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HELP, please, buying notebook tomorrow!
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trancedelux
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 5, 2007 22:56
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Hi people! I have to decide soon (now) which notebook I'll buy (dell gave me a price until tomorrow tuesday). I want to know if i'm going to buy the right thing: Dell Latitude D520..I was thinking of one of the Inspirons, but you can't use windows xp on that one, because it's made for use it with Vista (at least i was told so at Dell) and the D520 comes with Windows XP. Please tell me the things it should have so I can produce and play live (especially about the sound card and sound crad connections)
It doesen't come with DVD writer (only reads), should I add it (for backups, etc)??
This notebook would come with:
-- Intel Core 2 Duo T7200, 2.00GHz, 667Mhz 4M L2 Cache, Dual Core (222-5386)
-- 14.1 inch XGA LCD for LatitudeD520 (320-4678)
-- 1.0GB, DDR2-533 SDRAM, 2 DIMM for Dell Latitude Notebooks (311-5677)
-- 80GB Hard Drive 9.5MM, 7200RPMfor Dell Latitude DX20 (341-2979)
-- No Floppy Drive for Latitude D-Family Notebooks (340-8854)
-- Windows XP Home, SP2 with media, for Latitude, Spanish Factory Installed (420-4820)
-- 65W AC Adapter for Latitude D-Family (310-7283)
-- 24X CDRW/DVD with Cyberlink Power DVD, for Latitude D-Family (313-3881)
-- Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN (802.11g,54Mbps) Mini Card, Latitude (430-1853)
-- Resource CD w/ Diagnostics andDrivers for Latitude D520 Notebook (313-4015)
I really appreciate your help, thanks in advance.
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Mar 5, 2007 23:59
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On 2007-03-05 22:56, trancedelux wrote:
I was thinking of one of the Inspirons, but you can't use windows xp on that one, because it's made for use it with Vista (at least i was told so at Dell)
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Hahaha what a load of bullshit! Of course they're gonna say that, the Latitude is more expensive so naturally they want to sell you that!
Go for inspiron, i don't see any use in spending extra cash on a latitude..
Get a inspiron 6400 with the T7200 processor, 1GB of RAM & a 7200rpm harddisk.
The rest really doesn't matter for audio production..
 http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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trancedelux
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 00:21
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hhmm... i believe you, because of your experiencie with Dell.. but, the story was like this: I called Dell and asked about the Inspiron 6400, and i told the saleswoman if i can format the inspiron hard drive and install XP, she told me to hold on so she can ask that to a tecnician. The guy said that there would be problems with the cd drive and other things, because that notebook is intended to work with Vista, and that if i used XP some things wouldn't work. I said to this woman that then i won't be able to buy a Dell, and she told me that I can buy a Latitude (windows xp from factory) and she could ask for a discount. Then she gave me a discount.. from US$1650 to US$1390 (and Latitude comes with 3 years warranty for free or included, and that usually cost about US120). Note that the Inspiron with these same specifications (but with no extended warranty, just 1 year), would cost me US$1445, but maybe they would also make a discount on that notebook (maybe not, because i think the discount is because they don't have an Inspiron with XP, so they make the discount as a compensation..) Do you realy think that is bullshit? i really don't know much about computers, and certainly, I don't want to buy the Inspiron and then have the problems i was told. So... what do you think i should do? Tanks!!
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 00:36
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At the risk of repeating myself that is complete & utter bullshit! Here's proof, i'm using an Inspiron 6400 with XP:
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3112/untitledzw4.jpg
There's no reason why it shouldn't work with XP i would believe the contrary maybe that something wouldn't work with Vista because of compatibility issues..
However that is quite a nice discount you're getting so its your choice..Make a quick check to see how much a 6400 with a T7200 would be..
Be rest assured though that a 6400 works perfectly fine with XP & anyone who tells you otherwise is a moron!
Just as an example, a friend of mine works for Dell selling computers & he doesn't know jack shit about them! I think we also had an example on this forum where someone worked for Dell & was asking advice about which specs to get! http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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5-ht
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
34
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 00:39
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hi trancedeluxe, i'm gonna buy a dell inspiron 6400, i called dell previouse week and i ask for window XP (i'm italian) and they told me there were no problems, today i just called dell again to change something about my configuration and they told me again there were no problem for win XP, i think they want you to buy that model for some strange reason maybe just because is a little expensive respect this configuration (my configuration):
win XP
c2d T7400 2,16
2gb RAM 667 mhz
100 HD 7200r/m
9 cell battery
ati 256mb (i think, don't care)
lcd 15,4" 1440x900
i suggest to you this configuration, this notebook in italian dell's site has the same price of latitude D520 but very very powerfull !!! |
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5-ht
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
34
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 00:39
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hi trancedeluxe, i'm gonna buy a dell inspiron 6400, i called dell previouse week and i ask for window XP (i'm italian) and they told me there were no problems, today i just called dell again to change something about my configuration and they told me again there were no problem for win XP, i think they want you to buy that model for some strange reason maybe just because is a little expensive respect this configuration (my configuration):
win XP
c2d T7400 2,16
2gb RAM 667 mhz
100 HD 7200r/m
9 cell battery
ati 256mb (i think, don't care)
lcd 15,4" 1440x900
i suggest to you this configuration, this notebook in italian dell's site has the same price of latitude D520 but very very powerfull !!! |
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trancedelux
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 04:43
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S-cube,i just checked the Dell 6400 configured with core 2 duo 7200, 1 Gb ram and HD at 7200 rpm, it's US$1400, and has only 1 year of warranty. Maybe if i tell them that i want the 6400 anyways and despite the Windows Vista, they'll make a discount, and if it's a reasonable discount, that way the 6400 would be more convenient. I'll call Dell and ask in a few hours(tomorrow, here in Chile).
The Latitude is also US$1400 (with discout) guaranteed for 3 years (and i think i'd buy that warranty if i bought the 6400...i think it's worth it, and the Latitude already has it).. and the Ram is expandable up to 4 Gb. So, depending on the final price they give me on the 6400, I'll decide between this one and the Latitude.
All this thinking that the 6400 will work fine with XP, assuming that there are not 'alternative' versions of the notebooks for southamerica, and that the notebooks manufatured most recently and the ones manufactured when you bought yours don't have any difference that could cause any trouble with XP, right?
Ciao 5-ht, thanks for your comment, i'll check again if they can give me the 6400 with xp. Good luck!
Thanks for your time and good will, you all know how 'big deal' is when you buy this kind of hardware for the 1st time... i appreciate your comments and will wait for anything else you have to say. That goes for everyone too!
thanks,have a good week. |
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Mar 6, 2007 13:35
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Quote:
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On 2007-03-06 04:43, trancedelux wrote:
All this thinking that the 6400 will work fine with XP, assuming that there are not 'alternative' versions of the notebooks for southamerica, and that the notebooks manufatured most recently and the ones manufactured when you bought yours don't have any difference that could cause any trouble with XP, right?
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I bought mine 3 weeks ago so no there's no reason why it should be any different.
I guess you're better off going with the Latitude then since you get 3 years warranty with it..
http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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trancedelux
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 21:00
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Wel.... after a little research, yesterday I bought a Dell Latitude D620 . I was going for the D520, but since I wanted a wide screen, they gave me a very good price for the D620, which has wide screen. After i bought it, I started browsing the forums (www.dellcommunity.com and http://www.notebookreview.com) so I can read all the good things I was ready to get.
Today I cancelled my order, after a longer research (that's supposed to be done BEFORE and not after you buy...i know..) because the D620 has not firewire!! (my mistake, for assuming that it would have it, since the previous models have it) and also because 8 out of 10 comments on those forums said that the screen quality is aweful, terrible, etc... it looks cloudy, all blurry, dark, etc.. it wasn't a couple of comments, there were a lot!
Well, no notebook for now.. I'll keep searching.
Does the Inspiron 6400 have the same issue? please advice me, I really don't know which way I should go, greetings |
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5-ht
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
34
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 22:19
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we are in two on the same boat! Listen to me, be carefull with dell, i don't want to make terrorism but even if a dell has a firewire it seems it does't work fine with many soundcard, the reason is that chipset firewire is RICOH, the chipset should be texas instruments and that's it for many laptops, ricoh chipset has many problems, for example my motu doesn't work. I phoned dell's tech support but they told me that this was the first time that somebody ask something about FW and they were unable to confirm a compatibility between a Firewire express card and dell inspiron's express slot (just because i thought i could buy an external express card FW with Texas instrumnt chipset). Make a search in google or just take a look to one of mine post here! bye |
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trancedelux
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
16
Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 22:28
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Sh*t.. i was so confident i was doing the right thing with Dell. Dell's tech support and sales representatives don't help at all...they are robots and repeat what they are supposed to say ("hhmm I haven't heard of any problem with the screens" .. and in the forums at THEIR OWN website (www.dellcommunity.com ) there's a thread about it, and it's over 50 pages long!!
So, what notebokk did you finally buy? 6400? what are you going to do if the firewire of the 6400 doesen't work??
S-cube works with that notebook and apparently it works fine, because he hasn't said anything bout the firewire... S-cube? I'm oficially clueless. |
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