t3jem1405241533 0 Report post Posted February 3, 2007 I think Dell is a pretty good brand, they have good prices, but I think the only real downfall is that they put 3GB of trials on your comp so you have to uninstall them all when you get your comp, but other than that, i have had no problems with any of my Dell computers. They can even help you order the computer you want and guide through what hardware you would need. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wutske 0 Report post Posted February 3, 2007 I think everybody has mixed experiences with brand X and brand Y.My search still continues . I'm thinking about either dropping the non-glossy screen thing or the better graphics card (and getting an onboard graphics card), sigh. Why do they even consider putting a glossy screen on something you can use everywhere (especialy in places where light conditions are terrible).A friend at school has a Lenovo laptop, the screen is not glossy (wiiii ). How are the Lenovo's in general ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grafitti 0 Report post Posted February 4, 2007 Lenovo, IBM, I suppose now they're the same thing. Supposed to be durable, workhorses, and a bit on the pricey side. Then you have to like the looks. It's a love it or hate it deal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xboxrulz1405241485 0 Report post Posted February 4, 2007 I, myself had not seen any problems from either HP and Acer. They are the top 5 laptop brands at my high school.  Top 5: Acer Apple HP Toshiba Dell  *Estimates based on 2005-2006 school year   I have a Samsung, but it doesn't even make it to the Top 5 and it's running for 7 years.  xboxrulz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wutske 0 Report post Posted February 9, 2007 I'm going for a Dell Inspirion 6400, it's not that expensive, it has good battery time and it's one of the few laptops that come with a non-reflective screen.So this is what I'll probably take:- T5200- 1024Mb RAM- 120Gb HDD- Radeon X1400- 9Cell Battery- Bluetooth- XP Pro or XP Media Center (still doubting a bit)- 2 year Basic SupportPricetag: €1240 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
issdiscovery04 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2007 If you're going to go with that configuration, choose Windows XP Media Center Edition. XP pro is pretty much worthless. Also, if Dell does offer Windows Vista, don't choose it. Windows Vista is still extremely buggy and it won't take long for it to present the BSOD.Just be aware that Dell laptops do not last at all. It'll probably die in 2-3 years or have quite a few problems by then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grafitti 0 Report post Posted February 10, 2007 Concur with Media Center, that's a better option. However, while you don't want to get Vista right now, in 6 months or so, it's going to start looking a lot more attractive. I believe that if you get Media Center now, you can upgrade to Vista later for a nominal fee. I'm not talking about the regular upgrade from XP to Vista. I read this somewhere, sorry i don't remember where, that laptop dealers would start offering heavily discounted (or free) upgrades to Vista for laptops that can support it and are bought beginning 2007. would be something to look into. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wutske 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2007 hmm, that would be nice. The reason why I doubt between MC and PRO is because I actualy use XP Pro, and I've once use XP home and it just didn't feel right , I missed some things that make XP better to configure.Vista wouldn't be a problem, I still have a free copy of Vista Business waiting for me at MSDNAA , and since my main pc (Barton2500+, 512MB ram) isn't fast enough, it'll probably end on my laptop. But a free upgrade would be nice too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grafitti 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2007 I think the main difference is that in MCE you get the media center. sounds stupid, but i think that's it. It's very useful if you watch a lot of videos, stuff on your tv through the laptop. you know, with the remote control and all that. But if you wouldn't use it, and Pro can be gotten cheaper, why not stick with that. I'm unsure of the pricing difference, but unless you configure and order online, most laptops not in the business range are preloaded with MCE. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wutske 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2007 well, I don't realy watch that much videos (btw. if I'd want to watch stuf from TV, I'd have to buy a capture card first + I'd still need to buy the MCE control ). The price difference is about €45 (XP Pro is the more expensive one of the 2).But you know what, I'll get the MCE, if I don't like it, I can still install XP Pro on it (or vista, or linux, or wathever ). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xboxrulz1405241485 0 Report post Posted February 13, 2007 If you're going to go with that configuration, choose Windows XP Media Center Edition. XP pro is pretty much worthless. Also, if Dell does offer Windows Vista, don't choose it. Windows Vista is still extremely buggy and it won't take long for it to present the BSOD.Just be aware that Dell laptops do not last at all. It'll probably die in 2-3 years or have quite a few problems by then. Not quite true. I had almost no problems with Windows Vista. The only problem I had was to install Microsoft Office 2003 Professional. It completely crashed my system, I had to uninstall to get back into my regular account.Well, apparently, Dells are getting a really good foot hold.I got a new estimate for the first semester at my school (2006-2007) and it went like this:1. Dell2. Apple3. HP4. Dell5. Lenovo/IBMxboxrulz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wutske 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2007 I've made my descicion (at last ). I'm going for a Dell Inspirion 6400, they're giving a free upgrade from 1Gb to 2Gb (200 euro's ...), Vista home premium instead of XP and a free printer (not that I care, but it's a nice addition ). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
