Laptop Shopping

So, I’ve started looking for a new laptop reluctantly. If it weren’t for the annoyingness of the current one locking up and then not wanting to boot back up, I wouldn’t bother. It pretty much does everything I need it to and I still have hard drive space.

Anyway, this is the one I’m considering from Dell…It’s on sale and I get an employer discount with my company, but it’s still more than I want to pay. Worse, I’m a bad geek because I really don’t know much about hardware these days. I’ve sent an email to Mickey asking him what he thinks. I’d be interested in other people’s opinions.

Inspiron 6000

System Components
Inspiron 6000: Intel® Pentium® M Processor 725 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/400MHz FSB)

Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Display: 15.4 inch WXGA LCD Panel

Memory: 512MB Shared DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm

Video Card: Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 Graphics

Hard Drive: 60GB Hard Drive

Network Card: Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem

Combo/DVD+RW Drive: 24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive

Wireless Networking Cards: Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200 Internal Wireless (802.11 b/g, 54Mbps)

Office Productivity Software: Microsoft Office Basic - Includes Outlook, Word, Excel

Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery (53 WHr)

Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options: 4Yr Ltd Warr, At-Home Service, Tech Support, PC Training, 30 Day HelpDesk

Included
Digital Imaging Photo Album™ SE Basic

Additional Batteries: 9-cell Lithium Ion Battery (80 WHr) Additional Battery

Dell 720 Color Printer (Free)

Total: $1,342.51

I mostly use my laptop for web development, writing, internet, digital photo utilities, personal finance, iTunes. I also use it to dial in to work when I’m on call. I have a wireless high speed network at home too. Really, I while I live on my computer, I don’t play games very often like many people do. Oh, and I work on a 21″ monitor at work so 15.4″ is as low as I want to go on a personal laptop.

So? Any suggestions?

tags: none

3 comments

1. on August 22, 2005 at 4:38 pm

   Jeff (no, the other one) said:

   Unless you MUST have a Windows machine, look into the 14″ G4 iBooks or Powerbooks (smalldog.com — great tech support, good specials).

   This looks comparable to your specs above: http://www.smalldog.com/product/35738

   You can find better prices on Refurbs, or bonus RAM on special deals.

2. on August 22, 2005 at 6:46 pm

   n. mallory said:

   I must have a Windows machine for my job.

   My old laptop is a refurb…I won’t do that again…kind of like how I’ll never do a Gateway machine again.

3. on August 23, 2005 at 10:48 am

   Jeff (no, the other one) said:

   Lots of experience, good and bad, with both Dell and Gateway. Some users have bad karma, or bad habits, and now and again you just get a lemon.

   Never had a specific problem due to the refurb status, though — usually it’s been the new ones! Can you say ‘tablet PC’?!?

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.