Dell Laptop ???

[PhoenixFire]

im going to college and need a laptop. I wanted a PC replacer so i could have lots of memory and junk. im going to collge to learn computer engineering and how to make video games so i need hi powered grafix laptop. im looking at the Dell XPS M1700m or M1400, or the 9100 one. im not really sure which one to get. im leaning toward the 1700. whats yalls thoughts? :bounce:

[dj89]

My dad got a dell and has had to replace just about every thing. Its like a 9200 or some thing. I just got my mac and love it.

[BobTheCow]

If you want a powerful computer, for the love of god don't get a laptop. Trust me. I was in your position a year ago, and ended up with a Dell monster. There are several threads around about how many problems I've had with it, and with Dell's customer support. Plus it still can't perform nearly as well or as cheaply as a decent desktop.

Either get a practical smallish laptop, or get a monster desktop. The technology still isn't there to reasonably cram the two together; you'll regret trying down the road ("the road" isn't very far, less than 6 months in my case).

[Pacifist_Farmer]

Funny, we bought my wife a dell laptop last year to replace another dell laptop that was 5 years old.

We have never had a problem with dell at all. Good luck finding the computer for you.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

Toshiba laptop.

Just look into them.

[neppo1345]

I use my dell inspiron 6000 for all my aerospace engineering applications at college and love it...just be ready to pay quite a bit more for the same performance from dell (customer service, warranty, etc etc) i wish i would have realized that before I made the purchase, but the discount I got through the university on the dell made it comprable to most other systems...

I dont think you're really going to need the xps...you wont be doing that many applications that are processor instense on your personal computer...we do most graphics/memory/processor heavy work on the schools systems that are much more suited towards it. The XPS is suited mainly for gaming and networked systems at major corporations.

Good luck with everything...

[BobTheCow]

Funny, we bought my wife a dell laptop last year to replace another dell laptop that was 5 years old.

We have never had a problem with dell at all. Good luck finding the computer for you.
See, it pains me to talk badly about Dell, because for the past ten years all I've ever owned has been Dell desktops. They've always performed well, and when we needed them, the customer service was great.

Then when I made the switch to laptop for school, it just seemed like everything started falling apart.

Actually, I meant to stress more the part about not trying to get a superpowerful laptop, but if you're looking for power, go the way of a desktop instead.

[Coralis]

you should check with the university that you are going too they may have specific requirements for classroom computer and special deals with vendors that include those requirements.

[gimp]

I'd look into high end IBM laptops. I'd say that the customer support is better than dell from what I've experienced. Of course, that's just because the dells I've delt with recently have been pieces of junk and I get to deal with the dell tech support. We got a dell 6 or 7 years ago and when we got it we had to ship it back because something was seriously wrong with it, but after we got that taken care of it worked fine. But over the past 3 years I've never seen a dell that runs well.

If you've got your heart set on a powerful computer, get a desktop. If you've got your heart set on a laptop, definetly look into IBM. If you've got your heart set on a dell then get a good phone plan with unlimited minutes or something and start working out so you can carry it around.

If you couldn't tell, I've got an IBM and I love it. I'm also a comp sys/elec guy. Do yourself a favor and switch to electric power. The job market is great for college grads in electric power. And you get to play with things that could shock you!! :dance:

[Cow hunter]

well if you;re looking, look at IBM and alienware. IBM are good all around and alienware are computers of godly power
but i have a dell inspiron 1100 thats like...... 4 years old? and it runs GREAT, i burn DVD's listen to music (well not anymore, it dissappeared) and do just about everything, spurisingly its not slow at all

[millerhighlite23]

Do not I repeat do not get a dell. I bought a inspiron 600m last year for college well come this past september the power connector on the mother board became unsoldiered called up dell and they qouted at 600 dollars to fix. I went out and got a used dual processor g4 mac and I couldnt be happier!

[PhoenixFire]

well, i plan on playing a few games on it. but thats not a big deal. the reason im not really wanting a desktop, is becuz the college im going to is a new high tech college where evry classroom has a hook up for laptops. Ive had my desktop comp for 7 yrs, but its almost dead, beed hit by lightning a few times. ive heard of alienware, but when i asked a few ppl about weither to get a dell or alienware, they said dell. so idk, i guess i need to research more.

[magman007]

if you are looking for a powerful laptop, i reccomend either a toshiba quosimo style, an alien ware(probabally your best bet, seeing as you are going for graphics and gaming, why not use a laptop designed for high power gaming) or something from hitachi.

Personally for school, i use a toshiba portege m200 tablet pc. I love it, and i can take notes on it. Also, it runs fast, and has a great graphics card, it just wont do you much good if you are going to school for video game design. the more i think about it, the fully upped alienware is probabally your best bet for a laptop, but thats gunna cost you like 3k.

you really are better off with a desktop

[Cow hunter]

make a poll for which is best

[elbobo_the_pimp]

you dont need the xps for skool. its a gaming computer the m1700 is a great laptop but if you want good quality and realibilty look at ibm's t42 its there best laptop. my sister has it and i have the t41. personaly i think they work better then dells but there may be more $$$$$

hope you find a good one :wow:

[BeaverEater]

ive got a dell 9300 and couldnt be happier, its a great computer and i havent had a single problem with it. But the only reason i got it was because ive got connections and got it with for half off so ya.

[tribalman]

but its almost dead, beed hit by lightning a few times.

ive heard of alienware, but when i asked a few ppl about weither to get a dell or alienware, they said dell.


how did you manage the lightning part?

for a laptop for gaming, definatly go for the alienware. they make great computers, laptop and desktop. they have been around for years doing all this stuff. they have a comprehensive building and testing stage of building their computers. they have 11 different stages of building a computer. all of which they detail out what they are doing to your computer. they will check everything. from the installs, to the overclocking, to framerates in doom 3. no joke.

i've had a few friends buy different dells, some desk, some lappys, and the first thing i always tell them (well, after the "don't get a dell") is format the HDD. there is so much useless crap installed on there slowing the machine down. they usually wait a month before they wipe the drive cause the computer is having problems, and after a clean version of windows being installed, they are sometimes supprised at how much dell's software was slowing them down.

[AcemanPB]

I'd look at Sager's, I got one and couldn't be happier.

[beam]

DON'T BUY IT NOW!!!

Not if you aren't going to college until the fall. You will get more for your money if you wait until Jully/August to order it.

A lot changes in 7-8 months.

[sbpyro]

Dell laptops are hit or miss.
My sister has one and no problems what so ever.
My future sister in law had one which ran into problem after problem.
As for the Toshibas well lets just say if the laptop needs to be serviced 3 times and then you admit that it is defective and send a new one out, I'm not gonna trust too much. And I wish it was only an isolated case cuz I love the new widescreen ones with the built in harmon kardon speakers :(