What's the better deal Latitude or Vostro?

Just wanted to know your opinions on these laptops and which one would you recommend going for:

1) Vostro 3550 - Brand New (£460)

Vostro 3550 BTS
Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-2410M 2.3GHz
Hard Drive: 500GB (7,200rpm) Serial ATA Hard Drive
Memory: 4096MB 1333MHz Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM
Display: 15.6 inch High Definition LED Display (1366 x 768) with anti-glare
Video Card: AMD Radeon™ HD 6630M 1GB Graphic
Keyboard: Internal Backlit Keyboard
Operating System: Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (64 BIT) with Recovery DVD
Wireless: Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 1030 (1x2 b/g/n+ Bluetooth Combo Card)
Primary Battery: Primary 6-cell 48 WHr Lithium Ion battery
Camera: Integrated 2.0 Mega Pixel Camera
CD ROM/DVD ROM: 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including software
Palmrest : Fingerprint Reader Biometric
3Yr Basic Warranty - Next Business Day


OR


2) Latitude E6520 - Outlet Refurbished (£550.81)

Latitude E6520
Processor: Intel Core i5-2540M (2.60GHz, 3MB cache, Dual Core)
Hard Drive: 320 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
Memory: 4 GB (2x2GB)1333MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Memory
Display : 15.6in UltraSharp FHD(1920x1080) Wide View LED-backlit with Premium Panel Guarantee
Video Card: 512MB NVIDIA NVS 4200M Discrete Graphics
Operating System: English Windows 7 Professional (32 BIT/64 BIT) COA
Wireless: Dell 375 Bluetooth Card
Wireless: Dell Wireless 1501 (802.11 b/g/n 1x1) Mini PCI Card
Battery: Primary 9-cell 97W/HR
8X DVD+/- RW Drive
3Yr Basic Warranty - Next Business Day
Certified Refurbished

 

Tough choice, but the Latitude has a wonderful screen if you don't mind the small text size. The Vostro has an average/mediocre 1366x768 screen which for most people is a bit too low res for a 15.6". The 9-cell battery is also an advantage, and they're tougher and the keyboard IMO is better on them.

 

Thanks

Do you know whether it's possible to insert a better graphics card into the latitude?

 

The Latitude is going to be the better overall laptop. The FHD screen already trods all over the Vostro. The Latitude has a 54mm ExpressCard slot, so you can do eGPU while the Vostro does not.

Make sure you can live with a 9 cell, it unnerves some people to have that much mass sticking out the back of the laptop.

 

The biggest difference between those laptops is the screen, and the screen makes a really big difference for the usability of your computer. Higher resolutions let you fit more onscreen, and generally result in much better image quality as well.

 

The Vostro 3350/3450/3550/3750 all have expresscard slots. The middle two (14'/15') also have a HD6630M option, faster than a NVS4200M offered on equivalent Latitudes. The Vostro has some decent specs for a budget system.

The Latitude you've picked has twice as much battery capacity than the Vostro.

Consider also a HP 4430s/4530s and Lenovo E420/E520 which compete in the same budget business market segment as the Vostro. The Lenovo also giving a HD6630M option in some markets.

 

I really, REALLY have to second this! My E6520 from the Outlet came in today (almost exactly the same specs as in the OP, btw) and the screen is stellar. Best upgrade ever, period. That alone is worth the bigger price tag compared to the Vostro.

The 9-cell battery does stick out a little, but not nearly as much as I thought (an inch max) and I've always thought battery upgrades were the way to go. I do find the machine a tad heavy, but it also seems like a solid and well-built machine. I don't know what the Vostro's are like, though.

Also, the Latitude comes with a standard 3-year warranty, and the Vostro does not, which is something to consider.

So, based on the gorgeous screen, better battery life, build quality and warranty, I went for the Latitude and would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

His quote both machines had 3 year on site warranty. But yes standard Vostro only come with 1 year warranty, you have to buy 2 more years.

 

Oh, sorry, you're right. I read right over it.

 

Thanks for your responses.

So is the graphics card on the Latitude soldered onto the motherboard, which is the reason it can't be changed?

Also, I've done a check on the Dell website to the see how much it would cost brand new for the Latitude and it came out at over £1000. Is it really worth that much more money then the vostro?