What is Dell's current new notebook roadmap?

Anyone know of or where it's posted any expected release dates and models? I'm ready to buy a new 15.4" but I of course I want to wait if Dell's getting ready to update any models. I guess they aren't really going to update anything models until the new mobile i7s come out, no?

BTW, I've been using MacBooks for the last year. They suck for running Windows, and I'm sick of it and sick of Mac in general. I'll still use OSX for iPhone development, but otherwise I'm going to stay away from it. They have unbeatable forms factors and generally good specs, but the supposed Windows support really sucks.

 

Well they have just upgraded most of their lines so I doubt you will see anything significant until later this year. There are new Inspiron 15s, the Studio 15s have Montevina, and the XPS 1530 was changed into the Studio XPS 1640.

 

The smaller Inspiron models are a bit long-in-the-tooth, so to speak. The 1420, in particular, is more than 18 months old. It may be the oldest model in the current Dell lineup (the 1420 and the XPS M1330 were intro'd within days of each other, so those two are the oldest). The 1420's business sibling, the Vostro 1400, was killed off almost a year ago and replaced by the 13.3" Vostro 1310. The 1310 then led to the Inspiron 13...but the 1420 continued on as well.

So the Inspiron 13 and 14 are still based on old Intel hardware. The Inspiron 1525 is as well, although it will be interesting to see if the 1545 replaces the 1525 or is companion model to the 1525's 15.4" successor (maybe 1555 or 1565?). The Vostro line will receive an update at the same time and I can't imagine Dell not having a 15.4" Vostro....so a 15.4" Inspiron seems likely.

The uber-thin, high-end Adamo model(s) also must fit in somewhere when they arrive later in the year. The arrival of the Studio XPS 1340 and 1640 obviously spell the end of the XPS M1330 and M1530. But what about the Studio 1537 and 1737? Will the non-XPS Studio line continue with just two models?

Other than Vostro, the other business-oriented lines are very new. The current Latitude and Precision models were just released in August 2008 (and based on the latest Intel platform), so they're set for at another year or more.

I almost forgot, the Inspiron Mini 10 us also on its way....who knows when! and do we really care that much?

 

Thanks. I'm looking at either the XPS 1640 or the Latitude E6500. I mainly just want power in a 15.4" laptop. (widescreen 16" is acceptable, too.) I really found the build quality on the XPS 15.4 to be poor, which is why I'm considering the Latitude. I'm not sure what I'm going to run on it natively. I'm not sure everything I want to do is 64bit compatible. It looks like the 1640 only comes with 64 bit, I wonder if there are 32bit drivers for everything on it?

 

Do you mind me asking what programs or peripherals won't work with 64-bit? IF 32-bit is a top priority to you, the E6500 has your choice of XP Professional, Vista Home Basic, Vista Business and Vista Ultimate, all 32-bit. Dell doesn't offer Vista Home Premium on Latitude models, but Vista Business all the "eye candy" (Vista Aero, etc). If Media Center is essential, Vista Ultimate includes it. The only 64-bit option is Vista Business 64.

 

There are 32 bit drivers available for it from Dell's site.

 

I don't know of any in particular, but I use a lot of programs for programming and video editing and I have no interest in having to mess around trying to find work arounds or new versions when everything I use now suits my needs. From what I understand, Microsoft has sufficiently bloated the operating system such that the 64bit processing doesn't actually produce a performance boost so there's not much motivation for taking the compatibility hit. Having greater memory support is nice, but I'm not really having much problems with 4GB not being enough.