ATTN: Laptop peoples

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

Within the next month, I'll be in the market for a new laptop.

I've gotta decide between a Dell, or an HP. Now, I've heard both of them are pretty bad when it comes to customer service, but I'd rather go the build-your-own route then buying a pre-built laptop from the store. Also, I've got some coupon codes that are $400 off on a laptop $1199+, so basically I'm looking at a $1200 machine for $800, which isn't too bad at all. With each machine, I'm leaving the ram at stock, because I'd rather buy ram from somewhere then overpay for ram from the companies- I'll most likely go with 4 gigs for whichever system I get.

Here's what I put together at Dell:

It's an Inspiron 1520..

SYSTEM COLOR Jet Black edit

PROCESSOR Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache) edit

OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition edit

DISPLAY High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch display (1440x900) edit

VIDEO CARD 128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS edit

MEMORY 1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz edit

HARD DRIVE Size: 120GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) edit

INTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive) edit

WIRELESS NETWORK CARDS Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card edit

BLUETOOTH AND WIRELESS USB Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR) edit

INTEGRATED WEBCAM No Webcam Option edit

BATTERY OPTIONS 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell) edit

SOUND OPTIONS High Definition Audio 2.0 edit

Here's HP:

It's the dv6500z series:

Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit) edit

Processor AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-64 (2.2 GHz, 512KB+512KB L2 Cache ) edit

Display 15.4" WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1280 x 800) edit

Memory 1GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) edit

Graphics Card 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS edit

Personalization HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Microphone edit

Networking Wireless LAN 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth edit

Hard Drive 160GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive edit

Primary CD/DVD Drive LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support edit

TV & Entertainment Experience No TV Tuner w/remote control edit

Primary Battery High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery edit

Productivity Software Microsoft® Works 8.0 edit

Your additional options:

Click edit to modify. NOTE: These items are in stock and will ship immediately.

HP extended service plans 2-year HP Accidental Damage Protection with Pick Up and Return edit

The Dell has a higher resolution display, and although I don't know much about laptop processors, it seems as though the Intel is a better bet then the Athlon in the HP- and I've heard the Intel T7500 that's in the Dell is an awesome processor. The HP has a larger HDD (120 vs 160), has Lightscribe (which isn't that big of a deal to me), and the 2 year accidental warranty. Both have Bluetooth, which I'd like, and the HP has an a/b/g/n wireless card, while the Dell doesn't have N (but I don't have an N-router anyway, so...). Both systems would be a little over $800 after the discounts are applied.

Any opinions? I'm open to other systems...

Click to read more...

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Dell>HP anyday in my book

 

[hoxie08 5,000+ posts]

sadly yes, the core 2 will be quite a bit more powerful.

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Eh, personally I'd look at what used stuff is available. Then I would dump the Vista...

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

I have used both, and im very happy with my HP laptop. I do still use a Dell desktop though. both great computers...

 

[92SC300 10+ year member]

I would go HP

my uncle has been working there 3+ years and I get all my stuff discount which is around 28% off

have you considered sony?

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Sony and Dell are the only 2 computer companies i would own. After working in a computer repair store i replaced power supplies in HP/Compaq on a daily basis

 

[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

IBM thinkpad

 

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

have you considered sony?

The cheapest Sony from their site runs at least $825, and that's with an Intel T5250, which is no where near what the T7500 is.

I can't imagine how much a Sony would cost with an equivalent build to that of the Dell or HP in my original post.

 

[QtrHorse 10+ year member]

If the main reason for the laptop is gaming, you will not notice the difference in the processors. They are both fast but the core 2 will be a little faster overall. My 1280x800 display is crystal clear but I have not used the two side by side to compare the difference in the resolution.

I have owned both Dell and HP and have never had problems with either so I cannot comment on the service.

Have you checked to see what an Acer would cost in those configurations?

 

[poundindak69]

i would take dell right now since my buddy thats lives next door has a Hp and has had problems with it since he has got it.

 

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

IBM thinkpad

I built a pretty compatible Thinkpad for around $1100, but the thing is, I never really come across deals for IBM's like I do for Dell/HP.

It almost seems as if every month there's a $400 off $1200 coupon, or 30% off coupon for Dell/HP laptops.

 

[faulkton 5,000+ posts]

Dell.

Besides coupons you can also score some great deal on the dell outlet.

I picked up a pretty great deal on an XPS a few months ago.

 

[AndyB 10+ year member]

Macbook??

 

[poundindak69]

yeah cause they know they will get it back when the break. lol