600m or 700m

Question

I am trying to decide whether to buy a 700m or 600m. I will be typing papers for school ,surfing the web, email, and watch DVD's on trips. It is such a hard decision. Also should I buy the higher memory or install it later?  Thanks......

ejn63 · Answer

Either is fine for those purposes. Do you want a standard screen (600m) or a widescreen (700m)?

bhsew · Answer

That is what I am not sure of.  I originally was looking at the 6000 , but it is so big.  I have read so many reviews and it is hard to know  which is the better size 600 or 700.  I am going to use the wireless feature especially at home.  It will be a second computer, and  I am excited to get a laptop. It looks to me as if you can put just about the same insides in both of them, just a little size difference.  Do you think this is correct.......anything I should look out for?

ejn63 · Answer

The 600m does have dedicated video RAM, but does not have a video card - although the video isn't chipset-integrated, it is hard soldered to the mainboard.

Ed C · Answer

I think the big difference is in the video card or the lack of one in the 700. The 600m uses a real video card with it own memory where as the 700 has a intel integrated video chip and uses system memory for it.

If this is going to be mainly a home notebook, not much traveling with it, take another look at the 6000. If you plan on traveling with it to some degree then the 600m. If you are going to be carrying it around on a regular basis and the integrated video will work for you then the 700.

The 700 only has a ?12.1"? screen which can be a bit small for extended use. the 600m has a 14.1" screen which is fine for most computer tasks. I use a C610 with that size screen at 1024x768 res and it's OK. My i8200 has a 15" screen @ 1400x1050 and it does have more screen real-estate but everything is a bit small. I go back and forth between the 2 notebooks and when I'm on the 14.1" screen I wish it was a little bigger and when on the 15" one I wish the text and icons were a little bigger.

Questar · Answer

I own both , a 600m 1.7 ghz PM and and 700m 1.8ghz PM.  I use them both daily.  If you are going to be doing lots of typing, the 600m keyboard is vastly superior. The Video (non integrated) is also superior.  For extended portable use away from the mains, a 600m with a second battery in the drive slot will keep the system running for 6 continuous hours. All day with even the least amount of conservation.  There is but one problem.  The 600m display is the dimmest laptop display I have ever used, and I've used dozens of notebooks over the years.  In this regard the 700m display is vastly superior.  The 600m display will be washed out even indoors in a brightly lit office.  The extended life battery option on the 700m is still not as long lasting as the dual battery option on the 600m, and there is no option to replace the optical drive with a battery on the 700m.   As for memory, realistically with the 600m 512 is sufficient, with the 700m and shared memory, you might want to bump it up to 768.  The difference in processor speeds is made up for by the separate graphics.  Both of my systems are set up very similarly and the pcpitstop tests run very close.   One other point, albeit a small one, but it is important to me.  Dell installs a very useful utility in the 600m called 'QuickSet'.  This program is not available on the 700m and there are therefore no onscreen displays (OSD) for things like display brightness etc.  Using both, if I could only own one, I'd still probably choose the 600m as my primary computer over the 700m.  If the size issue is important, and you want something small that might lend a nod to the 700m, which is noticeably smaller and lighter.   Good luck. Ken

Jmak · Answer

I got the 600m last fall as a replacement for my older 'Dell from h..' inspiron that was a constant problem. 600m has worked flawless, nice and light when I travel and easy to carry around. I use it professionally, several hours every day,  and it has more than made up for the previous monster.

bhsew · Answer

Thank you for all of the information!!  I have returned from the Dell kiosk and checking out the 600m, the 700m and the 6000. The 6000 isn't really too much bigger than the 600m.  The guy there recommended the 6000.  Too bad I can't choose 2.  I thought I would have a decision made by now, but still haven't.   I am leaning towards the 6000 again.  If not the 600m.  Does the screen choice make a big difference?  WXGA vs WXSGA. He said you can't really see the screen very well in bright light, like outside or in the car.

Ed C · Answer

If you get a 600m get the XGA screen, 1024x768, otherwise all the text and icon, program buttons, will be small. I have used a 14.1" screen notebook with SXGA+ screen and it's hard for me to see everything comfortably.

If you get the 6000 definitely get the SXGA+ screen. Otherwise everything on screen will be as big as a house.

Remember this. All LCD screens have a Native resolution and if you use any other resolution than the native one everything will be slightly blurred. So you need to choose the screen type/resolution to fit the size, inches, of the screen and what your eyes can see. Some like a 14" screen with SXGA and some like 15+" screens with UXGA, 1900+/- x ????. For me that resolution makes everything way to small even on a 21" monitor

bhsew · Answer

Perfect!  That is what I needed to know.  Thank you

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600m or 700m

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