Helping out a friend

Viper01 · 08-12-2007, 07:11 PM

Hello,

Guys it has been about 2.5 years since I have put together a system so I am quite out of the loop when it comes to the latest stuff. I am espeically out of the loop when it comes to the latest laptop stuff. However, I know plenty enough that a co-worker of mine has asked me for some help to help him find a laptop for his son who is going to college for his Mechanical Engineering degree.

Now I did some fishing around mostly on Dell's site. Mostly because I have been hunting for a new computer for myself (I am done building my own system this current one I am on caused me enough issues) and liked their XPS desktops.

I am working on a $2000 dollar budget which I felt was more then enough. From what I understand his son does play games, although I am not sure how much so I went with a mid-range system. He will be carrying this around to classes and such so it needs to be somewhat sturdy.

I looked at the Inspiron's and this is one I put together myself for 1950 after all the price reductions from ordering it online, etc.

What is your opinion on inspirons? I have heard mixed feelings. Is a toshiba or HP a better route?

Inspiron 1720 Qty 1
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache), Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition Unit Price $2,240.00
Required for Blu-ray drive
Expires Saturday, August 23, 2008

Required for Blu-ray drive
Expires Saturday, August 23, 2008

Dell Home Customers: Save $274 off this Dell Inspiron 1720!
Limited Time Offer!
- $274.00

Inspiron 1720
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition
System Color Jet Black
MEMORY 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
LCD Panel Anti-glare, widescreen 17.0 inch display (1440 x 900)
Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
Hard Drive Size: 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Optical Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Sound Card Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition
Wireless Networking Cards Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini-Card
Camera No Webcam Option
Misc Productivity Software Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 - Word, Excel + PowerPoint
Anti-Virus/ Security suite (pre-install) I chose the promotional security package with service
Battery Options 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell)
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options DellCare Plus
Dial-Up Internet Access No ISP requested
Bluetooth Options Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR)
Dell Digital Entertainment No Entertainment software pre-installed
DOMS Camera Mod Basic Black Matte LCD back color w/o Camera
Processor Branding Intel® Core™2 Duo Label
Labels Windows Vista™ Premium
DataSafe Online Backup DataSafe included with DellCare Service bundle

What do you think? Any help, even negative would be great!

I am currently looking around at HP right now.

Viper01 · 08-12-2007, 07:24 PM

One thing I wanted to add to this is that I did not put an anti-virus program in there because they only offered Norton and Mcafee. I have had bad experiences with both of those softwares and was going to reccomend to him to get Trend Micro.

Viper01 · 08-12-2007, 07:36 PM

Here is the HP I built. I am starting to like HP...
What do you think of this system? this one was 1860 but with printer and case its 2070.

HP Pavilion dv9500t customizable Notebook PC
RL653AV
– Upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista Business (32-bit)
– Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7300 (2.00 GHz, 4 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)
– 17.0" WXGA+ High-Definition Ultra HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1440 x 900)
– 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
– 383MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
– FREE Upgrade to HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Webcam + Microphone
– Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM)
– 120GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
– LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support!!
– High Capacity 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
– System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows Vista Business (32-bit)
– Microsoft(R) Office Home and Student 2007
– HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

What do you think?

*SRTDodge05* · 08-12-2007, 08:02 PM

Hp looks real good to me. I like dell laptops but they lack in the high tech screens.

Viper01 · 08-12-2007, 08:06 PM

Yeah, I was leaning on the HP myself after putting that system together simply because it includes so many extra little things. The fact that I could get Vista Business for cheaper at HP was odd to me but I guess they work that out some way. do you know if that brand of laptop is sturdy enough for travel?

*SRTDodge05* · 08-12-2007, 08:10 PM

Each laptop is made different and hard to tell how well they are made to stand traveling around. But the issue i see is that the 17in screen mite make it a little hard to carry around all the time. normal traveler laptops are with 15.4in screens or less.

SpeedDMN · 08-12-2007, 08:38 PM

I have a dv9000t with the Ultra Brightview option. I think it is worth getting. The display is beautiful with deep rich colors. It more then makes up for the decreased resolution IMO. I also like the big screen, though it does make it a bit heavy. The cases that fit the 17" are huge! I sometimes use mine as a little suitcase and cram a change of clothes in with the lappy. I have been more then pleased with mine and I doubt you will be sorry if you opt for the HP.

08-12-2007, 07:11 PM	#1
Viper01 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6	Helping out a friend Hello, Guys it has been about 2.5 years since I have put together a system so I am quite out of the loop when it comes to the latest stuff. I am espeically out of the loop when it comes to the latest laptop stuff. However, I know plenty enough that a co-worker of mine has asked me for some help to help him find a laptop for his son who is going to college for his Mechanical Engineering degree. Now I did some fishing around mostly on Dell's site. Mostly because I have been hunting for a new computer for myself (I am done building my own system this current one I am on caused me enough issues) and liked their XPS desktops. I am working on a $2000 dollar budget which I felt was more then enough. From what I understand his son does play games, although I am not sure how much so I went with a mid-range system. He will be carrying this around to classes and such so it needs to be somewhat sturdy. I looked at the Inspiron's and this is one I put together myself for 1950 after all the price reductions from ordering it online, etc. What is your opinion on inspirons? I have heard mixed feelings. Is a toshiba or HP a better route? Inspiron 1720 Qty 1 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache), Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition Unit Price $2,240.00 Required for Blu-ray drive Expires Saturday, August 23, 2008 Required for Blu-ray drive Expires Saturday, August 23, 2008 Dell Home Customers: Save $274 off this Dell Inspiron 1720! Limited Time Offer! - $274.00 Inspiron 1720 Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 (2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache) Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition System Color Jet Black MEMORY 2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz LCD Panel Anti-glare, widescreen 17.0 inch display (1440 x 900) Video Card 256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT Hard Drive Size: 160GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) Network Card Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem Optical Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive) Sound Card Integrated Sound Blaster® Audigy™HD Software Edition Wireless Networking Cards Dell Wireless 1390 802.11g Mini-Card Camera No Webcam Option Misc Productivity Software Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 - Word, Excel + PowerPoint Anti-Virus/ Security suite (pre-install) I chose the promotional security package with service Battery Options 85Whr Lithium Ion Battery (9 cell) Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options DellCare Plus Dial-Up Internet Access No ISP requested Bluetooth Options Built-in Bluetooth capability (2.0 EDR) Dell Digital Entertainment No Entertainment software pre-installed DOMS Camera Mod Basic Black Matte LCD back color w/o Camera Processor Branding Intel® Core™2 Duo Label Labels Windows Vista™ Premium DataSafe Online Backup DataSafe included with DellCare Service bundle What do you think? Any help, even negative would be great! I am currently looking around at HP right now.
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 07:24 PM	#2
Viper01 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6	One thing I wanted to add to this is that I did not put an anti-virus program in there because they only offered Norton and Mcafee. I have had bad experiences with both of those softwares and was going to reccomend to him to get Trend Micro.
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 07:36 PM	#3
Viper01 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6	Here is the HP I built. I am starting to like HP... What do you think of this system? this one was 1860 but with printer and case its 2070. HP Pavilion dv9500t customizable Notebook PC RL653AV – Upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista Business (32-bit) – Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7300 (2.00 GHz, 4 MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB) – 17.0" WXGA+ High-Definition Ultra HP BrightView Widescreen Display (1440 x 900) – 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) – 383MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS – FREE Upgrade to HP Imprint Finish (Radiance) + Webcam + Microphone – Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection and Bluetooth(TM) – 120GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive – LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support!! – High Capacity 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery – System Recovery DVD with Genuine Windows Vista Business (32-bit) – Microsoft(R) Office Home and Student 2007 – HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope What do you think?
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 08:02 PM	#4
SRTDodge05 Grab Life By The Balls Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,830	Hp looks real good to me. I like dell laptops but they lack in the high tech screens.
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 08:06 PM	#5
Viper01 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 6	Yeah, I was leaning on the HP myself after putting that system together simply because it includes so many extra little things. The fact that I could get Vista Business for cheaper at HP was odd to me but I guess they work that out some way. do you know if that brand of laptop is sturdy enough for travel?
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 08:10 PM	#6
SRTDodge05 Grab Life By The Balls Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 7,830	Each laptop is made different and hard to tell how well they are made to stand traveling around. But the issue i see is that the 17in screen mite make it a little hard to carry around all the time. normal traveler laptops are with 15.4in screens or less.
(Offline)

08-12-2007, 08:38 PM	#7
SpeedDMN Silicon Avatar Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hyde Park, NY Posts: 2,927	I have a dv9000t with the Ultra Brightview option. I think it is worth getting. The display is beautiful with deep rich colors. It more then makes up for the decreased resolution IMO. I also like the big screen, though it does make it a bit heavy. The cases that fit the 17" are huge! I sometimes use mine as a little suitcase and cram a change of clothes in with the lappy. I have been more then pleased with mine and I doubt you will be sorry if you opt for the HP. __________________
(Offline)

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