Need some help for a Dell config

Hey guys, I have been wanting to get a new Lappy for a long time and am specing out a dell right now.

I honestly hate dell due to how often I have seen them fail in the field(my field)

In any case, Dell seems to be on the ball when it comes to warranty though, in home ecspecially, thus why I am considering going with them - not to mention being priced so much lower than everyone else...

I am looking at an E1505 Dual core and here are my questions:

1) Video card? I can get the X1300 or X1400. I know the 1400 is a better card but is it $50 better? At ABSOLUTE MOST(and I likely wont wind up doing the install) I may want to play CS:S via Steam on it - but games are what I have my desktop for so not many games, again, CS:S would be the most intense game...

2)display - I definately want tru-bright, but should I upgrade to the best option? it says 72% more screen, thing is I know thats just the resolution setting so it'll be so friggin small you cant read anything... I am thinking I dont need the top of the line upgrade...

3)audio - standard integated sudio? or should I upgrade for $25 to the integrated sound blaster??

4) battery - I am used to running a laptop(averatec) with a battery life of about 45 min... where I go the plug follows... Should I get the 85 WHR battery or do you think I wont need it? The unit will be for watching movies(will be plugged in) limited games(again likely plugged in) and wifi internet and a load of writing.

what say ye o gods of the lappys?

thanks in advance,

-Tim

 

1) Video card? I can get the X1300 or X1400. I know the 1400 is a better card but is it $50 better? At ABSOLUTE MOST(and I likely wont wind up doing the install) I may want to play CS:S via Steam on it - but games are what I have my desktop for so not many games, again, CS:S would be the most intense game...


The x1400 will blow the x1300 away. The x1300 only has 64 mb of discrete memory and another 64 Hypermemory. The x1400 has 128 / 128. In addition, the x1400 is Vista Aero Capable...not sure the x1300 is.

display - I definately want tru-bright, but should I upgrade to the best option? it says 72% more screen, thing is I know thats just the resolution setting so it'll be so friggin small you cant read anything... I am thinking I dont need the top of the line upgrade...

The WSXGA+ is 1680 x 1050. Read through all the Dell posts...Those who did NOT get it...regret it. I have the WSXGA+ screen...it is beautiful...lots of screen real estate.

3)audio - standard integated sudio? or should I upgrade for $25 to the integrated sound blaster??

I went with the Soundblaster Audio. Granted...it's only software upgrade...BUT...I use the Graphics Equalizer built into the software and now my sound is much richer. Used properly...you will tell a discernable difference


4) battery - I am used to running a laptop(averatec) with a battery life of about 45 min... where I go the plug follows... Should I get the 85 WHR battery or do you think I wont need it? The unit will be for watching movies(will be plugged in) limited games(again likely plugged in) and wifi internet and a load of writing.

I have the 85 WHR battery in my 1505. When running on battery, I keep my brightness on 5. I don't turn off the hard drive or go into sleep mode. The only real thing I allow is for the processor to throttle down to 1 GHZ (I have the T7200). I get 3:15. When I turn brightness down to 4 I get 3:30 and if I disable wireless...I get more...but I don't care so I keep everything on and brightness on 5.

You will like the machine...you can do decent gaming. Remember at full resolution, you may have to turn details on medium. I choose to set resolution to 1440 x 900 (which still looks gorgeous) and I get decent frame rates. I do have FarCry set at 1680 x 1050 with all the eye candy on and it is fine. Also...if You DO intend to upgrade to Vista at some point...get the 2 GB of memory now. It really doesn't matter if 533 or 667 because the latency on the 667 is slower...so it it is really no faster than the 533. The little bit of extra $$$ will go a long way


Bob

 

thanks Bob, far cry at peak settings is almost taxing my desktop, granted it is almost 3 years old now...

In any case, I have a E1505 and a 6400 both specked out the same, prices are with shipping and tax:

E1505 - $1158.00
6400 - $1083

I was hoping to not breech 1K....

The 6400 would have been close to my mark but the business class they screw you over with $69 shipping vs the home or home office's - more often than not- free shipping.

still $75 savings for the 6400 aint bad... I may have to sleep on it, whats gunna kill me is when I buy it, the next week they will have a huge deal on it...

 

OK, here are the specs for a grand shipped total of $1109.00.

Inspiron 6400- Intel? Core? Duo T2050
Operating System-Genuine Windows? XP Home
LCD Panel -15.4 inch UltraSharp? Wide Screen SXGA+ Display with TrueLife?
Memory -1GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz, 2 Dimm
Video Card -256MB ATI MOBILITY? RADEON? X1400 HyperMemory?
Hard Drive -120GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
Optical Drive -8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Sound Options -Integrated Audio
Primary Battery -85 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Warranty & Service -1 Year On-site Economy Plan
Media Direct Media Direct 3.0
Bluetooth Options Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0 + Enhanced Data Rate)

Good? bad? decent?

I have been out of the Laptop buying game for too long...

 

I would like to see a 7200rpm drive in the batch because it really adds to the read write speeds. I saw 50-60mbs on 7200 and 25-30 on 5400rpm drives in my own read write tests.

The config looks solid.

 

Looks good! Did you try any of the savings coupons on this site?

Bob

 

I currently have one aplied that is getting me $286 off