Vostro 1500 or Inspiron 1520??

Im looking to get a new laptop in a few weeks and can't decide which of the two to get. I know they are almost the same system with the exception of the color. (I also read somewhere on here that the Vostro has a keyboard cover thing and has the hard-drive shock protection thing, any comments on that?).

I plan on getting the following specs

2.0 GHz Processor
WXGA+ Screen
Intel Wireless g card (cant remember the model name...1395??)
Bluetooth
CD/DVD RW Drive
256MB 8600 GT Video Card

The Ram and Hard drive I am just going to get the cheapest one avail and order some from new egg.

The Laptop will be for school, I am a Mechanical Engineering major. So I would be running Matlab, Maple, C, Fortran, Autocad, Solidworks, Inventor, and some other engineering related apps.


So which system would everyone recommend? What are the benefits of one over the other (Price, Customer Service,etc....)?

Thanks...I might have a few more questions after I have a few responses.

 

Vostro is comparatively cheaper (notebook price and warranty services), but hardware-wise they are identical. Don't know anything about keyboard covers, but DELL Strike Zone shook protection HDD mounting system is available in both systems.

 

they are basically the same cases...personally I think Id like my black inside more than the silver (nicer on the eyes) so thats one reason I got it. Basically, whatevers cheaper....get it! plus vostros dont get as much bloatware...another plus

 

Vostro ships faster.