Dell.ie - some advice required on purchasing

errigal

Hi

Want to get a new laptop - Budget about 1k,
Thinking about INSPIRON 6400 but wanted some independent advice

Sorry for the basic questions but want to be sure before I invest.

* Is it worth spending an extra 18 euro for the 9cell 80 Whr Li-Ion primary battery ? (over the 6cell)

* I want to use it for storing and playing my cd collection from time to time. Speakers are currently included in the deal, but will the quality be ok ? There is no mention of a sound card in the configuration section.

* Im going from desktop to laptop, and want to setup wireless. Ive an ASDL connection at the moment in the house. Im not 100% sure what I need. They have a few options
Belkin F5D7230 Wireless Router DSL/Cable (802.11g) - 56 euro
Belkin F5D7632 ADSL Modem/Wireless Router (802.11g) - 99 euro
Do I need both or just one - do I need anything else to get up and running ?
My current modem is a Zyxel Prestige 600

TIA...

greglo23

in regards to the router if you get on to bt they may supply you with the Zyxel 660 which has wireless included . apparently the belkins are crap.

errigal

thanks, but im with UTV.
Maybe they have a similar deal.

Ill avoid the Belkins based on this advice.

jimmycrackcorm

That €18 will be well spent when you need to spend that extra time surfing on the bog.

TempestSabre

A laptop makes a poor music center. Why are using that to play CD's and archive them?

errigal

just as an archive of mp3s and for listening to via the Media Centre when at home (on the move, id still use mp3 player)

TempestSabre

For archive ok. For playback plug your MP3 player through speakers. It will sound better. Most laptops sound dire.

TommyGun

Most laptop's have crap speakers. I use my laptop for playing music and playing music, but i use external speakers.

Note: All laptops have at least have sound on board.

Get the bigger battery for longer life, also it will be heaver.

errigal

I dont mind if its not great, as long as I can play them. Have desktop speakers that are ok, not sure if i can reuse them...if not ill get better speakers along the way..

Sounds like I'll go for it but without the belkin.

Assuming the speakers are rubbish, ill chuck em.

PoV

The 9 cell is definitely worth it. My flatmate initially ordered his Inspiron 6000 with a 6 cell, which he ended up replacing with a 9 cell about a month later. He saw a pretty sizable increase in the batter life.

bspoke

I got the Inspiron 630 from Dell last week and its great. The quality form the speakers is one of the best I have heard from a laptop. Obviously not on par with a home cinema or stereo but not too shabby either.

The uprated battery is definitely worth the extra expense. I got mine by mistake, I ordered my laptop with the standard battery, but Dell gave it to me by mistakae and they aint getting it back.

As for the router - I got the cheaper of the two Belkin ones and it does the job perfectly. Admittedly I have only had it a short time and have not tested it to its limitations but my father runs two pcs, a laptop and an xbox off his Belkin router and he has never had any complaints.

MunsterCycling

Would recommend staying away from Belkin products as they just give too much grief to be worth the cheap(ish) purchase price.

errigal

Anyone know how many USB ports there are on the dell laptops. Cant find it mentioned on the machine specs.??

conzy

Just go to the Dell website and look at it from different angles you can see all the ports......

conzy

Ok I was bored do I checked for you:p

2 usb to the back and 2 to the right;)

steffkelly

Hi errigal,

in regards to the wireless modem and router, i have a linksys wag54g and i would swear by it. Excellent signal everything. Did you say that you are getting external speakers with the laptop, if they're external speakers they'll be grand. I have an inspiron 9100 (3.2ghz, 512Mb ram etc). The sound isnt bad, i suppose you could call it a little tinny but its fine, if you have external speakers they'll definitely do the job