Shall I go for a Dell Precision M4400?

I am considering of getting myself a laptop for personal CAD and design use. I am looking to buy a resonably priced Quadro graphic laptop and hope it last for 2 years or so...

Could anyone kindly advise me on if the Dell Precision M4400 would be a good option? (below is the spec I am thinking of going for)

Processor: 2.8Ghz T9600 Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 4Gb (800Mhz, DDR2)
Graphics Card: NVIDIA Quadro FX1700M (512Mb)
Hard Disk: 320Gb (7200rpm)

 

Hi donotemailme

That spec should be fine for your intended purpose, but just some things to note:

• The M4400 tends to get quite hot under load, so using a P-series processor and a 5,400rpm drive can help to keep things cool. Of course there's nothing to stop you using high-end kit - many people do - but you may notice the heat more.
• The FX1700M is essentially an overclocked version of the FX700M. Save your money and choose the latter; it still performs very well.
• The M4500 is out now, so unless you can get a good discount on the M4400, maybe you can consider the M4500 instead (it has a 16:9 screen, though, if that matters to you).

 

Adding to the list, I think the M4500 is designed better. Little things like two screen latches, rubber nubs to prevent the paint from rubbing off the screen bezel, larger heat sink (for hotter processor).

 

Thanks for your kind advises, I guess I should save up for the M4500 then

 

I don't use my M4400 for CAD, so I have no real input there... but in general I am disappointed. Low battery time is my main concern. Then my mem card reader has problems with some cards, and my optical drive has problems reading some CDs. And yes, it gets very hot at times... And using it for music recording doesn't work very good...

No, my M4400 does not at all live up to my expectations.

 

Lots of good M4400 deals in the Dell Outlet though.