New Laptop!

Ballboy

Hey..

Ive just started college in ucd and want a laptop but dont have a clue where to start!!

I need one with which can hold a bit of music and play the odd game like championship manager or counterstrike! nothing too demanding I think!

Any suggestions please!

And would ebay be advisable for buying laptops??

RoyalMarine

ebay is great for finding bargains. just be careful and double check everything. also check the seller's history for dodgy transactions.

be careful on postage from the uk. might turn out to be expensive.

if your looking for a laptop that holds a decent amount of music, then id look for something with a harddrive about 200GB.
championship manager and counterstrike should run on most graphics cards in all the new laptops. but just to be sure, when you find something that you like, come back here, post up all the information about the laptop, and im sure you will get a good response about it.

for what your looking for, id say head in the direction of about 700 euro max.

dell are doing some great deals.
either check out dell your self for something like the dell vostro
http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/notebooks?c=ie&cs=iebsdt1&l=en&s=bsd

they sell as small business laptops, but you dont actually need to have a business to buy one.

they vary in price from 300 - 1500. but are amazing value.
be warned there is a small waiting period for one about 2 weeks currently.

also, there is a bargain thread on boards.ie
its here, and lots of dell offers available.
might be worth looking at.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055145616

and finally, there is someone on boards who bought a dell vostro for 850 euro, but he decided he wants something smaller than a 17".
if your interested, he's selling it on adverts.ie
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=32729&cat=8

hope this helps.

AlmightyCushion

RoyalMarineComm wrote:

and finally, there is someone on boards who bought a dell vostro for 850 euro, but he decided he wants something smaller than a 17".
if your interested, he's selling it on adverts.ie
http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=32729&cat=8

hope this helps.

What is the price and spec of that? Adverts is blocked at work.

RoyalMarine

Brand new Dell Vostro laptop, still in packaging unused.


Note that these laptops are on a 4-week waiting list to buy from Dell, but I can arrange delivery/collection ASAP.


Specs:
Windows Vista Business Edition
17" Widescreen
Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 (1.8Ghz)
2GB 667Mhz DDR2 SDRAM
160GB SATA HD
256MB Geforce 8600M GT


Also have a Dell XPS bag for it, worth €130.
Will sell for €50, or €30 included with the laptop.


Will also include any of the following software and games installed as required:
Windows XP (either as dual-boot or standalone)
Microsoft Office 2000
Fruity Loops Studio Producer Edition
EA Rugby 06
EA Rugby 08
Rugby Challenge 2006
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Diablo 2
Age Of Empires 2
Call Of Duty: United Offensive
Call Of Duty 2
Final Fantasy 8
GTA Vice City
Sibelius 4
Paintshop Pro 7


850 all in.

AlmightyCushion

Not bad actually.

remus808

Haha cheers for the publicity guys..

I'm actually in UCD myself Ballboy, so if your interested it'd be a pretty easy thing to arrange! (thats my laptop advertised)

and finally, there is someone on boards who bought a dell vostro for 850 euro

I actually paid €970 for it.

Ballboy

Thanks for the help guys!!

Ok so heres the 2 I think its down to!!


THE VOSTRO 1500 € 894.19
Base
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 Processor (2.0GHz,800MHz,4MB L2 cache)
Microsoft Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Business - English
Enhanced Service Packs
Base Warranty - 1 Year Business Hardware Support
LCD
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
Colour Choice
Matte Jet Black without Camera
Memory
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024
Hard Drive
160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
Video Card
256MB nVidia® GeForce® 8600M GT
Optical Devices
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Primary Battery
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56 WHr)



THE INSPIRON 1501 € 873.70
BASE AMD® Athlon™ 64 X2 Mobile Technology TK53
OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium - English
HARDWARE SUPPORT 90 Day Base Warranty - Collect and Return
LCD 15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
MEMORY 2048MB 533MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2x1024]
HARD DRIVE 160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
GRAPHICS CARD 256MB ATI ® Radeon® Xpress 1150 HyperMemory™
OPTICAL DRIVE Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive including Software
PRIMARY BATTERY 9 cell Lithium-Ion Battery (85 Whr)


Does any stand out as the better???

RoyalMarine

vostro has the intergrated camera which is always handy
vostro graphics card is better
the vostro also has vista business while the inspiron has vista home premium.

personally i prefer using intel than athlon. and lately they seem to be standing out a whole lot more on benchmarks and performance.

the inspiron has a longer lasting battery but it will stick out an inch from the back of the laptop so its handy it lasts longer, but annoying that it sticks out.

in the end, I WOULD go for the vostro.
but then again its down to you.

bittihuduga

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=31410 for 800/-

Dell Inspiron 1501 brand new unopened(in the box not yet registered) laptop.
If you build on DELL website, it costs you Euro 1150/-
Expecting 800euros
Open for best offer

Service tag - 3N8433J
INSPIRON 1501 AMD TURION 64 X2 TL58 (1.9GHZ,
WIDE SCREEN 14.1" WXGA (1280X800) LCD PA
MEMORY DUAL-CHANNEL 2048MB (2X1024) 533M
120GB (5, 400 RPM) HARD DRIVE
FIXED INTERNAL 8X DVD /-RW DRIVE
BATTERY PRIMARY 9 CELL 85W/HR LI-ION
ATI RADEON XPRESS 1150 256MB HYPERMEMORY
DELL™ WIRELESS 1390 802.11B/G MINI-
ENGLISH - VISTA HOME BASIC
90 DAY CAR (COLLECT AND RETURN)
3 YEAR CONSUMER HARDWARE SUPPORT
ALL SOFTWARE CDS PROVIDED

Ballboy

RoyalMarineComm wrote:

vostro has the intergrated camera which is always handy
vostro graphics card is better
the vostro also has vista business while the inspiron has vista home premium.

personally i prefer using intel than athlon. and lately they seem to be standing out a whole lot more on benchmarks and performance.

the inspiron has a longer lasting battery but it will stick out an inch from the back of the laptop so its handy it lasts longer, but annoying that it sticks out.

in the end, I WOULD go for the vostro.
but then again its down to you.

The only thing is that the vostro only has 120gb hd..

And one more comparison that I forgot about! What about the above mentioned
Windows Vista Business Edition
17" Widescreen
Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 (1.8Ghz)
2GB 667Mhz DDR2 SDRAM
160GB SATA HD
256MB Geforce 8600M GT
Built-in Webcam

RoyalMarine

the vostro you posted

THE VOSTRO 1500 € 894.19
Base
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 Processor (2.0GHz,800MHz,4MB L2 cache)
Microsoft Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Business - English
Enhanced Service Packs
Base Warranty - 1 Year Business Hardware Support
LCD
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
Colour Choice
Matte Jet Black without Camera
Memory
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024
Hard Drive
160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
Video Card
256MB nVidia® GeForce® 8600M GT
Optical Devices
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Primary Battery
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56 WHr)

in my opinion i would go for that.

ok, it might have a smaller hard drive, but in the end external harddrives are getting cheaper and bigger.
the vostro's 2ghz dual core will be more than enough for what ever you need.
17" is a big laptop. mine is 17" and i love it. although its big, its perfect for gaming, dvd's etc.
2gb ram is ideal for anything and everything. im pretty sure the vostro can be upgraded but dont hold me on that im not 100% sure on the board used.
build in webcam is always handy if you use one.
and the 256mb geforce 8600M GT will play more or less all recent games at good specs. the latest games, you might need to lower the quality down a small bit but nothing drastic to affect game playing.

Dav.old

Have you had a look at http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/

For some alternatives

Plus the delay in delivery from dell is supposed to be a few weeks at the minute from what I read.

Tom Dunne

Dav wrote:

Have you had a look at http://www.laptopsdirect.ie/

For some alternatives

Plus the delay in delivery from dell is supposed to be a few weeks at the minute from what I read.

Do a search on Laptopsdirect.ie here before you purchase from them.

I personally wouldn't recommend them. There are a few other more reputable suppliers listed in the stickies.

warrenaldo

Looking into getting a a laptop too. I didnt know that about the Business laptops - there available to the public. The prices seem a nice bit cheaper.
What would be the difference really in the laptops?
All i can see is:
vista business or vista home premium
What is the difference between these - and is there anything else i should be weary about if buying from the business section

TerrorFirmer

If its for college don't get a 17" screen, it's just too big. You'll regret it when you're carrying something that big around. Yes, people say it looks great for games, but lets be realistic, with a 17" and a 8600MGT all you'll be doing is playable at low res scaled up anyway. Go for the 15.4" screen with the 8600GT.

Also, make sure to get the 9 cell battery, sure it sticks out a small bit but again for college you want as long a battery life as possible. The Inspiron looks OK but at the moment the Vostros offer so much for such a reasonably price it literally is impossible to recommend anything else other then the Vostros in the standard laptop college/games user bracket.

Cunny-Funt

Ballboy wrote:

Thanks for the help guys!!

THE VOSTRO 1500 € 894.19
Base
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7300 Processor (2.0GHz,800MHz,4MB L2 cache)
Microsoft Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista® Business - English
Enhanced Service Packs
Base Warranty - 1 Year Business Hardware Support
LCD
15.4" Wide Screen WXGA (1280 x 800) Display with TrueLife™
Colour Choice
Matte Jet Black without Camera
Memory
2048MB 667MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM (2x1024
Hard Drive
160GB (5400RPM) SATA Hard Drive
Video Card
256MB nVidia® GeForce® 8600M GT
Optical Devices
Fixed Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Drive
Primary Battery
Primary 6-cell Lithium-Ion Battery (56 WHr)

I have pretty much this exact Vostro. Typing on it right now. Let me tell you from 1st hand experience. Its a swwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeet lappy :cool:

dulpit

I have same experience as cunny-funt... (what a great name btw)

I have a similar Vostro 1500 (i got a few extras cos i wasn't paying VAT - got it through work) and it's the berries... Real nice laptop... Buy 5! (or one)