Good Deal or not

I am going to purchase the following but wanted to know if people that it was a goof deal or not.

Latitude 13
Intel Core 2 Duo Su7300
4GB Ram
160GB 7200 RPM HD
External DVD Burner
Webcam
6 cell battery
Intel 4500HDM graphics

$650 shipped. Does this sound like a good deal? This is from the Dell Business Outlet....This will not be used for any gaming. Just internet email and watching videos..

Thanks

 

Not really.

You've got a low powered SULV processor. You've got the potential noise and vibration of a 7200rpm HDD - something a lot of owners complained about. You also can't use all 4GB of RAM because of the 32-bit Windows - a pity because that single stick of 4GB RAM is pricey. Also keep in mind that the integrated battery is anemic, despite "6-cells" the output is similar to some 3 and 4-cell batteries. Do I really need to point out you're buying a previous generation processor and last generation integrate graphics. With the i Core family, Intel has greatly improved integrated graphics. These days, Intel graphics are more than capable of handling 1080p streaming.


Oh, and you're buying what amounts to a previously owned computer. I wouldn't fall for a $650 outlet deal when I've seen the same hardware for $669 new.

Probably the only "good deal" in the entire Vostro V13/Latitude 13 line is the cheapest Ubuntu Vostro V13. Now that it's marked down to $399, at the moment, it actually looks like good value, even with Ubuntu 9.04. If only it had been Ubuntu 10.04, I'd own one right now. For $399, I'd definitely go for the Vostro V13, making it a great value as the thinnest subnotebook.

For $650 for an outlet Latitude 13, you've better off looking at a new E6410, especially when you take into account the 3 year warranty.

 

Not really, IMO. My e6410 - better config, but of course a heavier computer - cost $655.

Unlike our esteemed colleague linuxwannabe, I wouldn't worry about buying a refurb. You have the same ability to inspect the system and return it with no worries if it's not up to par. My experience is limited, of course, to my own purchase, but the system I got is in absolutely pristine condition. I would never have been able to tell this refurbed/reconditioned machine apart from something brand-new, except for the sticker on the bottom that warns me it may contain refurbished parts. I found one tiny problem that could have happened on a brand-new machine - a squeaky spacebar - but it took 30 seconds to fix, and if it wouldn't have been fixable, I could have chosen to send the system back.

The big difference is my system cost $655, where a brand-new one with the same configuration would have cost $1300+ at whatever "special" price they were offering that day.

Right now, there are 11 Latitude 13's in the outlet with an SU7300 processor and 4GB RAM. The least expensive is listed at $590, but frankly, I wouldn't buy until I had a coupon or discount code. With a 20% coupon, that price would go down to $472.

One of the systems in the Outlet is even "previously ordered new", with an SU7300 processor and 4GB RAM, for $669. Again - if you wait or work to get a 20% coupon, that price will go down to $535.

Obviously, you would not want to buy a system from the Outlet that's more expensive than the regular price. The point is, even a system that isn't a deal at that price becomes a good deal when you have a coupon.