's no way around it other than time. They're dual-core processors made on a new manufacturing process. It make take a few extra months for costs to come down (which would explain Dell planning a video upgrade option later).
 
Just an afterthought from this discussion:
Is it possible to buy the E1505 with an integrated graphic card and just buy and install a different one after?
And if so, how difficult is it to put it in ? I have very little knowledge in laptop hardware...
 
Since it's the i6000 replacement, I'm betting you can't. From the pictures in the service manuals, the i6k and the e1505 share the same mobo/vidcard form factor. If that's true, the integrated mobo won't have the slot to connect the gfx card, like the i6k's integrated mobo.
 
I concur with Raduque. As a general rule, assume you can't do the upgrade unless they explicitly mention that you can. Many laptops need custom-designed mainboards, and space requirements often mean soldering the graphics chipset on to the mainboard.
 
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