Get D610, E1505, or wait for 14"?

Trying to decide whether to buy now, or wait for some new systems to come out.

My work gives me a yearly technology allowance and I normally get Dells, since we are a part of the EPP partner and get pretty good discounts. Typically, I buy a system to last me 2 years, since I buy a laptop one year, then a desktop the next. This year is laptop time.

Currently, my old laptop doesn't have enough memory and the battery is going bad, so I am anxious to get a new system. My main criteria is to have full support for when Vista comes out.

In the past, I've liked the Latitudes over the Inspirons, but no Core Duo Latitudes are out yet. Also, I normally prefer 14" systems, but none of those are out yet either.

So, my options are:

1. Inspiron E1505: 2ghz Core Duo, 15.4" WSXGA+, Intel GMA950, 2gig DDR2, 100gig 5400rpm (not needed, free upgrade), 9 cell battery, additonal battery, Intel Pro 3945 (abg), bluetooth (2.0+EDR), starting 6.18lbs

2. Latitude D610: 2.13ghz Pentium M, 14.1" SXGA+, Radeon X300, 2gig DDR2, 80gig 5400rpm, 6 cell battery, 6 cell media bay battery, Intel Pro 2915 (abg), bluetooth (2.0+EDR), starting 4.67lbs

3. Wait for Inspiron E1405/640m (April?)

4. Wait for Latitude Core Duo offerings (don't know when)

Any opinions? Both the video cards are listed as being Vista compatible (though don't know if the Intel card would run Glass... or of the X300 would). So perhaps the main difference is if the 2.0ghz Core Duo would be better than the 2.13ghz Pentium-M, if the added weight is an issue, and if not having a media bay battery will matter. Price is about the same.

 

Hi,
If you are planning to use Vista, you need a notebook is "Windows Vista Capable PC Hardware Guidelines". See: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/hardware/vistarpc.mspx

From the above link, you'll find more and it has links to vendor's suggested platforms and product version or build that has been tested as compatible with Windows Vista.
For example: Intel® Core™ Duo processor, Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset Family, Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection are the recommended platforms.

Below:
Intel® Core™ Solo processor
Intel® Pentium® M Processor
Mobile Intel Pentium® 4 Processor supporting Hyper-Threading Technology
Mobile Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor
Intel® Celeron® M processor
can run Vista too but you need to click each link to see the processor #s and or see the notes about their recommendation.

In your list of systems, the first one - Inspiron E1505 - meet the Vista requirements. The rest has some platform that isn't announced as compatible yet. Note that Vista is still in Beta phase and the vendors are working with Microsoft to hopefully allow their products' build to work with Vista but for new buyers of system, it is I think better to get a notebook that has the recommended/suggested requirements.

 

why not wait for D620? It is supposed to be out at the end of March

 

D620 with NVS 110/120M (think 7300 GeForce). They're sexy beasts.

 

They are coming out that soon? I thought they were further away. Guess I will have to wait it out a little while longer.

 

Or wait for a notebook that has Windows Vista as system instead of XP

 

Just checked the status on my E1505 (Core Duo 1.8 Ghz, 1GB RAM, 950 Integrated Graphics), it's at the "boxing" stage, so I would expect it to ship out soon (tomorrow maybe). I'm likely going to make an image of it when it arrives and then throw the Windows Vista Feb. Beta on it just to see how it handles it. I'll report back on how the integrated GPU handles the Windows Aero environments.

 

Thanks, gkurcon:

My E1505 is at the 'boxing' stage as well. I'm not sure if I will upgrade from XP MCE to Vista, but I'd love to hear about your results with it running with the Intel integrated GPU.

I'll check back on this thread sometime next week.

Cheers

 

The NVS 110M and 120M are "Vista Ready" and will no issues running Aero.