which laptop? budget of 3000//Dell/ Sony/Macbook pro?

duleekboy

looking for some advise and recommendations

currently looking at 2 blu ray options which come in around the 3k mark or a macbook pro

dell xps m1710
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2887&review=Dell+XPS+M1710
http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1710?c=ie&cs=iedhs1&l=en&s=dhs&~section=specs#tabtop

sony ar31s

http://www.mobilewhack.com/sony-vaio-vgn-ar31s-notebook-with-blu-ray-disc-optical-drive/
http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/Sony_VAIO_AR31S_Laptop_VGNAR31S.CEK/version-1.asp

macbook pro

never used a mac before but they do seem to have their fans

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/irlstore.woa/6794043/wo/qD40l8DlHhJl37xorEEmdQLctqj/10.?p=0
any other recommendations?

which one would you go for?

turbot

Don't bother spending 3k.

Spend half that amount:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Dell-Precision-M90-2-00-Core-2-Duo-Laptop-2GB-3YR_W0QQitemZ110117369870QQihZ001QQcategoryZ177QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

I have an XPS M1710 which I think is really great BTW. The M90 is very similar, with different lights. The above is good value and has a three year warranty, and the graphics card will match the 7900GTX in speed, so it's the way to go!

neegie

whatever you do don't get a dell, you can't bring it to them when something goes wrong so your stuck on that front! when i first got mine i had trouble with it crashing and their customer services are in no way helpful! the techs had me taking it apart being directed over the phone! i ended up having to get the motherboard replaced after they couldn't find what was wrong with it!

big mistake!!!

DublinWriter

I wouldn't spend that amount of money on anything Dell. The build quanity is awful. For example, hold down either the 'G' or 'H' key moderately hard on a Dell laptop and watch the whole keyboard buckle.

I've gone through 4 laptops at this stage, one Dell and three Sonys.

Would be Sony all the way for me.

duleekboy

thanks for replies

just added the macbook pro to the list, no blu-ray but a good performer by all accounts

re dell build quality and customer support: everybody seems to have mixed feelings on these i have only ever owned a dell save for an early version of a Tandy i seem to recall from my childhood and never had any real problem with any dells i got, their customer support once you get thru the trouble shooting part is fine i even managed to get them to swap my 20" monitor for a 24" one recently because their wasa 10 delay for replacing the 20" also the standard warranty on the m1710 is quite good. probably more a case of the devil you know

re the sony it is nice but its only downfalls are the graphics card, the lack of ability to change the specs on it and the fact that i have no idea what their customer support is like should something go wrong. on the plus side it is much nicer and the build quality seems good

re: precision m90 i never considered it could be a decent compromise i wonder if it can be got with blu-ray drive?

maidhc

I have had a number of Dell and Samsung laptops.

I prefer the Samsungs, but as regards reliability the Dells have been utterly faultless. Any time I have had to ring support in the past 2 years I have either been speaking to a Northerner or Scotsman.

BostonB

I've had a good few Dells and no issue regarding the build quality. The M1710 was especially well built IMO and the keyboard was great. No numpad though which is odd for the size. Very fast machine for gaming. Never used Dell support really so can't comment on that. One problem I have had with the Dells is the screens vary a lot in quality and some of them aren't great. The Sonys in general have much better screens. Support was ok anytime I used it. But the are expensive and you get more bang for buck from Dell. Apples I don't use that often, nice looking but I don't see them as being much better in any regard other than design. They have their own issues like any other laptop.

For laptop info I usually browse...
http://www.notebookforums.com/index.php
http://www.notebookreview.com/

joe_chicken

If you're really desperate to get a blu ray drive, buy a playstation 3 (€650) and get a laptop for about €2000

Blu Ray players are way over priced at the moment, and for the selection of movies available, not worth it.

You're adding on about €1000 to your laptop with a blu ray player.

Tom Dunne

neegie wrote:

whatever you do don't get a dell, you can't bring it to them when something goes wrong so your stuck on that front! when i first got mine i had trouble with it crashing and their customer services are in no way helpful! the techs had me taking it apart being directed over the phone! i ended up having to get the motherboard replaced after they couldn't find what was wrong with it!

big mistake!!!

Tone down the hysteria there neegie.

Many, many people have used Dells and have not had problems, myself included. Every manufacturer, whether it is laptops or washing machines, will have problems with a certain percentage of their products.

If you're really desperate to get a blu ray drive, buy a playstation 3 (€650) and get a laptop for about €2000

Blu Ray players are way over priced at the moment, and for the selection of movies available, not worth it.

You're adding on about €1000 to your laptop with a blu ray player.

I think this is very good advice.

Personally, if Mrs. Dunne actualy allowed me to pay €3000 for something that doesn't sparkle, I would go for the Sony.

bogman

Dell, excellent, sometimes problems, but they "always fix them"
In this country I would not buy elsewhere

legs11

my dell xps m1710 is bomb proof, and no, the keyboard doesnt buckle

i am known to treat notebooks like hard backs, and have this nearly a year now and its still like new, apart from marks on the aluminium lid.

its a really well made machine. the cheaper dell laptops are gank in comarison.

AlmightyCushion

My Inspiron 9400 is perfect. No problems what so ever with the thing and the keyboard doesn't buckle either. Runs games perfectly too.

Tails142

I've got a sony laptop and 2 dell pc's. I have had problems with both, I found the dell customer support to be good. After talking on the phone with a guy going through the usual they sent out a van to pick up the pc and I had it back fixed (new motherboard) a day later.

When I got my Sony laptop I noticed after a week that the fan wasnt working on it so it was getting very hot. Got in touch with Sony support over the phone and after talking to some french guy they sent out a courier to pick it up with a special box and I had it back within a week, was just as good as Dell support though took a bit longer as their servicing centre is in France.

The biggest problem I have with the service I have gotten is that Dell seem to higher people with the strongest accents ever, I've talked to welsh and scottish people who I can barely undesrtand and occasionally get indian people ringing me up trying to sell me insurance or something and I can barely understand a word they're saying.

gutta

duleekboy wrote:

macbook pro

never used a mac before but they do seem to have their fans

Depends what you want it for, but the mbp is an awesome machine and a solid build, apparently unlike some of the other boxen mentioned in the thread.

But you'll have to invest a little time in understanding the new OS, which is pretty intuitive (I use both daily). Personally I'd go for the Mac every time. BluRay hasn't matured as a format yet and who knows what's just round the corner?

beolight

leaning towards the sony at the moment

my dell account manager isnt budging on original offer

anyways just wondering what sony service/back up is like, is it based in ireland or a ship to uk arrangement if hardware faulty?

do u have to go thru support/tech help people in some far off place

is the extra 2 year warranty worth taking?