Just bought a Dell Inspiron 8600

Literally, bought it last week. Just found out about the 6000. Absolutley gutted. Oh well.

Btw,

I decided to go for the 1.6 GHz processor with 1024 Mb of Ram. However I could have gone for the 1.8 GHz processor with 512 Mb of Ram for the same price. Did I make the right choice?

Also, I got a GeForce GO5200 64mb Graphics card, which I'm pretty sure is not very good at all. Any comments? How upgradeable is it?

 

I think you can upgrade it to the 9600 proturbo, and if you play games like doom 3 HL2 etc. you're going to need it. I do think you made the right choice with the processor/ram...200mhz is not much but you got an extra 512 mb ram, thats good.

 

Btw, anyone know anything about Dell? Would it be possible to return it for one of the newer laptops (maybe with a topup to make up for a difference in cost?) I highly doubt I can do this, but it might be worth a try.

What pisses me off is that I've put off buying a laptop for about 1 1/2 years to wait for newer/cheaper models. Finally decided to get one, and then a week later I learn of the next gen centrinos.

Well, never really contemplated playing doom3/HL2 bc I've never really had anything near power enough to play them. Normally play just Warcraft3/Starcraft/Counterstrike.

Thanks for the reply Ballin. ALthough I vaguely remember reading something about if I change the graphics card, it makes the warranty void.

 

Yes it would make it void, and they are hard to find. Straight off Dell you can get it, but its like 300 bucks. I found one extra cheap on Ebay for someone once, but it was bought. I dont think you can "exchange" it, but the only thing i know you can do is send it back, with a 15% restocking fee or something like that, and simply order a new notebook. But I think Counter strike will fit better with the 9600/9700/(or if you go for 6000)x300. And yes I know what you mean by putting off notebooks. Everything sounds good now but by the end of the year I heard there are going to be Dual-core CPU's on notebooks (hopefully a P-M). I mean there you are talking about a possible 4.2 GHz total with 4 mb cache and the effiency of HyperThreading, with a 1066 mhz fsb (or 1600 fsb if they manage 800 fsb P-M's by then). Thats tough to go by, but then agian, it is not possible to keep up with computer tech because there is always something new. Thats why it would probably be the best idea to get it when it starts, so you have the top of the line for the longest time.

 

You can return it for full credit within 21 days of the date on your packing slip.

* Inspiron 8600c * 1.8ghz Pentium M * 128 MB Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo * 2x512 MB DDR2700 SDRAM * 60GB 7200RPM HDD *

 

I also just bought an 8600 (1.8ghz, 512 RAM, 128 video) and I am trying to not to even look at the new models!
I just got the machine delivered today, and there is no hard copy set-up or manual. I am assuming I need to charge it until the green battery light stops flashing, but can someone confirm for me that flashing green means still charging and steady green (that I have not yet seen) means full charge?
I know this is usually the case but with no hardware you often see some type of notice in the box to fully charge for X hours before initial use.
Anyone?

 

Actually, no light means it's charged. You can always just go check your charge in windows though.

 

Thanx. I plugged it in and it flashed for about 1/2 hour and then stopped. No flash, no light!
I took a chance and booted it up and looked at the manual (pdf, no hard copy so you can't see it until you turn it on) and it says, steady green means charging, flashing green means almost full charge, no light means fully charged!

(I never would have guessed that!)

 

I had a different philosophy. I figured I could get ram cheaper elsewhere, and it's absolutely the easiest and most practical upgrade you can make at a later date (because of the 2 slots). Getting up to a gig with either 1 or 2 dims, either way was going to be too costly on the Dell site, vs some of my other choices.

I literally just bought my 8600 after pondering & reveiwing different systems for 2 weeks. the video card choices & 7200rpm probably are what did me in. (of course, pentium M is the only choice for me.) At long last, when I finally ordered the machine, I decided to get less ram than the gig I wanted (the min req for running Visual Studio.Net is 512mb) so i just upgraded to 1 DIM of the 512. What that does is lets me upgrade other components on purchase not so easy to juice up later. So I avoided spending an extra ridiculous $550 to get 1 dim of 1gb ram (i hate the idea of being boxed in at 1 gig max and moreso throwing away a 512 dim later if i wanted to go higher).

Then, with that money, I upgraded the processor to the PM 755/2Ghz and went middle of the road on the display with the WSXGA+. It's complicated, but what it comes down to is, whatever processor I get I'm stuck with. I see that upgrade as adding onto the life of the laptop, whereas ram is much more flexible what you do with it.

For fifty bucks more (a small luxory), I was able to get one of the best graphics cards available for a laptop (the ATI 9600). Most importantly for performance & based on reviews, I was convinced early on that getting the 7200rpm drive was critical. all the other drives for the 8600 are 4200, NOT 5400 which is what i've seen some people posting. Now what that does is leaves me free to play with it with 512mb ram and at the first sign of a slowdown and make a smart choice on whether to go to 1gig or 1.5gigs with my extra slot. this is my first laptop purchase (always used company loaners) so i'm hoping it works out. but this sounds like an excellent system for what i need it for (Programming, reading the news & watching DVD's)

One more note: i missed a 15% off /free shipping sale that ended yest because i wanted to hold out and see what changed when it was over and was willing to wait if neccessary for another deal. then i went into both the home & small business sites today and noted no significant change in the price after i calculated my systems options. This was great. I then realized the more you upgrade the better the deal you get in the small business site. I priced this system at $1,825.00, $140 less than what was available on the home site. also, home was charging shipping now that the deal was passed. to my surprise, small business shipped for free (3-5 days, which in my experience with dell usually means very soon anyways)

i'm delighted about this purchase and can hardly wait.