Well I start college in the fall, and my aging Dell desktop is just barely cutting it for 'net surfing and listening to music... it was "top of the line".... in 1999, and even after upgrading from P2400 to a P3 1ghz, it's still a dino.

Well now that it is college time, and I have a fairly steady income (3 days into the payperiod I had 20 hours this week, in a bi-weekly pay period), I'm looking at laptops.

I've got my two choices narrowed down and I'm leaning towards the Dell. It is the Inspion E1505, I'm going with the single core T1300 Intel Core processor (1.66ghz w/ 666 FSB), it's got a 15.4" widescreen, 60 gig HD, some other good things, $807.

The HP we are also looking at is $760 but it has a smaller HD (40 gig) and a slower 1.4 Celeron, but a better picture quality screen.

We're leaning towards the Dell b/c well, this desktop is 7 years old and on probably its 6th or 7th clean install and everything still works. Yeah their Tech Support has gone down the crapper (also known as INDIA) but I don't really see the need for tech support, I take great care of the things I own. My mom has a higher spec Inspiron 6000 and she's in love with it.

Any thoughts? Other than "Dell Sux" or "HP sux"? :-p

Thanks in advance. :bowtie:

Either will work, however I would not look at anything running a Celeron chip. Both HP and Dell have good machines. HP tends to put more software garbage on theirs to clutter up your harddrive, but it is easily removed, especially if you kill it right away. I would look at one that is power by a Pentium Mobile chip or an AMD (Not Sempron).

i a bigger fan of hp dont get anything with a celeron chip in it

We just recently bought two dual core E1505s for the wife and my mother and I really enjoy using it. I recommend going forking out the extra $ for the beefy video card and 3rd tier display option...we only bought the entry level card and display on my mothers and its a huge difference. We have had them over 3 months now with NO problems other than the bluetooth mouse not wanting to reconnect without some assistance but hey...if these things can survive my mother then IMO they are top notch. But enough about what i think, here is what a consumer reporting agency has to say...

Budget pick - Dell Inspiron 6000 1.5 GHz Celeron M 370 $850
Workhorse pick - HP Pavilion zv6000 2.2 GHz AMD Athlon 64 $1,250

Oh, make sure you do a few searches on the net for digital 'coupons'. After a few minutes work I found one for $100 off a Dell lappy!:metal: If you are wanting some more RAM order it from Newegg for about half the cost of the dealers upgrade price, super easy install.

good deals on tigerdirect.com .ca
Great company too....

i'd go with the dell.

however, if you haven't considered it yet, you might check out the macs (no booing, please!)
my wife and i just got a mac lappy. it is the 1st mac we've ever owned, and i have to honestly say, WOW. i've never had a more beautiful, better-running machine! everything works like it should, wireless/bluetooth/integrated camera/ everything properly "talks" to each other, and was a snap to set up and use.

the cool part is that they are building them with intel dual-core chips, which means you can natively install and run windows xp (or vista, if it ever comes out.)

i've never been a mac person, and i was always turned away by the over-zealous mac fanboys, but i've got to tell you, it's one that should be considered if you haven't already.

we priced them out, and the mac we got is almost identical to the comparable dell. they are even built with the exact same components, processors, video cards, etc. but it was less expensive than the dell, even with coupons.

plus, i think they are also running college deals (discounted lappy, comes with a free ipod nano, or something.)

that was prolly .02 too much, but anyway, good luck!

Have you every thought about having one build custom? My wife works for a place that build's custom computers and you can get just what you want and you don't have to get all that stuff that you will never use. I have one that I bought from them for my bussiness and it's a lot nicer and a lot faster than my buddy's dell. It's something you may want to look into.

Never get anything with a Celeron.
I prefer Dell over HP, Dell has better support.
Always buy a 3yr warranty with your laptop!!!!!!! (IMPORTANT!! IMPORTANT!!)
The new Duo Core Intels are nice.
I just got a Dell Latitude D620 Duo Core for ~$1250 and love it!!

Know your screens! WXGA sucks, but WXGA+ rocks! XGA sucks but SXGA rocks! Basically ... look at the resolution...if it's 1024x768, it is the worst possible screen you can get for your laptop. If it has a (+) at the end of it, it is the higher end, higher resolution screen.

Laptop screens and hard drives are the two items that will be most likely to fail on you in the first year or two of having your laptop. Be very careful which laptop you choose if you will be using a Verizon cellular high-speed card - the Dell Inspiron 6000 has problems with some of those types of cards, as do others, I can provide more info if this applies to you.

Most of all - LOOK FOR ONLINE DISCOUNTS. I have coupons for Dell and they are always running specials. Check www.XPBargains.com for laptop deals. Check www.Slickdeals.net for laptop deals (I prefer SlickDeals).

Also - very important: Do you want a desktop replacement (I.E. a boat anchor) or do you want something portable you can carry to class? This is something to think about WHILE researching and BEFORE you buy.

PS - building custom laptops is expensive for a home user (in reference to the post before mine). Dell usually builds their laptops based on selections you make in their cart system. I would not trust a local company of any sort to build a laptop for you :)

Well, playing around with the E1505... I've got the Duo Dual Core processor T2300, 1 gig of ram, XP home ed. 60gig harddrive, Integrated Audio and the Intel Graphics thing (I'm assuming onboard/software video), and it is only 760.... which is what HP wants for their DV6000T with the Celeron.

Is it truely worth the extra money for the super hotrod screen, video card, and/or optional audio, considering the most "audio/visual" it's gonna see is a DVD?

$760 is exactly what I wanna spend, which is DIRT CHEAP. Any other thoughts? You folks have been fabulous, thanks so much!

Yes it is replacing this desktop, I'm gonna let my 17 year old sister have it, she's wallowing on a PII 233 with like 128megs of ram and a tiny monitor... so going to this Dell with 19" monitor and 1Ghz P3 will be great for her. I'll bring it to college... but "college" is about 3 miles up the road. And I have a several-hour downtime after my first couple classes everyday (i already pre-registered :) )

I just wanna be able to sit in my room and listen to music and watch DVDs and chat to my friends and family AND have the ability to bring it somewhere on rare occasion, or maybe to a class or two.

*** the SXGA+ monitor (according to dell, the ONE for DVD watching, is an extra $100... which only brings me to 869.... worth it? Y'all lemme know, specially since I'd like ot watch DVDs in my room.... hooked to my huge stereo :metal:

anything is worth the super hotrod screen and i can get you a better price if you read this entire post.

three most important things to consider when buying a laptop, in order:

CPU
Screen
Size/shape

why do I say this? these are the only three things you can't upgrade/change easily when you buy a laptop.

your amount of viewing area is VITAL. if you have a large resolution like 1400x1050, you can always make the text and icons bigger by reducing things to 1024x768 or its equivalent. if you have a small resolution screen, you can never go bigger ... EVER.

CPU is important to get right the first time. You can upgrade, but it's a bear. never buy a celeron, always get the CPU you want first time around.

size and shape is uber important. look closely at the dimensions and the weight. make a mockup of the laptop using their dimensions so you have a reference. put it in your hands, carry it around ... is it right for you? also, look at the weight. if you need a reference, go to the store and pick up a 5lb. bag of sugar. this is what 5lbs feels like. you should be able to find a 1lb bag or something to get more reference.

lastly - memory can be upgraded. for the perfect amount, get 1GB of RAM. 512 will suffice. 256 is just not enough. memory upgrades can be cheap.

just think of it like this - when shopping for cars, you don't spend $2000 less for the base model with no A/C only to retrofit it later with A/C and power options for $6000 extra.

video card - i don't place a lot of importance in this unless you plan on gaming a lot, and it's not easy to upgrade later. but if you wanted to play games like Doom3 and CS2 or Unreal Tournament 2004, I would not buy a laptop so ... yeah.

optional audio - not important in my book. you'll probably use headphones or external speakers with it.

based on what you're telling me, you want the bigger screen for DVD playback. Widescreen will be of high benefit to you (if it's a widescreen, the screen type will start with "W" like ... "WXGA+", "WSXGA" or similar). video card for only movies ... probably not necessary...BUT if you get a nice 256MB one, it will probably have "video out", which will be like an S-Video cable which will let you hook it to a projector or to a TV. this might be of interest to you later.

if it's a desktop replacement and you'll carry it around a lot, then by all means, weight is not a problem.

that is a sweet deal. DO NOT FORGET A WARRANTY. I expect you'll walk out spending around $900-1,000 if you get the warranty and get a good screen - TRUST ME, i work with laptops all day, i'm the head of IT for all of the east coast offices of my company...you'll want the warranty and don't skimp on this if you are gonna use it the next 3-4 years or more.

everything else you listed sounds great.

again - before you order, check out this better deal at XPBargains - $699 for a ballzout E1505 with 1GB of RAM, DVD Burner, WXSGA+ screen (best you can buy). just add a warranty! http://www.xpbargains.com/index.php/send_deal/56202

read this article, maybe it will provide insight: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060604-6981.html

Look for coupon codes here: http://www.xpbargains.com/index.php/send_deal/55999

Oh - and here: Another $150 and you get a wicked sweet 20" LCD flat panel to add on to that:

http://www.xpbargains.com/index.php/send_deal/56172

you could ebay it for $250 easy and recoop some cash or just use it with your laptop.

this is just a sample, man. just don't forget to add the warranty :D i know i'm beating this one to death...and you may never use it ... but it's insurance and something will break. trust me :D

based on what you're telling me, you want the bigger screen for DVD playback. Widescreen will be of high benefit to you (if it's a widescreen, the screen type will start with "W" like ... "WXGA+", "WSXGA" or similar). video card for only movies ... probably not necessary...BUT if you get a nice 256MB one, it will probably have "video out", which will be like an S-Video cable which will let you hook it to a projector or to a TV. this might be of interest to you later.

Well I think I will go ahead and get the best screen, I think (based on what you and Dell are telling me) it is the thing I need if I care to watch DVDs.

My only real qualms with an additional warrantee is that I take incredible care of my personal belongings, in a sick, obsessed way. ESPECIALLY things I pay for. Which only lives accidents caused by God (which usually aren't insured) or from friends, and I'm so uber-obsessive, friends don't touch my stuff.

BUT I will see how the money looks.

The only issue I see with getting what you're suggesting, is it just seems like overkill. I don't want a DVD burner, I have no intentions of burning DVDs, and its one more "feature" on the drive that could go screwy and flake things up. I know early DVD/CD drives had issues, and this Dell I'm on, the DVD went out in it. I'm sure technology is advanced and all, but I'm still leary... and I doubt I will wish to plug it into any externa Video, or Audio for that matter. The screen (only screen) on the E1505 is a 15.4 widescreen, it's just a matter of XGA or the SXGA+squared Superman on Crack Edition, which sounds like what I need for DVDs.

Are these rebates and coupons instant, pre-purchase? It says 699 but does that mean i'm paying 4 arms and legs first then getting a rebate? I can't afford much more than 800-900 right now.

AND here's my next question (since you're so knowledgable I'm gonna friggin use it)... if I add the mondo warrantee, and that pushes me over the $999 for the coupon i see, can I use this coupon? Or does the warrantee not factor into the $999 "system price"?

okay, well, if you think any of those things are required to need to use a warranty with your computer, you are sorely mistaken.

example: out of the last bundle of 14 laptops i have ordered in the past 2 years, i have warrantied 3 laptop hard drives for them. out of those three, one has already failed again (less than 3 months later). this is not saying that Dell uses inferior products - they were all well known brand names and models sold in local stores.

point being: electronics are electronics. they die, regardless of whether you beat the living crap out of them or treat them like they're a princess. you can't say when or how, or how long - they can't test the life of a hard drive or screen at a factory - it either works or it doesn't when it goes out of the factory and if it deos, it gets used.

your comment on the DVD drive going out - if you had a 3yr warranty, they would have replaced it w/o a question ;)

as for the DVD burner - don't get it. but if it comes with it - and cheaper than your config - why not? otherwise, use the XPBargains link above with the better deal, remove it from the cart as you walk through to purchase (which is very possible) and you will get $25-40 off of your laptop usually. while you're at it, get the less-quality video card also and that's another $25-40 saved...$100 off right there.

as for the discount coupons - yes. whatever the price of the laptop is in the cart when you are done is what you apply the discount against - and yes, it sounds really dumb, but there is a marketing reason behind why they make it so you could get a laptop for $900 with no coupon or spend $1300 and get $400 off to pay the same price - you feel like you get a better deal, overall you get a better computer, and you come back and buy more later (and blab to your friends, which means more sales for Dell). think about your purchase before hand. if you could spend $350 more, then take $300 off, why not pay $50 extra for $300 worth more stuff?

most discount coupons are not "stackable" (you can't double them up), so stick with the basic deal you see at XPbargains link above, remove the DVD drive, add the warranty, pay the diff'ce. most of your hardware problems - if any - will occur in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th year of service from your laptop. the warranty will cover most everything.

bottom line: there is a reason i keep talking about the warranty. take it or leave it - i won't mention it again. i admin ~12 Sony Vaio laptops right now, about 40 Dell D600-series laptops, a couple D400's, two IBM X41 Tablet PC's and more desktops than can shake a stick at. i know better than to trust consumer electronics. warranty is not for you and your usage habits - it's insurance for when the hardware fails.

OK... wow, I finally "grasped" what you are saying... I tacked on the widescreen SXGA+ monitor and the 2yr warantee (It didn't show a 3yr) and added the 30% coupon and it came to 853... which is less than just adding the monitor...

...Saved to cart, I'll throw it by my folks again when they get back from the movies....

Thanks again shifty, you FINALLY beat into my head somehting INCREDIBLY obvious.... I'm getting more for less.

:)

Enjoy that new laptop - and remember - the majority of people who go to Dell's site and buy laptops don't know about Dell coupons or anything I've said in this post - so, the majority of America goes out and pays $1400+ for the same laptop you've got carted up for a little over 800 right now. :D

Let me know how it turns out. 2yr warranty should be alright, you can renew or extend your warranty when the other one gives up the ghost - it's worth the extra hundred bucks or whatever they charge - think about it - two years from now you can spend a hundred bucks for another year of warranty - or spend eight hundred on a new laptop lol