Will Dell Inspiron 6000 do for college?

I'm getting a dell inspiron notebook for first-year usage and want something that can be moved around from time to time but doesn't have to be too light. I also want an amply sized screen for better DVD viewing, so I'm thinking 14 or 15". I was considering the 12", ultralightweight 700m as well, but the fear of a small keypad was too much as I have big hands and am used to desktop typing. Would a i6000 (15.4" wide screen, 6.6-7 lb) be fine? I guess it's down to i6000, i600m and i700m.

 

Besides watching DVDs what are you planning on doing with it? Your budget? IBMs will have the best keyboards.

 

typical college use, dvds, music, casual gaming, maybe some photo editing ... i'm trying to stick to dell now since i've got good deals there and i already did plenty of research there

 

My 2 cents: If you are going to go with Dell, I would go with the 6000. The 700m has a few complaints about the keyboard especially the delete key being half-size. The 600m has had some heat complaints.

All three are pretty good systems for college students, but I think the 6000 is better for dvd viewing since it does have the larger screen.

 

I've decided to go ahead with the Inspiron 6000, even though it's 3 pounds heavier than the Inspiron 700m ultraweight. Need some advice as to which upgrades I should pay for. (My current selections are bolded)

Pentium M 760 (2 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $263]
M 750 (1.86 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $113]
M 730 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/533MHz FSB) [add $38]
M 725 (1.60 GHz/2MB Cache/400MHz FSB)
***Is that upgrade in speed worth the cost?

Windows® XP Home
XP Professional - For networking with work or school [add $89]
***I'll have to check if XP Pro is needed for Berkeley's network domain.

1-yr limited warranty, 1-yr at-home service, 1-yr technical support

15.4" WXGA LCD Panel
15.4" UltraSharp WSXGA+ LCD Panel [add $94]
15.4" UltraSharp WUXGA LCD Panel [add $131]
***I'm already wary of SXGA being hard to read, so UXGA is a no-no

512MB DDR2 SDRAM 2 Dimms
512MB DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm [add $19]
1GB DDR2 SDRAM 2 Dimms [add $131]
1GB DDR2 SDRAM 1 Dimm [add $281]
***typical college use, dvd + music, engineering, minimal gaming, 512enough?

60GB HardDrive
80GB HardDrive [add $38]
***60GB seems like more than enough for me, I'll have music + DVD + apps

24X CD Burner/DVD Combo Drive
8x CD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/ double-layer write capability [add $74]
Burn CDs and DVDs
***I'll watch and burn CDs, but only watch DVDs, so why waste money .. a friend told me DVDs might take the place of CDs so I should get it for the future, but I don't quite agree

64MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY™ RADEON X300 PCI Express x16 Graphics
128MB DDR ATI's MOBILITY™ RADEON X300 [add $52 or $2/month1]
***DVDs, but only light gaming, so 64 should be enough? Once again, friend told me to stick to the latest or it'll become outdated quick

6-cell Lithium Ion Battery (53 WHr)
9-cell Lithium Ion Battery (80 WHr) [add $74]
***Don't plan on extensive travelling with this, so I'm thinking a single, big battery instead of a 6-cell and an additional (9-cell) battery (add $97)

Office Student & Teacher plus Money & Encarta Deluxe versions [add $179]

Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200 Internal Wireless (802.11 b/g, 54Mbps)
Intel® PRO/Wireless 2915 Internal Wireless (802.11 a/b/g, 54Mbps) [add $19
Intel® PRO 2915 and Dell 350 Bluetooth Internal Wireless Cards [add $44]
Intel® PRO 2200 and Dell 350 Bluetooth Internal Wireless Cards [add $29]
***Have absolutely no idea about this stuff, but 802.11 b/g is fine for Cal

Right now, its $2223 with a $750 coupon, so $1473 overall. I might be able to add on another $400 general coupon. I'd appreciate feedback soon.

 

I'd get one 512MB stick of memory and add one after purchase. I'm fairly certain you get it for less than $131. I'd look on eBay for Office. If you want to try Open Office it is free and will allow you to open/save .doc, .xls, .ppt, etc files without losing any formating. I personally would spend the extra for the DVD burner, but if you are not going to use it the marginal value is zero.

http://www.openoffice.org/

 

Get the biggest HD possible. If you plan to edit photos and use MP3s, you will need the space.

 

what about the video card and battery?

 

with the 6000, you'll want to get a 9 cell battery. It will give you longer life so you can get through your classes. The ATI 128mb would be best for gaming out of the two cards that are offered.

 

PS I would suggest looking at D610 as more mobile alternative to the i6000!

 

128 video card even if i'm not a heavy gamer?
also, a single 6-cell plus additional 9-cell? or just a single 9-cell?

 

The battery depends on how portable you are wanting your laptop. I would get just a single 9 cell if you are going to be using your battery for a few hours. If you are going to need something to get you thru the whole day without any access to an outlet, then you might want to consider buying two batteries.

Since you aren't a heavy gamer, then the 64mb would be good for you. You won't notice any difference between the two unless you are playing games.

 

How much is it for an extra 9 cell versus upgrading from a 6 to 9 cell? I recall seeing for some dells, it's only a few dollars more to get both a standard 6 cell and to add an extra 9 cell, as compared to just getting a 9 cell alone.

Also, I suggest getting the least amount of ram possible, then getting a single 1 GB stick for a little over 100 bucks online.