Two questions about build quality

1) From your experience, are the Latitudes more sturdy and reliable than the Inspirons?

2) Is the build quality of the business Inspirons any different from that of the home Inspirons?

I'm asking because I'm shopping for a laptop to send with my daughter to college.

(We have two Dell desktops, one a "business" Dimension and the other a "home" Dimension, and they seem to be identical. So I think I know the answer to my second question.)

 

1) well yes latitudes are more stable than their sister consumer line counterparts as the latter latitudes are the dells business line model and they tend to be more reliable and well built and have better customer support

2) yes they are the same the inspirons in the small business site are the same as the inspiros in the home site

 

the business inspirons and regular inspirons are the same thing. on the other hand, there should be a difference between the inspiron and latitude lines (hd shocks, spill resistant keyboard, magnesium alloy chassis)

 

Thanks for the info. I have a hunch my daughter will prefer the LOOKS of the Inspiron, so we'll see what happens.

(BTW, we've had an Inspiron 4000 for at least six years and it's held up well except for the battery.)

 

6 years wow great to hear that its put up with time
well the battery as i mentioned earlier deteriorates and the total charge taht can be held by the battery too decreases eventually to close to nil due irreversable chemical reaction in the Li-on cells a
well the white bumper look has many admirers and numerous who oppose it too but thats personal preference
the inspirons are set to undergo an face lift somewhere i the near future

 

Im using the inspiron 6400 for college right now and i will comment:
PROS:I have only been using it for a few days now but i have already typed a few papers with it and made some power points. It handles everything i throw at it no problem with plenty of power and room to spare. The speakers it is equipped with are very good as well, just playing the music through them sounds exceptionally good for a laptop. Dvd's are awesome to watch and i have not had the "light leak" problem that some have said about the 6400.

CONS:Its big with the 15.4" screen and can be heavy to some, for me its not heavy at all, but i do carry it in a back pack. If she uses it in a hand bag with a few books it might be a too much. The closing clips are plastic and dont feel as solid as the rest of the machine. And also the Buttons on the scroll pad feel flimsy as well but they seem like they will hold up throughout my abuse.

Over all excellent laptop i am actually trying to buy another for my brother who is starting college soon but i cant find the same specs for anywhere near the 600 i paid, so im waiting for another crazy deal .