Vostro 1700 - the prelude . NOOB

HI !

I want to buy a Vostro 1700 , and was wondering what the best configuration was . I'm a medical student , and not much of a gamer , but wouldn't mind some 3D action .

Now , let's say my bidget is extremely limited , and I were to cut down on 1 component to get another . Would you suggest 2GB memory + Nvidia 8400M gs OR 3GB + Intel X3100 ?

Any suggestions guys ?

 

It all depends what kind of software you plan to use. If it's CPU or Graphics intensive then I would get a nice CPU like a T5870 ($75) or a T8100 ($225). If you plan on doing some 3D gaming you'll need a good graphics card. I would suggest getting the 8600m GT. It's much better than the 8400m GS.

I own a Vostro 1700 w/8600m GT and a Vostro 1500 w/8400m GS. The 8600m GT outperforms the 8400m GS by a wide margin.

As far as memory goes get 1GB (-$25) only if you plan on configuring it with Windows XP. It won't let you do it if you want Vista. Then go to Newegg.com and buy yourself 4GB of laptop memory for $73.98 with free 2 day shipping.

edit: It does let you configure Vista Premium with 1GB of memory, sweet. Also the laptop comes with the 8400m GS for $75 i'd upgrade to the 8600m GT.

 

Can you tell us what you are going to use the laptop for on a day to day basis?

 

The 8600m GT is a pretty nice card. A little outdated now, but still plenty for most users. 2GB of RAM is plenty for the most part. Get an Intel wireless card as they are better supported by 64 bit. Also keep in mind that while RAM, CPU, and the wireless cards can be easily upgraded, it is very impractical to upgrade a video card.

BTW, I can also supply the .config for a kernel for the 1700 (which was based on the "Hannah" kernel a friend of mine made for his 1720) to help you make a custom kernel.

 

Thanks guys , you're all too kind !

Well , there's no one main functionality if I get this , it'll be a little bit of everything ; browsing , movies , email , powerpoint , word , some 3d games ( but NOT very heavy ! ) .
I just don't want to outgrow this in another 6 - 12 months, that's all . I doubt wether my requirements will change , but i'd hate to see the new wondows or the office run slowly !

Thanks again guys

 

I was thinking ....

People say even 2 GB is an overkill for a laptop , but considering i have to "share" it with the graphics ....

Dell has an option to get 1.5 GB ram . The only way I see they could do that is 1 X 512 and 1 X 1 GB .

So can I just pull the 512 out , put in a 2GB and get myself a 3GB laptop for 30 dollars less ? ( yeah yeah , call me desperate , but that's how the world spins these days ! )

 

The 8400, and the 8600 have dedicated memory. The video carrds do not need to share with the system memory.

 

They may not need to but they do by design - Turbocache

 

Hi , yet another question !

Is buying online cheaper than instore for the same specs ( I mean shipping and handling included ! )

 

Online is cheaper.

 

For you, the only demanding use might be the games. You'll want more RAM if you multitask heavily, but 2GB goes a long way. My older workstation had 1.5GB of RAM (upgraded to 2GB when I found a deal on RAM) and it can handle some pretty demanding multitasking.

 

A lot of people say a lot of things about buying online .

What are your opinions ? Safety / price / overall

This forum has been a revelation

 

The TurboCache doesnt seem to be a big deal under XP Pro. Video card doesnt take anymore memory than its dedicated 256MB. Appears to be a DirectX 10 thing. Another good reason to leave vista alone.

As far as the purchasing online, www.newegg.com has one of the best reputations for good reason. The service after the sale is amazing. If you need anything electronic I would recommend buying from newegg. Good people. Ebay can be a great place to shop, but you will need to watch the sellers to see that they have plenty of sales (more than 1000) and that they have a very clean record (I usually look for 98% or higher)

 

Ah , finally ordered from the UK site

let's see how it goes

Thanks for everything guys ( and gals ! )

 

I wouldn't worry too much about "messing" up on your configuration because you're just using the computer for the average things that most people use computers for. So with that in mind, as long as you have a C2D an enough Ram to satisfy Vista, then you'll be fine.

 

Enjoy your purchase. Don't forget to post some pics and thoughts.