Question:
hp or dell? know anything better?
I've been looking at the HP dv6000z and Dell e1505. These two seem to come nearest to my needs and within my budget. As I have them configured its just over 800$ for each with the rebates offered.
Hardware wise these are the major differences.
The HP:
AMD Turion(TM) 64 X2 Mobile TL-50 (1.60GHz/256KB)
256MB NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7200
1.0GB DDR2 SDRAM (2x512MB)
The Dell:
Intel® Core™ Duo Proc T2250 (1.73GHz/533MHz/2 X 1MB L2 Cache)
256MB ATI MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1400 HyperMemory™
1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm
Otherwise they are more or less identical. Some optical/hardrive differences but that isn't important to me I went with the cheapest option.
The Dell does have the option for a Sound Card for $25, a software edition Audigy. Is software edition good/bad? The HP has no Audio options, though I do get an integrated webcam/mic which I would make use of. Though it's not a big deal.
If I'm able to use the Dell Coupon then I could go for a higher end processor potentially. Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T5500 (2MB Cache/1.66GHz/667MHz
Does one these stand out as better in performance? I don't really know how to read notebook specs.
Is it worth getting the accessories through the dealer? The mouse, carry bag, ac adapter(do they not come with one by default?)?
Wireless routers, I read a bit of the dummies guide to this. And I am a dummy. $43 for a router a wireless router a good deal? That's what Dell is offering as an accessory. Is this all I need to get my laptop tapping into my cable internet at home? What sort of range do these things have? Would it work at a distance of say 5 meters and through a floor? How about 10 meters and through a floor and an outdoor wall?
1) What is your budget? 600-900$ U.S. The closer to 600$ the better while still meeting my needs. That's the amount of my grant and I wouldn't mind shaving off excess performance to get closer to that.
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Programming labs, mostly in Visual Studio 2003 with some Java and Html work.
Gaming, World of Warcraft mostly with Ventrilo(voice chat) in the background.
I always have music playing in the background.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Work, school, home, and friends rooms.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Yes, World of Warcraft mostly.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
No.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
A couple hours at most. I expect to have access to a outlet at any place I setup my laptop.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
I don't mind.
9) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in?
USA
Screen Specifics
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
No preference.
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Standard
a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.
b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.
c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
I have no preference. I don't like small resolutions but these all seem suitable.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
No preference.
Build Quality and Design
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
It's a plus. Meeting my performance needs takes precedence.
14) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?
Within the week. Two years at least.
Notebook Components
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 160GB?
40 is more then I need.
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes, nothin in particular just so I can install apps/games.
Answer:
Re: hp or dell? know anything better?
HP dv6000z has better quality then Dell E1505 and it's probably the best option in this price range (~900) and its design is so much better then Dell's to my mind...
Do you really need this Turion? And also if you think to play games it's better to get 7400 instead of 7200
look at here
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/sh...reg_R1002_USEN
if want to save some money Dell E1505 - 15.4" is usually cheaper and offers acceptable quality for a budget notebook. You can save about 150$ and if you use some coupon...
Answer:
Re: hp or dell? know anything better?
The Dell E1505 is the best price/performance option, but if you can stretch a bit I will back up Dreamer's recommendation of the dv6000. Very solid notebook, much better design than the Dell. The Go7400 will offer very similar performance in comparison to the X1400.