Bob Crabb Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) I need to buy a laptop. My needs are pretty simple, but I do want a screensize in the 14-15" range, XP Pro, dual core processor, 2GB ram, 160GB hard drive, a CD R/W/DVD drive, and wireless connection. Also, I don't want to spend over $800US. Dell has a few machines through their small business division that meet those requirements. One is a Vostro 1510 configuration that is currently offered at $529US. This includes 15.4" screen, Windows XP Pro "downgrade", Intel T5870 processor, 3GB ram, 250GB hard drive, Intel® Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, 8X DVD+/-RW, Dell Wireless 1395 802.11g Wi-Fi Internal Card, 1 year warranty. If I upgrade the processor from a T5870 to T7520 for $50, the total price is $579. Another that I am considering is a Latitude E5400 configuration that is currently offered at $749US. This includes 14.1" screen, Windows XP Pro "downgrade", Intel T7520 processor, 2GB ram, 160GB hard drive, Mobile Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, 8X DVD R/W, Dell Wireless™ 1397 802.11b/g Mini Card, 3 year warranty. On paper, either of these configurations will be sufficient for my needs. However, other than in pictures, I haven't seen or touched either of these machines. Reading a couple of online forums, I have read that the Latitude casework and keyboard are a lot sturdier and more durable than the Vostro. If that is the case, that plus the additional warranty might be worth the extra $$ for me, but I am looking for some feedback to help qualify and quantify what I have read. Have any of you used either or both of these machines? opinions? Edited March 8, 2009 by Bob Crabb Quote
JTD Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Personally I would go with an Hp myself. I run the Dv7 series laptop and love it. HP Dv7 Series Quote
Bob Crabb Posted March 9, 2009 Author Posted March 9, 2009 Personally I would go with an Hp myself. I run the Dv7 series laptop and love it. Thanks for the suggestion, JTD. I'm sure that the HP DV7 is a nice machine, but if I configure it with XP Pro, which I must do because of an application requirement, it would put me over budget. BTW, I didn't see an option for an XP downgrade on the HP site or on newegg.com, but I presume that the option is listed somewhere in the fine print. I'm leaning toward the Latitude, but have several more days before this special offer expires. Any one else have a suggestion? Quote
Head Guru Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Go Dell. Go Dell. Go Dell. Dell laptops are very well built I would have no problems suggesting them to any one. Quote
OJB Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I agree with Bill. Dell make quality laptops. If I were in the market for a laptop right now my first port of call would be the dell site. Quote
Madmanmcp Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Guess I have to give my two cents. There are two problems I hate seeing on my workbench...Nortons and Dells. Now in the PC business there are ups and downs and companies can get awards for quality one year and can stink up the place the next year. I don't know about this year but I know Dell has had its share of quality issues in the past with the components it uses. Now if you go top of the line and pay the price for Dell you'll probably end up with a good Laptop. But beware when you start cutting the price to make a "deal" on the price, you lower the quality of the parts and will end up with trouble. Quote
Head Guru Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 If we could rewind the days and go "pre lenova" I would say go IBM Thinkpad. I think for the money these days all the sub $1000.00 laptops are very good deals. I like dells as I have seen them in the field and at home. My 11 year old son has a dell that he cant seem to destroy. Bill Quote
TCH-Bruce Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I've had mixed results with Dell. Had one good laptop and one that had to have a drive replaced and another that needed the motherboard replaced. They were all Inspiron models. Quote
Bob Crabb Posted March 11, 2009 Author Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) Thank you all for the feedback. I've had really good luck with Dell desktops, and they do offer some good deals right now on laptops. At $800 for a computer that I am going to stuff into a bag and lug all over creation, I figure that if I get two or three years out of it before it shoots craps, then I got my money's worth. Madmanmcp/Bob -- of the dead or ailing Dell laptops that you have seen, are they mostly Inspiron, Vostro, Latitude, or an even mix of all models? Edited March 11, 2009 by Bob Crabb Quote
JTD Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks for the suggestion, JTD. I'm sure that the HP DV7 is a nice machine, but if I configure it with XP Pro, which I must do because of an application requirement, it would put me over budget. BTW, I didn't see an option for an XP downgrade on the HP site or on newegg.com, but I presume that the option is listed somewhere in the fine print. I'm leaning toward the Latitude, but have several more days before this special offer expires. Any one else have a suggestion? Application requirement ????? Just my personal opinion if you buy cheap that is what you get, CHEAP and Dells are cheap JMO though. Here are a few of the specs from my hp. Slot 'SODIMM 0' has 2048 MB (serial number CE00000000000000020835636E8C82) Slot 'SODIMM 1' has 2048 MB (serial number CE00000000000000020835636E8B04) Upgradable to 8 mb of ram. Processor 2.00 gigahertz AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core 256 kilobyte primary memory cache 1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache 250 gig hard drive My only problem was finding a good firewall that would work with a 64 bit machine and operating system. I finally settled on outpost firewall pro version. Quote
Bob Crabb Posted March 11, 2009 Author Posted March 11, 2009 Yes, an application requirement. One of the programs that I use will not run on Vista. To upgrade the Vista compatible version, it would cost about $2500. As for cheap, If I can get the job done without spending money, then that is a good thing. I hate to spend money -- I AM cheap. Quote
Madmanmcp Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 of the dead or ailing Dell laptops that you have seen, are they mostly Inspiron, Vostro, Latitude, or an even mix of all models? Mostly Inspiron, mainly because these were low priced and what the general public purchased for their kids going to school. Quote
Madmanmcp Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Slot 'SODIMM 0' has 2048 MB (serial number CE00000000000000020835636E8C82)Slot 'SODIMM 1' has 2048 MB (serial number CE00000000000000020835636E8B04) Upgradable to 8 mb of ram. I remember the day when I was able to upgrade my 386 to 8MB of RAM Quote
JTD Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 I remember the day when I was able to upgrade my 386 to 8MB of RAM Hmm bad typo on my part I ment 8 gig of ram OOPSY Quote
JTD Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Yes, an application requirement. One of the programs that I use will not run on Vista. To upgrade the Vista compatible version, it would cost about $2500. As for cheap, If I can get the job done without spending money, then that is a good thing. I hate to spend money -- I AM cheap. Then maybe a dual boot system. Plus can you even buy a new name brand computer either laptop or desktop with XP on it now days???? Quote
Head Guru Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Maybe you could run XP in a virtual machine? I have been running Vista64 for a couple weeks on my new desktop at home. I am very impressed so far. Quote
Bob Crabb Posted March 11, 2009 Author Posted March 11, 2009 Dual boot or virtual machine is not something that I am going to try at this time. I want to keep my configuration as simple as possible. Dell offers an option for XP Pro "downgrade" on several of the laptops and desktops purchased through their small business division. Quote
Head Guru Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 I understand Bob. Although running a virtual instance is really not that complicated and does not effect the configuration of your bios or boot parameters. It is simply another program running on the computer. Quote
kevn456 Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 I completely agree with Bill Kish, A Virtual Machine is just a piece of software which emulates (pretends), to be machine (computer) to do an abnormal task such as running Windows on a Macintosh computer for example, to occur via the trapping of computer instructions. It is quite literally a computer running ON a computer. One of the by-products of this is that the two systems can be entirely separated from each other, which allows a level of security that just can’t be matched. So Bob you can think of going that way as well (If you have not already made up your mind). Quote
TCH-Bruce Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 Welcome to the forums Kevin Thanks for your input. Quote
Bob Crabb Posted March 13, 2009 Author Posted March 13, 2009 Hi Kevin, Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the input. I'm ok with the virtual machine concept. I go back to the IBM System/370 days when they had a mainframe VM operating system that was used by many companies that were outgrowing DOS/VS. On this machine, I want to keep my configuration fairly consistent with that of my desktop at home, the desktop that I use at work, and with the desktop that I use in my wife's clinic. I don't really have a need or desire at this time to run Vista on any of those machines, therefore as long as I can still buy a pc with XP Pro, regardless of whether it is called a downgrade or upgrade, I'm content with one OS. Quote
kevn456 Posted March 14, 2009 Posted March 14, 2009 Thanks Bruce, Thomas and Bob for the warm welcome, its a reaaly cool forum and i am looking forward to take part in the discussions. Bob i understand what you are thinking and do agree with you...Wish you all the best.... Quote
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