dell 700m battery questions

Let me see if I can ask this question properly with no confusion. LOL

Ok...I'm very impressed with this notebook, kinda fell in love with it actually. Just wondering a few things...

1. When you purchase a 700m you get to choose a primary battery. Is this battery somewhere else in the system? Or is it in the back and removable using the battery release latch?

2. If it's somewhere else could I choose a 8 cell primary battery and then order a second 8 cell battery and connect it to the back and charge both getting me approx. 10 hrs of battery life?

3. If the primary battery is connected to the back, as I'm guessing it is, is there another option besides just charging both seperately?

Thanks a bunch!

 

1. It is removable using the battery release latch in the back
2. You can only use 1 battery at a time but having a backup doesnt hurt
3. You can only charge the battery while its plugged into the computer, so technically you can only charge 1 at a time

just a note..i have the 8cell battery, people claim its 5 hrs (even the meters say 5 hrs) but i get around 4 hrs of use with wifi on. i dont know if others are getting around 5..but just my 2 cents

 

There is no reason to get the four cell.

 

You will get 5hrs, but not with WiFi on. At first the meter will say 5hrs, but add USB (cordless mouse) WiFi sucking power all the time the battery will run out faster.

I had WiFi off and the screen down to lowest and actually got 8hrs. Now that is something considering I have the 8 cell and spare 8 cell battery as well. I bought the spare 8 cell so I can run things at max, which I do all the time now.

 

I guess it wouldn't be too much of a hassle to charge both batteries up and then take it on the road. Considering I might not even use up the entire first battery in a average day of use. I'm planning on taking this to school and the library. I'm a Computer Science student and it's important having a mobile workstation to help study and code with. I wonder if there is some kind of docking station that could charge the spare battery while the primary is charging. The cost of that item wouldn't be very prudent I'd imagine given the fact that I could probably just buy ANOTHER battery. LOL

 

I was actually thinking about the 600m as well. I just read though that the spare battery that you can purchase takes up the optical drive bay slot. That's a possible deal breaker for me as I'd like to continue using the optical drive on the second battery.

 

Don't know what your budget is , but I think there are better notebooks for your needs than the 700m. I would also note the keyboards on the 700m aren't very good. Something like Fujtisu S series or ThinkPad x32 come to mind. Perhaps you should fill out the "What Should I buy?" FAQ in the hardware forum and post there.

 

For general use you will get about 5 plus hours without WiFi on, which you will not want on unless you are going to use it when your out and about with hotspots, etc.

I take my 700m on the road everywhere, and only once did I have to use the spare battery, when not in use just flip down the screen and put it into standby and you can use it the whole day.

Docking stations, etc are usually expensive and not really worth it unless you will need the computer on for a long period of time.

 

I actually owned a 700m as well. I never got used to it. To each his own I guess. I would think for someone who is doing a lot of typing, the keyboard would be more of an issue. I also have the dock for my ThinkPad. I picked it up quite cheaply on ebay. The 20" Dell montior hooked up to it looks quite nice when I am not out and about.

 

I guess being number one in sales would help Dell price lower. Budget IS a key factor for me.

 

Personally unless you can find a good deal elsewhere I would go with Dell. I got my Dell fully specs out, and the cheapest I could find for a similar system was well over $4000 Australian dollars.

My specs are
2ghz Pentium
1gig Ram
80 gig 5400prm drive
8 cell battery + Spare battery.
There best wireless card
DVD Burner
And 3 yrs warranty (theft, accident, repairs within 4 days, etc)

All for the grand total of $2100 Aussie Dollars

Find me a IBM, Fujitsu, HP, Compaq, etc for the same SIZE and SPECS for under $5000 Australian dollars let alone anywhere near what I paid and I may have looked elsewhere.

By the way, I emailed the IBM Sale enquires SEVEN....!!! times wanting to ask questions and never got one reply. Dell Always answered me within 1 day. I was considering a thinkpad but forgot them when they forgot about helping me, I wanted to ask questions about buying from them, silence, so Dell got my money and **** happy they did.

I have yet to find one person where I work that does not like the 700m, and they have thinkpads, HP's and fujitsu's, yes they maybe better build, but they also spent $3000 for that build, I have 3 years of worry free troubles with my warranty if my Dell gives out, they still all have only 1 year on their expensive machines (many of which are still much less powerful)

 

Sure you don't work for Dell? Yeah...I'm really leaning towards the 700m. There is much good to be found in it. The only red flag in my mind was a low battery life but with a spare battery that is easily fixed. You should post a review of your system! It'd be cool to get even more juicy screenshots.

 

There is a couple of reviews in the review section. Might want to check those out.

 

Oh I know I've read them both. More screenshots are always welcome though.