Seeking some expert opinions on Dell Laptops

minir · Post by **minir** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:56 am

Morning YOSC & DUDE

Yes it seems to have most of the bases covered and i can live without a nightlight if need be.

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Dude

Indeed i would as i have the MS working on my Desktop and think its doing a good job.

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Thanks as always to you both

minir

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:24 pm

Minir...just a bump on the thread, this week Dell is having quite a savings on some laptops, I configured a 17" Inspiron pretty much to match the above configuration we talked about, came in just a hair under 1000 bucks US.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:40 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Minir...just a bump on the thread, this week Dell is having quite a savings on some laptops, I configured a 17" Inspiron pretty much to match the above configuration we talked about, came in just a hair under 1000 bucks US.

been watchin them too..just slightly under 1000 for a top end system with 3 years warranty with complete care is pretty good!

minir · Post by **minir** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:42 pm

Thanks Fellas. I really appreciate your input.

This one seemed to be priced right? My unwritten law is... never aftershop once you make your purchase or you'll end up pulling your hair out. I was going to wait longer but had a need for one soon, some stuff i want to take to Ma's before Christmas.
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I placed an order for the following from COSTCO

Dell™ Studio 17 English, in black
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Processor and Memory:
Intel® Core i7-720QM processor, 1.6 GHz (6 MB L2 cache)
4 GB DDR3 SDRAM

Drives:
500 GB Serial ATA, 7200 RPM
CD-RW\DVD±RW dual-layer combo drive
8-in-1 card reader

Display and Graphics:
17.3-in. glossy widescreen HD WLED display (1440 x 900)
1 GB ATI Mobility Radeon® HD 4650 graphics

Audio:
Integrated high definition Audio 2.2
Built-in stereo speakers
External ports: line-out (speakers/headphone), microphone

Communication:
Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN
Dell™ Wireless 1397 802.11g half mini-card
Integrated 2 MP webcam

Keyboard and Pointing Device: (Had to due without lighted keyboard)
Full-sized keyboard
Touch-pad pointing device

Ports:
ExpressCard™ 32 slot
3 USB 2.0 ports
1 eSATA (shared with 3rd USB port)

IEEE 1394a
RJ45 Ethernet
VGA
HDMI™

Operating System:
Microsoft® Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Additional Software:
Microsoft® Works 9
McAfee® Sapphire MUI (15-month subscription) (Will uninstall for MS)

Power Supply:
Battery: Rechargeable, 9-cell lithium-ion (Li-ion)
AC adapter

Specifications:
Dimensions (W x D x H):
38.7 cm x 28.5 cm x 4.5 cm
(15.5 in. x 11.4 in. x 1.8 in.)
Weight (approximate): 3.6 kg (7.8 lb.)

Warranty and Returns:
Costco extends the manufacturer warranty to 2 years
Returns accepted within 90 days from date of purchase

$1,149.99 CND
Shipping & Handling included

I do hope you think it a fair deal as well as i am a novice here with my pants around my ankles hoping it won't hurt too bad.

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Much appreciated

minir

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:01 pm

minir wrote:My unwritten law is... never aftershop once you make your purchase or you'll end up pulling your hair out...

amen to that! i have the same mantra as well. by the same token, the "if i wait, the item im after will be cheaper or there will be new technology that will replace it" philosophy can easily wind up in an endless circle. best practice (as you have done) is:

1) determine budget
2) determine needs
3) determine timeframe
4) shop wise
5) pull trigger and for eff's sake quit shopping the same item after purchase

laptops arent my comfort zone so ill let the seasoned pros be the judge on your choice. were it me? as long as i am not overextending myself financially and it has what i need, id do it. imo, the smart dollar invests in a strong warranty and tech support.

minir · Post by **minir** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:33 pm

Faust wrote:amen to that! i have the same mantra as well. by the same token, the "if i wait, the item im after will be cheaper or there will be new technology that will replace it" philosophy can easily wind up in an endless circle. best practice (as you have done) is:

1) determine budget
2) determine needs
3) determine timeframe
4) shop wise
5) pull trigger and for eff's sake quit shopping the same item after purchase

laptops arent my comfort zone so ill let the seasoned pros be the judge on your choice. were it me? as long as i am not overextending myself financially and it has what i need, id do it. imo, the smart dollar invests in a strong warranty and tech support.

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Thanks Faust i do appreciate your input. I too lack experience in the laptop end of things. i simply took the advice gained here and tried to find the best deal i could at the moment. Things where moveed forward when i was asked to show Ma some things sent to me by the family, so i bought earlier than i originally anticipated.

I guess i will either enjoy it or slap myself for spending the bucks i did. It is not hard to double the price with options i found out.

I really am not a shopper at heart. Hopefully i may get a couple of "You did okays" and that will make me feel alright, of course a "Look numbnuts you coulda done so much better" is not out of the question either. Hahaha!

Take care my friend and have a fine weekend.

Larry

Faust · Post by **Faust** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:47 pm

something i didnt see listed..... does it mention what degree/level of mfgr warranty/tech support comes with it? ive never purchased a dell product anywhere else but directly from Dell, so the warranty/tech support was spelled out very clearly (and please dont think i am discouraging you from buying from costco. my feeling is youll be getting the normal Dell support which is just fine, but i would inquire were i in your shoes. get it in print).

my thought is youre doing a great job of shopping

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:57 pm

Looks ok cept for the mini dell wireless card, I've seen the Intel's perform better with better range and the processor is a little weak for my tastes.

minir · Post by **minir** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:49 am

Hi Faust & Sava

It is the standard Dell warranty for 2 yrs Faust. They would not allow me to upgrade it unfortunately. Mind you the cost to do so at Dell was a couple of hundred more added to the cost.

Sava i also asked to upgrade the card but also was unable to do so. I thought if it is lacking i can always have it added at a later date. As to the processor i went with what i thought was sufficient ram ansd a decent video card to hopefully satisfy my needs. I bow to your two opinions expressed and hope that if all is not good enough i can return for a full credit within 90 days.

Once again i can't thank you both enough as well as YOSC for your help.

regards

Larry

9mmprincess · Post by **9mmprincess** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:05 am

Minir!

<3

I'm on an Asus right now and love it to death, but I won't bore you since you mentioned Dell specifically. I do want to say tho, to go with a 64 bit OS so you can upgrade RAM later if needed - the 32 bit systems can only take... what is it, 4? or 6 gigs - anymore and the system won't recognize it. With 64 tho, you can add much more RAM

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:58 am

Looks good to me Larry....Intel i7 power...nice. 4 gigs, 7,200rpm drive, and a decent ATI graphics card.

Warranty wise you're able to go in the middle...2 years. Better than the default 1 year.

Windows 7 64 bit....so if you wish to add more memory down the road...you have that flexibility. Good there.

I don't think you're going to find these features for much lower of a price Larry...perhaps once a year you may stumble across some clearance sale or something, but usually those are older components that they're clearing off the shelves...such as an older Core 2 Duo processor instead of the new i7. And I doubt the price will be much below 1K.

Pull the trigger and enjoy!

minir · Post by **minir** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:07 pm

Hi 9mmprincess & YeOldeStonecat

Thanks for your advice 9mmprincess. It does have 64 bit.

Brian I do hope it will be okay but am prepared to add whatever i need if it will improve things for me along the way. How much ram do you suggest?

Bought a Microsoft 7000 series laptop mouse. I use the 6000 on my desktop and like its size as i have big hands.

Santa is now broke but pleased.

Thanks again for all your troubles & the suggestions i have received.

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A few Tiger jokes as repayment.

Tiger's new movie is out: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Hydrant.

Tiger Woods is so rich that he owns lots of expensive cars. Now he has a hole-in-one.

Elin's excuse? She had to play a bad lie.

Apparently the police asked Tiger's wife how many times she hit him. She said "I don't know exactly... but put me down for a 5."

What were Tiger Woods and his wife doing out at 2.30 in the morning? They went clubbing.

Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant and a tree. He couldn't decide between a wood and an iron.

Why did Tiger leave the house so early? He had a 2:30 tree time.

What do a Cadillac SUV and a Nike golf ball have in common? Tiger Woods can drive them both into the trees.

Here are a few other Tiger funnies
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Elin Woods was just offered an endorsement contract pushing her own set of drivers. The slogan will be: "Clubs you can beat Tiger with."

"Tiger Woods won't be playing any more tournaments this year. However, I'm sure he will get in some holes here and there."

And last but not least (My Fave)

Since Tiger drives an Escalade, can he blame the accident on his caddy?

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regards

Larry

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:40 pm

@ the Tiger Woods jokes.

Larry for basic and even medium usage, 4 gigs should be sufficient for you. Especially with Windows 7. Unless you're going to be running some very heavy applications and need maximum speed in them, like full Adobe CS or some auto CAD/design programs...IMO bumping to 8 gigs is a law of diminishing returns for you. Getting Windows 7 up above 2 gigs of RAM...not to mention 4..is your sweet spot.

No light for the keyboard? Find one of those "clip on laptop lights"...under 20 bucks.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:32 pm

LMAO at Tiger jokes!!

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:04 pm

Tiger jokes.

MissTynker2 · Post by **MissTynker2** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:06 pm

Sounds like the cats meow for what you were looking for. Enjoy!!

minir · Post by **minir** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:10 pm

Hi YeOldeStonecat, Sava700 & CableDude

Thanks for the further info Brian.

Pleased you all had some fun with poor ol Tiger. Hes going to take a pounding for quite sometime i fear.

Have a lovely weekend guys.

Larry

minir · Post by **minir** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:17 pm

MissTynker2 wrote:Sounds like the cats meow for what you were looking for. Enjoy!!

Thanks MissTynker2

If nothing else it will add to my frustration level as i learn a new system.

Enjoy your weekend as well Tink

Larry

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:50 am

minir wrote: Hes going to take a pounding for quite sometime i fear.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:21 pm

For those thinking about a laptop....I'm about to pull the trigger on a great deal I can't pass up.
Vostro 1520..15.4" screen
4 gigs of RAM
320 gig 7,200rpm drive
Windows 7 64
Intel 5100 wireless

Normally about $1,010 dollars, XMas SMB special $450.00 off so it's under 600 buckeroos.

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:28 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:For those thinking about a laptop....I'm about to pull the trigger on a great deal I can't pass up.
Vostro 1520..15.4" screen
4 gigs of RAM
320 gig 7,200rpm drive
Windows 7 64
Intel 5100 wireless

Normally about $1,010 dollars, XMas SMB special $450.00 off so it's under 600 buckeroos.

We have a couple of those at the office; stays cool, screens are surprisingly bright, but the keyboard is very mushy.

minir · Post by **minir** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:11 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:For those thinking about a laptop....I'm about to pull the trigger on a great deal I can't pass up.
Vostro 1520..15.4" screen
4 gigs of RAM
320 gig 7,200rpm drive
Windows 7 64
Intel 5100 wireless

Normally about $1,010 dollars, XMas SMB special $450.00 off so it's under 600 buckeroos.

------

Wow! That is a deal YeOldeStonecat

minir

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 12:39 am

Hi Minir

minir · Post by **minir** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:51 am

Chris wrote:Hi Minir

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Hi Chris, hows it hangin?

I assumme your up to your fun parts in snow by now.

Stay warm my friend.

-

Larry

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 8:24 am

minir wrote:-

Hi Chris, hows it hangin?

I assumme your up to your fun parts in snow by now.

Stay warm my friend.

-

Larry

Not quite, landing gears retracted tryin to stay above the snow

minir · Post by **minir** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 11:16 am

Chris wrote:Not quite, landing gears retracted tryin to stay above the snow

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minir

Bastid · Post by **Bastid** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 12:01 am

Hi Minir... nothing to add here but i am glad to see you.

minir · Post by **minir** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 5:45 am

Bastid wrote:Hi Minir... nothing to add here but i am glad to see you.

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Always nice to be seen Bastid

Hope all is well with you and yours

regards

minir

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:28 am

YeOldeStonecat wrote:For those thinking about a laptop....I'm about to pull the trigger on a great deal I can't pass up.
Vostro 1520..15.4" screen
4 gigs of RAM
320 gig 7,200rpm drive
Windows 7 64
Intel 5100 wireless

Normally about $1,010 dollars, XMas SMB special $450.00 off so it's under 600 buckeroos.

yep sounds like a nice deal... I was looking at the Inspirons but they are out of a few colors and I don't want a pink laptop

I can customize what I want with 3 years complete care warranty for around 1100... the Studios were nice to with 3 years complete care for around 1300

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:31 pm

Burke wrote:We have a couple of those at the office; stays cool, screens are surprisingly bright, but the keyboard is very mushy.

Yeah I'm spoiled with IBM/Lenovo keyboards on the laptops..so any other brand is usually a downward turn.

A friend of mine ended up getting a 1520, myself...I ordered a 1320 for the Mrs for her stocking stuffer..they just came down at a great price too...599.