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Which laptop would you choose?

  • 11-01-2008 9:49am
    #1
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,408 ✭✭✭


    Using PC World's brilliant interactive menu options (on the right of the screen) I have reduced their vast selection of laptops to 8.

    Here's the link to the list:

    http://tinyurl.com/ysp7oe

    I arrived at this list by using the following criteria, all must-haves:

    1. Price €500-1000
    2. XP Pro
    3. 2Gb or more of RAM.

    This laptop will be used for digital image capture, tethered to a camera. It will be loaded with Photoshop CS3 and very little else. No web, no email.

    Which of the 8 would you consider?

    Many thanks.

    D.

    ps. If you click on the <3Kg option, the number of laptops reduces to 4, including both star rated machines. Less weight would be useful.


Comments

  • #2
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,408 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    Just been onto DELL about their Vostro 1500 range............

    Very good price. XP Pro, 3Gb RAM, Dual Core etc....and I'm very tempted.

    I just need to confirm one thing.......

    The Vostros come with 4-pin IEEE 1394 port.

    The camera I use needs FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b).

    Are these one and the same?

    Thanks.

    D.


  • #3
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Dinarius wrote: »
    Just been onto DELL about their Vostro 1500 range............

    Very good price. XP Pro, 3Gb RAM, Dual Core etc....and I'm very tempted.

    I just need to confirm one thing.......

    The Vostros come with 4-pin IEEE 1394 port.

    The camera I use needs FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b).

    Are these one and the same?

    Thanks.

    D.


    I think the one on the vostro is a firewire 400 (I may be wrong). It should work fine but when transferring things from the camera it will fall back to the lower speed.


  • #4
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,408 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    AC,

    Thanks for the reply.

    If that is correct, then what type/speed of FireWire should I be looking for?

    Many thanks.

    D.


  • #5
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Dinarius wrote: »
    AC,

    Thanks for the reply.

    If that is correct, then what type/speed of FireWire should I be looking for?

    Many thanks.

    D.

    I just checked there it is correct. The vostro has a firewire 400 port. You'll be connecting a camera that uses firewire 800 to it. It will work fine and you can copy between the two with no problems. The only thing is that the vostro can only support the speeds of the firewire 400. This means that although your camera can support the higher speeds of firewire 800 it won't be able to use it and will have to use the speeds of firewire 400.


  • #6
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,408 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    AC,

    Many thanks for going to the trouble of checking.

    I think I'm right in saying that the faster FireWire is 1394b. Correct?

    If so, as far as I can see, none of the DELL laptops has this generation of FireWire.

    So, which laptop manufacturers do include it?

    Many thanks.

    D.

    ps. I use mostly 1Gb compact flash card (occasionally 2Gb) so I don't think that I will be held up too much waiting for FireWire 400 to load.


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  • #7
    AlmightyCushion
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 35,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭AlmightyCushion


    Correctamundo. Firewire 400 has a maximum transfer rate of 400Mbps where as firewire 800 has a maximum transfer rate of 800Mbps. If you are dealing with 1GB or 2GB cards, I wouldn't worry about the slower speeds. 1GB of data should only take around 20 or 30 seconds over firewire 400.


  • #8
    remus808
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,380 ✭✭✭remus808


    I don't know anything about Firewire but I can tell you that the Vostro's are heavy beasts indeed! I'v got the 14" one and it's still heavier than most 15.4" .. So be mindfull..


  • #9
    Dinarius
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,408 ✭✭✭Dinarius


    Thanks for that.

    I carry a ton of camera equipment around, so a laptop won't seem like much extra! ;-)

    I ordered a 1500 series Vostro.

    T5470 Processor
    XP Pro
    15.4" enhanced TrueLife screen
    3Gb RAM
    160GB HD
    9 cell battery
    Wireless
    Bluetooth
    Mouse

    €619.00 plus VAT delivered to my door.

    A steal!

    At that price, considering anything of real importance will be on my two other computers, it's practically disposable! :D

    D.


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